Pipelines

California Survey Finds Little Evidence of Methane Emissions from Abandoned Wells

California Survey Finds Little Evidence of Methane Emissions from Abandoned Wells

An aerial study of 238 natural gas-fired generation plants in California has concluded they are responsible for 2.1% of the state’s methane emissions from point sources.  Jet Propulsion Laboratory researchers earlier this summer completed the survey using its remote sensing technology. Study flights were conducted in five phases during 2016, 2017 and 2018, covering at…

September 1, 2020
Pandemic Dents Mexico Natural Gas, Power Demand in April-July

Pandemic Dents Mexico Natural Gas, Power Demand in April-July

The Covid-19 pandemic dealt a substantial blow to Mexico’s natural gas demand between April and July, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Gas consumption in Mexico averaged 8.2 Bcf/d during the period, down 5% or 0.5 Bcf/d from the same span last year, EIA said last Thursday, citing data from Genscape Inc. The…

September 1, 2020
After Early Tumble, Aggressive Buying Trims Losses for Natural Gas Futures, but LNG Demand Still Weak

After Early Tumble, Aggressive Buying Trims Losses for Natural Gas Futures, but LNG Demand Still Weak

What initially appeared to be a substantial retracement for natural gas futures ultimately turned out to be a much smaller pullback to start the week. After bouncing off a $2.497/MMBtu intraday low, the October Nymex gas futures contract settled Monday at $2.630, off only 2.7 cents from Friday’s close. November finished four-tenths of a cent…

August 31, 2020
GOP Doubles Down on Deregulation, as Trump Claims Biden to ‘Lay Waste’ to U.S. Oil, Natural Gas

GOP Doubles Down on Deregulation, as Trump Claims Biden to ‘Lay Waste’ to U.S. Oil, Natural Gas

President Trump is betting that, by touting deregulation and deriding his Democratic opponent as an extremist who will raise taxes and throw wrenches into oil and gas development, he will galvanize domestic energy industry support ahead of the November election. Culminating the Republican National Committee (RNC) convention Thursday night in Washington, DC, Trump claimed his…

August 28, 2020
FERC Asked for Two-Year Extension as MVP Still Resolving ‘Permitting Issues’

FERC Asked for Two-Year Extension as MVP Still Resolving ‘Permitting Issues’

Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC, beset by legal and regulatory hurdles that have pushed back the startup of its 303-mile, 2 million Dth/d Appalachian natural gas conduit, has asked FERC for a two-year extension to bring the project online. Citing “unforeseen litigation and permitting delays” outside of the project’s control, MVP in a filing Tuesday with…

August 27, 2020
Sunoco Cleared to Restart Mariner East Work in Pennsylvania After Appeal Granted

Sunoco Cleared to Restart Mariner East Work in Pennsylvania After Appeal Granted

An administrative law judge has allowed Sunoco Pipeline LP to resume horizontal directional drilling (HDD) on a stretch of its Mariner East pipeline system in southeast Pennsylvania, overturning an order from state regulators that stopped construction last week. Sunoco appealed the order to the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board (EHB), which oversees decisions made by the…

August 27, 2020
Natural Gas Futures Slip as Laura Threatens to Crush Demand; Cash Softens

Natural Gas Futures Slip as Laura Threatens to Crush Demand; Cash Softens

Natural gas traders were on high alert Tuesday as Hurricane Laura churned toward the Gulf Coast, with impacts to supply and demand reverberating across the market ahead of the storm’s projected landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday. Volatility was on full display, with the September Nymex gas futures plunging to an early $2.451 intraday low…

August 25, 2020
U.S. Chamber Steps into Legal Fray to Defend Reforms Aimed at Speedier Approvals of Energy Infrastructure

U.S. Chamber Steps into Legal Fray to Defend Reforms Aimed at Speedier Approvals of Energy Infrastructure

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday said it would help defend Trump administration updates to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that were designed to minimize reviews and hasten approvals of proposed infrastructure projects, including natural gas and oil pipelines. At issue is the White House Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ)’s overhaul of NEPA…

August 25, 2020
Sunoco Challenging Mariner East HDD Stoppage in Southeast PA

Sunoco Challenging Mariner East HDD Stoppage in Southeast PA

Sunoco Pipeline LP is challenging a recent directive from state regulators to suspend work on a horizontal directional drill (HDD) in Chester County, PA, needed to complete parts of its embattled Mariner East pipeline system. A prolonged construction stoppage at the site in West Whiteland Township, dubbed HDD 360, creates “a significant risk of adverse…

August 25, 2020
Storm-Related Production Decline Boosts Natural Gas Futures; Rally Seen ‘Getting Out of Hand’

Storm-Related Production Decline Boosts Natural Gas Futures; Rally Seen ‘Getting Out of Hand’

Natural gas futures jumped as much as 10 cents to start the week, supported by a steep drop in production ahead of two tropical systems moving through the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The September Nymex gas futures contract surged to a $2.554 intraday high before settling Monday at $2.513, up 6.5 cents from Friday’s close.…

August 24, 2020