Environment
Tighter EPA Soot Standard Could Complicate Underground Construction
Companies that do underground construction will be affected - and not in a good way - if the Environmental Protection Agency goes ahead with its proposal to tighten its particulate matter air emissions standard, referred to as the PM2.5 standard (2.5 indicates the size of the particle).
NTSB Blames Enbridge For Failures To Comply With Federal Law; But IM Rule Often Unclear
The July 10, 2012 preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on the major oil leak from an Enbridge pipeline in Michigan in July 2010 faults the company's operational and training procedures in numerous instances.
Anadarkos Great Natural Buttes Project Wins Approval
In support of President Obama’s energy strategy and the administration’s goal of continuing to expand responsible oil and gas production, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar approved a major natural gas project in Utah’s Uinta Basin.
Earth Day Awards: Utah Board Of Oil, Gas And Mining Honors Five Companies
Utah Governor Gary Herbert recently presented the 2012 Utah Board of Oil, Gas and Mining Earth Day Awards to Questar Pipeline Company, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Canyon Fuel Company’s Skyline Mine, Simplot Phosphates, and Western Clay Company. Each of these companies, through various projects, has exceeded regulatory requirements to protect or restore the environment during their operations.
New Documents Released From Michigan River Spill
Federal officials have released photographs and 5,000 pages of documents related to the pipeline rupture in southwestern Michigan that polluted the Kalamazoo River and a tributary creek nearly two years ago.
Industry Concerned About PHMSA Leak And Valve Studies
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is about to embark on two studies which will be used by Congress to tee up (or not) new safety requirements related to leak detection and automatic and remote controlled shut-off valves (ASV/RCV). But gas transmission, distribution and hazardous liquid pipeline companies and their trade associations are uncomfortable with some of the parameters the PHMSA wants to set. For example, Jeffrey L. Maples, Director, Gas Operations, Paiute Pipeline Company, argues that PHMSA has broadened the two studies to include gas distribution pipelines.
PHMSA Proposes Largest Civil Penalty To Date Against Enbridge for 2010 Michigan Oil Spill
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) proposed on July 2 a record $3.7 million civil penalty and 24 enforcement actions against Enbridge Energy for the July 25, 2010, crude oil spill near Marshall, MI.
Enterprise Paying $1 Million For Oil Spills
Enterprise Products paid a fine of more than $1 million concerning three spills in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. Enterprise Products spokesman Rick Rainey said all three incidents covered by the settlement announced May 29 were caused by factors outside the company’s control.
Kinder Morgan Gets FTC Approval For El Paso Acquisition
Kinder Morgan, Inc. has received approval for its pending acquisition of El Paso Corp. from the Federal Trade Commission, subject to divestiture of certain Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. assets. The FTC terminated the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act waiting period, clearing the way for the companies to close the transaction as anticipated in late May.
New Pipeline Eliminates 2,000 Water Truck Trips In Pennsylvania
Aqua America Inc. and Penn Virginia Resource Partners, L.P. completed an 18-mile pipeline to supply fresh water to certain natural gas producers drilling in the Marcellus Shale in north-central Pennsylvania.
Marine Scientists Urge Government To Reassess Oil Spill Response
On the second anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon blowout, a national panel of researchers including University of Georgia marine scientist Samantha Joye has urged the federal government to reassess how it would respond to similar oil spills that might occur in the future.
Shale Boom Continues To Drive New Pipeline Construction
In an interview with Pipeline & Gas Journal, David Sheehan, chairman of Tulsa-based Sheehan Pipe Line Construction Company, the nation’s oldest pipeline construction firm, offered his perspective on the impact of the shale boom on near-term pipeline construction, what is needed to reassure the public that shale development is safe and the possibility of future restrictive environmental regulations.
Administration Makes Two Regulatory Moves On Oil And Gas Operations
The Obama administration took its first two regulatory steps, one final, one tentative, toward guarding against air and ground water pollution from fracking. The final rule on air emissions from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and proposed rule from the Department of Interior (DOI) covered different regulatory terrain.
Gas Plant Agreement Advances CPS Toward Cleaner, More Diverse Fleet
In an era of increasing environmental regulations, CPS Energy is one of the first utilities in the nation to make a proactive transition from older coal-fired power to a much cleaner natural gas-fired power.
Natural Gas Affecting Plans For Nuclear Power Plants
The Wall Street Journal reports a cheaper, less risky alternative is dealing a harsh blow to the U.S. nuclear industry. The nuclear industry seemed to be staging a comeback several years ago with 15 power companies proposing as many as 29 new reactors. Today, only two projects are moving off the drawing board, the Journal noted.
Potential Impact Of New Pipeline Safety Laws On PHMSAs Regulatory Initiatives
On Jan. 3, President Obama signed the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 (2011 Act) (H.R. 2845, Public Law 112-90, 125 Stat. 1904). The 2011 Act significantly amended existing pipeline safety laws and authorized the appropriation of funds to support the pipeline safety activities of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) through 2015.
