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Washington & Oregon

5 injured in gas pipeline rupture near Plymouth (video) — Yakima Herald-Republic, Yakima, WA

PLYMOUTH, Wash. — Fire officials are confirming that five people were injured in Monday morning’s natural gas pipeline rupture near Plymouth along the Columbia River in south Benton County.

When the pipeline ruptured it sent shrapnel into a huge storage tank, causing a leak and risk of explosion within a two-mile zone, officials said.

It started with an explosion at 8:19 a.m. inside a building at the Williams Northwest Pipeline facility, a liquefied natural gas plant, but officials aren’t sure what caused it, according to Capt. Jeff Ripley of Benton Fire District 1.

A large cloud of fumes floated in the area as the gas escaped into the air. Benton County deputies went door to door to get people out of homes and businesses. The fumes were causing officers to feel ill, said Sheriff’s spokesman Joe Lusignan. [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

Webmaster's comment: The exploding piping or tank blew a hole in the double-containment LNG storage tank, causing it to leak LNG vapor.

Leaking liquified natural gas at explosion site near Plymouth — Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA

Liquefied natural gas leaks from a damaged storage tank at the Williams Northwest Pipeline facility near Plymouth along the Columbia River in south Benton County. An explosion at 8:19 a.m. inside a building at facility sent shrapnel into the storage tank, causing a leak and risk of explosion within a two-mile zone, officials said. [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

UPDATE: Hazmat officials enter Plymouth natural gas plant — Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA

The possibility that the dissipating gas at Northwest Pipeline could explode caused the evacuation of up to 1,000 residents and agricultural workers from a two-mile radius around the plant in south Benton County.

An explosion inside a building at Northwest Pipeline, a subsidiary of Williams Partners, sent shrapnel into a storage tank that can hold up to 14 million gallons of liquefied natural gas at about 8:22 a.m. Monday.

The tank, which William Partners officials say was only one-third full, began leaking the liquefied natural gas.

The liquefied natural gas, which is cooled to minus 260 degrees F, froze as it leaked, plugging the hole, until the ambient temperature warmed the ice plug, allowing the liquid to continue to leak and vaporize, Ripley said. And then the cycle of freeze, thaw and vaporize repeated.

There is a possibility of an explosion with the vaporized natural gas if it mixed with the right amount of oxygen and atmosphere and there was an ignition source, Ripley explained. [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

1st UPDATE — 4 hurt, 200 evacuated by in natural gas blast at plant on Washington-Oregon border — Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA

The 8:20 a.m. blast at the Williams Northwest Pipeline plant in the town of Plymouth, along the Columbia River, also punctured a liquefied natural gas storage tank.

Benton County Sheriff Steven Keane said some gas leaked from the tank to the ground in a containment area and evaporated into the air, but it was only a small amount. "I think if one of those huge tanks has exploded, it might have been a different story," he said.

The liquefied natural gas tank has a capacity of 1.2 billion cubic feet, but it was not full, and only a relatively small amount of gas leaked from the rupture and spilled to the ground in a containment area, the sheriff said. [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

UPDATE 4-Pipe explodes at Williams LNG facility in Washington state — Reuters

A pipeline within a liquefied natural gas facility exploded in a rural area of Washington state on Monday and emergency workers continued to work into the evening to minimize the risk of further blasts from a leaking storage tank.

Shrapnel from the explosion within the Williams Companies Inc facility caused a leak in one of two LNG storage tanks at the site near Plymouth in southeastern Washington, said Joe Lusignan, a spokesman for the Benton County Sheriff's office.

"Because of the potential for explosion, we are focusing on making sure that our citizens are safe," Lusignan said.

Road blocks and evacuation orders remained in effect and may continue through the night, Lusignan said.

Five workers were injured by the blast, he said. One worker was burned; four were hit by debris and taken to local hospitals, he said.

An earlier fire at the site has been extinguished, but Lusignan said an ongoing gas leak could still ignite. Responders said they were containing liquid leaking from the tank. [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

Massive explosion rocks Washington State natural gas plant — ThinkProgress

The cause is still uncertain, but fire officials said that it began with an explosion in a building, and then a natural gas pipeline ruptured, which sent shrapnel into a “huge” storage tank, leading to a risk of a much larger explosion. People living three to six miles away from the plant said they could feel the first explosion, according to the local NBC and CBS affiliates.

These tanks are built with a double wall to insulate the liquefied gas, which must be kept at minus 260°F.

Williams Northwest Pipeline is shutting down the pipeline and allowing the gas to evaporate, hoping nothing ignites the fuel. While a massive explosion of 1.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas would be catastrophic, the venting of that large a container of natural gas would be equal to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from 1.3 million passenger vehicles. [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

UPDATE 2-Fire, explosion at Williams natgas facility in Washington state — Reuters

[This article proved to be inaccurate. See UPDATE 4, above.]

(Reuters) - A liquefied natural gas storage tank at Williams Cos Inc's facility in southeastern Washington state exploded early on Monday, injuring one worker and requiring nearby residents to be evacuated.

In addition to the estimated 17 Williams workers at the facility, local firefighters said they told residents within a two-mile (3.2 km) radius of the area were told to evacuate.

