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An Abilene, TX natural gas liquids pipeline owned by ExxonMobilCorp. remained shut down Friday night after an explosion killed apolice detective who was first on the scene of the accident, sent awoman to the hospital and forced the evacuation of nearbyresidents.

An Abilene, TX natural gas liquids pipeline owned by ExxonMobilCorp. remained shut down Friday night after an explosion killed apolice detective who was first on the scene of the accident, sent awoman to the hospital and forced the evacuation of nearbyresidents.

The U.S. Transportation Department’s Office of Pipeline Safety(OPS) has ordered all three of the pipes comprising El Paso NaturalGas’ 1 Bcf/d South Mainline from Texas to California to remainclosed until extensive tests can be done to ensure they are safe tooperate.

El Paso’s delivery meter to Transwestern at the Window RockStation (Apache County, AZ) will be shut in July 24-25 forequipment upgrade

Sonat said it will try to complete valve maintenance set for todaywithout affecting production. However, if that can’t be done,production may be shut in for up to six hours at the MississippiCanyon 194, Mississippi Canyon 109, Mississippi Canyon 20 and RomerePass points. Reliant said Thursday it had lifted an operational alertlimiting capacity in the West of Amber segment in Oklahoma (see DailyGPI, March 29).

The Sable Offshore Energy Project has had to shut downproduction twice since starting operations Jan. 1. The firstincident occurred on Friday, Jan. 7, only a week after gas began toflow, when a sub-sea line started experiencing hydrate problems(essentially ice slug blockage). Then early last week the Sableprocessing plant onshore had to be evacuated because of a gas leakwarning. As of last Friday there was no prognosis on whenproduction would be restarted.

The Sable Offshore Energy Project had to shut down productiontwice since starting operations Jan. 1. The first incident occurredon Friday Jan. 7 only a week after gas began to flow when a subsealine started experiencing hydrate problems (essentially ice slugblockage). Then early last week the Sable processing plant onshorehad to be evacuated because of a gas leak warning. As of lastFriday there was no prognosis on when production would berestarted.

Due to valve maintenance, Sonat shut in the Dalton (GA) #2delivery point Thursday until further notice.

Southwest Gas threw the latest stone in the battle surroundingits proposed merger with Oneok Inc. earlier this week, refusing togo along with a request from Carl Kunasek, the Arizona CorporationCommission (ACC) chairman, to allow rival suitor Southern Union(SU) to intervene in the ACC proceedings involving the merger.