Open

Supporters of oil and natural gas exploration in New York are in disagreement with the state regulators over just how much of the state would be open to high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF), while an environmental group called the latest proposal “meaningless.” However, a pair of attorneys with extensive knowledge of New York’s regulatory, business and geological climates said they believe unconventional drilling permits will be issued soon.

Supporters of oil and natural gas exploration in New York are in disagreement with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) over just how much of the state would be open to high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF), while an environmental group has called the agency’s latest actions “meaningless.”

Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline Inc. is holding a binding open season through Dec. 7 for expansion capacity proposed to carry production from the Granite Wash, Cleveland/Tonkawa and Mississippian Lime areas to markets in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri as well as other intrastate and interstate pipelines. The Straight Blackwell Expansion would involve expanding the capacity of Southern Star’s system beginning in Texas County, OK, along the Straight Blackwell Line (Line Segment 315) extending east to its Blackwell Compressor Station in Kay County, OK. Customer interest will dictate whether Southern Star pursues the expansion and will help define the final parameters of any project, the company said. Southern Star said if the project proceeds, it will, subject to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval, install the necessary facilities to serve all or a portion of the requested capacity. Expansion service could begin Oct. 1. For more information, contact Philip Rullman at (270) 852-4440, Jim Neukam at (270) 852-4665, Pat Coomes at (270) 852-4552, Robbie Clark at (270)-852-4577, or Dale Sanders at (270) 852-4666.

The city council in Youngstown, OH, voted 5-2 Wednesday in favor of an ordinance that could open city-owned land to oil and natural gas drilling.

The Pittsburgh City Council has referred a series of proposed amendments, which would create “mineral extraction districts” and possibly open the city to at least limited Marcellus Shale drilling, to the city’s planning commission.

Ryckman Creek Resources LLC, a unit of Peregrine Midstream Partners LLC, is holding a nonbinding open season through Nov. 2 for up to 8 Bcf of firm, high-deliverability, multi-cycle gas storage capacity available April 1 at the company’s new facility in Uinta County, WY, near the Opal Hub (see Daily GPI, Aug. 22). Ryckman Creek has interconnections with five interstate pipelines, all of which are connected to the Opal Hub. Combined meter capacity is in excess of 1 Bcf/d. For information, visit www.peregrinempllc.com or contact Jeff Foutch, jhfoutch@peregrinempllc.com, (713) 974-5606; Don Wash, dwash@peregrinempllc.com, (713) 750-9939; or Chuck Sawyer, csawyer@peregrinempllc.com, (720) 359-1589.

Oneok Partners LP is holding an open season through Nov. 20 for its Bakken Crude Express Pipeline, a proposed 1,300-mile pipeline with capacity to transport 200,000 b/d of light-sweet crude oil from multiple points in the Williston Basin’s Bakken Shale in North Dakota and Montana to the crude oil market hub in Cushing, OK (see Shale Daily, April 10). Construction is expected to begin in early 2014 and be completed by mid-2015. For information, visit the project website or contact Lisa Nishimuta at (918) 588-7730, lisa.nishimuta@oneok.com; or Tim King at (918) 732-1339, tim.king@oneok.com.

Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission LLC’s (KMIGT) proposal to sell a 432-mile segment of its Pony Express natural gas pipeline to an affiliate (Kinder Morgan Pony Express Pipeline LLC) for the purpose of converting it to transport crude oil from the Bakken and Denver-Julesburg/Niobrara shales has received a mixed reaction at FERC.

Enterprise Products Partners LP is holding a binding open commitment period through Sept. 27 for capacity on the Appalachia-to-Texas (Atex Express) pipeline. The 1,230-mile system will deliver ethane from the Marcellus and Utica shale areas of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio to Mont Belvieu, TX (see Shale Daily, Jan. 5). “While the long-term commitments we already have are more than sufficient to proceed with the development of Atex Express pipeline, we continue to receive steady interest from other producers seeking long-term transportation capacity,” said Jim Teague, chief operating officer of Enterprise’s general partner. For information contact Russ Kovin at (713)381-7925, or rkovin@eprod.com.