There are two tanks at the Plymouth facility. Each tank is capable of holding 1.2 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas. Officials at Williams could not immediately confirm how big the storage tanks are.

The fire started at the facility early on Monday and was followed by an explosion in one storage tank, said Ed Dunbar, a captain with the Benton County Fire District office. [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

Fire crews responding to natural gas explosion south of Kennewick — The Oregonian, Portland, OR

A massive explosion rocked the Williams Northwest Pipeline Company just outside Plymouth, Wash., about 14 miles north of Hermiston.

The incident happened just before 8:20 a.m., when the south tank at the facility, with a 1.2 billion cubic feet capacity of natural gas, exploded. The force blew a hole in the side of the tank, said Richland Police Capt. Mike Cobb. [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

Nova Scotia

Goldboro LNG export facility receives environmental assessment approval [Press release] (Mar 21) — CNW

Pieridae Energy (Canada) Ltd. ("Pieridae") is pleased to announce that the Honourable Randy Delorey, Minister of Environment for the Province of Nova Scotia, has issued environmental assessment (EA) approval, with conditions, for company's proposed Goldboro LNG project.

Goldboro LNG consists of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing plant and facilities for the storage and export of LNG, including a marine jetty.

The company has submitted an application to the National Energy Board (NEB) to import up to 1.0 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas through the existing pipeline systems between Canada and the United States, and export up to 1.4 Bcf/d of natural gas, as LNG, from Goldboro, NS, to international markets. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

Webmaster's comment: This project requires the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline to reverse direction, shipping Marcellus natural gas from Pennsylvania to New England, and on to Nova Scotia.

This is really bad news for Downeast LNG, that needs the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline to ship to the south in order for Downeast LNG to reach its proposed customers. It would be really interesting to read how Dean Girdis fits this conundrum into his project's business plan.

Nova Scotia Minister approves Goldboro LNG project (Mar 21) — LNG World News

Pieridae Energy must now obtain industrial approvals from the Department of Environment for various elements of the plant’s operation, and must also obtain approval for the project from the Utility and Review Board.

The Golboro facility will have a capacity to receive, liquefy and export nominal 10 million tonnes of natural gas per annum (Mtpa).

The on-site gross storage capacity for LNG will be approximately 690,000 m3 in three 230,000 m3 tanks. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

Nova Scotia approves Goldboro LNG project (Mar 21) — The Chronicle Herald, Halifax, NS

A decision on whether to proceed with the project is expected by mid-2015.

The facility would source part of its supply from New England via the Maritimes & Northeast pipeline. There are plans to reverse the flow and increase overall capacity of the 1,100-kilometre pipeline that runs from Goldboro to Dracut, Mass., a joint venture of Spectra Energy, Emera Inc. and ExxonMobil.

The rest of the fuel would come from offshore projects in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, and at least one-third of supply would be shale gas projects in New Brunswick. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

Webmaster's comment: This is the first indication we have seen that Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline intends to increase pipeline capacity in relation to reversing direction.

Maine & New England

Madison Paper CEO frustrated by delay in natural gas pipeline (Mar 18) — Morning Sentinel, Waterville, ME

Asked for comment on the delay, Mike Duguay,[Summit Natural Gas of Maine]’s director of business development, issued a one-line statement: “We are systematically moving natural gas up through the Kennebec Valley and are working diligently to make the final connection in Norridgewock, which will complete the first phase of a multi-year project that will bring a lower-cost energy source to Madison.”

Among Summit’s current commercial customers are the city of Augusta, Regional School Unit 11 in Gardiner and Inland Hospital in Waterville, where natural gas began flowing last week. The company also has contracts to connect Sappi Fine Paper in Skowhegan, Huhtamaki in Fairfield and Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan.

In total, the $350 million project will include a 68-mile transmission pipeline stretching from Pittston to Madison and more than 300 miles of distribution lines throughout central Maine. Proponents of the project say it will lower heating costs for more than 700 businesses and 4,500 individual customers in the coming year.

Maine Natural Gas, of Brunswick, is building a 21-mile pipeline from Windsor to Augusta and has contracts to serve state buildings in Augusta and MaineGeneral Medical Center’s new hospital in north Augusta.

Webmaster's comment: Gosh! All this gas pipeline construction that Downeast LNG wants the public to believe is nearly impossible.

Six New England governors accused of ‘backroom’ power deals — Portland Press Herald, Portland, ME

HARTFORD, Conn. – A Boston environmental group is challenging how energy policy is coordinated by New England’s six governors, saying the state leaders are conducting private negotiations with the energy industry.

The Conservation Law Foundation has submitted public records requests in the region’s six states. It said a plan by the governors that focuses on natural gas and hydropower from Canada “appears to be the product of backroom deal-making rather than sound public policy informed by open dialogue.”

Behind the Conservation Law Foundation’s criticism of the policy-making process is its difference with governors over what it believes is an over-reliance on natural gas. It’s touted as less expensive than heating oil, but the drilling method used to draw out natural gas known as fracking is bitterly denounced by environmentalists.

