Processes

The conversion of landfill methane gas to liquefied natural gas (LNG) for use in fueling trash trucks and other heavy equipment is similar in its technical processes and economics, according to a New Jersey-based executive getting ready to open a landfill-LNG plant later this year at a Northern California trash site. But Linde North America, a project partner with Houston-based Waste Management Corp., has no interest in global, baseload-size LNG projects, according to Byran Luftglass, Linde’s energy segment manager.

While stimulating research on substitutes and new processes, natural gas prices are not yet high enough to make Alberta oilsands developers blink. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. is going ahead on the next bitumen mega-mine in northern Alberta, while acknowledging gas will be a major continuing expense.

While stimulating research on substitutes and new processes, natural gas prices are not yet high enough to make Alberta oilsands developers blink. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. is going ahead on the next bitumen mega-mine in northern Alberta, while acknowledging gas will be a major continuing expense.

While stimulating research on substitutes and new processes, natural gas prices are not yet high enough to make Alberta oilsands developers blink. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. is going ahead on the next bitumen mega-mine in northern Alberta, while acknowledging gas will be a major continuing expense.

The Process Gas Consumers (PGC), representing end users whose processes require the use of natural gas, has advised FERC Chairman Pat Wood it is “strongly” opposed to the federal government taking a hand in the price reporting process for natural gas, which is currently performed by independent publishers (such as NGI).

Still operating under outdated laws and technology, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Energy Information Administration (EIA) are severely hamstrung in their abilities to determine whether natural gas prices are responding to competitive supply and demand factors or manipulative forces in the market, according to another government agency.

With its merger with Portland General Electric proceeding through state and federal approval processes, Northwest Natural announced Friday it has reduced previously announced fourth quarter earnings by $2.7 million, or 6 cents/share, due to a resolution of a 10-year-old lawsuit by one of its large commercial customers that went against the Portland, OR-based natural gas distribution utility.

The nation’s largest municipal utility, the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), has the dual challenge this month of streamlining its natural gas-buying abilities to conform with a new city charter and also adapting to a new general manager following the departure of the high-profile S. David Freeman, who now heads up California’s new state power authority. Freeman’s plans to take interests in pipelines or production have been placed on the back-burner due to favorable transportation and commodity prices right now, a department source said.

A long and often contentious processes came to a close last weekin Oklahoma with an Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) orderapproving a comprehensive agreement between Oklahoma Natural Gasthe OCC staff and the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office.