December 2009 Vol. 236 No. 12

Advertisers in the print edition for December 2009, Vol. 236 No. 12.

Ledcor Pipeline was awarded the Health & Safety Award for the design, engineering, manufacturing and testing of Roll Over Protection Structures installed and retrofitted on pipelayers at September's IPLOCA meeting.

<strong>Innovation</strong>® announced the names of three Connect and Collect Promotion winners.

<strong>William G. (Bill) Creel</strong> died at his home in Bartlesville, OK on Oct. 19. He was born Feb. 19, 1929 in Bartlesville and started his first job with H.C. Price Company at 16 as a truck swamper in North Dakota.

<strong>Tony Fernandez</strong> is taking on global responsibilities at PipeLine Machinery International as senior vice president. He will expand his Americas role and assume all global sales and operations responsibilities.

Years ago, I endorsed the very lovely Anna Nicole Smith as a spokesperson for the natural gas industry. I gave this serious consideration. I now propose an even better candidate to represent our industry: Marshall, Texas’s own George Foreman.

<em>Pipeline & Gas Journal</em>'s 2009-2010 Line Pipe Tables are available for download below.

In today’s utility business, contractors perform the largest share of work in new construction, replacement and – sometimes - maintenance. This heightens everyone’s need for cooperation to assure safety and to control quality.

Jet fuel pipelines and bulk storage tanks require special operating and maintenance considerations. Jet fuels, specifically Jet A-1 and JP-8, are kerosene-type fuels used to power aircraft engines.

Ever since Union Gas in Caney, KS successfully inserted a 4-inch polyethylene pipeline into a corroded 6-inch steel pipeline in 1959, polyethylene pipes have steadily become the material of choice for the North American gas distribution market.

Late figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) indicate that close to 70 million customers rely on the nation’s natural gas distribution network to deliver fuel to their home or business.

Big Ten football equals crowds and traffic in the heart of Madison, WI. About 80,000 people poured into Camp Randall for the opening football game for the University of Wisconsin Badgers on Sept. 5.

As most of the world still struggles to emerge from the deep economic recession and tries to cope with the new and increasing demands of global climate control, it is abundantly clear natural gas will play a vital role on both counts.

Even though “First Drop” had occurred on July 31, 2009, the official inauguration of the RasGas LNG and ExxonMobil Train 6 in Qatar was not held until Oct. 27 to coincide with RasGas LNG’s Tenth Anniversary in the LNG industry.

This article reviews several applications for the Rate Process Method (RPM) such as validation of the PE material hydrostatic design basis per ASTM D 2837 and service life forecast of older-generation PE pipe still in service and correlation with actual field failures.

The Global Training Academy of Troy, MI, a joint project between Talascend and Macomb Community College, offers six-week courses to retrain automotive and manufacturing engineers and designers to work in more robust fields.

Anyone looking for an acknowledgement in the new FERC strategic plan that the commission is focused on expanding pipeline infrastructure need not waste his time reading the 50-page document FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff issued in mid-October.

A Senate climate change bill passed in early November by the Environment and Public Works Committee will probably be pushed aside by a version more acceptable to Republicans and moderate Democrats.

<a href="http://pipelineandgasjournal.com/december-newsreel-keane-resigns-agia-releases-ak-status-report-and-more#keane">Tony Keane Resigns as NACE Executive Director</a> <a href="http://pipelineandgasjournal.com/december-newsreel-keane-resigns-agia-releases-ak-status-report-and-more#agia">AGIA Coordinator Releases Alaska Pipeline Project Status Report</a> <a href="http://pipelineandgasjournal.com/december-newsreel-keane-resigns-agia-releases-ak-status-report-and-more?page=2#mastec">MasTec to Acquire Precision Pipeline</a> <a href="http://pipelineandgasjournal.com/december-newsreel-keane-resigns-agia-releases-ak-status-report-and-more?page=2#enterprise">Enterprise Announces Commercial Organization After Completing TEPPCO Merger</a>

Drue Pearce, a Republican appointed by former President George W. Bush to direct the Office of Federal Coordinator which is overseeing the proposed Alaskan natural gas pipeline, is resigning at the request of President Obama.