“The assumption which seems to be going on here is that we need a great new pipeline that must be paid for by the customers of New England through our electricity bills,” Kaplan said. “That assumption we think is wrong and at the very least needs to be tested in public.”

Katy Eiseman: Proposed gas pipeline wrong policy for New England [Op-ed] (Mar 19) — Gazettenett.com, Northampton, MA

…The intent for this route to link up to Canada also belies claims that more pipelines would decrease prices. (According to a TGP memo, intended customers include developers of liquefied natural gas projects in New England and Atlantic Canada.) Exporting American gas would drive prices up and would perpetuate the perceived need for more pipelines. At present, the New England governors are seeking to require electric ratepayers to pay for new pipelines with a new tariff.

In sum, this pipeline would continue a reckless and misguided energy policy that fortifies our reliance on fossil fuels. Instead, we should devote our resources to creating a comprehensive, sustainable renewable energy infrastructure.

Northeast

Keystone foes take aim at Maryland natural gas project (Mar 18) — Bloomberg

Environmentalists fighting the Keystone XL pipeline are rallying to block a Maryland natural gas export terminal as momentum builds to use the U.S. fuel as a weapon against Russia’s intervention in Ukraine.

The energy required to liquefy and ship gas at Dominion Resources Inc.’s proposed Cove Point terminal in Maryland will raise the fuel’s greenhouse-gas emissions to the level of coal, says Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. Such terminals threaten the climate like pipelines tied to developing oil in Alberta, including Keystone, he said.

“This issue is a lot like the fight over tar sands,” Tidwell said in an interview. “It’s gone from non-existent to the biggest environmental fight in Maryland, and is on its way to being the biggest environmental fight in the Mid-Atlantic.”

National leaders to Obama: Rush to export gas would significantly undercut U.S. climate action (Mar 18) — Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Takoma Park, MD

[This article also appears under the United States heading, below.]

Leaders of 16 national and regional groups call on the president to reverse course—and order a full review of the 'Cove Point' LNG export project in Maryland as a first step in the right direction

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Leaders of 16 national and regional climate advocacy groups sent a letter to President Obama today, calling on him to revisit proposals to radically expand U.S. exports of fracked and liquefied natural gas, which would significantly undermine his administration's efforts to tackle the climate crisis. As a first step in the right direction, the letter urges the president to ensure a comprehensive federal environmental impact review for one of the most controversial liquefied natural gas export proposals currently before his administration—the Cove Point facility proposed by Dominion Resources just outside of Washington, D.C. on the Chesapeake Bay.

Emerging and credible analyses show that significant expansion of fracking and gas export infrastructure could cripple global efforts to solve climate change, which Secretary of State John Kerry recently called perhaps the "the world's most fearsome weapon of mass destruction." In fact, the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of the LNG export process—including drilling, piping, compressing, liquefying, shipping, re-gasifying, and burning—likely make it as harmful to the climate, or worse than, burning coal overseas. Analysis shows the $3.8 billion Cove Point plan could alone trigger more lifecycle climate change pollution than all seven of Maryland's existing coal-fired power plants combined.

Gulf of Mexico

Environmental report says Texas facility will cause headaches for residents (Mar 17) — Fuel Fix

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, tasked with deciding whether the facility can be constructed and operated, found that the project’s biggest impacts won’t be pollution, but rather, the day-to-day stress for residents of a small Texas island who will deal with years of construction in their backyard.

The report [concluded] that “construction traffic would result in significant and unavoidable impacts on the residents” of island town of Quintana, Texas during the more than four years Freeport LNG will spend on construction. The town has 56 residents according to the 2010 Census.

The study found that on some roads in the area, during peak construction, traffic congestion would get an “F” rating, though with some planning, it could get to at least a “D.” The agency recommended that Freeport LNG develop a transportation plan before construction begins to mitigate the impact of construction and workers and traffic.

Webmaster's comment: In other words, in FERC's view, impacts on the community don't really matter.

Gulf Coast set to become unexpected world-class liquefied natural gas center [Opinion] (Mar 18) — Voices.MyDesert.com

With worldwide liquid natural gas exports expected to more than double, or triple, in the next quarter century, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, both the pressure of substantial liquefaction facilities, as well as multiple export terminals, will put the Gulf of Mexico’s American coast line in the catbird seat with regard to the global centerpiece of LNG total activities.

British Columbia

First B.C. company joins the LNG fray (Mar 18) — GlobalNews.ca

The first exclusively-Canadian company has joined the expensive LNG race on B.C.’s coast, hoping their local experience will make up for their late start and lack of specific plans.

Steelhead LNG Corp. say they want to build an LNG processing facility along the B.C. coast, and plan to submit an application for an export license in the next 6-8 weeks.

There are over 13 applicants for plants along B.C.’s coast, all of whom have international operations. Estimated costs in the LNG market have risen in the last two years, and Apache Corp., the first company to formally apply for a license, announced earlier this year they were looking to sell part of their interest in a potential LNG plant.

