Senators

A trio of Alaska state senators recently introduced legislation that would extend a corporate income tax break to the operator of a natural gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant, should one be built, to liquefy North Slope gas production for shipment to Lower 48 and/or overseas markets. GTLs could be shipped on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in combination with crude or separately. The bill (SB 109) recently had its first reading in the senate’s Resources Committee. Sen. Lesil McGuire (R-Anchorage) introduced the legislation; Sens. Tom Wagoner (R-Kenai) and Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage) are co-sponsors.

Several state senators have introduced legislation this month designed to help spur investment in West Virginia’s natural gas industry.

Several state senators introduced legislation last week designed to help spur investment in the natural gas industry.

While a California congresswoman from the San Bruno, CA, area was proposing legislation addressing safety and transparency for natural gas transmission pipelines, U.S. senators representing the state last Tuesday speculated that the natural gas pipeline explosion last month would have been far less of a disaster if the Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) line had automatic shutoff valves.

U.S. senators representing California Tuesday said they believe the pipeline explosion in San Bruno, CA, earlier this month would have been far less of a disaster if the Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) line had automatic shutoff valves.

As broad financial reform legislation neared completion in the Senate, a bipartisan group of senators slipped in an amendment cutting off a move by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to claim sole jurisdiction over natural gas and power transactions. The amendment passed by voice vote on the Senate floor Tuesday night, preserving the existing authority of individual states and FERC in the oversight of the natural gas and power markets.

Both of Alaska’s U.S. senators blasted the Obama administration’s denial of ConocoPhillips’ permit application to construct a bridge to access what would have been the first oil and natural gas leases in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). The administration insisted that the producer instead should use directional drilling for the development.

Both of Alaska’s U.S. senators blasted the Obama administration’s denial of ConocoPhillips’ permit application to construct a bridge to access what would have been the first oil and natural gas leases in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), insisting instead that the producer use directional drilling for the development.

Both of Alaska’s U.S. senators blasted the Obama administration’s denial of ConocoPhillips’ permit application to construct a bridge to access what would have been the first oil and natural gas leases in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), insisting instead that the producer use directional drilling for the development.