Tag Archives: export

Explain why the gas is needed –EPA to FERC

April 23, 2014Environment, FERC, Florida, Law, Louisiana, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Watercaves, Clean Air Act, CO2, environment, EPA, export, FERC, FGT, Florida, Florida Gas Transmission, Gulf of Mexico, Gulfstream, John S. Quarterman, karst, landfill, Law, limestone, LNG, Louisiana, New York, Pennsylvania, Port Dolphin, SpectraBusters, swamp, Tennessee, Texas, Transco, Water, wetlands, WilliamsJohn S. Quarterman

EPA isn’t buying FPL’s need for new power in Florida,

or that methane is better than many alternatives (including that renewable energy sources should be considered together, not separately), or that a pipeline is the best way to get gas (specifically suggesting Port Dolphin instead), or that any of the proposed routes are appropriate, not to mention catching inconsistent numbers of compressor stations and asking to see any non-FPL customers. And EPA asked for GIS data, as well as further information on water withdrawals and water re-emitted into the environment. My favorite is this one:

EPA recommends FERC provide in the EIS readable and comprehensible maps and figures, and clearly describe all potential impacts with the proposed action upon children’s health. For example, maps of schools, day-care facilities, multifamily housing, and hospitals should have different legend colors and be created at scales providing appropriate information, i.e., proximity of sensitive receptors to the navigation and transportation corridors.

FERC shows EPA’s comments as filed 23 April 2014, although they are dated two days earlier. -jsq

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Continue reading Explain why the gas is needed –EPA to FERC →

Port Dolphin off Tampa already approved by FERC for LNG import

April 11, 2014FERC, Florida, LNGcertificate, export, FDEP, FERC, Florida, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Gas Transmission, FPL, Gulstream Natural Gas, HÃ¶egh LNG AS, import, intervention, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Manatee County, MARAD, NextEra Energy, Norway, Port Dolphin, Port Manatee, Sabal Trail, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tampa, Transco, WilliamsJohn S. Quarterman

Offshore deepwater LNG import project Port Dolphin was approved by FERC in 2009, despite interventions by a long list of other pipeline companies, FPL, and other entities. FERC granted Port Dolphin permission to interconnect with Gulfstream and Florida Gas Transmission, the two pipelines FPL requires Sabal Trail to connect to. What if Port Dolphin files to export LNG, as so many other import-permitted projects are doing?

Port Dolphin’s own website doesn’t seem to be responding. The Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine has a cached copy from 12 January 2014, with this map:

Manatee Chamber of Commerce lists Port Dolphin’s contact information as: Continue reading Port Dolphin off Tampa already approved by FERC for LNG import →

Carib-Crowley LNG export from Martin County, FL

April 6, 2014Economy, FE, Florida, LNG, Martin County, Puerto RicoCarib Energy, Crowley Maritime, Economy, export, FE, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, LNG, Martin County, Puerto Rico, Sabal Trail Transmission, SpectraBusters, Transco, WilliamsJohn S. Quarterman

Another LNG export authorization at the end of the Southeast Market Pipelines Project (Transco -> Sabal Trail -> Florida Southeast Connection) in Martin County, Florida, in addition to the one already approved. Will FPL, Spectra, Williams, and FERC claim to know nothing about this one, too? They sure didn’t tell us anything about it during the Open Houses or Scoping Meetings.

Joe Fisher wrote for NGI 25 October 2013, Continue reading Carib-Crowley LNG export from Martin County, FL →

Spectra and TransCanada competing in LNG export in British Columbia

April 6, 2014British Columbia, Economy, Environment, Frackingaquifer, British Columbia, Canada, EA, Economy, environment, environmental assessment, export, FPL, Fracking, John S. Quarterman, Keystone XL, LNG, methane, National Energy Board, NEB, Pacific, Sabal Trail, Sabal Trail Transmission, Southeast Market Pipelines Project, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tar Sands, tariff, tax, TransCanada, Transco, Westcoast Connector Gas Transmission Project, WilliamsJohn S. Quarterman

TransCanada, of the notorious Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline, is also competing with Spectra Energy for fracked methane export through an LNG export terminal on the British Columbia coast, and Spectra just got another approval for its “corridor” for not one but two giant pipelines to the Pacific Ocean.

Gordon Jaremko wrote for GPI 4 April 2014, NEB OKs Spectra (Westcoast) Tolls; Major Expansion Planned to Serve Pacific LNG,

Spectra Energy (Westcoast) received approval from the National Energy Board (NEB) for the stable base of its agenda: a 2014-2015 tolls and tariff settlement with customers of its current capacity of 3 Bcf/d.

The deal enables the BC grid to focus on a plan aimed at almost quadrupling its capacity by becoming the principal conduit between northern shale deposits and proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals on the Pacific Coast.

