Community & Environment

Equitrans Delays Mountain Valley Natural Gas Pipeline Again, Increases Projected Cost

U.S. energy firm Equitrans Midstream has delayed the estimated completion of its Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to Virginia to the second quarter from the first quarter due in part to adverse weather in January.

Hydrogen-Blend Pipelines: Fast-Tracking Innovations Leading Fossil Fuel Resurgence

The year 2023 was a time of extremely conflicting messages for the future of fossil fuels and the sundry clean fuel alternatives to meet distance carbon-free climate change goals.

New York Pension Fund Tightens Restrictions on Exxon, Other Oil Companies

The New York State Common Retirement Fund would restrict its investments in eight integrated oil and gas companies including Exxon Mobil, after a review of the companies' readiness to transition to a low-carbon economy.

U.S. Appeals Court Rejects Renewed Challenge to Mountain Valley Pipeline

A federal appeals court has for the second time rejected a challenge by property owners to the Mountain Valley Pipeline's use of eminent domain, finding that a federal law bars the case despite a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that made it easier to sue federal agencies.

Oil Industry, Environmental Groups Challenge Biden's Offshore Drilling Plan in Court

Oil and gas companies and environmental groups on Monday filed dueling legal challenges to the Biden administration's five-year plan to offer drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

Saudi Arabia Attributes Oil Capacity U-turn to Energy Transition, Ensures Ample Spare Capacity

Saudi Arabia's U-turn on its oil capacity expansion plans was because of the energy transition, its energy minister said on Monday, adding that the kingdom has plenty of spare capacity to cushion the oil market.

U.S. Government Plans Funding for Methane Reduction Projects in Oil, Gas Sectors

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) released a notice of intent on Friday to help fund projects aimed at reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sectors.

Pemex Platform in Mexico Leaked Clouds of Methane Even After UN Alert, Data Shows

State energy company Pemex released large volumes of methane from an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico last year, with leaks recurring even after a United Nations agency flagged problems there to the Mexican government, according to a Reuters analysis of previously unreported U.N. data.

Regulator Orders Trans Mountain Expansion Project to Address Deficiencies After B.C. Flooding

The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) has ordered the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project to address environmental deficiencies and noncompliances found following flooding near Abbotsford, British Columbia, the regulator said on Thursday.

Delek's Big Spring Refinery Chosen for $95 Million DOE Carbon Capture Pilot Project

Delek US Holdings said on Friday the U.S. Department of Energy has selected its Big Spring refinery for a pilot carbon capture project and would provide up to $95 million of federal funding to support its development.

Canada Regulator Clears Latest Trans Mountain Pipeline Delay of Environmental or Safety Concerns

The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) said on Wednesday that it has not noted any environmental or safety concerns with the latest construction challenges to plague the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

U.S. Official to Testify on Biden's LNG Export Pause at Senate Hearing

A top U.S. Energy Department official will testify at Feb. 8 Senate Energy Committee hearing looking into President Joe Biden's pause on new approvals for LNG exports, the Energy Department said on Thursday.

Methane Standards Hit Pipelines More Gently Than Proposed

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final methane performance standards for natural gas controllers and compressors, which will require midstream and interstate pipelines to take a new look at their emission controls.

Former Sempra Energy Chief Behind Efforts to Salvage Driftwood LNG Project

U.S. LNG developer Tellurian chose a Lazard Inc. investment banker to right its struggling Driftwood LNG export project, the company's chairman told investors this week.

Phillips 66 Shuts Section of Oklahoma Panhandle Pipeline After Fire

Phillips 66 said it has shut a section of a natural gas pipeline it operates in the Oklahoma Panhandle after fire and rupture that occurred on Tuesday morning.

Environmental Group Unlikely to Challenge Venture Global’s CP2 Construction Permit Approval

Environmentalists are unlikely to challenge in court regulators' expected approval of Venture Global LNG's CP2 export terminal, activist Bill McKibben told Reuters on Tuesday.

POET's U.S. Midwest Ethanol Plants to Join Summit Carbon Pipeline Project

POET LLC said on Monday the world's largest ethanol producer will partner with Summit Carbon Solutions to capture carbon dioxide emissions at 17 of its U.S. Midwest ethanol plants as part of Summit's multi-state pipeline project.

Concerns Mount Among Activist Investors as Exxon Mobil's Lawsuit Sidesteps U.S. Regulator in Shareholder Dispute

Investors that use shareholder resolutions to pressure companies on environmental and social issues said they are worried that an Exxon Mobil lawsuit bypassing the U.S. securities regulator could undermine their influence.

INGAA Warns of 'Devastating Ripple Effects' Amid Biden’s Halting of LNG Export Terminal Approvals

In response to the decision, Amy Andryszak, president and CEO of INGAA, emphasized the potential consequences, stating, “The administration needs to appreciate that even a ‘pause’ on approvals can potentially cause devastating ripple effects on national security, energy investments, the supply chain, and American workers and consumers."

Biden Halts LNG Export Approvals Amid Climate Pressure, Imperils Projects

President Joe Biden has paused approvals for pending and future applications to export LNG from new projects on Friday, a move cheered by climate activists that could delay decisions on new plants until after the Nov. 5 election.

Sources: Biden to Announce Delay on New LNG Export Terminal Approvals

The Biden administration is expected to announce on Friday that it will begin considering climate impacts in its approvals of new LNG exports, a process that will likely delay decisions on new terminals until after the Nov. 5 presidential election, two sources familiar with the matter said.

White House Pauses Decision on Louisiana LNG Export Terminal

The Biden administration is delaying a decision on a Louisiana LNG export project that would be the United States' largest, but which has raised the ire of environmentalists, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.

Canada Regulators Face Activist Ire for Trans Mountain Variance Approval

Environmental activists say the CER's conditions around the materials Trans Mountain can use to build the smaller section of pipe are too lenient. However, there is little they can do at this stage to block the approval.

Global Pipeline Construction Outlook 2024: New LNG Terminals Sound Beckon Call for More Pipelines

(P&GJ) — It comes as little surprise to those in midstream that during the past year we have continued to see LNG initiatives garner more attention than pipeline projects. However, terminal construction drives new pipeline construction.

Projects January 2024

Wolf Carbon withdraws pipeline application in Illinois; Canadian oil, gas producers plan to drill 8% more wells in 2024; TC Energy receives FERC approval for Virginia Reliability Project; and more!

Getting a Grip on Fugitive Emissions

Better tracking is needed to tackle fugitive emissions, but this is only one part of the puzzle. Fortunately, new packing sets are beginning to address a long-overlooked problem for heavy industry.

NEPA Proposal Elevates GHG as Approval Impediment

The EPA isn’t the only Biden administration office throwing up potential roadblocks to pipeline construction. Interstate pipeline builders weighed in on the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) proposed reversal of changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) made by the Trump administration.

Terra Natural Capital Launches to Scale Carbon Projects and Boost Natural Assets Investment

Terra was founded with the mission of delivering flexible financing solutions for carbon removal and reduction projects and providing both public and private organizations with access to high-integrity carbon credits at scale.

INGAA Foundation Unveils Report on Electrifying Natural Gas Compression for Greenhouse Gas Reduction

The Foundation aimed to assess the potential effects of electrifying natural gas transmission compression as a strategic measure to combat greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the natural gas supply chain.

Deep Freeze Hits U.S. Oil Industry from North Dakota to Texas

A severe winter storm shut a U.S. Gulf Coast refinery in Texas on Tuesday, triggered malfunctions at others, and halved North Dakota oil production as it dumped snow and rain across a broad swath of the nation.