Oregon

Jordon Cove LNG receives authority to import Canadian gas for export terminal (Mar 21) — LNG Law Blog

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has granted Jordan Cove LNG (JCLNG) authority to import natural gas from Canada via pipeline up to 566 Bcf/year (1.55 Bcf/day) for a 25-year term to JCLNG’s proposed LNG export terminal at the Port of Coos Bay, Ore. JCLNG has already obtained Canadian National Energy Board authority to export the gas to the United States. … JCLNG has also obtained DOE authority to export LNG from its proposed terminal to nations with a U.S.-Free Trade Agreement requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas.

United States

National leaders to Obama: Rush to export gas would significantly undercut U.S. climate action (Mar 18) — Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Takoma Park, MD

[This article also appears under the Northeast heading, above.]

Leaders of 16 national and regional groups call on the president to reverse course—and order a full review of the 'Cove Point' LNG export project in Maryland as a first step in the right direction

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Leaders of 16 national and regional climate advocacy groups sent a letter to President Obama today, calling on him to revisit proposals to radically expand U.S. exports of fracked and liquefied natural gas, which would significantly undermine his administration's efforts to tackle the climate crisis. As a first step in the right direction, the letter urges the president to ensure a comprehensive federal environmental impact review for one of the most controversial liquefied natural gas export proposals currently before his administration—the Cove Point facility proposed by Dominion Resources just outside of Washington, D.C. on the Chesapeake Bay.

Emerging and credible analyses show that significant expansion of fracking and gas export infrastructure could cripple global efforts to solve climate change, which Secretary of State John Kerry recently called perhaps the "the world's most fearsome weapon of mass destruction." In fact, the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of the LNG export process—including drilling, piping, compressing, liquefying, shipping, re-gasifying, and burning—likely make it as harmful to the climate, or worse than, burning coal overseas. Analysis shows the $3.8 billion Cove Point plan could alone trigger more lifecycle climate change pollution than all seven of Maryland's existing coal-fired power plants combined.

Environmentalists challenge Obama on natural gas exports (Mar 18) — Fuel Fix

More than a dozen environmental groups on Tuesday called on President Barack Obama to reject his previous support for natural gas and the controversial technology used to produce the fossil fuel.

In a letter to Obama, the organizations also insisted that the administration’s handling of a proposed natural gas export facility on the Maryland coast is a test of the president’s commitment to combating climate change.

“We are disturbed by your administration’s support for hydraulic fracturing and, particularly, your plan to build liquefied natural gas export terminals along U.S. coastlines that would ship large amounts of fracked gas around the world,” said the groups. “We call on you to reverse course on this plan and commit instead to keeping most of our nation’s fossil fuel reserves in the ground.”

North America

North American natural gas seeks markets overseas (Mar 20) — National Geographic Daily News

In all, some 40 new export projects have been proposed in the United States and Canada, giant multibillion-dollar facilities to superchill natural gas into liquid form at -260°F (-162°C) so it can be shipped by refrigerated tanker. This liquefied natural gas, or LNG, takes 600 times less space, making it economical to move by vessel.

Yet industry analysts say many of the proposed export facilities might not get beyond the planning stage because of high costs and stiff international competition. Exporting natural gas by ship requires building massive facilities to supercool the gas. Holmes said these liquefaction facilities cost as much as $10 billion, only part of a $30 billion investment to build a new export facility.

But in the debate over North American gas exports, there is another way to look at the economic impact. Even studies that project that increased LNG exports will help boost the U.S. economy conclude that exports will lead to higher domestic natural gas prices.

The Canadian government has approved eight export licenses, and is considering five other applications. In the United States, there have been 37 LNG export applications, six of which have gained U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) approval, the first step in the regulatory process to export natural gas to countries that do not have a free trade agreement with the United States.

In the United States, construction has begun on only one terminal, the $10 billion Sabine Pass project on Louisiana's Gulf Coast, which is being converted into an export liquefaction facility. The plant was constructed just a few years ago as an import facility, when it looked as though the United States was running short of natural gas. It is a living example of how quickly the global energy supply-and-demand picture can change. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

Webmaster's comment: This is all about blind greed, with no regard for environmental or national energy-security consequences.

World

Global LNG demand set to tumble (Mar 20) — LNG Industry, Farnham, Surrey, UK

PIRA Energy Group believes that the global demand for LNG is set to fall dramatically. In the US, a report from the EIA highlighted the market’s continued above-normal reliance on natural gas inventories. In Europe, PIRA believes there is no need to be concerned about a cut-off in gas flows through Ukraine.

Global demand of LNG is set to tumble from the start of April. PIRA also sees the emergence of weak signals from key counter-seasonal markets including Brazil and India. A strong round of seasonal maintenance, particularly in Qatar, will retain spot price floors. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

Passamaquoddy Bay, New England, the Northeast, the US, and the Maritimes

Save Passamaquoddy Bay petitions FERC to dismiss Downeast LNG (Mar 13) — Maine Environmental News, ME

On Tuesday [2014 Mar 11], Save Passamaquoddy Bay 3-Nation Alliance headquarters in Eastport filed a motion with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to dismiss Downeast LNG from the permitting process. Downeast LNG is proposing a liquefied natural gas import terminal in Robbinston, Maine, in Passamaquoddy Bay.

