Perspectives

Letter from PRCI President Cliff Johnson: Investing in Research to Improve Pipeline Safety

Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) exists as a way for its members, who are pipeline operators, service providers and other industry stakeholders, to collectively and collaboratively, conduct research, develop, and evaluate new and emerging technologies that have the potential to improve..

Perspective: Impact of Trump’s Executive Orders Unclear

The executive orders signed Wednesday by President Trump are intended to make it easier for companies to build oil and gas pipelines, but experts aren’t sure yet if they will achieve their goal.

Trump Signs Orders to Ease Pipeline Approval, Construction

President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed executive orders intended to ease permitting and construction of pipelines and other energy infrastructure – an action that quickly drew the praise of industry organizations.

No-Deal Brexit Won't Disrupt UK Gas Flows from Europe: National Grid

Britain's National Grid said electricity and gas flows from continental Europe would continue as normal even under a no-deal Brexit.

Exploring Tariffs to Curb Alleged Chinese Intellectual Property Thefts

The United States recently implemented significant trade tariffs against Chinese products, totaling over $250 billion. As a result, its trade negotiations with China have waxed and waned over the past several months.

SGA’s Chapman Promotes Clean Energy Future

P&GJ recently sat down with Adrian Chapman to discuss his new role as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Southern Gas Association, and the outlook for SGA and the energy industry.

S.D. Governor Targets Out-of-State Funding for Pipeline Protests

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said Monday that she's proposing legislation before construction begins on the Keystone XL oil pipeline that would create a way to go after out-of-state money that funds pipeline protests.

Refining the Oil and Gas Industry Through 5G Mobile Technology

Guest Editorial Refining the Oil & Gas Industry Through 5G Mobile Technology The next generation of wireless technology, 5G, is nearly upon us. And right now, enterprises across all industries are imagining how it will change their business. This digital transformation will impact the oil and gas ..

CEPA Seeks Common Ground on Bill C-69

Canada’s energy transmission pipeline companies are clear on what amendments they would like to see, and we ask the Canadian government to take the time to get this right.

Some Companies Losing Hope for U.S. Tariff Exemptions

Pipeline companies and other U.S. steel and aluminum importers who applied for tariff exemptions last year are losing hope for Commerce Department approval, as the recent government shutdown has added to their long wait for a ruling.

Addressing Legal Risk Through SAFETY Act

Legal Perspectives By Eric Hutchins, Principal, H2 Legal, P.C., and Ted Murphy, Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth  On the morning of Aug. 15, 2012, most Saudi Aramco employees were home celebrating Ramadan. Suddenly, the few remaining at work noticed problems with their computers. Screens flickered, a..

Guest Commentary: Pipeline Projects Provide Multiple Benefits

Over the past several years this false narrative that business is inherently evil has steadily crept into the social conscious. Nowhere is this animosity on display more—nor more misplaced—than toward traditional energy producers.

Future Policy Implications and Response to ‘Big Green’ Advocacy

A moderate middle group that strives to put the U.S. as the world leader in environmental protection and energy production is in the best interest of all of us – regardless of political affiliation or socio-economic background.

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.

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.

Human-Centric Approach to Improving Pipeline NDE Reliability

Non-destructive evaluation is essential to assure long-term integrity of existing pipelines, and human performance is a key element of the NDE process. This article summarizes an effort to identify human performance factors that influence NDE measurements and reliability.

APGA Chairman to Focus on Safety and Consumer Education

P&GJ talks about industry priorities and challenges with Owen Reeves, 2018-2019 chairman of the American Public Gas Association (APGA), which represents more than 70% of all publicly owned natural gas utilities in the United States.

Energy Transfer, Sunoco Pipelines Rack Up Violations: Analysis

Energy Transfer LP and its Sunoco pipeline subsidiary have racked up more than 800 state and federal permit violations while racing to build two of the nation's largest natural gas pipelines, according to a Reuters analysis.

Finland Eyes Imports of Piped Norwegian Gas via Poland, Baltics

Finland could receive gas from Norway via a network of pipelines being planned through the Baltic countries and Poland, as part of an effort to reduce its dependency on gas imports from Russia.

Trio of Regions Drive U.S. Natural Gas Production Growth

Gross production of natural gas in the United States has generally been increasing for more than a decade and in recent months it has been more than 10% higher, driven by production in the Appalachian Basin, Permian Basin and Haynesville Shale.

The Well Hasn’t Run Dry for Midstream Opportunities

A recent ICF report for the INGAA Foundation projects nearly $800 billion will be invested in new oil and gas infrastructure between 2018 and 2035 Opportunities lie ahead for midstream developers, investors and energy consumers, and the true victors will be those who develop strategies now.

Permian Basin — Where Midstream Infrastructure Needs Take on Outsized Importance

An updated examination of the Permian midstream reveals extraordinary growth projections for the one-of-a-kind petroleum basin with robust buildout continuing for years to come,

Gas Remains Key to UK Energy

Gas is a key element of the U.K.’s energy mix, but the closure of Centrica’s Rough long-term storage facility last year reduced U.K. gas storage to only 14 days of capacity, compared with 87 in France, 69 in Germany and 59 in Italy.

GITA's Limbruner sees Bright Future for Sector

Mark Limbruner, the current president of the Geospacial Information & Technology Association (GITA), shares his perspective after three decades in the geospatial industry.

A Look at Government’s Role in Pipeline Safety, Maintenance

As existing U.S. pipeline infrastructure ages and new projects face increased public scrutiny, it’s important that measures are in place to ensure safe operations. Here's an overview of the role government plays in making pipelines the safest way to annually transport 16.2 billion barrels of liquid products and over 25 Tcf of natural gas.

U.S. Manufacturer Praises new Tariffs on Fittings, Flanges

A Trump Administration decision to add tariffs on Chinese-made pipe fittings and flanges has drawn strong support from a major U.S. manufacturer and supplier to the pipeline industry.

Strategy Shaped by Volatility

Among major supply factors, deferred maintenance continues to challenge global production. Maintenance is especially critical in basins with aging asset infrastructure, as recently evidenced by the crack in the North Sea Forties pipeline.

Insuring Against Liabilities Can Be Tricky

Despite the great overall success of the American energy industry, problems do exist and happen on a near-daily level. While rail accidents occur with more regularity, pipeline spills can actually have more devastating effects.