Time

A notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) issued by FERC last week that would, among other things, start the gas day at 4 a.m. central clock time (CCT) instead of the current 9 a.m. has quickly become a 'lightning rod," but changes to the current system are inevitable, and the earlier start time isn't non-negotiable, according to Acting Chairman Cheryl LaFleur.

ExxonMobil Corp. said it is interested in helping Ukraine develop its oil, gas, shale gas and coalbed methane (CBM) reserves, and estimates the country’s onshore and offshore gas resources could produce 45 billion cubic meters (bcm) (1.59 Tcf) by 2020.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy has signed legislation that would expand the state’s natural gas distribution system at the same time as a planned expansion of Algonquin Gas Transmission will increase supply access to New England.

FERC has green lighted an agreement between the West’s largest grid operators to create a real-time energy imbalance market (EIM) that promises substantial efficiencies and cost savings on the overall grid, and which could have lasting impacts on the region’s natural gas demand.

Gastar Exploration Ltd. is selling about 76,000 net acres in Kingfisher and Canadian counties in Oklahoma for $62 million and also agreed to swap acreage with the undisclosed buyer so that both might concentrate their positions, the company said Tuesday.

All but one of the proposals to address hydraulic fracturing (fracking), including all of those seeking moratoriums on the well stimulation practice, have bitten the dust in the California legislature. The lone bill standing (SB 4) is still awaiting committee referral in the lower house Assembly (see Shale Daily, June 3).

Occidental Petroleum Corp. (Oxy) unit Centurion Pipeline LP is holding an open season through July 1 for capacity to transport crude oil from Irion, Sterling, Coke, Tom Green and Mitchell counties in West Texas to Centurion’s Colorado City, TX, station. The project targets crude oil production from the Permian Basin’s Cline Shale, which is thought by some to be “the next Eagle Ford.”

Favorable price spreads for U.S. produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) will continue for some time creating an opportunity for LNG to grow in importance in the long-haul trucking sector and other stationary operations, such as oil/gas drilling operations, according to Pace Global, a Fairfax, VA-based energy management consulting business that is part of Siemens.

The North American shale revolution “is now deeply entrenched,” and is expected to keep natural gas prices at “historically low prices for some time,” creating both long-term benefits and hardships for a variety of sectors and companies, according to a report issued by Moody’s Investor Services last week.