Shared

The Republican-led House Thursday passed legislation that would enact the terms of a U.S.-Mexico transboundary agreement governing the development of shared oil and gas resources along the two countries’ maritime boundary in the Gulf of Mexico. President Obama earlier this week said he opposed the bill, but he stopped short of saying he would veto it.

MarkWest Utica EMG LLC, a partnership between Appalachian midstream provider MarkWest Energy Partners LP and private equity fund The Energy and Minerals Group (EMG), has secured agreements to process and transport Gulfport Energy Corp.’s growing natural gas volumes from three eastern Ohio counties between now and 2014. The partners also are expanding one Utica Shale midstream facility and building a new plant to ensure producers have enough fractionation services available.

New Pennsylvania wastewater treatment requirements have prompted Fountain Quail Water Management to add a third evaporator unit at its shared facility in Williamsport, PA, the company said.

With just two weeks to go before hurricane season begins, some of the top brass for the U.S. Department of Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) shared a podium last week in Houston with representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard and the American Petroleum Institute (API) to offer their take on preparations under way to ensure minimal disruptions if a major storm enters the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) this year.

Florida Gas Transmission ended an Overage Alert Day Wednesday after it had been in effect for one day.

As the oil and natural gas industry explores ever-deeper targets, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), the Department of Energy (DOE) used a cost-shared project managed by the Office of Fossil Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to develop groundbreaking pre-drill seismic technology.

Reno, NV-based geothermal power company Ormat Technologies Inc. said last week that it signed a shared-cost agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to validate its proven geothermal power production system’s applicability to using the hot water produced as an offshoot of oilfield production. DOE and Ormat will conduct the research and development work at the DOE’s Rocky Mountain Oil Test Center near Casper, WY.

With a shared goal of fuel and geographic diversity among its dozen muni utility members, the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA) plans to continue its thrust from last year, looking at locking in more natural gas supplies, renewable energy projects and new transmission lines in the southern half of California in 2007. In an interview with NGI last week, SCPPA Executive Director Bill Carnahan outlined a full plate for the joint powers authority that sports a solid “A”-level credit rating.

With a shared goal of fuel and geographic diversity among its dozen muni utility members, the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA) plans to continue its thrust from last year, looking at locking in more natural gas supplies, renewable energy projects and new transmission lines in the southern half of California in 2007. In an interview with Power Market Today Tuesday, SCPPA Executive Director Bill Carnahan outlined a full plate for the joint powers authority that sports a solid “A”-level credit rating.