Among the several reasons listed as justification for dismissing Downeast LNG's applications are:

1. Violating LNG industry best safe practices;
2. Canada's prohibition of non-innocent LNG ship transits into Passamaquoddy Bay;
3. Violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement treaty;
4. Violation of Native American rights;
5. Violating the National Environmental Policy Act;
6. Inability to obtain LNG;
7. Inability to serve its intended market;
8. Violation of equal treatment under the law.

[Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

North American pipeline proposal map (Mar 14) — Frac Tracker

[Thumbnail images below are of the interactive map in this article. See large versions of mapped pipeline proposals in the Lower 48 states, the Northeast, and New England. The existing Maritime and Northeast Pipeline is shown as a proposal since its owner is proposing to reverse its direction, sending Marcellus natural gas to New England and the Canadian Maritimes — that would prevent Downeast LNG from shipping natural gas to its intended market in New England.]

The map depicts all of the following (Note: Updated quarterly or when notified of proposals by concerned citizens):

1. All known North American pipeline proposals
2. Those pipelines that have yet to be documented by the EIA’s Natural Gas Pipeline Network mapping team
3. EIA documented pipelines more accurately mapped to the county level (i.e., select northeastern pipelines)
4. The current Keystone XL pipeline and the Keystone XL expansion proposal rectified to the county level in Nebraska, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

Webmaster's comment: Downeast LNG president Dean Girdis says new and expanded pipeline infrastructure is as scarce as hen's teeth. The interactive map impeaches Girdis.

Southeast

LNG export project moves forward (Mar 15) — Savannah Morning News, Savannah, GA

Southern LNG already has permission to export up to 4 million tons per year to free trade countries. An application to export the same amount to non-free trade countries is pending. In Elba’s 35-year history the U.S. has been a net importer of LNG. But the prospect of pulling from huge domestic shale gas reserves is changing that picture.

The companies intend to abandon and remove its truck-loading facilities at Elba. A previous plan by then-operator El Paso to send up to 58 tanker truckloads a day of LNG across DeRenne Avenue met with strong opposition from community groups concerned about the safety of the proposal. It was dropped when partner AGL Resources ended the joint venture. Shortly thereafter Kinder Morgan completed its acquisition of El Paso, a move that has been announced about seven months earlier. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

Passamaquoddy Bay

Downeast LNG adversary asks feds to dismiss Robbinston terminal permit request — Bangor Daily News, Bangor, ME

An organization opposed to the proposed Downeast LNG terminal in Robbinston filed a motion with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission this week seeking dismissal of the company’s request for federal permitting.

Among other things, the Eastport-based Save Passamaquoddy Bay argues that ships loaded with liquefied natural gas that would use the terminal present a risk of “genocide” to the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point in the event of a spill or other accident or catastrophic event.

Among the other reasons Godfrey cited in his petition for dismissal of the Downeast LNG project are his contentions that the company’s request violates LNG industry best safe practices, violates the North American Free Trade Agreement and violates Native American rights. In addition, Canada has prohibited such LNG ship transits into the Passamaquoddy Bay. [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

Webmaster's comment: Downeast LNG president Dean Girdis states that he won't file a response to our Motion to Dismiss. Downeast LNG has no factual basis to challenge our motion.

Northeast

Environmental assessment for Dominion project to be released in May — SoMdNews.com, MD

On Wednesday — a day before six Dominion expansion protesters were arrested in Calvert County — the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission announced it will issue its environmental assessment on the proposed Dominion Cove Point liquefied natural gas export project May 15 and will issue its decision by Aug. 31.

“Federal officials are serving Dominion, not the public interest, in formally endorsing a low bar of scrutiny on a fast-tracked timeline. The announcement is a slap in the face to citizens and leaders across Maryland who have repeatedly called for a full Environmental Impact Statement — a type of review most protective of public health and safety and customary for a polluting project as huge as Dominion’s,” the statement said.

MD groups claim Cove Point federal review timeline ignores key safety and environmental concerns and fails to serve the public — Southern Maryland News Net, MD

“A full EIS is the only legitimate way forward on a project that could simultaneously subject local residents to unprecedented safety risks, incentivize a region-wide wave of new fracking and pipelines, and trigger more greenhouse gas pollution than all seven of Maryland’s coal-fired power plants combined."

United States

Senate panel blocks vote on LNG export plan — InsideClimate News, Brooklyn, NY

A plan to accelerate U.S. natural gas exports in response to Russia's invasion of Crimea failed in the Senate on Wednesday, amid criticism that it could derail a Ukraine aid package.

Northeast

Maryland senators ask FERC to hold more hearings on plant — TheBaynet.com, MD

Honoring a request submitted by environmentalists, Maryland’s two U.S. senators have written to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requesting the panel conduct additional meetings on the Dominion Cove Point expansion project in Calvert County.

