June 2022, Vol. 249, No. 6

With the Biden administration bringing back a stricter review process for pipeline and other major infrastructure projects, it seemed like a good time to look at the origin of the policy and what the change will entail.

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.

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.

The venerable international energy conference, CERAWeek, returned as a live, week-long venue in Houston the second week of March, touting its usual lineup of speakers from around the globe and its topics from A to Z in the energy space.

In the recent past, Africa has announced major natural gas discoveries, particularly in Egypt, Mozambique, Tanzania, Senegal, Mauritania and South Africa, with analysts estimating the discoveries to be equivalent of 40% of the global discoveries, especially between 2011 and 2018.

Indian government says that it foresees an increase in the share of natural gas in the country’s energy mix – from 6% in 2021 to 15% by 2025. A total of $60 billion of new investment planned in the country’s natural gas infrastructure by 2024, with most of that coming from the private sector.

In most cases, inline inspections (ILI) follow a basic principle: what goes into the pipeline at one end must come out at the other. Sometimes, it is not that simple.

The push to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is at the forefront as we continue to close in on our 2050 net-zero targets set by the Paris Agreement. Governmental agencies for countries pledged to the cause are clamping down on companies to aid them in their efforts.

Vegetation management is one of the critical aspects of maintaining rights-of-way (ROWs) for pipelines. Results of regularly scheduled inspections are among the key determinators for the implementation of specific maintenance efforts to control vegetation.

Construction of the 315-mile (508-km) Gas Interconnection Poland–Lithuania (GIPL) pipeline has been completed, and partial capacity will be available beginning May 1, according to operator Amber Grid Corp.

In Latin America, the effects of the war in Ukraine are having a major impact on the fragile economies that are still gradually recovering from the pandemic.

For corporations, countries and individuals alike, both long-range planning and daily behavior are increasingly influenced by two little words: net zero.

The increased application of robust engineering assessments/fitness-for-service evaluations is expected to play out in several key ways.

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.

U.S. exports of LNG set a record high in 2021, averaging 9.7 Bcf/d (275 MMcm/d) according to our most recent Natural Gas Monthly. U.S. LNG exports increased by 50% from 2020.

In 2021, U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions increased by 296 million metric tons (MMt), or 6%, compared with 2020 levels. This increase followed a rise in economic activity and energy consumption once the initial economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic began to subside.

Czechs Ready to Invest in Pipeline Upgrade to Replace Russian Oil, Genesis to Build 105-Mile Pipeline to Expand Deepwater GOM Footprint, Leader Confident MidCat Gas Pipeline Will Be Built This Decade, MPLX Advancing with Pipeline Expansions in Permian, Bakken and more.

The second line of the China-Russia crude oil pipeline began commercial operation in January 2018 and doubled China’s annual imports of Russian crude oil from 15 million to 30 million tons.

IDEC, Fecon, Polygon, Rockwell, OleumTech, Netzsch and Antaira.

People in the News June 2022

Sugar Land, Texas-based Rangeland Energy announced that it has secured a $300 million growth equity commitment from EnCap Flatrock Midstream to support the formation of a new entity, Rangeland Energy IV, which will pursue midstream acquisitions and development opportunities.

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) appointed Lisa Baiton as president & CEO. She replaces Tim McMillan, who left after eight years in the position. Baiton recently led global public affairs at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.