Said

Although the force majeure declared Tuesday is still in effect, Stingray said Thursday it is no longer experiencing liquids takeaway issues. See the bulletin board for a list of points that are being reopened Thursday and Friday for receipts and/or deliveries, along with conditions that must be satisfied for customers to use those points.

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) is scheduled to consider a set of new rules on the disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) early next month, but the debate is already picking up steam regarding proposed exemptions for trade secret chemicals.

Everyone involved in shale gas development needs to do a better job, the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) subcommittee on shale gas production said in its final report.

ConocoPhillips, which is repositioning itself as a pure-play exploration and production (E&P) company, said its spun-off downstream company is to be named Phillips 66 and will house the refining, marketing, midstream and chemicals businesses. The repositioning is expected to be completed in 2Q2012; ConocoPhillips plans to file preliminary paperwork within the next week (see Daily GPI, Oct. 27). Both companies would be headquartered in Houston but would maintain a “significant” presence in Oklahoma, where the predecessor company was founded. Bartlesville, OK, is to be the global center for Phillips 66 technology, as well as the site of transaction services organizations for both companies. The ConocoPhillips E&P technology organization would remain in Houston.

UGI Energy Services Inc., a subsidiary of UGI Corp., said it plans to spend $150 million to build a 30-mile extension of its Auburn Gathering System. The project calls for extending Auburn from its terminus in Wyoming County, PA, to Luzerne County, PA, and for building a connection to the Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line. The extension is expected to be in service in the second or third quarter of 2013.

A unit of Boardwalk Pipeline Partners LP plans to build a $90 million gathering system in northeastern Pennsylvania to connect Southwestern Energy Co. wells in the region to the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co.’s (TGP) Line 300.

Houston’s ConocoPhillips, which is poised to become the largest pure-play independent in North America once it spins off its refining unit, said Ryan M. Lance will assume the chairman and CEO role when current chief Jim Mulva retires in 2012. Mulva, who has run the company since it merged with refining giant Phillips Petroleum Co. in 2002, plans to step down once the repositioning, announced in July, is complete (see NGI, July 18). Lance currently is senior vice president, exploration and production, international. Greg C. Garland was elected by the board to chair and become CEO of the new downstream company. Garland is currently senior vice president, exploration and production, Americas for ConocoPhillips.

Enstor Operating Co. LLC said Friday it would begin accept bids for firm natural gas storage capacity at its four U.S. facilities through Oct. 20 for terms of one to five years beginning April 1.

The federal Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) said it plans to build a $185 million, 28-mile high-voltage transmission line to move more energy from east of the Cascade Mountains to load centers in western Oregon and Washington. The Big Eddy-Knight transmission power line would run from BPA’s Big Eddy Substation near The Dalles, OR, to a new substation four miles northwest of Goldendale, WA. Before construction can begin, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) will conduct a consistency review of the project, which falls within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Following the USFS review, BPA will finalize contract terms and obtain all permits and approvals for a project it claims would create up to 100 new construction-related jobs. The project would be financed in part with borrowing authority included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.