Passamaquoddy Bay, Maine, and New England

Boston natural gas trucking firm XNG prepares for national expansion this year (Mar 10) — Boston Business Journal, Boston, MA

Boston-based XNG is one of several firms that have emerged in New England in the past few years to seize on the huge price differential between natural gas and oil — by trucking compressed natural gas to paper mills, hospitals and other large users that aren’t on a pipeline. Even with the extra operating costs of trucking and the upfront costs of adding new equipment, the relative inexpensiveness of natural gas allows the majority of XNG’s clients to recoup their investments and to begin saving money within a year. So far, about 20 customers have signed up.

They built their first terminal on a gas transmission pipeline in Baileyville, Maine, along the Canadian border, to serve northern New England and the Canadian Maritimes. They’re also wrapping up work on their second terminal, in Eliot, Maine, to better serve southern New England, and a third project is under way in upstate New York. They also a 30,000-square-foot plant in Dover, N.H. where they make all of their equipment for liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas shipments. Having their own manufacturing plant gives them more control over the process, shorter turnaround times, and an ability to better customize equipment for their clients. [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

Webmaster's comment: Downeast LNG eats XNG's dust.

Northeast

Stop fracked gas exports at Cove Point — Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Takoma Park, MD

…Dominion's Cove Point facility is the first LNG export terminal slated for the East Coast. It would drive demand for a surge of new hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," for gas in our region and require an expanding network of new fossil fuel infrastructure. While the gas industry would profit, we would pay the price of scarred landscapes, polluted air and waterways, livelihoods at risk, and worsened climate change.

Fact: The new liquefaction facility that Dominion would have to build on-site to process gas for export would emit more heat-trapping carbon dioxide than all but three of the state's existing coal plants.

In all, given the energy-intensive process of extracting, transporting and processing gas for export, Cove Point would trigger more greenhouse gas emissions than any other single source of climate pollution in Maryland.

Southeast

Formal application filed for Elba Island LNG export terminal — LNG Law Blog

Elba Liquefaction Company and Southern LNG Company (together, Applicants) filed a formal application with FERC to construct LNG liquefaction and export terminal facilities to provide bi-directional import and export services at the existing Elba Island LNG import terminal near Savannah, Ga. The Applicants propose to construct and operate a natural gas liquefaction facility comprised of up to a total of 10 Movable Modular Liquefaction System units having a total potential liquefaction capacity of approximately 2.5 million tonnes/year for export, to be constructed and placed into service in two phases. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

Hawaii

Hawaii Gas granted LNG approval — LNG Industry

Macquarie Infrastructure Company (MIC) has announced that its Hawaii Gas business has received approval to land containerized LNG in Hawaii.

Hawaii Gas intends to ship LNG from the US mainland and use it as a backup fuel source for its synthetic natural gas operations on Oahu. The initiative will increase the reliability of its fuel supply to residential and commercial customers.

Hawaii Gas intends to use ISO containers to ship LNG from the West Coast to Oahu on conventional container ships. ISO containers hold approximately 10 000 gallons of LNG. The LNG will be re-gasified and introduced into Hawaii Gas’ distribution pipelines in Honolulu using a mobile vaporization unit.

United States

Value of natural gas net imports on the decline — Chem.info

In 2012, the value of U.S. natural gas imports via pipeline reached its lowest level since 1995. Net pipeline import volumes in 2013 were 7% lower than in 2012. However, because natural gas prices have increased relative to their 2012 low point, the value of net natural gas imports via pipelines rose in 2013. When accounting for the 34% decrease in the dollar value of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports between 2012 and 2013, however, the dollar value of natural gas net imports in 2013 actually declined 14% compared to 2012.

While both domestic oil and natural gas production are currently on the upswing, the boom in natural gas production from shale resources began in 2005, well ahead of the upturn in tight oil production. The decline in value of net imports of natural gas is particularly noteworthy, given that the volume of U.S. natural gas consumption has been increasing since 2005, in contrast to the consumption of oil, which has been flat or declining since the middle of the past decade.

Webmaster's comment: Downeast LNG made its presence known in 2005 — precisely when its ultimate demise also began.

Fracking efficiently: Government changes how it calculates future oil and gas production because wells are producing more than before — The Patriot-News, PA

"Increasing precision and efficiency of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing" has resulted in each well producing more natural gas, on average, than seven years ago, according to the report.

According to the government data, the report says: "a Marcellus Shale well completed by a rig in April 2014 can be expected to yield over 6 million cubic feet of natural gas per day more than a well completed by that rig in that formation in 2007."

The EIA has shifted its estimates for future oil production up 22 percent and future natural gas production up 11 percent.

The agency predicts the United States will become an overall net exporter of natural gas in 2018, two years earlier than previously predicted. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

Webmaster's comment: Downeast LNG president Dean Girdis must be crying in his beer.

New England

Is Marcellus shale gas production nearing a peak? (Mar 9) — The Motley Fool

Natural gas industry observers will attest that growth in gas production from Pennsylvania's Marcellus shale has surpassed even the most optimistic of projections. And, according to a new report by a prominent investment research firm, Marcellus production growth won't be peaking anytime soon.…

Last year, natural gas output from the Marcellus surged 61% year over year to average 10.4 billion cubic feet per day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This phenomenal growth is thanks largely to major efficiency improvements resulting from a shift toward multi-well pad drilling, which allows energy producers to drill more wells from existing pads.