The settlement was not opposed or even questioned Continue reading Spectra and TransCanada competing in LNG export in British Columbia →

Floridian LNG Export approved last November, before Sabal Trail Open Houses or FERC Scoping Meetings

April 1, 2014Alabama, Colquitt County, Economy, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Gilchrist County, Law, LNG, Lowndes County, Martin CountyAES, Alabama, Economy, export, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FSC, Georgia, Gilchrist County, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Juno Beach, Law, LNG, Lowndes County, Martin County, Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Transco, WilliamsJohn S. Quarterman

On 14 November 2013 the U.S. DoE’s Office of Fossil Energy approved LNG export authority for a company located next to the end of the Transco-Sabal Trail-FSC pipeline in Martin County, Florida, right where FPL is already building another pipeline to the sea. All the time since then Spectra and FERC have been saying the Sabal Trail pipeline is not for export. FERC’s whole rationale for federal eminent domain for this pipeline is that Florida needs the power. If the methane is really for export, what excuse is there for federal eminent domain?

The order’s cover page says:

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

OFFICE OF FOSSIL ENERGY

ADVANCED ENERGY SOLUTIONS. LLC ) FE DOCKET NO. I3~104-LNG

ORDER GRANTING LONG-TERM MULTI-CONTRACT
AUTHORIZATION TO EXPORT LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS
IN ISO CONTAINERS LOADED AT THE
FLORIDIAN FACILITY IN MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA,
AND EXPORTED VIA OCEAN-GOING VESSEL
TO FREE TRADE AGREEMENT NATIONS
IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

DOE/FE ORDER NO. 3360

NOVEMBER 14, 2013

Friday 15 November 2013, the next day after that LNG authorization, Continue reading Floridian LNG Export approved last November, before Sabal Trail Open Houses or FERC Scoping Meetings →

Protests work, even against TPP, TAFTA, and EU demands for U.S. methane exports after Ukraine

April 1, 2014FrackingAngela Merkel, Barack Obama, EU, Europe, export, Fracking, Germany, John S. Quarterman, LNG, methane, nuclear, pipeline, protest, Russia, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, T-TIP, TAFTA, TPP, U.S., UkraineJohn S. Quarterman

European leaders and the U.S. president are aware of opposition to fracking, even in Europe.

Robin Emmott and Jan Strupczewski wrote for Reuters 26 March 2014, Obama tells EU to do more to cut reliance on Russian gas,

U.S. President Barack Obama told the European Union on Wednesday it cannot rely on the United States alone to reduce its dependency on Russian energy, as relations with Moscow chill over its seizure of Crimea from Ukraine.

There is some bad news:

Speaking on a visit Continue reading Protests work, even against TPP, TAFTA, and EU demands for U.S. methane exports after Ukraine →

Spectra submitted EA to BC for 2 pipelines to LNG export

March 25, 2014British Columbia, Canada, Environmentaborigines, British Columbia, Canada, environment, export, John S. Quarterman, LNG, pipeline, Prince Rupert Island, Ridley Island, SpectraBusters, Westcoast Connector Gas Transmission ProjectJohn S. Quarterman

Not one, but up to two pipelines for LNG export in a single “transportation corridor” in British Columbia, for 8.4 billion cubic feet per day in a single right of way, twice as much as earlier Spectra PR about this same project. Does anybody still doubt Spectra CEO Greg Ebel’s assertion that “I would expect we’ll have some involvement in all of” the North American LNG export terminals that Spectra’s pipelines “go right by”? And if Spectra wants to put two pipelines in that right of way in BC, what do they expect to do in the right of way they propose through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida? Sure, they haven’t said they want to do that here, but they didn’t say it about BC at this stage, either. Spectra thanks the aborigines of BC for sharing their objections and plows ahead anyway. We are all Indians to Spectra’s cowboys, but this time there are more of us.

Dave Michaels wrote yesterday for energeticcity.ca (I added the links and images), Gas Pipeline Application

Spectra Energy has handed in an Environmental Assessment Certificate application to the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office for its Westcoast Connector Gas Transmission Project.

If approved, the project would ship as much as 4.2 (b) billion cubic feet per day through a pipeline from the Cypress area (southwest of Pink Mountain) to the Ridley Island Terminal, near Prince Rupert. The proposal now undergoes Continue reading Spectra submitted EA to BC for 2 pipelines to LNG export →

Spectra CEO Greg Ebel excuses for lack of methane pipeline delivery

March 12, 2014Economy, Florida, Solar, TexasEconomy, export, Florida, FPL, Greg Ebel, John S. Quarterman, LNG, methane, price, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

How does Spectra’s northern cold snap excuse for fracked gas apply to Florida, the target for the Sabal Trail, Hillabee, and Florida Southeast Connection methane pipelines? And if Spectra CEO Greg Ebel gets his wish to export gas, which T. Boone Pickens already explained will drive up domestic prices, how will higher gas prices help northern cities? Maybe Spectra’s pipelines aren’t for warming up cold houses; maybe they’re for corporate profit at the expense of landowners, taxpayers, ratepayers, and all those “natural” gas bus riders who will be surprised when their fares go up. Maybe we should stop the Sabal Trail pipeline and see if the fracking house of cards falls apart.

