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Last year saw an increase in domestic gas production of 4.3 Bcf/d, or 7.5%, over 2010, marking the largest year-over-year production jump in the last 25 years, according to Bentek Energy LLC.

Exelon Corp. and Constellation Monday announced that they have completed their $8 billion merger, making the combined company the second-largest residential electricity and natural gas distribution company in the nation.

San Antonio’s CPS Energy, the country’s largest municipally owned natural gas and power utility, will announce this week that it is buying the Rio Nogales 800 MW gas-fired power plant in Seguin, TX, a spokesperson told NGI.

In the article “TransCanada: Marcellus-Backed Flow Reversal Is Inevitable” (see NGI, Feb. 27), NGI incorrectly stated that Union Gas is working on plans for a new import route from New York State to its Dawn storage and trading hub in southern Ontario. Union Gas in fact has no plans for a competitive pipeline with an import route from New York State to Dawn. The company says it has discussed the need for an expansion of pipeline capacity east of Parkway to Maple to relieve a transportation bottleneck on this corridor, and it continues to believe an expansion of this path is required. NGI regrets the error.

In the article “TransCanada: Marcellus-Backed Flow Reversal Is Inevitable” (see Daily GPI, Feb. 27), NGI incorrectly stated that Union Gas is working on plans for a new import route from New York State to its Dawn storage and trading hub in southern Ontario. Union Gas in fact has no plans for a competitive pipeline with an import route from New York State to Dawn. The company says it has discussed the need for an expansion of pipeline capacity east of Parkway to Maple to relieve a transportation bottleneck on this corridor, and it continues to believe an expansion of this path is required. NGI regrets the error.

For the second time this month Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) on Wednesday admitted in a filing with state regulators that it violated federal and state safety testing standards for a part of its distribution pipeline system in San Mateo, CA, within a few miles of the September, 2010 San Bruno transmission pipeline rupture and explosion. PG&E said it discovered the violation on part of an eight-inch diameter distribution feeder line Jan. 26, and took “immediate corrective action” the following day. The combination utility explained its error in a letter to Michelle Cooke, interim director of the California Public Utility Commission’s (CPUC) Consumer Protection and Safety Division. Under federal Department of Transportation standards and PG&E’s own state-mandated rules, pipe-to-soil measurements for corrosion must be completed every 75 days. The feeder main had last been tested Oct. 5 and should have been retested by the end of 2011. “Due to error and oversight, PG&E did not identify this issue as ‘reportable’ under the CPUC [rules] until after 10 days had elapsed,” the utility told the CPUC.

Total Fina SA and its affiliates have agreed to pay the federal government $14.6 million plus interest to resolve claims that the companies underpaid royalties owed on natural gas produced from federal and American Indian lands. The settlement between the United States and Total Fina, Total Oil and Chemical Co., Total Minatome Corp., Total Exploration Production U.S.A. Inc., Fina Oil & Chemical Co., Elf Exploration Inc. and Total E&P USA Inc. covers the period from August 1986 to the present. The agreement arises from a lawsuit filed by Harold E. Wright under the Federal False Claims Act. Under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the act, a private citizen may file actions on behalf of the U.S. government and share in the recovery of funds. Because Wright is deceased, his heirs will receive $23,000 as part of their share of the settlement. The Total settlement and numerous agreements with other energy companies in recent years have returned approximately $280 million to the federal government and Indian lessors, said Greg Gould, the Interior Department’s acting deputy assistant secretary for Natural Resources Revenue.

Energy Transfer Partners LP said Thursday that new long-term fee based gathering, processing and liquids services agreements with Eagle Ford Shale producers support plans for it to further expand its previously announced Rich Eagle Ford Mainline (REM) pipeline and construct another cryogenic processing facility.

Gene Isenberg, former CEO of Nabors Industries Ltd., has agreed to terminate his employment contract and waive a claim to $100 million that was triggered when the company promoted Anthony G. Petrello to CEO. Isenberg’s contract provided him with $100 million in cash and other bonuses under a severance-type payment. Nabors, which was criticized by shareholders when the contract terms were released, said Isenberg now is to receive no cash compensation and would forfeit about $7 million in deferred bonuses. Some of the proceeds are to be donated to charity. Isenberg’s estate is to receive a payment of $6.6 million, plus interest, when he dies. Isenberg, who had been CEO since 1987, retired in December but continues as chairman until June, when he is to become chairman emeritus.