Selected

Kathryn Klaber, who has helmed the industry-led Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) as CEO for almost four years, is stepping down. She was selected to lead the newly formed organization in late 2009 and is expected to help in the transition over the next few months. “Pennsylvania is now producing nearly 10% of the nation’s natural gas,” Klaber said. “Our industry’s work has been described as ‘revolutionary’ and ‘game-changing.’ The work of the MSC, collaborating with public officials, has helped create the climate for growth of an industry that has delivered on its promises to create American jobs, increase our energy security, while holding safety and environmental performance as paramount.” The oil and gas industry over the past few years “has faced and collectively overcome a host of challenges,” said MSC Chair Dave Spigelmyer, who is Chesapeake Energy Corp. vice president of government affairs. “Katie’s results-oriented leadership and proven ability to identify and collaboratively tackle these challenges has brought incredible value to our industry.”

Japan’s Mitsui Corp. has been selected to construct a pipeline that would carry U.S. natural gas to Mexico from Tucson, AZ, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto announced in Japan while on a tour of Asian countries. The $460 million Tucson-Sasabe pipeline would have capacity of 770 MMcf/d and would join several other pipeline projects to move U.S. gas to Mexico (see Daily GPI, March 8). Mexico is seeking inexpensive U.S. shale gas to fuel power generation and supply industrial users. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Mexico imported more U.S. gas than ever last year (see Daily GPI, March 14), and according to an analysis by Goldman Sachs, U.S. gas imports by Mexico will continue to increase (see Daily GPI, Feb. 11).

Tervita Corp., a Calgary-based environmental and energy services company, has been selected to build and operate a facility in Carroll County, OH, to treat Chesapeake Energy Corp.’s produced and tophole drilling water from its Utica Shale operations, the companies said.

TransCanada Corp. was selected by Shell Canada Ltd. last week to build and operate the proposed Coastal GasLink project, a large-diameter pipeline that initially would transport more than 1.7 Bcf/d from the gassy Montney, Horn River and Cordova basins in the Dawson Creek, British Columbia (BC) area about 700 kilometers (435 miles) to Shell’s planned 12 million ton/year liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility near Kitimat, BC.

TransCanada Corp. has been selected by Shell Canada Ltd. to build and operate the proposed Coastal GasLink project, a large-diameter pipeline that initially would carry more than 1.7 Bcf/d from the gassy Montney, Horn River and Cordova basins in the Dawson Creek, British Columbia (BC) area about 700 kilometers (435 miles) to Shell’s planned 12 million ton/year liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility near Kitimat, BC.

Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. (CPChem) LP announced Monday that it has selected a site near Old Ocean, TX, in Brazoria County, for two polyethylene facilities, part of the company’s U.S. Gulf Coast Petrochemicals Project.

Western Energy Alliance’s (WEA) board of directors has selected Tim Wigley to be the trade association’s new president. Wigley comes to WEA from PAC/WEST, where he managed the firm’s Washington, DC, operations. From 1998-2002 Wigley served as president of the Oregon Forest Industries Council, an organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the interests of industrial forestland owners. WEA represents 400 companies engaged in all aspects of environmentally responsible exploration and production of oil and natural gas in the West.

Western Energy Alliance’s (WEA) board of directors has selected Tim Wigley to be the trade association’s new president. Wigley comes to WEA from PAC/WEST, where he managed the firm’s Washington, DC, operations. From 1998-2002, he served as president of the Oregon Forest Industries Council, an organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the interests of industrial forestland owners. WEA represents 400 companies engaged in all aspects of environmentally responsible exploration and production of oil and natural gas in the West.

Royal Dutch Shell said Monday it is planning to build a “world-scale” ethylene cracker with integrated derivative units in the Marcellus Shale in Appalachia. The cracker would process ethane from Marcellus natural gas to produce ethylene, one of the primary building blocks for petrochemicals.