Chevron Nigeria has awarded Acergy S.A. a $500 million contract for its gas development program in Escravos, offshore Nigeria.

Entergy New Orleans, Inc. reached a three-year milestone this month by rebuilding 135 miles of gas lines throughout the city--ahead of schedule and under budget.

Aker Solutions has been contracted to provide a comprehensive package of drilling equipment, including derrick and pipe-handling components, for use in upgrades planned for Noble Corporation's three Brazil-based drillships.

Austria and Slovakia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work in partnership in the oil and gas business.

Bahrain is in talks with Saudi Aramco over construction of a crude oil pipeline between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

CRC-Evans Automatic Welding is providing equipment for the Beauce-Mantois Link, a gas pipeline project currently underway in France and scheduled for completion in early 2010.

BISSO Marine acquired a 12-man portable Saturation Diving System with a working depth of 1,000 feet.

Deep Down, Inc. received a $1 million order to manufacture 70 metric tons of buoyancy products for a project in the Gulf of Mexico.

Cameron's Process Systems group received an order valued at $86 million for 16 multiphase pumping systems to be installed on three offshore platforms in the KuMaloobZaap field in the Gulf of Mexico.

CBI was awarded a contract in excess of $100 million by UGI LNG, Inc. to engineer, procure and construct the expansion of the Temple LNG peak-shaving facility near Reading, PA.

DTE Gas Storage held a binding open season on storage services at the Washington 10 storage facility in Michigan.

Energy Transfer Partners L.P. has entered into another 10-year contract with a shipper to transport natural gas on its Tiger Pipeline system.

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. and Duncan Energy Partners L.P. announced plans to extend their Louisiana intrastate natural gas pipeline system into Northwest Louisiana.

The well integrity services team from international oilfield service company Expro has completed the first Well Cast job for a major customer on one of the Gulf of Mexico’s largest producing wells.

Fayetteville Express Pipeline, L.L.C., announced Dec. 17 that FERC has approved its NGA Section 7(c) Certificate Application.

FERC has approved Park and Loan service on Quest Midstream Partners L.P.’s KPC Pipeline.

In a report released Nov. 30, Ziff Energy forecasts that natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico will fall to 4 Bcf/d in 2020 from 14 Bcf/d in 2001.

KBR was awarded a contract by Chevron USA Inc. for front-end engineering and design (FEED) of the topsides for the proposed Big Foot development facility in the Walker Ridge Block 29 of the Gulf of Mexico.

Koch Pipeline Company, L.P. will increase its crude oil pipeline transportation capacity by about 25 percent in January 2010.

Geoforce, Inc. has launched the largest oilfield equipment tracking and management deployment in the Gulf of Mexico on behalf of Gator Tank Rentals Inc.

Piedmont Natural Gas finalized an agreement with Progress Energy Carolinas to provide natural gas delivery service to the electric utility's power generation facility to be built at the Wayne County, NC energy complex.

Plains All American Pipeline L.P. has acquired pipelines, a manifold system and 400,000 barrels of crude oil storage capacity from Holly Corp. for $40 million.

Southern Star held a successful open season earlier this year to expand its existing storage capacity by 4,000,000 Dth, with an increase in daily deliverability of 40,000 Dth/d.

Annual oil and gas industry expenditure on work-class ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicle) operations is likely to reach $3.2 billion by 2014 - with African and Asia Pacific expenditures overtaking that of Western Europe.

Subsea 7 Inc. was awarded an engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning (EPIC) contract valued at US $250 million by Petrobras for the Roncador field, offshore Brazil.

TDW Offshore Services AS announced Dec. 3 that it has successfully completed an innovative low pressure isolation operation on an export pipeline riser in the North Sea.

Technip has won two lump sum contracts from Tullow Ghana Limited for development of the Jubilee oil field in depths ranging between 1,200-1,700 meters.

The first drill riser buoyancy modules capable of withstanding nearly 5,000 psi (c. 350 bar) pressure at 11,000 feet (c. 3,350 meters) below the surface have been developed and manufactured by Trelleborg Offshore.

Tricor Ten Section Hub LLC’s non-binding open season for its planned natural gas storage and hub facility resulted in significant oversubscription for firm service.