Jonathan Fahey wrote for AP 10 March 2014, Natural gas industry struggles to keep promises,

There’s plenty of natural gas in the ground, everyone seems to agree. But the harsh weather this winter shows there are obstacles to producing it, and more pipelines have to be built.

The bitter temperatures boosted demand for natural gas to heat homes and businesses. But wells in some places literally froze, making it difficult for some drillers to keep gas flowing. And the high demand clogged pipelines, so even when there was enough production, the gas couldn’t get where it needed to go.

Shortages cropped up, and prices in some places soared to record levels. Californians and Texans were asked to reduce their power consumption because utilities were running low on gas to run power plants. Montana State University in Billings had to cancel classes for a day because of a natural gas shortage.

Jim Fuquay amplified that chilly northern point for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram 11 March 2014:

Prices in New England briefly spiked to record levels. Californians were asked to reduce their power consumption because utilities were running low on gas to run power plants.

If the problem is cold weather in the north, why does Spectra want to build a pipeline to sunny Florida?

Curiously, the Star-Telegram omitted this point from the AP story; I’ve emphasized the redacted point: Continue reading Spectra CEO Greg Ebel excuses for lack of methane pipeline delivery →

Spectra CEO expects to export fracked gas

March 9, 2014British Columbia, Florida, Louisiana, TexasBritish Columbia, export, Florida, Greg Ebel, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Louisiana, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

We don’t have to guess that Spectra wants to export from the Gulf; Spectra CEO Greg Ebel says so, and Spectra has already started development on an export pipeline in the other place he named at the same time.

Mike Lee wrote for Bloomberg 17 January 2012, Spectra Expects to Be Involved in North American LNG Exports,

Spectra, based in Houston, owns pipelines that carry gas along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and from fields in British Columbia, two areas where export terminals have been proposed, Ebel said in an interview at Bloomberg headquarters in New York today.

Cheniere Energy Inc. (LNG) is exploring multibillion-dollar projects to convert import terminals in Louisiana and Texas to liquefy and export gas. Apache Corp. (APA), EOG Resources Inc. (EOG) and Encana Corp. have proposed a liquefied natural gas export terminal at Kitimat on Canada’s West Coast.

“Our pipelines go right by all those facilities, really,” Ebel said. “You’ll probably see three to six of those get built. I would expect we’ll have some involvement in all of them.”

And, once again, this has nothing to do with any alleged energy need by Florida; it’s all about Continue reading Spectra CEO expects to export fracked gas →

Authority to Import and Export Gas by U.S. Department of Energy

March 7, 2014FE, FERC, LawDepartment of Energy, export, FE, FERC, Free Trade, import, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, Office of Fossil Energy, order, SpectraBusters, TPP, Trans-Pacific PartnershipJohn S. Quarterman

Here’s a new way “entitled” fracking fossil fuel companies have gamed the system for LNG exports, currently to “Free Trade Agreement nations”, which will probably include India and China if the Trans-Pacific Parternship (TPP) gets approved. Even without exports, methane pipelines are to sell the “large amount of natural gas in the U.S.” produced by “the shale revolution”, which is fracking. The Sabal Trail pipeline isn’t about any alleged energy need in Florida. It’s about profits from fracking at the expense of your land.

Department of Energy notice 6 May 2013, Authority to Import and Export Gas: Constellation Energy Commodities Group Inc., et al.

The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy gives notice that during March 2013, it issued orders granting authority to import and export natural gas and liquefied natural gas and vacating prior authority. These orders are summarized in the attached appendix and may be found on the FE Web site at http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/gasregulation/authorizations/Orders-2012.html. They are also available for inspection and copying in the Office of Fossil Energy, Office of Natural Gas Regulatory Activities, Docket Room 3E-033, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9478. The Docket Room is open between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Issued in Washington, DC, on May 6, 2013.
John A. Anderson,
Manager, Natural Gas Regulatory Activities, Office of Oil and Gas Global Security and Supply, Office of Fossil Energy.

That web page includes a list of “DOE/FE Orders Granting Import/Export Authorizations”. The export orders are mostly for export to Canada and Mexico, plus two for “export LNG by vessel” from “the Lake Charles LNG Terminal” and “the proposed Gasfin LNG Export Project in Parish, Louisiana” to “Free Trade Agreement nations.”

Here’s DoE’s list of current NATURAL GAS IMPORT & EXPORT REGULATION – FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (FTA) COUNTRIES AND LNG EXPORTS: Continue reading Authority to Import and Export Gas by U.S. Department of Energy →