Mexico’s Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) was reported Thursday on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border to be contemplating layoffs of up to 15,000 workers as apart of an overhaul of the government’s energy supply operations. However, NGI sources in California and Mexico City said it may be premature to talk about the possible downsizing of a workforce that is 72% union represented. “Given new appointments [to senior positions], there is a plan to reorganize the company into upstream and downstream segments,” said a Mexico City source who follows Pemex. A total restructuring is “still in process, so nothing has happened so far,” the source said. In California, an energy attorney specializing in Latin America said he had not heard of any layoffs, but any such move would be part of Pemex’s upcoming “modernization and streamlining efforts.” A spokesperson for Sempra Energy, which has extensive holdings in Mexico, said the company’s Mexico City office was unaware of any Pemex plans for layoffs.
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Of the estimated 33,000 natural gas customers who were impacted by Superstorm Sandy, New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) reported on Wednesday that it had restored service to about 18,000 meters on Long Beach Island in Monmouth County and parts of Ocean County. However, before gas can flow to the meters, residents have to return to their homes, have their electricity restored and hire qualified technicians to ensure the equipment is safe to operate, said a NJNG spokesman. He said it was a “little harder to quantify” how much of the distribution system’s infrastructure, which was damaged by Sandy, would have to be replaced.
Someone’s Talking About DOE’s LNG Export Consultant
On Monday Reuters, citing unnamed sources, reported that a much-anticipated report commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on the domestic market impacts of exporting liquefied U.S. gas is being prepared by NERA Economic Consulting. However, neither DOE nor the consultancy would confirm this.
NJNG Makes Slow, Steady Sandy Recovery
New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) reported Tuesday that it is making steady progress in restoring service to its hurricane-ravaged distribution system, as well as repairing the facilities.
Carrizo CEO: ‘Not Treading Water’ With Gas
Like many, but not all, producers, Houston-based Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc. has shifted to oil because that’s where the profits are.
Pioneer Plying the Wolfcamp Alphabet
During the third quarter Irving, TX-based Pioneer Natural Resources Co. set a new production record in the Eagle Ford Shale, where it said its choke management program continues to improve well performance. Continued development of the Wolfcamp Shale in West Texas is setting the play up to be a “significant” contributor to production growth in the future, the company said.
National Grid: Rhode Island Natural Gas System ‘Heavily Damaged’ by Sandy
Not all of the Northeast natural gas distribution companies survived Superstorm Sandy unscathed. National Grid, the largest gas distributor in the region, reported that parts of its system sustained heavy damages.
Eastern Pipelines, LDCs Breeze Through Superstorm Sandy
Natural gas pipeline systems and distribution companies so far have reported no problems maintaining service through Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy.
Georgia Power Completes Smyrna Power Plant’s Coal-to-Gas Transition
Marking the end of a more than year-long transition from becoming a coal-fired power plant to one fueled by natural gas, Georgia Power reported Monday that the third and final of the company’s 840 MW natural gas combined-cycle units at Plant McDonough-Atkinson in Smyrna, GA, became operational Oct. 28.
Warren Completes Anadarko Atlantic Rim Project Asset Acquisition
Warren Resources Inc. reported Monday that it has closed on its previously announced deal to acquire certain additional natural gas and midstream assets from subsidiaries of Anadarko Petroleum Corp. in the Atlantic Rim Project area in Wyoming’s Washakie Basin. After learning this past summer that Anadarko was soliciting bids for all of its operated coalbed methane (CBM) assets in the Atlantic Rim Project (see Daily GPI, Aug. 9), Warren, which was a working partner with Anadarko on a number of the assets, decided to exercise its preferential rights to purchase Anadarko’s share.
