Regulation
Judge Questions New Water Permit for 303-Mile Mountain Valley Pipeline
A federal circuit court judge last week said West Virginia regulators haven't adequately explained how approvals for construction on the Mountain Valley Pipeline have been changed to avoid future water pollution, setting up another potential setback for the beleaguered natural gas pipeline.
PHMSA Approves Expansion of Cameron LNG Plant
An expansion of the Cameron LNG liquefied natural gas export plant won approval by a U.S. regulator on Wednesday, advancing development of a fourth gas-chilling unit.
EU Energy Chief Says Gas Price Cap Possible This Winter
The European Union could introduce a gas price cap this winter to limit excessive price spikes, but only if countries give Brussels a mandate to propose the measure, the bloc's energy chief said on Wednesday.
Biden to Announce Emergency Oil Sales to Prevent Price Spikes
U.S. President Joe Biden will announce a plan on Wednesday to sell off the last portion of his release from the nation's emergency oil reserve by year's end and detail a strategy to refill the stockpile when prices drop, administration officials said.
Enbridge Agrees to Pay $11 Million on Line 3 Pipeline Penalties
Enbridge Inc. said on Monday it has reached an agreement on penalties over its Line 3 oil pipeline replacement project and that it will pay $11 million to various Minnesota regulators and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
US Approves LNG Shipping Waiver for Puerto Rico After Hurricane
The Biden administration late on Sunday approved a waiver of U.S. shipping rules to address Puerto Rico's urgent need for LNG after Hurricane Fiona.
Freeport LNG Given More Time for 4th Texas Liquefaction Train
U.S. energy regulators extended to August 2028 the time U.S. LNG company Freeport LNG has to complete the fourth liquefaction train at its Texas export plant.
Forthcoming Legislation Easing Regulatory Roadblocks for Pipelines?
(P&GJ) — For interstate pipelines, what was important about the Inflation Reduction Act was not just what was in the bill — the new methane fee — but what was not in the bill: the pipeline permitting reforms that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) had initially insisted be part of the bill.
New Methane Fee Could Hit Pipelines Hard
(P&GJ) — Numerous interstate pipeline companies have facilities that emit enough methane – in some cases much more than enough – to get hit with the new methane fee contained in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) President Joe Biden signed in August.
API Summarizes Enhanced Pipeline Leak Detection Standards
(P&GJ) — Leak prevention, mitigation and detection are critical to ensure pipelines operate safely and reliably to protect the public, workers, the environment and pipeline assets.
Phillips 66 Withdraws Offshore Texas Gulf Coast Oil-Export Terminal Permit
Phillips 66 on Friday said it plans to submit a new air-quality permit application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its proposed oil-export terminal off the Texas coast.
Manchin: 'Heavy Lifting' Needed to Overcome Opposition to Permitting Bill
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin on Friday warned that bipartisan opposition to his bill to overhaul energy permitting could derail his plan to attach it to a temporary spending and pass it by the end of the month.
Pieridae Advocates for TC Energy’s Pipeline Expansion Plan for Goldboro LNG Project
Pieridae Energy has asked the federal government to help ensure pipeline operator TC Energy would be able secure permits to expand gas supply pipelines in a timely fashion for the Goldboro LNG project, which it said can only go ahead if TC expands capacity on its existing pipeline network.
Mexico Files Lawsuit Against Former State Power Utility Execs Over Texas Gas Deal
Guillermo Turrent and Javier Gutierrez, two former top executives of CFE International, awarded contracts to Texas-based WhiteWater Midstream LLC for a pipeline and gas supply that saddled the company with hundreds of millions of dollars in damages, alleges a lawsuit filed in Harris County District Court in Houston.
Judge Revokes Drilling Permit for Santos' $3.6 Billion Barossa Gas Project
Australia's Federal Court on Wednesday ruled in favor of an indigenous group's challenge against a drilling permit for Santos Ltd.'s Barossa gas development, in what Santos called a "disappointing" setback for the $3.6 billion project.
Upcoming Court Hearing to Review Williams' Proposed Expansion of Pennsylvania Pipeline
(P&GJ) — The subject of a state regulatory hearing being held on Oct. 5 is the proposed expansion of an existing natural gas pipeline from the Marcellus Shale production region in northeastern Pennsylvania into New Jersey.
US Senator Manchin to Reveal Energy Permitting Bill on Wednesday
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin will unveil his full energy permitting bill on Wednesday to speed up fossil fuel projects, such as Equitrans' long-delayed $6.6 billion Mountain Valley Pipeline project, and offer incentives for renewable energy electricity transmission, legislation that faces an uphill battle.
