Understanding

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to clarify jurisdictional responsibilities for leasing and licensing renewable energy projects on the Outer Continental Shelf OCS). The MOU clears the way for developing wind, solar, wave, tidal and ocean current energy sources.

Sempra Pipelines & Storage signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Williams and TransCanada Corp. to acquire a 25% stake in their proposed Sunstone Pipeline, which would carry natural gas from the Rocky Mountain basins to Oregon. A Sempra Energy affiliate also contracted for an undisclosed amount of capacity on the proposed $2.34 billion pipeline.

Sempra Pipelines & Storage has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Williams and TransCanada Corp. to acquire a 25% stake in their proposed Sunstone Pipeline, which would carry natural gas from the Rocky Mountain basins to Oregon. A Sempra Energy affiliate also contracted for an undisclosed amount of capacity on the proposed $2.34 billion pipeline.

U.S. Forest Service officials last month terminated a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Stanley Energy Inc. after questions surfaced about the Denver-based company’s influence over a plan to drill in the Wyoming Range.

U.S. Forest Service officials terminated a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Stanley Energy Inc. after questions surfaced about the Denver-based company’s influence over a plan to drill in the Wyoming Range.

Following up on its previously announced plan, Shell Ship Management Ltd. said Wednesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the American Maritime Officers (AMO) union formalizing the addition of U.S. seafarers to Shell’s officer cadre. In February, Shell announced it would begin a U.S.-focused recruitment drive to help meet the company’s need for highly qualified liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship’s officers to fill positions on its fleet of international LNG carriers (see Daily GPI, Feb. 11). “We have worked to create an attractive and competitive package for qualified U.S. officers interested in international LNG assignments,” said Bob Salmon, general manager of shipping for Shell Trading (US) Co. “We are pleased that MARAD [Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration] has focused on LNG training, as the highly trained U.S. officers will enhance our existing skill pool, and that AMO has been proactive in working with Shell to develop international U.S. marine officers. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved.” The MOU between Shell and AMO begins immediately. According to Salmon, U.S. mariners will benefit from Shell’s long experience in LNG shipping. Shell said its various companies have equity, management or chartering positions in around a quarter of the world’s LNG carriers, either directly or through joint ventures and currently manage 31 LNG carriers. Shell also employs more than 700 fleet marine officers with LNG experience and a further 200 officers are also enrolled in Shell’s LNG onboarding program. The number of LNG carriers Shell manages will grow rapidly over the next two years as it has also been selected by Nakilat Shipping (Qatar) Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Qatar Gas Transport Company Ltd., to provide a full range of shipping and marine services including the management and manning of a further 25 LNG carriers.

Alliance Pipeline Inc. and Questar Overthrust Pipeline entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last week to develop the Rockies Alliance Pipeline (RAP), a jointly owned interstate natural gas pipeline that would extend from Wamsutter, WY, to the Minnesota/Canadian border at the Emerson trading hub.

Alliance Pipeline Inc. and Questar Overthrust Pipeline have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop the Rockies Alliance Pipeline (RAP), a jointly owned interstate natural gas pipeline that would extend from Wamsutter, WY, to the Minnesota/Canadian border at the Emerson trading hub.

A federal appeals court in Washington, DC, last Tuesday sent back 2005-2006 orders to FERC for a clearer understanding of why the agency had modified a shipper’s contract with Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Co. to allow it to resell transportation capacity.