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FERC last Monday issued a certificate to CMS Trunkline Gas Co. LLC to make modifications to its metering facilities to accommodate increased deliveries from affiliate CMS Trunkline LNG’s import terminal in Lake Charles, LA.

FERC on Monday issued a certificate to CMS Trunkline Gas Co. LLC to make modifications to its metering facilities to accommodate increased deliveries from affiliate CMS Trunkline LNG’s import terminal in Lake Charles, LA.

Coming a day after the company decided to upgrade its exploration and production strategy, Kerr-McGee Corp. said last Thursday its board of directors has approved the development of the Red Hawk area in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, in Garden Banks Block 877. With estimated proven reserves of more than 250 Bcf of natural gas, the Red Hawk natural gas field will be developed using a new state-of-the-art mini-floating production facility.

Even in the current political maelstrom surrounding some of its past trading practices during California’s energy crisis of 2000-2001, the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), the nation’s largest municipal utility, is financially and operationally secure in mid-2002, looking to expand its natural gas buying and power generation portfolios, according to its General Manager David Wiggs.

Williams said it completed a $45 million gathering and processing system upgrade in Wamsutter, WY. The project included the addition of a third cryogenic gas processing unit at the Echo Springs natural gas plant, boosting capacity by about 140 MMcf/d to 390 MMcf/d and liquids extraction from 18,000 b/d to 28,000 b/d. Williams also expanded the pipeline gathering system that brings natural gas into the plant for processing. Capacity on the system was increased from 330 MMcf/d to roughly 400 MMcf/d.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. on Thursday obtained the federal bankruptcy court’s approval to spend $39.5 million to upgrade a 425-mile portion of its California natural gas transmission pipeline known as the “Redwood Path,” running from Malin, OR, at the California border to a point in San Benito County south of San Jose, CA. The proposed expansion will add about 200 MMcf/d capacity that the utility said has been operating at about 95% capacity since 1998.

While leaping into the top five Canadian natural-gas producers, Burlington Resources Inc. also raised questions about its ability to stay there when it laid out C$3.3 billion (US$2 billion) cash for its takeover of Canadian Hunter Exploration Ltd. (see Daily GPI, Oct. 10).

The Wyoming Interstate Co. system west of Rawlins will be shut down for 16 hours Aug. 14 to upgrade the pipeline to meet new class code requirements. The Overthrust, Questar-WIC, Red Sand, Wapiti and Lost Creek points must be shut in for the duration of the work. A reduced capacity schedule will be coordinated with affected parties for that day, WIC said. Throughout August, the new Medicine Bow Loop will be connected at various locations to the existing Medicine Bow Lateral. No impact to service is anticipated except when Cheyenne Compressor Station is removed from service for one day for construction work, cutting lateral capacity to about 400 MMcf for the day.

Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham announced last week that the Department of Energy (DOE) will provide partial funding for 11 government-industry collaborative projects aimed at upgrading the safety and performance of the nation’s natural gas interstate and intrastate transportation systems.