Community & Environment
ConocoPhillips' $8 Billion Willow Project Approvals Upheld by US Judge
A federal judge in Alaska upheld U.S. approvals for ConocoPhillips’ multibillion-dollar Willow oil and gas drilling project in the state’s Arctic on Nov. 9, rejecting environmental and indigenous groups' concerns that the project poses too large of a climate threat.
Japan's Okinawa Electric Plans to Trial Using Hydrogen at Gas-Fired Power Plant
Japan's Okinawa Electric Power plans to start co-firing hydrogen on a trial basis at a commercial gas-fired power plant from March in a bid to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, its president said on Friday.
Environmental Groups Call for Funding Halt to TotalEnergies' Mozambique LNG Project
Banks and other financiers should withdraw their support of TotalEnergies' $20 billion LNG terminal in Mozambique, environmental lobby groups urged in a letter sent to more than two dozen project funders on Friday.
Biden Wants to Count Emissions Downstream of Pipeline Projects
(P&GJ) — The Biden administration announced its latest effort to throw a wrench in pipeline construction. The Biden Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) wants to roll back Trump administration pro-pipeline changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
U.S. Court Invalidates Sempra's Port Arthur LNG Permit Over Emission Limits
A U.S. court has removed an emissions permit for Sempra's Port Arthur LNG export terminal in Texas, potentially halting construction of the facility.
Pipeline Operator Enbridge to Invest in EDF Renewables' Ohio Solar Facility
Canadian pipeline operator Enbridge said on Wednesday it had entered a joint venture with EDF Renewables to participate in the construction and operation of the Fox Squirrel solar project in Ohio.
Analysis: Challenges to CO2 Pipelines Pose Threat to U.S. Ethanol's Role in Green Jet Fuel Development
The U.S. drive to develop sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using ethanol could be slowed because of growing opposition to proposed pipelines that would curb greenhouse gas emissions from ethanol plants by capturing carbon dioxide and carrying it away to other states for storage.
INGAA Responds to Winter Storm Elliott Report, Emphasizes Need for Enhanced Infrastructure
(P&GJ) — The recently released Winter Storm Elliott Report sheds light on the proactive measures taken by members of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) to uphold system integrity during the severe weather event.
Clearwater Paper Suspends Idaho Operations Due to Regional Natural Gas Pipeline Incident
(P&GJ) — Clearwater Paper Corp. temporarily halted some operations at its Lewiston, Idaho, facility on Nov. 9 due to an incident affecting the regional natural gas system, causing disruptions to gas deliveries in the mill and surrounding areas.
Mountain Valley Pipeline Sues Protesters Hindering $7.2 Billion Construction Project
The developer of the Mountain Valley Pipeline has sued two protesters it says blocked construction on the $7.2 billion natural gas project, seeking compensation and orders barring them from interfering in the future.
Environmental Group Urges FERC Not to Extend License for Tellurian LNG Plant
The Sierra Club environmental group on Wednesday urged the U.S. energy regulator to reject a request by liquefied natural gas developer Tellurian Inc. for a three-year extension to complete construction of its $25 billion LNG export facility.
New Pipeline Meeting Format Implemented by Army Corps in Response to Criticism
(P&GJ) — Responding to concerns raised by the public, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has modified the manner in which oral comments are accepted for the draft environmental review of the contentious Dakota Access oil pipeline, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Trans Mountain Ordered to Stop Pipeline Work Over Environmental Non-Compliance
The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) on Thursday ordered the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project to stop work in a wetland area near Abbotsford, British Columbia, after inspectors found several environmental and safety-related non-compliances.
Untangling Environmental Rules Can Lead to Permitting Success
(P&GJ) — Oil and gas pipelines are considered critical infrastructure, and the process of routing, permitting, designing and building them often elicits significant public pushback associated with perceived environmental concerns.
Santos to Fight Lawsuit by Indigenous Group to Halt Barossa Pipeline Work
Australia's Santos said on Tuesday it would defend against the legal proceedings brought by the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) to halt the commencement of pipeline work at its Barossa gas project off northern Australia.
Clean Energy, TotalEnergies First Renewable Natural Gas Facility Begins to Sell Environmental Credits
(P&GJ) — Clean Energy Fuels Corp. and TotalEnergies SE have announced that renewable natural gas (RNG) from Del Rio Dairy in Friona, TX, began flowing in June to the transportation market and recently began generating D3 renewable identification numbers credits under the U.S. EPA's Renewable Fuel Standard.
Plugging the Leak: Tackling Methane Emissions
(P&GJ) — The oil and gas industry is heavily regulated by a number of governing bodies, including the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, to ensure pipelines run efficiently and safely. However, no matter how controlled operations are, toxic vapors from fugitive emissions continue to be a problem.
