Regulation
Russia's Gazprom Declares Force Majeure on Some Gas Supplies to Europe
Russia's Gazprom has declared force majeure on gas supplies to Europe to at least one major customer, according to a letter from Gazprom that will add to European fears of fuel shortages.
Russian Court Overturns Suspension on Caspian Pipeline Operations
A court in southern Russia on Monday overturned an earlier ruling suspending Caspian Pipeline Consortium's operations and instead fined it 200,000 rubles ($3,300), easing concerns about a global oil supply crunch.
Ukrainian Group Files Lawsuit Against Canada for Returning Nord Stream 1 Turbine
A group representing the Ukrainian diaspora said on Tuesday it was seeking a judicial review of the Canadian government's decision to return a repaired turbine to Germany that is needed for the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline.
Russia: Future of Nord Stream 1 Depends on Gas Demand and Sanctions
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that the future of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline to Germany would depend on gas demand in Europe and Western sanctions against Russia.
Gas Gathering Pipeline Rules: A New Beginning
The need to regulate the more than 425,000 miles of natural gas gathering pipelines throughout the United States for the first time stems from more than governmental fiat. It is tied to the transformation of the energy industry in the 21st century and the pipelines that supply increasingly complex markets.
Canada's Trudeau: 'Very Difficult Decision' to Return Turbine for Russian Pipeline
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday that it was a "very difficult decision" to grant an exemption from sanctions imposed on Russia for the return of a repaired turbine needed for the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline.
Glick Renomination, Policies Become Converging Controversies
Some key decisions about federal pipeline regulation are coming to a head as the comment period for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) two draft policy statements closed and the Senate decides whether to renew Richard Glick’s chairmanship at FERC.
Trans-Foreland Pipeline Seeks Extension for Alaska LNG Import Project
Marathon Petroleum Corp.'s Trans-Foreland Pipeline Co. unit said it has yet to make a final investment decision to build the project because the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have worsened economic and logistical conditions.
How Operators Can Respond to PHMSA Gas Gathering Reporting Rule
A new gas gathering rule, issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), expands safety oversight to all onshore gas-gathering pipelines, with the intent to make all processes associated with pipelines safer.
Environmental Groups Attempt to Slow LNG Exports to Europe
Despite Biden’s commitment to get more U.S. LNG to Europe, environmental groups are trying to convince FERC to slow or kill export LNG facilities and pipelines that serve them on mostly environmental grounds.
Michigan Regulators Request More Information on Enbridge’s Line 5 Pipeline Tunnel Project
State of Michigan regulators on Thursday ordered Canada's Enbridge Inc. to file additional information on safety and engineering for its proposed Line 5 oil pipeline tunnel, describing Enbridge's current application as "deficient."
Cheniere Asks Biden Administration for Exemption from Pollution Rule
Cheniere Energy Inc. has asked the Biden administration to exempt it from a pollution rule under the U.S. Clean Air Act, arguing the limits would force the LNG exporter to shut for an extended period and endanger the country's efforts to ramp up supplies to Europe.
FERC Suspends Schedule for Venture Global’s Gas Plant, Pipeline Project in Louisiana
The U.S. energy regulator has suspended the environmental review schedule for Venture Global LNG's proposed CP2 LNG export plant and pipeline in Louisiana.
Kinder Morgan Gets FERC Approval to Offer Certified Gas Pooling on TGP System
Kinder Morgan subsidiary Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. LLC (TGP) has received approval from FERC to offer producer certified gas, or responsibly sourced gas, aggregation pooling service across the 11,760-mile pipeline system.
Supreme Court Limits EPA’s Authority to Regulate Carbon Emissions
In a highly anticipated but not unexpected 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 30, 2022, that the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s authority under the Clean Air Act.
PHMSA Blocks Restart of Freeport LNG Plant Citing Unsafe Conditions
U.S. pipeline safety regulator PHMSA on Thursday said it found unsafe conditions at a Texas liquefied natural gas export facility and will not allow owner Freeport LNG to restart the plant until an outside analysis is complete.
Texas RRC Approves Rule to Ready Natural Gas Industry for Weather Emergencies
The Texas Railroad Commission (RRC), which oversees the state's oil and natural gas industries, approved a proposed weatherization rule to help protect Texans during emergencies that could occur any time of the year.
