Victory

In a major victory for pipelines, a federal court in western Oklahoma has denied a request by the Sierra Club and two other organizations to enjoin the construction of the Cushing, OK-to-Port Arthur, TX, portion of the Keystone Pipeline, which was slated to begin Monday (Aug. 6). It further rejected an attack on the legality of a water-crossing permit needed in pipeline construction.

The Interior Department scored a partial victory last Wednesday when U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman in Louisiana rejected industry allegations that the department exceeded its authority under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) by imposing new permitting requirements for developmental drilling in the western Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

A federal judge in Pennsylvania has denied a motion by Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. to dismiss a case brought by Dimock Township, PA, residents who claim that their health and property has been harmed by the producer’s natural gas activities.

Victory for Republican candidate Tom Corbett in the race for governor of Pennsylvania and the replacement of split leadership in the legislature with the GOP takeover of both houses may be the death knell for a natural gas severance tax in the state — or not.

Victory for Republican candidate Tom Corbett in the race for governor of Pennsylvania and a Republican-led legislature may be the death knell for a natural gas severance tax in the state — or not.

After winning a critical procedural vote Thursday, the Democrat-crafted legislation overhauling the financial regulatory system cruised to an easy victory in the Senate. President Obama said he planned to sign the bill into law next week.

FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff and the American Gas Association (AGA) scored a victory Friday when the D.C. appellate court remanded a prior order denying AGA’s request for expanded reporting of natural gas that shippers provide to interstate pipelines.

FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff and the American Gas Association (AGA) scored a victory Friday when the DC appellate court remanded a prior order denying AGA’s request for expanded reporting of natural gas that shippers provide to interstate pipelines.

In what appears to be yet another victory for the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in its efforts to curb speculative trading activity in the energy commodities markets, Barclays Bank plc announced Aug. 21 that it will temporarily suspend all additional issuances of its iPath Dow Jones-UBS Natural Gas Subindex Total Return Exchange Traded Notes (GAZ) until further notice. The bank chose to halt new share issuances “in light of current market dynamics and ongoing regulatory review.”