Ultramar Ltd. says the Quebec government has adopted the decree authorizing its Pipeline Saint-Laurent project for 28 of the 32 municipalities located in the pipeline's implementation corridor.

Neptune Research Inc. (NRI) has invented a method to repair damaged pipelines which company officials say diverted a potentially disastrous economic meltdown.

Vector Pipeline L.P. and Vector Pipeline Limited Partnership held a binding open season in November to secure shipper interest in a third expansion of the Vector Pipeline System.

The Willbros Group, Inc. was awarded the construction contract for spreads three and four of the Fayetteville Express Pipeline (FEP).

Gas distribution companies in need of a durable high-pressure non-metallic pipe now have another option. A new high-performance thermoplastic polyamide pipe, known as PA 12, is less expensive to install and easier to maintain than traditional steel pipe.

The Colorado Oil & Gas Association (COGA) announced Dec. 10 that their board of directors has selected Tisha Conoly Schuller as its new president.

United States crude oil production for 2009 is on target to have its biggest one-year jump since 1970, according to a Platts analysis of industry data released Nov. 27.

BDO Seidman, LLP, surveyed a random sample of energy CFOs for a new study and concluded that 40 percent of CFOs at oil and gas exploration and production companies don’t expect access to credit to improve until the second half of 2010.

Magnum Gas Storage, LLC, announced Dec. 16 that FERC has accepted its application to construct and operate a high-deliverability, multi-cycle salt cavern natural gas storage facility in central Utah under Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act.

GE Oil & Gas and Al Shaheen Energy Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qatar Petroleum, announced Dec. 22 they have signed two partnership agreements. Under the first agreement Al Shaheen Energy Services becomes a 50% strategic JV partner in GE Oil & Gas’ PII Pipeline Solutions business with immediate effect.

Gas Technology Institute (GTI) has made publicly available a set of reports titled “<a href="http://www.gastechnology.org/webroot/app/xn/xd.aspx?it=enweb&xd=1ResearchCap/1_4EnvironSci/DairyWasteBiomethane.xml" title="Go to gastechnology.com to view the report">Pipeline Quality Biomethane: North American Guidance Document for Interchangeability of Dairy Waste Derived Biomethane</a>.”

Engineer trainers from Hydratight's Saudi Arabian headquarters recently operated intensive training courses in Qatar, bringing staff up-to-date on the latest methods and machinery to provide three-axis milling, drilling, tapping and other standard machining processes.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners announced Dec. 17 that it has completed modifications to its Central Florida Pipeline System (CFPL) to more efficiently move gasoline and ultra low sulfur diesel within the terminal community at Port of Tampa, Fla.

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland announced Nov. 29 that 25 Ohio solar and wind projects will receive more than $13 million in grants funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's State Energy Program.

Pipeline Research Council International, Inc. (PRCI), announced Dec. 16 the 2010 Research Program as approved by its board of directors at its fall 2009 meeting. Under the process, members vote their annual subscriptions to the projects of greatest interest and value to them. The 2010 program is funded at just over $8 million.

Wood Mackenzie released an update on the North American natural gas outlook Nov. 20, with a grim prognosis for the future of natural gas prices through 2011.

The U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), an alliance between 26 major corporations and several environmental organizations, has analyzed the economic effect of its recommendations to Congress concerning climate legislation and projected that the U.S. GDP would grow 70 to 71 percent by 2030 under the proposed scenario.

New product offerings from Lincoln Electric, Caterpillar, E.H. Wachs, BJB Company, Veris Inc., ESAB Welding & Cutting Products, Phoenix Contact, R&M Energy Systems, CygNet Software, Stream-Flo Industries, PFERD Inc., GE Oil & Gas PII Pipeline Solutions, Darby Equipment, Exterran Holdings Inc., McElroy Manufacturing and Midwest Pipeline Rehabilitation.

New HDPE applications from Kerotest, McElroy, IPF Industrial Pipe Fittings, Exterran and Midwest Pipeline Rehabilitation.

Advances in pigs and pigging from Enduro, BJB Company, Pipeline Inspection Company, GE Oil & Gas PII, ROSEN, Inline Services and Pipeline Cleaners.