(Reuters) - U.S. energy companies this week cut oil rigs for a second straight week, and notched the first monthly fall since March. Drillers cut four oil rigs in the week to June 29, bringing the total count down to 858, General Electric Co’s Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed report on Friday. That was the first time drillers cut rigs for two weeks in a row since October 2017. For the month, the rig count decreased by one, its first decline since March. For [Read more]
Enbridge: no plans to use own security during Line 3 construction
ST. PAUL, Minn. (Reuters) - Enbridge Inc will not hire private security during construction of its Line 3 oil pipeline as it seeks to avoid the violence that erupted between protesters and security at the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), a senior Enbridge official said on Friday. “No one wants a Dakota Access situation,” said Guy Jarvis, Enbridge’s executive vice-president of liquids pipelines and major projects, in an interview. “We certainly don’t plan to be engaging our own security efforts [Read more]
Enbridge Inc: Up after Minnesota regulator approves rebuild of pipeline
** Shares of pipeline operator up 4.6 pct atC$45.90 after a Minnesota regulator approved rebuild of co'sLine 3 oil pipeline** The clearance, heavily angering environmentalists, comeswith conditions including a financial guarantee to clean up anyenvironmental damage ** The real win came with the Route Permit decision - TudorPickering analysts say on ENB receiving approval for a routeclose to its preference** Brokerage says ENB may see near-term positive upsidegiven construction timeline [Read more]
US gas pipeline industry wants help beating back green groups
The United States should help the natural gas industry push back against opposition by environmental groups to pipeline projects by adopting new regulations or laws that favor infrastructure, backers of the industry said at a conference this week. Suppliers in the United States, the world's biggest natural gas producer, have had a difficult time in recent years getting shipments to some regions, including fuel-hungry New England, as environmental lawsuits by states, green groups and property [Read more]
TransCanada urges U.S. to help gas pipelines beat green critics
The United States should help thenatural gas industry overcome environmental challenges to newpipeline projects by adjusting regulations or adopting new lawsfavoring infrastructure, an executive at TransCanada Corp said at a conference this week.Suppliers in the United States, the world's biggest naturalgas producer, have had a harder time getting shipments to marketas more environmental lawsuits by U.S. states, green groups andproperty owners have tied up pipeline construction. [Read more]
LNG Canada says local support has cut risk of delays, overruns
A strong stakeholder engagement program at a liquefied natural gas export plant on Canada's West Coast has helped pare the risk of delays and cost overruns for the C$40 billion project, a project executive told Reuters. LNG Canada, currently being reviewed by its joint venture partners ahead of a final investment decision, has focused hard on ensuring government, indigenous people and local communities are on board with the project, Susannah Pierce, LNG Canada's director of external [Read more]
Minnesota regulator signals support of Enbridge Line 3 oil pipeline
Three of five members of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission said on Thursday they support issuing a certificate of need for Enbridge Inc to rebuild its Line 3 oil pipeline, angering environmentalists but offering hope to Western Canadian oil producers. The two other commissioners did not explicitly say they would vote in favor of the certificate but approval appeared to be imminent. It was not yet clear what conditions would be placed on the approval or whether the commission would [Read more]
Minnesota pipeline foes pan route options for Enbridge Line 3
ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Reuters) - Indigenous bands and environmental groups took aim on Wednesday at Enbridge Inc’s preferred route for its rebuilt Line 3 oil pipeline, while others panned all options ahead of an expected decision this week by a Minnesota regulator to determine whether the project can proceed. Enbridge wants to replace the aging 1,660-km pipeline that runs from Alberta, Canada to Wisconsin. It needs approval from the five-member Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, which must [Read more]
Natural gas execs see ‘century of supply’ in U.S. shale
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Natural gas production from U.S. shale fields can keep growing for decades, giving Washington a powerful diplomatic tool to counter the geopolitical influence of other energy exporters such as Russia, industry executives and government officials said at a conference here. Already the world’s largest gas producer, the United States can expand shale gas output another 60 percent in the coming decades, according to at least one estimate. So far, liquefied natural gas (LNG) [Read more]
Carr: Canada cannot start work on Trans Mountain pipeline until deal closes
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Canadian government would like to see construction accelerate on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, but has no control over decisions to resume or start new work until it takes ownership of the major crude oil pipeline project, Canada’s natural resources minister said. “We think that construction and staying on a schedule is important, but that will be up to Kinder Morgan as long as they are the owner of the pipeline,” Jim Carr said in an interview in [Read more]