Reduces

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has approved the proposal of Norway’s Statoil ASA, which already has significant holdings in the Marcellus and Eagle Ford shales, to acquire Austin, TX-based independent Brigham Exploration Co., which would give it access to the Williston Basin’s Bakken and Three Forks oily formations.

Energy banker First Reserve Corp. on Tuesday said it has created a joint venture (JV) with Appalachian operator Energy Corp. of America (ECA) initially to build natural gas gathering systems in the Marcellus Shale.

The House last Thursday narrowly passed an agriculture spending bill that reduces fiscal year (FY) 2012 funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) by about 15%. At the same time the agency deferred the July 16 effective date of some parts of the Dodd-Frank derivative reform measures.

The House Thursday narrowly passed an agriculture spending bill that reduces fiscal year (FY) 2012 funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) by about 15%.

Learning how to tap successfully into the Marcellus Shale has come at a big cost and a lot of work, and the producer continues to find ways to become more cost efficient, Range Resources Corp. COO Jeff Ventura said Tuesday.

ANR began unplanned engine repairs Tuesday at Bridgman (MI) Compressor Station in Michigan. The work reduces total St. John west-to-east capacity by 150 MMcf/d (leaving 1,155 MMcf/d available) through Jan. 2. Based on current nominations along the Michigan Legs, ANR said, it is anticipated that the reduction may result in the curtailment of IT and Firm Secondary nominations.

BHP Billiton LNG International announced a program to reduce air emissions from its proposed offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal, which has taken the lead in the race to build an LNG project on the U.S. West Coast. The Australian company made its announcement as the California State Lands Commission concluded a series of four public hearings on a revised draft environmental impact report (EIR) last Wednesday in Oxnard, CA.

A FERC administrative law judge (ALJ) on Thursday certified an uncontested offer of settlement that reduces by about 20-25% the transportation rates for shippers on Iroquois Gas Transmission System’s Eastchester extension that went into service earlier this year.

A FERC administrative law judge (ALJ) last Thursday certified an uncontested offer of settlement that reduces by about 20-25% the transportation rates for shippers on Iroquois Gas Transmission System’s Eastchester extension that went into service earlier this year.