FERC Rejects Controversial Enterprise Tariff Increase
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected a major tariff increase sought by the Enterprise TE Products Pipeline Company for the Enterprise TEPPCO pipeline. The increase was hotly opposed by the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) and many individual shippers.
NACE Corrosion And Punishment Forum
NACE International—The Corrosion Society --holds its annual conference each spring, attracting 6,000 attendees and 350 exhibiting companies from around the worldwho represent every industry and technology for corrosion control. The five-day conference features an extensive technical program, meetings, lectures, forums, courses, networking activities, special events, and the largest corrosion exposition in the world.
PHMSA Considering Additional Pipeline Safety Changes
With Congress having passed a pipeline safety bill last December, you'd think the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has plenty to do implementing that law during 2012.
Gas Training Takes Giant Leap Forward
What does it take to make a dream come true? First and most importantly, you start with a leadership that has a vision. This is how Atmos Energy’s Charles K. Vaughan Center became a reality. For those unfamiliar with the natural gas industry’s leading technical training facility, let us make the introduction.
National Energy Board Reports Injury Rates Has Fallen Again
The injury rate for pipeline workers in Canada dropped to near historically low levels, said a report by the National Energy Board. The NEB’s annual report found that the injury rate fell nearly 50% from one injury for every 100 workers in 2008 to 0.53 injuries for every 100 federally regulated pipeline workers in 2009. This marked the second year in a row that the injury rate has been cut in half.
Virtual Reality 3D Training For Pipeline Employees
Companies in the midstream energy industry are under pressure from all directions. While operating efficiently, it is mandatory that they comply with increasingly stringent health, safety and environmental regulations.
PRCI Announces 2012 Program For Pipeline Research
Pipeline Research Council International, Inc. (PRCI), said its 2012 Research Program will pay particular attention to corrosion-related issues as well as nearly aspect of pipeline and facilities operations. These will include:
Pipeline VOC Emission Limits Will be Finalized By Feb. 28; EPA Makes Changes To Pipeline GHG Reporting Rule
Natural gas transmission companies are very unhappy with the EPA's decision to tighten industry air emission limits. A consent decree signed by the EPA requires the agency to revise both New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for the natural gas industry, including for pipelines, by the end of February.
Editor's Notebook: U.S. On Track To Be Oil Exporter
Let’s repeat that slowly so there’s no misunderstanding: "U.S. On Track To Be Oil Exporter." This was the headline of a report in the Dec. 19 issue of USA Today. According to the article, during the first quarters of 2011, we exported more oil than we imported. This means it’s highly likely that 2011 will be the first time in more than six decades that the United States will be a net exporter of petroleum products, the report said.
How Alliance Pipeline Is Taking Advantage Of Opportunities While Dealing With Changing Market Dynamics
Shortly after Alliance Pipeline celebrated its 10th anniversary, company President and CEO, Murray Birch, and Bob Blattler, Manager, Supply Development, took time to respond to <em>P&GJ</em>’s questions regarding the company’s recent milestone, safety strategy, training methods, near-term challenges and a move toward becoming a multi-service pipeline.
Oil Pipeline Bypassing Turkish Straits Would Not Significantly Reduce Safety Shipping Risks
An oil pipeline bypassing Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait would have little impact on shipping safety on the waterway because crude oil shipments constitute a small and declining percentage of total traffic, according to a new IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates (IHS CERA) report.
Growing Gas Demand, Regulatory Changes Drive LDC Spending
The nation’s natural gas distribution industry delivers gas to the homes or places of business of more than 70 million customers every day. These customers consumed approximately 24.1 Tcf of gas in 2010. Some 2.4 million miles of pipeline of varying sizes and pressures are used to transport natural gas annually from the wellhead to customers throughout the U.S.
Loves Travel Stops Opening 10 CNG Fueling Stations Across Oklahoma
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, an Oklahoma City-based and family-owned operator of 280 travel stops and convenience stores, plans to add 10 publicly accessible compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations at existing locations across Oklahoma.
Review Of CP Criteria In Five Standards
Cathodic potential (CP) criteria are used as a recommended minimum requirement for controlling external corrosion of buried or submerged steel piping systems. Different and sometimes conflicting CP criteria are given in different global CP standards. This can lead to confusion regarding what criterion is best used for a given condition.
- Phillips 66 to Shut LA Oil Refinery, Ending Major Gasoline Output Amid Supply Concerns
- FERC Sides with Williams in Texas-Louisiana Pipeline Dispute with Energy Transfer
- U.S. Appeals Court Blocks Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Pipeline Permits
- ConocoPhillips Eyes Sale of $1 Billion Permian Assets Amid Marathon Acquisition
- Valero Considers All Options, Including Sale, for California Refineries Amid Regulatory Pressure
- U.S. Appeals Court Blocks Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Pipeline Permits
- Malaysia’s Oil Exports to China Surge Amid Broader Import Decline
- U.S. LNG Export Growth Faces Uncertainty as Trump’s Tariff Proposal Looms, Analysts Say
- Marathon Oil to Lay Off Over 500 Texas Workers Ahead of ConocoPhillips Merger
- Valero Considers All Options, Including Sale, for California Refineries Amid Regulatory Pressure
