Regulatory

As the long-delayed Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC works toward a target in-service date in the second half of 2023, the developer will have to wait until at least next summer to receive an updated environmental review from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The USFS plans to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) for the…

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said a CNX Resources Corp. affiliate has paid a $200,000 fine for allegedly failing to control and properly dispose of production fluids at shale well sites in the southwestern part of the state.  DEP said 1,680 gallons of production fluid breached containment and discharged onto the ground in…

Federal regulators have granted Gas Transmission Northwest LLC (GTN) a favorable environmental impact statement (EIS) that if approved could increase natural gas pipeline capacity by about 150 MMcf/d between Idaho and Oregon. In the final EIS, FERC staff said with the recommended mitigation measures, the GTN XPress Project would result in some adverse environmental impacts,…

The lesser prairie-chicken, whose habitat is spread across five U.S. states, has been listed as endangered or threatened under the stringent Endangered Species Act (ESA), which may lead to issues for future oil and natural gas development. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) earlier this month listed two distinct population segments (DPS) of the…

California regulators have issued a $1 million citation to Southern California Edison (SCE) for its involvement in the Easy Fire that occurred in October 2019 in Simi Valley. California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) staff said SCE violated regulations for failing to install and maintain its 66 kV conductor and insulator adequately and safely in order…

Oil and natural gas permitting in the Lower 48 slowed down sequentially in October, although the monthly permit count was up on both a year/year basis and when compared to pre-Covid October 2019 numbers, Evercore ISI data show. Operators filed a total of 3,308 permits last month, down 16% from September but up 25% versus…

Equitrans Midstream Corp. said late Thursday it has flooded a natural gas storage well that had leaked for more than 10 days, releasing over 1 Bcf/d into the atmosphere, according to preliminary estimates.  Spokesperson Natalie Cox told NGI the leak was discovered on Nov. 6. The company worked through a series of setbacks with Texas-based…

Top Mexican officials were in Texas this week laying out their new strategy for natural gas. Speaking on Wednesday at LDC Forums’ annual US-Mexico Natural Gas Forum in San Antonio, CFEnergía head Miguel Reyes said Mexican utility Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) and international firms would now work together to solve natural gas problems. CFEnergía…

Commonwealth LNG’s export terminal proposed in Louisiana has become the first project to be authorized in more than two years after receiving unanimous FERC approval Thursday. Houston-based Commonwealth has not yet sanctioned the 8.4 million metric ton/year (mmty) facility. It would be sited in Cameron Parish, LA, along the Calcasieu Ship Channel, potentially adding to…