Resume

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) said Friday the Oct. 21 meeting for commissioners to consider draft natural gas development regulations has been postponed by one month.

California regulators unanimously agreed last Thursday that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) can resume higher operating pressure in its receipt point of natural gas supplies at the California-Arizona border at Topock. Regulators called for “stricter utility accountability” in pipe pressure tests. Separately on Friday five new pipeline measures were signed into law.

California regulators unanimously agreed Thursday that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) can resume higher operating pressure in its receipt point of natural gas supplies at the California-Arizona border at Topock. Regulators called for “stricter utility accountability” in pipe pressure tests.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu said last Monday that he was comfortable with the Obama administration’s decision to resume allowing leases to move forward in the Gulf of Mexico, but he did not address the ongoing controversy over the speed of that process (see NGI, April 4a). He did, however, mention the new offshore drilling requirements.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu said Monday he was comfortable with the Obama administration’s decision to resume allowing leases to move forward in the Gulf of Mexico, but he did not address the ongoing controversy over the speed of that process (see Daily GPI, March 31). He did, however, mention the new offshore drilling requirements.

Apache Corp. said the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement approved a permit to enable the company to resume plugging and abandonment operations at East Cameron Block 278 Platform B in the Gulf of Mexico. Operations were suspended when a leak was discovered Sunday morning by an Apache crew, which saw bubbling near the platform (see Daily GPI, Jan. 20). Air monitoring equipment found no traces of gas emissions on the facility and power had been restored to assure safe operations, the company said Thursday. The depleted gas field is in water depths of 168 feet about 95 miles south of Cameron, LA. Apache acquired East Cameron 278 in 2003. The development of the wells and installation of the platform occurred in the 1990s by prior owner-operators. Apache holds a 50% working interest, with Stone Energy holding the remaining working interest.

Apache Corp. said the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement approved a permit to enable the company to resume plugging and abandonment operations at East Cameron Block 278 Platform B in the Gulf of Mexico. Operations were suspended when a leak was discovered about Sunday morning by an Apache crew, which saw bubbling near the platform. Air monitoring equipment found no traces of gas emissions on the facility, and power had been restored to assure safe operations, the company said Thursday. The depleted gas field is in water depths of 168 feet about 95 miles south of Cameron, LA.

It is “imperative” that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) quickly resume issuing permits for shallow-water drilling, according to researchers at the Maguire Energy Institute at Southern Methodist University’s (SMU) Cox School of Business, who found that the slowdown in approving shallow-water operations “has very serious economic implications for the [Gulf Coast] region that rival or exceed those of the spill and moratorium” that preceded it.

It is “imperative” that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) quickly resume issuing permits for shallow-water drilling, according to researchers at the Maguire Energy Institute at Southern Methodist University’s (SMU) Cox School of Business, who found that the slowdown in approving shallow-water operations “has very serious economic implications for the [Gulf Coast] region that rival or exceed those of the spill and moratorium” that preceded it.