Scrutiny

The risk management and emergency response plans of BP America and Transocean Ltd. for accidental oil and gas releases have garnered lawmaker scrutiny as a Gulf of Mexico (GOM) oil slick grows following an apparent well blowout last week.

Presidential appointment and Congressional confirmation of the director of the Department of Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) “would provide additional oversight and scrutiny of the agency, as well as elevate the status of one of the largest non-tax revenue operations within the federal government,” a taxpayer watchdog group is slated to tell a Congressional subcommittee last week.

Presidential appointment and Congressional confirmation of the director of the Department of Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) “would provide additional oversight and scrutiny of the agency, as well as elevate the status of one of the largest non-tax revenue operations within the federal government,” a taxpayer watchdog group is slated to tell a Congressional subcommittee Tuesday.

A proposed threshold for annual natural gas purchases and sales that would trigger a new reporting requirement for companies came under close scrutiny in comments filed last week at FERC, with interstate pipelines, gas marketers, major producers, utilities and industrial customers calling for a change or clarification. Independent producers were among the few industry sectors to support the proposed threshold.

The threshold for annual natural gas purchases and sales that would trigger a new reporting requirement for companies came under the most scrutiny in comments filed this week at FERC, with interstate pipelines, gas marketers, major producers and industrial customers calling for a change. Independent producers were among the few industry sectors to support the proposed threshold.

BP plc said Friday that CEO John Browne, who has faced increasing scrutiny from U.S. regulators, politicians and stakeholders following problems, accidents and scandals within some of the company’s business units, will retire at the end of June, more than a year earlier than planned. Tony Hayward, currently head of exploration and production (E&P) for the London-based major, will succeed the embattled CEO.

BP plc said Friday that CEO John Browne, who has faced increasing scrutiny from U.S. regulators, politicians and stakeholders following problems, accidents and scandals within some of the company’s business units, will retire at the end of June, more than a year earlier than planned. Tony Hayward, currently head of exploration and production (E&P) for the London-based major, will succeed the embattled CEO.

The scrutiny of BP plc’s business practices grew in late August when federal investigators announced they are looking into whether the oil major manipulated crude oil and unleaded gasoline markets in 2002, 2003 and 2004. BP already is facing allegations by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) that it manipulated the U.S. propane market in 2004 (see NGI, July 3).

Saying the utility hasn’t faced the scrutiny of a general rate case in 16 years, the Oregon Public Utility Commission Tuesday launched a rate case proceeding for the state’s smallest private-sector natural gas utility, Seattle-based Cascade Natural Gas Co. The PUC said it was taking the action to determine if the utility’s rates are too high for its 51,049 customers in Oregon.