Resolve

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) reconvened Thursday in Denver, but was unable to resolve lingering issues and delayed until Feb. 11 finalizing new setback requirements for oil and natural gas wells.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) settled a Clean Water Act (CWA) case for wetlands violations, requiring PDC Mountaineer (PDCM) to pay a penalty of $177,500 to resolve violations involving construction activities at Marcellus Shale gas extraction facilities in northern West Virginia. According to EPA, Bridgeport, WV-based PDCM failed to apply for necessary permits to discharge fill materials into wetlands or streams in Harrison County, WV. PDCM, which also agreed to restore and/or complete mitigation projects at four sites in the state pursuant to separate CWA orders, did not admit to violating the CWA. Earlier this month, PDC Energy reported that PDCM, a joint venture of PDC and Lime Rock Partners V LP, completed three horizontal Marcellus wells since mid-September. The wells were expected to be turned-in-line by year’s end, once a permit for a gathering line river crossing is received, PDC said.

The state of Alaska is seeking pricing protections for natural gas consumers in the Southcentral region through a consent decree filed to “resolve competitive concerns” with Hilcorp Alaska LLC’s acquisition of Cook Inlet assets from Marathon Oil Co.

The state of Alaska is seeking pricing protections for natural gas consumers in the Southcentral region through a consent decree filed to “resolve competitive concerns” with Hilcorp Alaska LLC’s acquisition of Cook Inlet assets from Marathon Oil Co.

PG&E Corp. CEO Anthony Earley predicted last week that the San Francisco-based utility Pacific Gas and Electric Co. will resolve pending regulatory and enforcement issues related to the fatal San Bruno, CA, natural gas transmission pipeline rupture and explosion two years ago.

Former Sen. George Mitchell will not mediate talks to resolve enforcement cases against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) regarding the natural gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno, CA, in September 2010, as had been previously announced by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the regulator said Friday.

Former Sen. George Mitchell will not mediate talks to resolve enforcement cases against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) regarding the natural gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno, CA, in September 2010, as had been previously announced by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the regulator said last Friday.

Investors expecting dour third quarter earnings from Dow Chemical Co. one day after the company reported plans to cut approximately 2,400 jobs were given a bit of a surprise Wednesday as the chemical giant reported better-than expected earnings, thanks in part to abundant and low-priced natural gas.

FERC Commissioner Philip Moeller last week said a formal rulemaking may be required to resolve the inconsistencies in scheduling so that natural gas pipelines can better serve power generation markets. But an opposite opinion is held by Chairman Jon Wellinghoff, who earlier this month suggested that a rulemaking was not the way to go (see NGI, Sept. 10).