Senior

A senior producer has broken ranks with its peers to oppose any immediate toll increase on the principal natural gas pipeline from western Canada to the central provinces and export crossings into the MidWestern and Northeastern United States.

Reporting record profits for all of last year and record fourth quarter production, Apache Corp. senior executives last Thursday painted a bullish outlook for this year that includes moving ahead with its newly acquired Kitimat liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project in western Canada and stepping up production of the Permian Basin assets it acquired from BP plc.

Senior Interior Department officials a major report reviewing offshore oil and gas natural gas oversight, which made 59 recommendations on improving offshore safety, to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar last Wednesday, but fortunately for producers not all of of the recommendations must be met before the deepwater moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico is lifted.

Senior Interior Department officials submitted a major report reviewing offshore oil and gas natural gas oversight, which made 59 recommendations on improving offshore safety, to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Wednesday, but not all of of the recommendations must be met before the deepwater moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico is lifted.

Moody’s Investors Service last Thursday downgraded the senior unsecured debt ratings of NGPL PipeCo LLC, parent of Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America (NGPL), to junk status (Ba1) from the lowest investment grade (Baa3) following FERC’s approval of a settlement of allegations that NGPL over-recovered its cost of service.

Moody’s Investors Service Thursday downgraded the senior unsecured debt ratings of NGPL PipeCo LLC, parent of Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America (NGPL), to junk status (Ba1) from the lowest investment grade (Baa3) following FERC’s approval of a settlement of allegations that NGPL over-recovered its cost of service.

El Paso Corp. has announced management changes within its Pipeline Group, effective Aug. 1. Daniel B. Martin, currently senior vice president (SVP) of Operations, is to become SVP of Pipeline Safety, a newly created position. Martin will be responsible for leading the Pipeline Group’s pipeline safety and integrity initiatives, as well as the company’s outreach to regulatory agencies. Bryan W. Neskora, currently SVP and chief commercial officer (CCO) for Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. (TGP), will take over as SVP of Operations. Norman G. Holmes, SVP and CCO for Southern Natural Gas (SNG), has been named president of SNG and TGP.

With prices staying persistently low, now may be the best time to invest in long-term natural gas contracts, according to Paul Corby, senior vice president of Planalytics.

With prices staying persistently low, now may be the best time to invest in long-term natural gas contracts, according to Paul Corby, senior vice president of Planalytics.