Utilities
Aqua America to Acquire Peoples in Merger of Water, Gas Utilities
Water and wastewater utility Aqua America said it agreed to acquire natural gas utility operator Peoples in a $4.2 billion deal to create a company that is “uniquely positioned to have a powerful impact on improving the nation’s infrastructure reliability.”
Firefighters Sue SoCal Gas over Aliso Canyon Leak
Firefighters who worked in and around the site of a massive natural gas leak have sued Southern California Gas Co., alleging the utility knowingly let them be exposed to dangerous levels of toxic chemicals.
Canada Pipeline Blast Risks Washington Natural Gas Shortage
A pipeline explosion in British Columbia risks cutting off the flow of Canadian natural gas to Washington State, and companies are urging customers to conserve.
Drones: Flights of Fancy or Future of the Energy Industry?
As wildfires again ravaged much of California and other western states, energy industry responders could hardly imagine how their counterparts dealt with similar disasters just a few years ago without drones.
Lawsuit FIled Against NiSource, Columbia Gas over Explosions
BOSTON (Reuters) - A resident of a Massachusetts city rocked by last week's deadly gas blasts that damaged dozens of homes sued utility operator NiSource Inc on Tuesday, accusing it of inadequately maintaining its distribution system. The proposed class action lawsuit targets NiSource and its sub..
PSE&G’s Record Gas Main Project Demonstrates Growing Role of CIPL
When PSE&G identified numerous joint leaks in an aging cast-iron gas main, the Newark-based utility faced the additional challenge of a crowded and complex substructure. Its permanent renewal of the 36-inch main using trenchless methods and a cured-in-place liner set a new world record.
Pipe Pressure Before Explosions was 12 Times too High
The pressure in natural gas pipelines prior to a series of explosions and fires in Massachusetts last week was 12 times higher than it should have been, according to a letter from the state's U.S. senators to executives of the utility in charge of the pipelines.
Official: Pressure Sensors Focus of Gas Explosions Investigation
The investigation into the Boston-area natural gas explosions is partially focused on pressure sensors that were connected to a gas line that was being taken out of service shortly before the blasts, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board said.
Massachusetts Gas Explosions Shine Spotlight on Century-old Pipelines
Thousands of miles of natural gas pipelines in Massachusetts are leak-prone and need repair, utilities have told state regulators, highlighting aging energy infrastructure risks after explosions ripped through three towns outside of Boston this week.
Dozens of Gas Blasts Rock Boston Suburbs, Killing at Least 1, Injuring 12
Dozens of explosions, apparently triggered by a natural gas pipeline rupture, rocked three communities near Boston on Thursday, killing at least one person, injuring 12 and prompting the evacuation of hundreds, officials said.
Creating a Labor Force in Your Own Back Yard
After struggling to find qualified new hires, Consumers Energy worked in partnership with third-party union training provider Power for America to offered the Utility Military Assistance Program – a three-week unpaid training program for military veterans and active reservist/guard members.
SoCalGas: Aliso Canyon Leak Costs Exceed $1 Billion
SoCalGas raised the estimated cost for the massive leak at its 2015-2016 Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility in Los Angeles to $1.014 billion, warning the "estimate may rise significantly" due to pending lawsuits, possible fines and other costs.
Energy Web Atlas Launches World Pipeline Dataset
Gulf Energy Information, a leading provider of market intelligence and technical information for the international energy industry, announced Tuesday the introduction of the World Pipeline layer to the Energy Web Atlas (EWA).
Memphis Utility Makes Big Inroads in 30-Year Replacement Plan
As the largest three-service municipal utility in the United States, Memphis Light, Gas and Water faces a myriad of repair and maintenance decisions. Among its chief concerns is the safety of its gas distribution system, particularly the 330 miles of cast-iron gas mains it began replacing in 1992 as part of a $100 million program.
SGA Chair Caron Lawhorn on a Mission to Raise Industry’s Voice
Southern Gas Association Chair Caron Lawhorn is on a mission to give the natural gas industry a bigger voice in the national conversation on energy efficiency and sustainability.