EPA Approves First-of-its-Kind Permanent Carbon Sequestration Plan in Permian Basin
(P&GJ) — Stakeholder Midstream's Pozo Acido well’s proximity to the most prolific interstate CO2 pipelines in the United States, such as Kinder Morgan's Cortez pipeline, allows Stakeholder to provide carbon sequestration to third parties in the Permian Basin and beyond.
FERC Rate Change Posting Proposal Controversial
(P&GJ) — Responding to a June 2021 petition from interstate pipeline customers, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has proposed upgraded website posting requirements when pipelines file for a Section 4 rate change.
Wisconsin Judge Rules Enbridge Pipeline Can Continue to Operate on Tribal Land
A Wisconsin judge has ruled Enbridge Inc. Line 5 oil pipeline is trespassing on land belonging to the Bad River Band, but will be allowed to continue operating because a shutdown would have significant public and foreign policy implications.
Newest EPA Methane Proposal Hits Pipelines Hard
(P&GJ) — The Senate bill on climate change, which includes a new fee on pipeline emissions of methane, puts a new emphasis on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) two rulemakings on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).
Appeals Court Upholds Decision to Block Construction of 72-Mile Pipeline in Colorado
(P&GJ) — The Colorado Court of Appeals has upheld Larimer County’s decision to deny the permit tied to the construction of a 72-mile pipeline meant to funnel water from the Cache La Poudre River to residents in Denver, Colorado, the Denver Post reported last week.
EPA Denies Permit for Phillips 66, Trafigura's Bluewater Terminal Near Corpus Christi
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has denied a permit for an offshore oil terminal jointly developed by refiner Phillips 66 and global commodities trader Trafigura after several environmental groups flagged pollution risks.
Manchin’s ‘Deal’ Revisited
(P&GJ) — On the surface, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia’s surprise deal with the Democratic leadership of Congress, which would potentially clear the way for the 94% completed Mountain Valley Pipeline to finally be completed, appeared to be a major win for midstream.
Activists, Fishermen Argue Rio Grande LNG Terminal Permit is Too Obliging to Industry
Environmental groups and fishermen on Wednesday told a federal appeals court the U.S. government’s permitting for a Gulf Coast natural gas export terminal was too accommodating to industry interests at the expense of wetlands.
Perspective: Agencies with Power to Approve Pipelines Need a Reality Check
Federal regulators with the power to approve natural gas pipelines need to make judgment calls on everything from how pipelines will affect farmland to how much methane will leak. When real-world data comes in that contradicts predictions, regulators ought to reevaluate their decisions in the light of new facts.
Mexico Continues to Block Trafigura Fuel Imports Despite Regaining Permits
Trafigura has been prevented from bringing fuel to Mexico months after the lifting of import restrictions on the global commodities trader, federal court documents showed, underscoring the roadblocks that foreign energy companies continue to face.
Mistakes Pipeline Companies Make with PHMSA-Required Substance Testing
One element of PHMSA regulation that cooperators are sometimes falling short of during PHMSA inspections is the content and application of their required drug and alcohol testing plans. For businesses eager to avoid monetary fines and other difficulties that come with noncompliance, a practical consideration of the most common mistakes is worthwhile.
Canada Invokes Pipeline Treaty with U.S. to Prevent Shutdown of Enbridge’s Line 5
Canada has invoked a 1977 pipeline treaty with the United States for the second time in less than a year, in this case to prevent a shutdown of Enbridge Inc.’s Line 5 pipeline in Wisconsin, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Monday.
Amplify Energy Reaches Settlement Terms in Southern California Pipeline Civil Litigation
Amplify Energy Corp. has reached an agreement in principle with plaintiffs in the class action to resolve all civil claims against Amplify and its subsidiaries, the company said in a statement.
- Freeport LNG Plant Runs Near Zero Consumption for Fifth Day
- Biden Administration Buys Oil for Emergency Reserve Above Target Price
- Mexico Seizes Air Liquide's Hydrogen Plant at Pemex Refinery
- Kinder Morgan Declares Force Majeure on West Texas Gas Pipeline After Fire
- Enbridge Picks Contractors for Great Lakes Tunnel Project, Securing Line 5 Pipeline Route
- Pipeline Hydro Test Pressure Determination
- Venezuela Proposes Alternative Payment Plan as Weak Bids Surface in Citgo Auction
- Baker Hughes Wins Contract for Huge Aramco Gas Expansion Project
- Japan Looks at Developing Domestic Pipelines Sector
- Enbridge Picks Contractors for Great Lakes Tunnel Project, Securing Line 5 Pipeline Route
