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The chief eco-watchdog of the United States has set out to jump north across the border and bark in Canada.

The United States has completed its bilateral consultations with Japan for the country’s membership in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). If ultimately approved, membership is seen as potentially aiding U.S. liquefied natural gas to Japan (see Daily GPI, March 19). “Since November 2011, the United States has been engaged in consultations with Japan focused on Japan’s readiness to meet the TPP’s high standards for liberalizing trade and investment, and to address specific bilateral issues of concern in the automotive and insurance sectors, as well as other Japanese non-tariff measures,” said Acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis. “…[W]e are pleased to welcome Japan’s participation in the TPP negotiations pending a consensus agreement among the current TPP members and the completion of our respective domestic processes.” Through the TPP, the United States and 10 Asia-Pacific countries are seeking to negotiate a next-generation, regional trade agreement.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his country wants to be included in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which could hasten the export of liquefied U.S. gas to Japan. TPP currently encompasses 11 nations in Asia and the Americas. Randy Bhatia, an analyst with Capital One Southcoast, said Japan’s membership in TPP could boost efforts to export LNG to the country.

Twin Eagle Resource Management LLC said it will market crude oil rail trans-loading capacity at GT Logistics LLC’s GT OmniPort facility in Port Arthur, TX. GT Logistics operates a unit train facility with about eight miles of track, 18 rail car unloading racks and a two-station barge dock. It maintains direct rail service with the Union Pacific and Burlington NorthernSanta Fe rail lines. The facility has direct access to the Intercoastal Waterway and will have deepwater access after further capital investment, the companies said. GT OmniPort began operations in September and has capacity of 100,000 b/d. Twin Eagle unit Enserco Midstream LLC plans to construct four crude oil storage tanks at the GT OmniPort facility that are expected to be operational in the third quarter. The parties intend to construct additional storage capacity and to establish pipeline connectivity with refiners and other markets in the area. GT OmniPort is adjacent to the Port Arthur refinery community, which has demand for about 2 million b/d of crude oil.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a joint offer of settlement filed by its enforcement staff and Energy Trans Partners’ Oasis Pipeline and affiliates, which essentially closes the enforcement case against the companies without levying any financial penalties. “The Commission finds that the stipulation and consent agreement is fair, reasonable and in the public interest and [it] is hereby approved,” the order said [IN06-3]. Commissioner Joseph Kelliher, who led the charge in bringing the enforcement action against Oasis Pipeline and affiliates in July 2007, did not participate in the decision. The joint settlement spells out the conditions under which Oasis will provide transportation services to its customers, upgrade its electronic bulletin board, record telephone conversations of its dispatchers for four years, and enhance and maintain its compliance monitoring program. The approval of the settlement comes three months after presiding Administrative Law Judge Bruce L. Birchman in a partial decision dismissed the meat of the FERC enforcement case against Oasis Pipeline — that it discriminated against nonaffiliated shippers in favor of affiliated shippers (see Daily GPI, Nov. 20).

CIG has taken one unit at Table Rock (WY) Compressor Station out of service through June 23, reducing station capacity from 30 MMcf/d to 8 MMcf/d.

Plans for the pipeline were announced last December (see NGI, Dec.27, 1999). Project completion is scheduled for third quarter 2001.

Trans-Union Pipeline L.P., a subsidiary of Panda Energy Intl.,said yesterday it has contracted Willbros Group, Inc. to build oneof the largest single-project pipelines in North America. Willbroswas hired to engineer and construct a 42-mile, 30-inch natural gaspipeline to supply at least 430,000 Dth/d of gas to a planned 2,700MW gas-fired facility in southern Arkansas. Willbros estimated thevalue of the construction contract at $30 million.

While Coastal Corp. and Williams-Transco compete to build aTrans-Gulf of Mexico pipeline from Alabama to Florida, they may beable to count on little opposition from environmentalists. However,they should at least expect them to kibitz.