Practices

Nine nationwide projects designed to improve water resource management practices at shale gas and coalbed methane (CBM) drilling sites were given a green light to move forward with funding from the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).

Sharply lower natural gas prices cut into Williams’ earnings in 2Q2009, but the losses were mitigated by reduced project costs and hedging practices, the company said Thursday.

DTE Energy has launched a pilot program offering rebates of up to $5,000 for customers of MichCon, its natural gas utility, on products and services to help conserve energy. A limited number of $250 rebates will be available to customers who purchase high-efficiency furnaces or who have a professional energy audits performed on their homes. The company also is offering six rebates of $5,000 to builders that construct energy efficient homes. As many as 200 homeowners who replace their existing furnaces with high-efficiency natural gas models will be eligible for a rebate of $250 each. The new furnaces have to be installed by a licensed dealer and have an efficiency rating of at least 93%. As many as 100 homeowners who have an energy analysis performed will be eligible for a $250 rebate each. Only homes built prior to Dec. 31, 1999 are eligible for the program, and homeowners have to complete at least one of the recommendations identified during the energy audit. DTE also is offering six rebates of $5,000 each to licensed Michigan builders that construct homes built to federal Energy Star standards. Energy Star identifies and promotes energy efficient products and practices.

FERC said Thursday it has completed audits of three energy companies’ practices for the reporting of wholesale energy prices to price index publishers, finding some noncompliance areas that the companies have agreed to correct.

FERC said Thursday it has completed audits of three energy companies’ practices for the reporting of wholesale energy prices to price index publishers, finding some noncompliance areas that the companies have agreed to correct.

In an attempt to clarify its muddled policy on gathering, FERC last Thursday issued a policy statement that identifies the type of potentially abusive practices by offshore gathering affiliates that would frustrate the agency’s regulation of interstate natural gas pipelines enough to justify reassertion of jurisdiction over exempt gathering.

In an attempt to clarify its muddled policy on gathering, FERC Thursday issued a policy statement that identifies the type of potentially abusive practices by gathering affiliates that would frustrate the agency’s regulation of interstate pipelines enough to justify reassertion of jurisdiction over exempt gathering.

Citing the lack of coordination between the scheduling practices of the natural gas and electric sectors, FERC on Wednesday instituted a Section 206 inquiry under the Federal Power Act (FPA) into the scheduling and compensation mechanisms of independent system operators (ISOs) and regional transmission organizations (RTOs).

The scrutiny of BP plc’s business practices grew in late August when federal investigators announced they are looking into whether the oil major manipulated crude oil and unleaded gasoline markets in 2002, 2003 and 2004. BP already is facing allegations by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) that it manipulated the U.S. propane market in 2004 (see NGI, July 3).