One of the main reasons these energy companies continue to drill in the Marcellus is because they can generate phenomenal returns even with relatively low gas prices. Cabot, for instance, can now generate pre-tax returns in excess of 100% at a wellhead gas price of only $3.00 per MMBtu, while Range and Chesapeake can earn triple-digit returns with $4.00 per MMBtu gas at the wellhead. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

Webmaster's comment: Natural gas output last year from just the Marcellus in the Northeast was roughly the equivalent capacity of all US LNG import terminals, combined. But, Downeast LNG's Dean Girdis wants you to believe his project is really, really needed, because…you know…the Northeast just doesn't have enough natural gas.

United States

U.S. natural gas production hit record high 30.2 Tcf in 2013 (Mar 3) — Natural Gas Intelligence [Paid subscription]

December was a banner month for U.S. natural gas production, hitting a record high of 2.63 Tcf and pushing the 2013 year-end total to a record 30.17 Tcf, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Total U.S. gas production in 2013 surpassed by 2.1% the 2012 total of 29.54 Tcf, EIA said in its latest Natural Gas Monthly report.

The December production total was a 4% increase compared with 2.52 Tcf in December 2012.

Production from the Other States category, which includes Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, was a record 898.1 Bcf in December, a 24.5% increase from 721.1 Bcf in November 2012, according to EIA data. The Other States category produced 9.52 Tcf in 2013, an impressive increase from 8.23 Tcf in 2013. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

Passamaquoddy Bay

The corporation as sociopath: Do mining corporations like PolyMet meet the definition? [Op-ed] (Mar 4) — Salem-News.com, Salem, OR

[Webmaster's comment: Although this article is not intrinsically about LNG, it certainly provides perspective on Downeast LNG, its project developer Dean Girdis, and its venture capital investors Kestrel Energy Partners.]

"Slavery is the legal fiction that a person is property. Corporate personhood is the legal fiction that property is a person." -- Anonymous

If corporations are given the privileges of personhood, shouldn’t they also bear the same responsibilities and incur the same punishments as individuals when they commit crimes, poison the water and air or rape the land?

“Trust us: We’re the Experts; Toxic Sludge is Good for You; We’ll Clean up After Ourselves” -- and Other Corporate Lies

Conscienceless mega-corporations that swoop down on unsuspecting people and naïve governmental bodies, usually ask them to “trust us” and that -- at some time in the uncertain future – they will un-poison the often permanently-toxified environment that they secretly intend to just leave behind. The people, understandably desperate for jobs, are usually fooled into believing well-crafted disinformation that is cunningly delivered -- until it is too late and the mess that is left behind is no longer the sneaky corporation’s problem. It’s an old con.

Sociopathy and the DSM [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual ]: The Common Denominator Linking Human and Corporate Criminals

Below are seven diagnostic criteria that are used to diagnose antisocial (aka, sociopathic or psychopathic) personality disorder in humans (be mindful that only three of the seven are needed for a positive diagnosis):

1. callous disregard for the feelings of other people
2. the incapacity to maintain human relationships
3. reckless disregard for the safety of others
4. aggressiveness
5. deceitfulness (repeated lying and conning others for profit)
6. incapacity to experience guilt and
7. the failure to conform to social norms and respect for the law.

Other common traits manifested by sociopaths include:

• Lack of conscience
• Lack of remorse for evils done to others
• Indifference to the suffering of its victims
• Rationalizes (makes excuses for) having hurt, mistreated or stolen from others
• Willingness to exploit, seduce or manipulate others
• No sign of delusional or irrational thinking
• Cunning, clever
• Usually above average intelligence
• Always looking for ways to make money or achieve fame or notoriety
• Willing to cause or contribute to the financial ruin of others
• Untrustworthy
• Cannot be trusted to adhere to conventional standards of morality.

Webmaster's comment: Does any of this scream, "Downeast LNG"?

Nova Scotia

Panel gives conditional approval to LNG plant — Metro, Halifax, NS

HALIFAX – An environmental panel has given conditional approval to a proposed liquefied natural gas plant on Nova Scotia’s east coast.

The report says the project would increase the province’s greenhouse gas emissions by about 18 per cent above 2010 levels, while a number of fisheries in its general area would be compromised.

Webmaster's comment: <sarcasm> Well, then. Way to go Environment Nova Scotia! Why should the environment matter to the agency responsible for protecting the environment? </sarcasm>

Proposed Guysborough County LNG [export] plant gets conditional approval — The Chronicle Herald, Halifax, NS

A proposed multibillion-dollar liquefied natural gas project slated for rural Nova Scotia has been given a green light.

Environment Minister Randy Delorey is expected to make a final decision on the fate of the Goldboro project by March 24.

Webmaster's comment: Proposed Goldboro LNG wants to export US natural gas brought to Nova Scotia by reversing the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline — nixxing already near-zero probability of Downeast LNG shipping natural gas to New England.