‘Cradle-to-Grave’ Documentation Enhances Safety in Pipeline Projects
It’s common practice to identify and log materials when they are delivered by the manufacturer and upon installation in the ground. Two California utilities have developed an approach in which the documentation travels with the materials at all times.
Argentina’s Vaca Muerta Pipeline to Improve Shale Gas Transport
In the three years since Mauricio Macri was elected president of the Argentine Republic, the federal government has stepped up efforts to meet unsatisfied gas demand of 40 MMcm/d in winter and increasing year-round demand to fuel an expanding industrial base.
Liberty Utilities Sees Potential Benefit in Decoupling
Whenever the topic of “decoupling” is mentioned concerning natural gas distribution utilities, confusion, along with a fair amount of debate, is bound to follow. That’s because, traditionally, rates for business and residential customers are decided based on a particular company’s revenues and profits.
The Role of Smart Gas in the Smart City
Gas utilities are looking to advanced metering infrastructure and other solutions that place them at the forefront of the smart city movement and capitalize on the promise of smart gas solutions.
Firefighter, 4 Others Injured as Tractor Hits Gas Line
An Oklahoma firefighter who was among five people injured in an explosion after a natural gas pipeline rupture in Tulsa was in stable condition, a fire department spokesman said.
Natural Gas Utilities Securing the Future
Natural gas utilities must compete for digital-savvy customers who've grown accustomed to instant information and expect more from service providers. Customer-focused natural gas utilities who partner with innovative companies to provide value-added products and services will be successful.
SoCalGas Warns Supply Could Fall Short
According to Southern California Gas, pipeline outages and restrictions on the Aliso Canyon storage facility could reduce its ability to deliver natural gas this year to a level even lower than California state regulators and others have predicted.
Some Extra-Clean Breaks with Standard Practices
In recent weeks, some innovations in the area of fortifying the environment have been gaining attention and should make those in the pipeline industry, particularly those involved with gas distribution, feel good about what they do for a living.
Gas Utility Customers Show Greater Satisfaction Levels
Pipeline & Gas Journal staff report In a year that saw growing efforts to improve safety through direct customer outreach and residential safety inspections, the latest J.D. Power Gas Utility Business Customers Study found gas utility customers increasingly satisfied. This represents the sixth yea..
Kimberly Harris Sees Future Shaped by Customer Needs as AGA Turns 100
Puget Sound Energy President & CEO Kimberly Harris this year brings her unique combination of environmental sensibility and unabashed love for the energy industry to the international stage as chair of the American Gas Association as it celebrates its 100th year and hosts the World Gas Conference.
Duke Energy Moves Forward with Ohio Gas Pipeline Application
Duke Energy Ohio moves forward with its application to construct the proposed Central Corridor Pipeline, a 13 mile, 20-inch natural gas pipeline designed to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of natural gas to customers in southwest Ohio.
Vermont Utility Regulator Orders Review of Gas Pipeline
COLCHESTER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont utility regulators are asking for an investigation into the construction of a 41-mile natural gas pipeline. In an order issued on Wednesday, the Public Utilities Commission noted that Vermont Gas Systems has already agreed to an outside review of its construction prac..
Prometheus Energy, National Grid Complete Successful LNG Project in Rhode Island
Prometheus Energy Group, Inc. has completed a four-month winter peaking service to augment National Grid's distribution network in Rhode Island. National Grid operates liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities throughout New England and required a temporary storage solution to supply LNG to an existin..
Vermont Gas Agrees to Independent Review of Pipeline
Vermont Gas Agrees to Independent Review of Pipeline
J.D Power Study: Customer Satisfaction with U.S. Natural Gas Utilities Reaches All-Time High
According to J.D. Power’s 2017 Gas Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study, natural gas utility business customer satisfaction scores have reached an all-time high. With an overall satisfaction score of 792 (on a 1,000-point scale), gas utility business customers are now the most satisfied amon..
- 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
