Environmental groups on Tuesday filed a lawsuit in California claiming that state regulators had failed to “consider or evaluate” the risks of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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New York Rules Delay Frustrates Operators
If New York regulators don’t meet a Nov. 29 deadline to finalize the rulemaking process for natural gas drilling using hydraulic fracturing (fracking), it may force more producers and service companies to move out of state, a spokesman for the Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York (IOGA-NY) said last week.
AGL Inks CNG Fueling Station Agreements
As part of a program approved last year by Georgia regulators, Atlanta Gas Light Co. (AGL) has signed agreements with the City of Atlanta and three commercial operators to open five compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations around the state.
New York Rules Delay Frustrates Oil, Gas Operators
If New York regulators don’t meet a Nov. 29 deadline to finalize the rulemaking process for natural gas drilling using hydraulic fracturing (fracking), it may force more producers and service companies to move out of state, a spokesman for the Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York (IOGA-NY) said Monday.
Industry Briefs
California regulators have approved a one-time contractual waiver to allow Chevron Corp. to lower its obligation for capacity on Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) backbone natural gas transmission system by 9,000 Dth/d. The waiver is effective through the end of Chevron’s three-year contract with SoCalGas on Sept. 30, 2014. Involved in the case is Chevron’s role as a California gas producer delivering up to 25,000 Dth/d into the SoCalGas system. Chevron’s total capacity on the SoCalGas system will drop to 16,000 Dth/d. The change was necessitated when the gas utility was forced to close one of the interconnecting pipelines used by Chevron in 2011 because of demands from the owner of the pipeline right-of-way. Since that time, SoCalGas decided it would not build a replacement line, forcing Chevron to lower the capacity volumes covered in its multi-year contract.
Industry Briefs
Natural gas and electric utility bills will decrease in the fourth quarter for Xcel Energy’s Colorado customers, assuming state regulators approve the combination utility’s proposed new rates, effective Oct. 1. Xcel asked the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to OK monthly gas utility bills going down by an average of $6.15 for residential customers and $23.16 for small businesses. Commodity prices for the two customer groups will be 44.19 cents/therm and 43.84 cents/therm, respectively, compared to rates of 52.11 cents/therm and 52.33 cents/therm in 4Q2011. For electric customers, monthly bills are expected to drop for residential ($3.21) and small business ($26.79).
PHMSA Aims to Reduce Serious Pipeline Incidents by 2016
With efforts by pipelines and state regulators, the Pipeline and Hazardous Safety Administration (PHMSA) said it anticipates a significant reduction in pipeline-related deaths or major injuries over the next four years.
Eaglebine Purchase, IPO Planned by Texas Producer
Energy & Exploration Partners Inc. on Monday said in a filing with U.S. regulators that it intended to raise up to $275 million through an initial public offering (IPO) of its common stock. In conjunction with the filing, the producer said it had agreed to buy acreage in the Eaglebine formation of Texas from Chesapeake Energy Corp. for $125 million.
LNG Exports Move Closer to Reality
A series of recent decisions by regulators and moves by operators of liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities indicate the logjam of LNG exports may be easing.
Shell, Partners Double Size of Proposed Canadian LNG Export Facility
Shell Canada Ltd. and its trio of Asian energy partners have asked Canadian regulators for approval to build a facility near Kitimat, BC, that would be capable of exporting up to 24 million tons/year (MMt/y) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) beginning in 2019. The proposed facility is double the size of the one Shell announced in May.