United States

Bentek: U.S. gas output climbs in February — LNG World News

This is an increase of 0.6 Bcf/d or 1.0% from January. Comparing February this year to February of 2013 shows an increase of 2.2%, or 1.4 Bcf/d of incremental gas supplies to the market. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

Passamaquoddy Bay

Downeast LNG optimistic on need for LNG import terminal — LNG Law Blog

Downeast LNG filed responses to a FERC data request stating, among other things, that although gas production from the Marcellus shale has increased since Downeast LNG filed its application for an LNG import terminal on Passamaquoddy Bay, Washington County, Maine, there is insufficient pipeline capacity to move Marcellus gas into New England markets to prevent significant gas and power price rises during winter months, and imports of LNG will be an important supply source for the region to put a check on such price rises. Downeast LNG also stated that currently it has no terminal capacity agreements in place and that it plans to enter into such discussions after FERC has issued its final environmental impact statement for the project. [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

Webmaster's comment: Downeast LNG's death spiral is spinning so fast that Dean Girdis is arguing in circles! The very "insufficient pipeline capacity" that prevents natural gas from moving into New England markets is the same insufficient pipeline capacity that would prevent Downeast LNG from shipping its gas anywhere. The very problem Girdis claims his project would solve would also prevent him from solving the problem.

Study: Natural gas could cut costs for Mainers (Mar 3) — Maine Public Broadcasting Network, ME

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) _ A study commissioned by the state of Maine shows that increasing the natural gas pipeline capacity into New England would have significant cost benefits for the state's electricity customers.

Chairman of the Maine Public Utilities Commission Tom Welch says the report ``reinforces the need for Maine, and the region, to act quickly to address this vital infrastructure issue.'' [Red, yellow & bold emphasis added.]

Webmaster's comment: Increasing pipeline capacity is the key to eliminating pipeline constraints, not constructing yet another idle LNG import terminal that would have no ability to relieve those pipeline constraints.

Northeast

Four arrested at Frederick Courthouse protesting Cove Point project — Southern Maryland News Net, MD

“Dominion doesn’t respect the wishes of the citizens of Myersville, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is failing to protect the public,” said Steve Bruns, a Frederick resident who is running for a seat on the county commission. “Dominion has sued the Town of Myersville and the Maryland Department of the Environment to force its gas compressor project on our county. This sort of contempt for the health and safety of the people of Maryland is unacceptable in a democratic society. Our government isn’t getting the message, so we’re here today to crank up the volume.”

In Frederick County, Dominion Transmission is seeking to build a 16,000-horsepower gas compressor station less than a mile from the Myersville town center and elementary school. The project is fiercely opposed by local residents and was unanimously rejected by the town council in 2012 for its pollution, noise and safety risks. However, after receiving a rubber-stamp permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Dominion sued the town and state of Maryland to force the project through. The Myersville compressor station is part of the web of fossil fuel infrastructure that Dominion could use to pipe gas from fracking wells across Appalachia to southern Maryland, where the gas would be liquefied and exported to Asia.

LNG foes go to the mat in Maryland (Mar 2) — The Maritime Executive

Unlike other LNG projects on the West and Gulf Coasts, Cove Point lies within 1 mile (1.6 km) of hundreds of homes, and opponents hope related concerns will delay the project.

"It's absurd to build what Dominion has in mind close to so many human beings without at least doing an EIS to really look at this," said Mike Tidwell, the director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, a nonprofit group promoting renewable energy solutions. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

Court rules Dominion has authority to export natural gas (Mar 5) — SoMdNews.com, MD

On Friday, the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland issued its opinion and ruling, which affirmed a Calvert Circuit Court judgment that the agreement was unambiguous, permitted Dominion to expand its operations and could include exportation. The Sierra Club had appealed the circuit court’s ruling in a declaratory judgment filed by Dominion Cove Point.

Gulf of Mexico

Environmental groups critical of FERC’s Draft EIS for Cameron LNG export terminal (Mar 5) — LNG Law Blog

Sierra Club, Tulane Environmental Law Clinic, Gulf Restoration Network, and RESTORE filed comments with FERC criticizing FERC’s draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Cameron LNG export terminal near Hackberry, La. The comments allege that the draft EIS does not conform to National Environmental Policy Act requirements because, among other things, it is based on outdated, incomplete, and inaccurate information regarding the project’s impact on wetlands and shipping traffic, and it fails to adequately consider project alternatives, the impacts on endangered or protected species, and the upstream effects on increased natural gas production. [Red & bold emphasis added.]

United States

U.S. senator launches bill to go slow on LNG exports despite Ukraine — Reuters

U.S. Senator Edward Markey introduced a bill on Thursday to make the Obama administration's approval of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports more complicated, saying expedited permits will not help Ukraine and Europe manage Russia's control of fuel supply.

An energy policy analyst said proponents of fast-tracking LNG exports need to be careful lest they unintentionally trigger a new rule making by the administration that could slow the approval process.

An energy policy analyst said proponents of fast-tracking LNG exports need to be careful lest they unintentionally trigger a new rule making by the administration that could slow the approval process.

Webmaster's comment: It would take two years or more to export US-source LNG to Ukraine, since US liquefaction and export facilities do not exist, other than the small export terminal in Alaska that was built in 1969.