North America
PG&E Didn't Cause 2017 Wildfire, but Bankruptcy Still Looms
In a long-awaited report, state investigators say a 2017 wildfire that killed 22 people in Northern California was caused by a private electrical system, not equipment belonging to embattled PG&E.
Shell Falcon Pipeline Gets Important FERC Approval
At least a small measure of celebration likely buzzed through the offices at Shell Pipeline Company when FERC granted a declaratory order for its Falcon Ethane Pipeline System. The 98-mile pipeline is fundamental to the success the company’s $6 billion ethane cracker plant under construction in Pennsylvania.
Tallgrass, Kinder Morgan to Develop Rockies Crude Transportation Service
Tallgrass Energy and Kinder Morgan agreed to jointly develop a solution to increase existing crude oil takeaway capacity in the growing Powder River and Denver-Julesburg basins and to add incremental capacity to the Williston Basin and portions of Western Canada.
Tellurian’s Driftwood LNG Receives FEIS for Export Facility, Pipeline
Tellurian announced U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued the final environmental impact statement for Driftwood LNG, a 27.6 mtpa export facility and an associated 96-mile Driftwood pipeline project, proposed near Lake Charles, La., on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
66 Killed in Mexico Pipeline Blast after Thieves Rupture Line
At least 66 people were killed and dozens were injured or reported missing after a gasoline pipeline was tapped by fuel thieves and exploded in central Mexico Friday, state and federal authorities said.
2019 Global Pipeline Construction Outlook
The upstream sector started the new year on a cautious note following a sharp decline in oil and gas prices, but the midstream sector roared into 2019 on a wave of pipeline construction activity. The latest Pipeline & Gas Journal survey indicates 145,353 miles of pipelines were planned or under construction worldwide at the start of the year.
PG&E Board Chair Sees Chapter 11 as ‘Only Viable Option’
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said this week it will file for bankruptcy, raising concern that rates for electricity and gas will rise and victims of California wildfires who are suing the nation’s largest utility won’t get all the money they may be owed.
TAP Gas Pipeline Completes $4.5 Billion Project Financing
The Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) has completed its $4.5 billion (3.9 billion euros) project financing, paving the way for construction to be completed for start-up in 2020, its managing director said on Friday.
Pipeline Shutdowns Lead to Import Bottlenecks at Mexican Ports
Bottlenecks for offloading imported fuel are forming at some Mexican oil ports following government orders to shut pipelines to limit losses from widespread fuel theft.
WhiteWater Holds Open Season for NM-Texas Pipeline
WhiteWater Midstream commenced a binding open season for a 500,000 MMBtu/d pipeline from multiple points in Eddy County, N.M., to delivery points in northern Culberson County, Texas.
TransCanada to Change Name to TC Energy
TransCanada Corp., the company behind the contentious Keystone XL oil pipeline, is changing its name to TC Energy. If approved by shareholders and regulators, the name change will occur in the second quarter.
Keystone XL Hearing may Proceed Despite Government Shutdown
Justice Department attorneys say the U.S. government shutdown shouldn't delay a court hearing on a judge's decision to halt Keystone XL pipeline construction.
Judge Allows Tribes to Challenge Corps’ Dakota Access Study
A federal judge is allowing four Native American tribes in the Dakotas to challenge the recent conclusion of federal officials that a Dakota Access oil pipeline spill wouldn't unfairly affect them, further prolonging a court case that has lingered for more than two years.
Mexico Offensive Against Fuel Theft Leads to Reduced Use of Pipelines
An offensive by Mexico’s new government against fuel theft at one of the country’s main refineries has led to days of shortages at gas stations in several central states, as authorities move more fuel by tankers and less by vulnerable pipelines.
FERC Commissioner McIntyre Dies of Cancer
Kevin McIntyre, who served briefly as the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and had been suffering from brain cancer, died on Wednesday. He was 58.
Ecuador President Demands Probe into Infrastructure Projects
Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno asked the country's prosecutor to probe $4.9 billion of pipeline and other oil-related infrastructure projects, alleging that money was looted during the decade-long tenure of his predecessor.
SoCalGas Asks Customers to Reduce Use, Cites Limits on Pipelines
Southern California’s gas utility extended its request for consumers to reduce natural gas use through the weekend, to avoid straining the system as cold weather lingers over the area.
Dakota Access Tree Replacement Lags Deadlines
The company hired to replace trees cut along the Dakota Access pipeline route has struggled to meet its deadline for reasons ranging from equipment and staffing issues to pushback from some landowners and agencies.
Maryland Board Rejects TransCanada Project Easement
Maryland's Board of Public Works voted against a proposed pipeline easement across the western part of the state that would enable TransCanada to transport natural gas from Pennsylvania to West Virginia.
Seaway Begins Open Season on Cushing-to-Texas Coast System
Seaway Crude Oil Pipeline began a binding open season to gauge shipper interest in expanded crude oil capacity on its existing system originating in Cushing, Okla. and extending to the Texas Gulf Coast area.
ExxonMobil Shelves Canada LNG Export Project
U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil Corp has withdrawn its West Coast Canada (WCC) LNG export terminal in Canada from the environmental assessment process, it said Thursday, signaling the project has been shelved.
Lawmakers Urge US Agency to Bolster Pipeline Cybersecurity
Two Democratic lawmakers urged the Department of Homeland Security to better protect U.S. oil and gas pipelines from cyber-attacks, after a report they requested detailed a lack of federal oversight of the critical conduits.
Canada Gives Struggling Oil Sector C$1.6 Billion Boost
The Canadian government will spend C$1.6 billion ($1.19 billion), mostly through loans, to assist the country's oil and gas industry, which has struggled to move energy to U.S. markets due to full pipelines.
Poland Signs 20-Year Deal to Buy U.S. Natural Gas
Poland has signed a long-term deal with a U.S. company for supplies of liquefied natural gas as part of an effort to reduce its dependence on Russian energy.
Governors Agree to Study Sending Gas to Asia by Way of California Coast
The governors of Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico's Sonora state signed an agreement Wednesday to study a plan to export natural gas to Asia by connecting existing pipelines to move the fuel south to the Gulf of California.
Projects
Valley Crossing Pipeline to Mexico Gains FERC Extension The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) awarded Enbridge subsidiary Valley Crossing Pipeline six additional months to connect its natural gas pipeline to its counterpart in Mexico, moving the deadline to April 23. The 168-mile pipelin..
Global News
Natural Gas Utilities Testing Demand Response Programs Demand Response (DR) programs have become a fairly common method of reducing electricity demand during summer peak periods, and now the approach is being tried by natural gas utilities – most recently due to concerns about limited pipeline capa..
Columbia Gas’ Merrimack Valley Accident: Fallout Just Starting
Federal and state agencies immediately jumped into action to uncover causes and preventative lessons that might be learned from the fatal September explosions, but other investigations could have implications for pipeline operations far beyond Massachusetts.
PPI President Discusses Growth, Challenges of Plastic Pipe Industry
PG&J talks to Tony Radoszewski of the Plastics Pipe Institute about opportunities and challenges of supplying plastic pipe to the boom-and-bust oil and gas industry.
Retiring Stavropoulos Leaves PG&E a Safer Utility
Eight years after joining PG&E in the wake of the San Bruno explosion, Nick Stavropoulos retired as an industry role model for restoring a sense of pride at the giant San Francisco utility.
