Pipelines
ASCE Pipelines Honors Industry Leaders Joe Castronovo, Ralph Carpenter
At the record-breaking ASCE Pipelines 2013 Conference in Fort Worth, TX, last June, long-time industry contributors Joseph Castronovo and Ralph Carpenter were honored for their years of service to the Pipeline Division.
Pipeline Approval Reform Bill Hits Headwinds
The pipeline approval "speed up" bill hit a couple of speed bumps on July 9. At hearings in a House subcommittee, the unofficial "pipeline" commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) pointed out some potential unintended consequences that might come about if the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act (H.R. 1900) as initially written becomes law.
Open season for pipeline project in New York
The Millennium Pipeline Company has announced a non-binding open season for firm transportation service under its existing rate schedule FT-1 to be made available through the use of currently existing capacity and construction of at least one compressor station and approximately 60 miles of new pipeline that would connect to the Dominion Transmission system near Cortland, NY, and the Tennessee Gas Pipeline System near Syracuse, NY.
Wellinghoff Departs FERC
There probably will be neither tears nor jeers from the pipeline community over the departure of FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff. He announced his exit in late May and is staying on until President Obama nominates a successor.
Shale Plays Remain Key To Nation’s Economy, Jobs And Energy Security
<em>Pipeline & Gas Journal</em>, in partnership with the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA), held its 9th annual Pipeline Opportunities Conference on March 26, at the JW Houston Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Houston.
EPA Criticizes State Department Keystone XL Draft EIS
The EPA says it has some fairly significant problems with the State Department's draft environmental impact statement on the Keystone XL Pipeline. The State Department draft supplemental EIS (DSEIS) was based on assessment of a new alternative route proposed by TransCanada.
PG&E takes steps to put safety first after San Bruno accident
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has announced that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) acknowledged that the company has completed three additional safety recommendations of the 12 that were issued in response to the 2010 pipeline accident in San Bruno, CA. In total, PG&E has completed action on seven of the safety recommendations.
Obama Draft EIS on Keystone XL Leans Toward Project Approval
The Obama administration's positive draft environmental impact statement on the final, four-state leg of the Keystone XL pipeline appears to set approval by the State Department on an exorable path.
Consents for interstate natural gas pipeline projects taking longer
The time to obtain required federal permits from agencies other than the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for interstate natural gas pipeline projects actually has increased since the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, a law with the stated intent to streamline and expedite federal authorizations for such projects, a new study by the INGAA Foundation finds.
PLCA’s 65th Annual Convention Draws 628 Delegates
Dan Murphy, outgoing president of the Pipe Line Contractors Association and president of Precision Pipeline LLC, welcomed 628 delegates to the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, AZ. This represented a significant attendance increase over the 2012 convention.
Nebraska Governor approves new Keystone XL route
On Jan. 22, Governor Dave Heineman of Nebraska approved a revised route of the Keystone XL pipeline through the state of Nebraska. In a letter to President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Gov. Heineman said that the new route avoided sensitive lands and aquifers.
Editor's Log: Keystone Two-Step Continues
I’ve been asked by many people if the main section of the Keystone XL Pipeline, from Canada to Oklahoma, will be built now that a revised route has been approved both by the state of Nebraska and TransCanada. The new route reportedly will avoid the most ecologically sensitive regions of Nebraska.
Water Infrastructure Initiatives Afoot
Separate regulatory and legislative developments could affect local government ability to afford water infrastructure projects. The Environmental Protection Agency is considering revisions to the agency's 1997 financial capability guidelines which dictate how hard the agency can press cities and counties to undertake expensive Clean Water Act projects such as sewer repairs.
PLCA Well-Positioned For Great Year
The Pipe Line Contractors Association (PLCA) is closing out an active 2012 with members busy and labor agreements in place with the unions representing the four crafts engaged in pipeline construction.
2013 Pipeline Construction Report
<em>Underground Construction</em> and <em>Pipeline & Gas Journal</em>’s 2013 survey figures indicate 116,837 miles of pipelines are planned and under construction worldwide. Of these, 83,806 represent projects in the planning worldwide design phase while 33,031 reflect various stages of construction.
Editor's Log: Best Guesses & Fingers Crossed
The November elections are over and the nation has survived. But the question remains: when will the much ballyhooed economic recovery begin in earnest? It looks like 2013 is going to be another interesting and challenging year in which the underground infrastructure market must endeavor to persevere. And we will.