Demand for US Exports to Drive More Natural Gas Production
The reference case in the U.S. Energy Information Association’s (EIA’s) Annual Energy Outlook (AEO2022) projects U.S. natural gas production to continue to increase through 2050. The reference case is the baseline in AEO2022, and it projects energy trends based on current laws, regulations, and market conditions.
API Unveils Ten-Point Policy Plan to Restore US Energy Leadership, Fuel Economic Recovery
The American Petroleum Institute on Tuesday released a “10 in 2022 plan”—10 policies that policymakers can advance today to unlock American energy, fuel economic recovery, and strengthen national security.
Cheniere Gets OK to Place Sabine LNG Tank Back in Service
U.S. LNG company Cheniere Energy Inc. received permission from federal regulators on Wednesday to return one of two shut storage tanks to service at its Sabine Pass LNG export plant in Louisiana following a leak in 2018.
Texas RRC Commissioners Assess Unusually Heavy Amount of Enforcement Fines
The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $1,008,396 in fines with pipeline operators and excavators ticketed $476,200 for violations of the Commission’s Pipeline Damage Prevention rules, the Commission said on Wednesday.
DOE Launches $8 Billion Program for Clean Hydrogen Hubs across US
The U.S. Department of Energy filed a notice of intent to fund the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $8 billion program to develop regional clean hydrogen hubs – H2Hubs – across America, the DOE said in a press release on Monday.
NWP 12 Up for Review Again
The Army Corps of Engineers is undertaking a review of Nationwide Permit 12 (NWP 12), which allows gas and oil pipelines to avoid a lengthy, expensive environmental review when building facilities near wetlands.
PHMSA Finalizes New Remote Valve Requirements
After more than a decade of considering whether pipelines should install automatic shut-off valves (ASVs), the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a final rule; however, it fell short of what the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) wanted.
Iran Seizes Two Greek Tankers amid Row over US Oil Grab
Iranian forces seized two Greek tankers in the Gulf on Friday, shortly after Tehran warned it would take "punitive action" against Athens over the confiscation of Iranian oil by the U.S. from a tanker held off the Greek coast.
Denmark's Orsted Warns of Russian Gas Supply Halt After Spurning Ruble Payments
Orsted on Monday warned that Russia's Gazprom Export could stop supplying gas to the Danish energy company because it has refused to pay in rubles, but such a move would not immediately put Denmark's gas supplies at risk.
How to Choose a Regulator in Five Steps
Pressure regulators play a crucial role in many industrial fluid and instrumentation systems, helping to maintain or control desired pressure and flow in response to system changes.
Federal Pipeline Agencies Accepting Applications for Pipeline Safety Program
PHMSA has begun accepting applications for its new Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant program, which will offer nearly $200 million in grants annually over the next five years to improve the safety of high-risk, leak-prone natural gas distribution infrastructure.
German Ex-Chancellor Schroeder under EU Pressure Over Rosneft, Gazprom
The European Parliament urged that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder be blacklisted if he does not quit the board of Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft in a move also meant to dissuade him from taking a top job at Gazprom.
PHMSA Issues Proposed Civil Penalty to Colonial Pipeline Company
PHMSA issued a Notice of Probable Violation and Proposed Compliance Order to Colonial Pipeline Co., which includes multiple probable violations of Federal pipeline safety regulations. The proposed civil penalties amount to $986,400.
- Texas Waha Hub Gas Prices Plunge to Record Lows, Hit Negative Territory
- U.S. Appeals Court Strikes Down Controversial Biden Pipeline Safety Rules
- Williams Seeks Emergency Certificate to Operate $1 Billion Mid-Atlantic Gas Pipeline After Court Reversal
- Texas Oil Pipelines Near Max Capacity, Threatening Future Export Limits
- Energy Transfer Subsidiary Selects KTJV for Lake Charles LNG Export Project
- Saudi Arabia Looking to Expand Pipeline to Reduce Oil Exports via Gulf
- Report: Houston Region Poised to Become a Global Clean Hydrogen Hub
- Texas Startup Endeavors Again to Build First Major U.S. Oil Refinery Since 1977
- Puerto Bahia, Gasco to Build Liquefied Petroleum Gas Facility in Cartagena, Colombia
- U.S. Court Overturns FERC Approval for NextDecade’s $18 Billion Rio Grande LNG Project
