An eco-hornet’s nest of environmental protests is stirring as TransCanada Corp. works to gain industry support to advance its Energy East Pipeline proposal to convert part of its natural gas Mainline to oil service. Rival Enbridge Inc. stirred up the buzz in an area that straddles the border between central Canada and the northeastern United States with a smaller project across the same region that TransCanada would extend.
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Maine, Atlantic Canada Pipeline Expansion Eyed
Launching an open season, Portland Natural Gas Transmission System (PNGTS) indicated Monday that it is seeking market support of its plan to increase capacity on a pipeline to potentially benefit more of New England and Atlantic Canada customers.
NY Producers Challenge Yoko Ono’s ‘Artists Against Fracking’
The Independent Oil and Gas Association (IOGA) of New York has called on the state’s Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) to initiate an investigation into apparent violations of lobbying laws by the group known as “Artists Against Fracking,” which is led by Beatles star John Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, and their son, Sean Lennon.
Industry Briefs
Eagle Rock Energy Partners LP and Apache Corp. have struck a new fee-based gas gathering, processing and purchasing agreement in support of Apache’s drilling in the Texas Panhandle. Apache has dedicated all existing and future wells drilled within an area encompassing more than 106,000 gross acres in Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts, Hansford and Sherman counties under market-based terms. The agreement supersedes and expands on previous agreements between Eagle Rock and Apache. The dedicated acreage covers the Granite Wash, Hogshooter, Tonkawa, Marmaton and Cleveland plays in the Anadarko Basin. The associated Apache production will be gathered and processed at one or more of the partnership’s cryogenic processing plants in the Panhandle. Eagle Rock’s Panhandle assets consist of 6,500 miles of gathering pipeline and more than 480 MMcf/d of processing capacity, with an additional 60 MMcf/d of processing capacity expected to come online in the second quarter.
Industry Briefs
Not enough excess natural gas is available in Alaska’s Cook Inlet to support liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to continue from the Kenai LNG Plant on the Kenai Peninsula, according to operator ConocoPhillips. The producer said it would allow the plant’s export license to expire on March 31. “For the future, ConocoPhillips will consider pursuing a new export authorization only if local gas needs are met, and there is sufficient gas for export,” the company stated. “ConocoPhillips still has the flexibility to resume operations and apply for a new export authorization if sufficient gas becomes available.” The plant was to be mothballed after selling LNG to Japan for more than 40 years, but operations were extended to meet the country’s increased demand for gas following the meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant (see Daily GPI, Aug. 21, 2012). Separately, developing a large-scale LNG export facility is now a key component of Alaska’s plans to commercialize North Slope gas reserves (see Daily GPI, Dec. 12, 2012).
Partnership Formed to Supply Gas to Goldboro LNG Project
Contact Exploration Inc. and Pieridae Energy Ltd. have created Pieridae Production LP (PPLP) to focus on natural gas exploration and production in support of Pieridae’s proposed Goldboro LNG Terminal in Guysborough, Nova Scotia.
Goldboro LNG Terminal Would Tap Frederick Brook Shale
Contact Exploration Inc. and Pieridae Energy Ltd. have created Pieridae Production LP (PPLP) to focus on natural gas exploration and production in support of Pieridae’s proposed Goldboro LNG Terminal in Guysborough, Nova Scotia. PPLP, which, at least initially, will rely on shale gas in the Frederick Brook Shale.
Enviros Weigh in Colorado State-City Energy Fight
In the midst of two lawsuits filed by Colorado officials against locally passed oil and natural gas drilling rules, Longmont, CO, gained some support Thursday when the Sierra Club and Earthworks’ attorneys filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit seeking to invalidate an ordinance passed last year.
Revenue-Sharing Gains Traction in New Congress
The issue of sharing offshore revenues between coastal states and the federal government, which has failed to gain support in previous Congresses, is expected to have a better chance in the 113th Congress.
Ziff: Associated Gas Supplies Rising on Robust Oil Prices
After hitting a low point five years ago, associated gas is projected to grow to more than 12 Bcf/d, or about 15% of the North American natural gas supplies in 2020, according to a report released Tuesday by Canadian-based Ziff Energy.