New pension fund for pipeline workers established
The trustees that comprise the board of the newly established National Teamsters Pipeline Pension Fund met on Sept. 28 at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) in Washington, DC, to discuss final stages for setting up the fund and other organizational matters. This pension fund will provide benefits for Teamsters who are pipeline workers.
U.S. grants permit for Keystone XL
In the latest installment of the Keystone XL pipeline saga, TransCanada received a go-ahead for the Gulf Coast section of its project.
McArthur, Romer Honored At ASCE Pipelines Conference
The American Society of Civil Engineers Pipelines Division held its annual conference in Miami Beach, FL, in August with record attendance of more than 650.
Obama Drilling Expansion In Alaska Falls Short For Some
ConocoPhillips Alaska, among the most active companies exploring for oil and gas in northern Alaska, found a lot not to like in the Obama administration decision in mid-August with regard to development of the 22.8 million acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
FERC approves New York/New Jersey Pipeline
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved a Spectra pipeline project which will bring new natural gas supplies to New York City. Spectra subsidiaries Texas Eastern and Algonquin will combine to build the new capacity, which will involve about 20 miles of pipeline, among other construction, such as compressor stations, with the total project weighing in at about $850 million. Texas Eastern and Algonquin hope to have the gas flowing into Manhattan by November 2013.
Precision Pipeline awarded Energy Transfer-Lone Star project
Precision Pipeline LLC has been awarded a contract by Energy Transfer-Lone Star Pipeline to install approximately 133 miles of 16-inch pipeline in Val Verde and Zavala Counties, TX.
Joint venture will build 210-mile crude line
SemGroup Corporation, Gavilon Midstream Energy LLC, a subsidiary of The Gavilon Group LLC, and an affiliate of Chesapeake Energy Corporation announced plans to form a joint venture that will construct a 210-mile pipeline in western and north central Oklahoma which will deliver crude oil to a 1 MMbbl storage facility in Cushing, OK.
Energy Transfer Partners to expand Eagle Ford Infrastructure
Energy Transfer Partners L.P. has entered into new multiple long-term, fee-based agreements with producers to provide natural gas gathering, processing and liquids services from the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas.
FERC approves Southern Cross Transmission Project
Pattern Energy Group LP announced that its Southern Cross transmission project has obtained two key regulatory orders from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Pattern is developing the Southern Cross project to add a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission tie of up to 3,000 MW between ERCOT in Texas and the transmission grid deep in the southeastern United States by 2016.
ConocoPhillips obtains key government approvals for Alaska project
ConocoPhillips has obtained important federal government support for pipeline and bridge projectgs that would allow the company to be the first to develop a commercial oil well in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve since the reserve was opened to drilling in 1998.
2012 Pipeline Construction Report
<em>Underground Construction</em> and <a href="http://pipelineandgasjournal.com/"><em>Pipeline & Gas Journal</em></a>’s worldwide pipeline survey figures indicate that 118,623 miles of pipelines are planned and under construction. Of these, 88,976 represent projects in the planning and design phase; 29,647 miles reflect pipelines in various stages of construction. Almost 32,000 miles of pipeline are currently being planned for North America.
Rain for Rent Road Crossings
Low profile pipeline Road Crossings from Rain for Rent provide an excellent way to safely move water across busy streets, driveways, and highways without disrupting traffic or damaging roadways.
Shale gas pipeline costs triple
Ziff Energy released a report last summer analyzing the pipeline infrastructure costs on 120 new gas pipeline projects in the Marcellus, Eagle Ford, Haynesville, Barnett, Woodford, Fayetteville and Horn River shale gas regions over the past decade.
New Route proposed for Keystone XL through Nebraska
President Obama recently stated that he will make the decision on whether to approve or deny a presidential permit for the 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline proposed by TransCanada, rather than delegating the decision to the State Department.
- OSHA cites Florida contractors for trench safety violations at sewer and excavation sites
- Biden-Harris administration invests $849 million in aging water infrastructure, drought resilience
- Cadiz to reuse steel from terminated Keystone XL pipeline for California groundwater project
- Texas contractor penalized by OSHA for repeated trench safety violations
- West Virginia approves $67 million for water, sewer projects