Responding

Chesapeake Energy Corp. transferred nearly 1,100 oil and natural gas leases in and around an underground natural gas storage field in Columbiana County, OH, to Hilcorp Energy Co. in February.

Responding to the increase in natural gas production out of the Uinta Basin, Questar Pipeline Co. will be holding a binding open season to solicit support for an expansion of takeaway capacity by extending its Jurisdictional Lateral 138 (JL138) to the Myton Yard in Myton, UT.

Responding to a shareholder resolution earlier this year, Continental Resources Inc. said it plans to reduce flaring of associated natural gas at its oil wells in the Bakken Shale to “as close to zero percent flaring as possible.”

Responding to a legislative mandate, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Wednesday launched a rulemaking to examine how to integrate biomethane into the state’s extensive natural gas pipeline grid.

Responding to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Energy Highway Blueprint, the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) last week said it would study expanding natural gas delivery to homeowners and businesses in the state. The PSC also acted on items designed to ease transmission congestion to meet power needs by providing downstate New York access to lower-cost power, and to plan for possible major power plant retirements.

Responding to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Energy Highway Blueprint, the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) on Tuesday said it will study the expansion of natural gas delivery to homeowners and businesses in the state. The PSC also acted on items designed to ease transmission congestion to meet power needs by providing downstate New York access to lower-cost power, and to plan for possible major power plant retirements.

Responding to concerns that it heard during five regional conferences in August, FERC Thursday called for more conferences aimed at improving the coordination between natural gas pipelines and power generators.

The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) cut rates for the three major investor-owned natural gas utilities in the state, responding to the continuing low wholesale prices for gas. The new rates take effect Thursday. Portland, OR-based NW Natural, which separately received a small general rate hike, its first in 10 years (see Daily GPI, Oct. 31), will cut its rates by 6.9%, or about $4.36/month for a typical residential customer. Spokane, WA-based Avista Utilities customers will see rates drop 7.7%, or on average about $4.78/month for residential customers. MDU Resources Group’s Kennewick, WA-based Cascade Natural Gas Corp. rates were cut 17.3%, or a decrease on average of $9.79/month for a residential customer. A purchased gas adjustment allows the PUC to have the gas utilities adjust their rates up or down annually to reflect changes in the average price of gas supplies the utilities purchase on the interstate market.

Americans are divided on whether the United States is heading in the right direction with regard to domestic energy policy, but a plurality of those responding to a recent poll said it is government that should be leading the way.