Indigenous Group Files Emergency Application to Halt Santos Gas Pipeline Offshore Australia
Australia said on Tuesday it was reviewing an emergency application by an indigenous group seeking to block pipeline construction on Santos Ltd.'s $3.6-billion Barossa gas project off northern Australia.
Poll: 68% of Canadians Oppose Government's $20 Billion Writedown on Trans Mountain Pipeline
More than two-thirds of Canadians oppose the federal government taking a multibillion-dollar writedown on the Trans Mountain pipeline, a survey showed on Tuesday, a dilemma for Justin Trudeau's Liberals as they look to sell it ahead of an election expected by 2025.
U.S. Hydrogen Tax Credits Trigger Disputes Among Senate Democrats
Ten Senate Democrats will ask President Joe Biden's administration not to include strict rules guiding use of clean hydrogen tax credits that the Treasury Department is due to release by the end of the year, according to a draft of a letter seen by Reuters on Wednesday.
Pipeline-Bound RNG Production Facility Construction Kicks Off in New Jersey
(P&GJ) — South Jersey Industries, OPAL Fuels Inc., and Atlantic County Utilities Authority have announced that construction has commenced on a new RNG production facility (Atlantic RNG) located at ACUA’s solid waste landfill in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey.
Mountain Valley Pipeline Completion Pushed to First-Quarter 2024, Costs Rise to $7.2 Billion
(P&GJ) — Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC has redefined its timeline for completing the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project, now aiming for a startup in the first quarter of 2024, the company announced in a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Oct. 18.
CER Commission Recommends Approval of NorthRiver Midstream Connection Project
(P&GJ) — The Commission of the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) recommended approval of NorthRiver Midstream's NEBC Connector Project on Oct. 18. The project involves constructing and operating two parallel, 215-km (134-mile) natural gas liquids pipelines from B.C. to Alberta.
Canadian Regulator Approved Trans Mountain Pipeline Route Change Over Delay Concerns
The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) said on Friday that it approved a route change application for the expansion of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline because continuing to use micro-tunneling construction techniques could delay completion by at least 10 months.
Navigator CO2 Ventures Cancels 1,300-Mile Carbon Pipeline Project in U.S. Midwest
Navigator CO2 Ventures has canceled its Heartland Greenway pipeline project aimed at capturing 15 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually from Midwest ethanol plants and storing it permanently underground, the company said, citing "unpredictable" state regulatory processes.
Canada Court Ruling on Key Environmental Law Risks Deterring Investments
The ruling comes as Canada seeks billions of dollars of fresh investments to unearth minerals that play key role in the transition to a greener economy. More than $20 billion in foreign capital has fled the oil patch since 2017, partly because of delays in building new pipelines.
Williams Selected by DOE to Participate in Two Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs
(P&GJ) — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has chosen Williams to join two hydrogen hubs, one in the Pacific Northwest and another in Appalachia.
Shell Abandons Carbon Offset Targets
Shell has given up on specific spending and volume targets for carbon offsets, also known as nature-based solutions (NBS), Chief Executive Wael Sawan told the Energy Intelligence Forum on Tuesday.
Suncor CEO Highlights the Challenge of Uncertainty in Canadian Energy Policy for Investors
Unpredictability in Canadian energy policy is scaring away capital investment in the sector, the CEO of one of Canada's largest oil producers, Suncor Energy, told a parliamentary committee on Monday.
Williams' Gas Pipeline in Idaho Ruptures, Company Challenges Explosion Allegations
The rupture occurred when an excavator operator accidentally damaged a 22-inch gas pipeline near Middleton. However, Williams contested the local authorities' account of the incident, asserting no ignition, fire, or explosion was connected to the occurrence.
- 1,000-Mile Pipeline Exit Plan by Hope Gas Alarms West Virginia Producers
- Valero Plans to Shut California Refinery, Takes $1.1 Billion Hit
- Three Killed, Two Injured in Accident at LNG Construction Site in Texas
- Boardwalk’s Texas Gas Launches Open Season for 2 Bcf/d Marcellus-to-Louisiana Pipeline Expansion
- Traverse Pipeline Approved to Move 1.75 Bcf/d of Gas Along 160-Mile South Texas–Katy Route
- New Alternatives for Noise Reduction in Gas Pipelines
- Construction Begins on Ghana's $12 Billion Petroleum Hub, But Not Without Doubts
- DOE Considers Cutting Over $1.2 Billion in Carbon Capture Project Funding
- Valero Plans to Shut California Refinery, Takes $1.1 Billion Hit
- Newsom Seeks to Aid Struggling Refiners Following Valero’s California Exit
