Suspension

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) on Thursday partially lifted a suspension on construction of the Mariner East (ME) 2 and 2X pipelines in southeast Pennsylvania.

BP plc and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday resolved all suspensions and debarment actions against the producer that had prevented it from doing business with the federal government following a guilty plea related to the Macondo well blowout in 2010. The suspensions took immediate effect.

BP plc has sued the U.S. government to overturn a suspension from federal contracts for most of its entities, including the exploration and production (E&P) arm.

The $45 million cost of a proposed study of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to be performed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) should be paid by the oil and gas industry, according to Sen. Al Franken (D-MN).

Due to ongoing settlement discussions, FERC Chief Judge Curtis Wagner last Monday gave the go-ahead for a two-week suspension of the Section 5 complaint proceeding in which Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America LLC (NGPL) is accused of overrecovering its cost of service by more than 20% (see NGI, Nov. 23, 2009). But trial staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) last Thursday asked Wagner to suspend the entire procedural schedule, saying that parties in the case had agreed to settlement terms.

Tennessee postponed for a second time the installation of a pig launcher and receiver on the 334A-100 Line north of New York City, which will cause a suspension of physical flow at the Con Ed White Plains meter. The project, which had been rescheduled for May 16-30 earlier this month (see Daily GPI, May 10), is now set for May 23-June 6, Tennessee said.

Sonat followed up its suspension Friday of interruptible storage injections with an OFO Type 6 notice starting Saturday until further notice. “Since the current operational conditions are affected by receipts exceeding deliveries, the penalty will apply only to each shipper/pooler that has a net positive daily imbalance,” it said. There is no penalty for imbalances of 0-2% or less than 200 dekatherms; tiered penalties ranging from $1 to $15/Dth apply to larger imbalances. “As is our procedure everyday, we will be force balancing during the OFO,” the pipeline added. It also said the OFO was “highly likely” to be continued Sunday and Monday for long imbalances but unlikely to be applied to short imbalances.

The shares of struggling NUI Corp. tumbled 18% Friday to $12.80 after the company suspended its dividend because of the new terms of amended credit agreements with lenders.

The shares of struggling NUI Corp. tumbled 18% Friday to $12.80 after the company suspended its dividend because of the new terms of amended credit agreements with lenders.