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Maintenance Done: M-U Gas Flows Restart to Cove Point, Maryland

Feedgas flowing from the Marcellus/Utica to the Cove Point LNG export facility located on the shore of Maryland fell to zero on Friday, Sept. 20, as the facility began its planned annual maintenance outage (see Flows Drop to Zero @ Cove Point LNG, Closed for Annual Maintenance). Most years, maintenance at Cove Point takes around three weeks. True to form, Cove Point came back online and restarted liquefying gas last Saturday, Oct 12, so the plant was out exactly three weeks (from Friday, Sept. 20 to Friday, Oct. 11). Read More “Maintenance Done: M-U Gas Flows Restart to Cove Point, Maryland”

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Warren Buffett Buys Remaining 8% of Berkshire Hathaway Energy

Berkshire Hathaway, owned by one of the richest men in the world, Warren Buffett, owns an energy subsidiary called Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE). BHE, in turn, owns major oil and gas assets across the country, including major assets right here in the Marcellus/Utica. In 2020, BHE cut a deal to buy Dominion Energy’s vast network of pipelines in the Marcellus/Utica (and beyond) for $9.7 billion (see Dominion Cancels Atlantic Coast Pipe, Sells Pipe Biz for $9.7B). The deal included a 25% stake and operational control of Cove Point LNG (later upgraded to 75% ownership). We didn’t know that Berkshire Hathaway, the mothership, only owns 92% of BHE. The percentage is about to change to 100%. Read More “Warren Buffett Buys Remaining 8% of Berkshire Hathaway Energy”

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Flows Drop to Zero @ Cove Point LNG, Closed for Annual Maintenance

Feedgas flows from the Marcellus/Utica to the Cove Point LNG export facility located on the shore of Maryland fell to zero last Friday, Sept. 20. It was the start of the facility’s annual maintenance outage. The question is, how long will Cove Point be out of commission for liquefying and exporting LNG? According to Reuters, maintenance forcing the facility offline will last “for about three weeks.” Each year, the plant closure is a moving target and a guessing game about how long it will remain offline. Every day counts! Read More “Flows Drop to Zero @ Cove Point LNG, Closed for Annual Maintenance”

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Cove Point LNG to Pay $60M per Year PILOT to Calvert County, MD

Cove Point LNG is an LNG export facility located in Lusby (Calvert County), Maryland. It is one of the most technically advanced and environmentally sensitive LNG facilities in the world. We recall as Dominion Energy was building the facility, environmental wackos uttered shrill warnings of habitat destruction coming for the Chesapeake Bay (where it’s located) should the facility go into production (see Green Groups Ask DC Judge to Stop Construction at Cove Point LNG). Nothing of the kind ever happened. The current owners of Cove Point, Berkshire Hathaway Energy (yes, that Berkshire, owned by Warren Buffett), just signed a deal paying Calvert County $60 million PER YEAR in lieu of property taxes, a “payment in lieu of taxes” or PILOT agreement. The local community and county commissioners could not be more delighted with the money and how Cove Point benefits the community. So much for all of the false claims by the wackos. Read More “Cove Point LNG to Pay $60M per Year PILOT to Calvert County, MD”

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Who’s to Blame for Dirty NatGas that Ruined WV University Boilers?

This is a case of everybody pointing at somebody else. Natural gas with contaminants (dirty gas) flowed through pipelines to Fairmont State University (in Marion County, WV), which “significantly damaged boilers, gas lines, valved and regulators and other structures and equipment on the college campus” in September 2021. The university sued the local utility company providing the gas, Hope Gas. In return, Hope said that *if* the gas was not clean, it was not their fault. They got the gas from Eastern Gas Transmission and Storage (EGTS), formerly owned by Dominion Energy but now owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy.
Read More “Who’s to Blame for Dirty NatGas that Ruined WV University Boilers?”

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Sierra Club Pressures Connecticut to Block Iroquois Compressor

Iroquois Gas Transmission (click for larger version)

As we told you earlier this week, the radicals who run the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are gearing up to block the Iroquois Gas Transmission system from completing its Enhancement by Compression (ExC) project (see NY DEC Attempting to Use Draft Reg to Block Iroquois Compressor). The ExC project increases horsepower at three compression stations — two in New York and one in Connecticut — by an extra 125 MMcf/d, flowing more Marcellus/Utica gas into New York City and New England. In what is clearly a case of collusion, the Sierra Club is pressuring Connecticut political leaders to block the expansion of the compressor in that state even as the DEC is blocking the compressors in NY.
Read More “Sierra Club Pressures Connecticut to Block Iroquois Compressor”

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Antis Launch Effort to Block Iroquois Pipe Compressors in NY & CT

Iroquois Enhancement by Compression (ExC) project (click for larger version)

The Iroquois Gas Transmission pipeline project called Enhancement by Compression (ExC) increases horsepower at three compression stations — two in New York and one in Connecticut — by an extra 125 MMcf/d, flowing more Marcellus/Utica gas into New York City and New England (see Despite Antis’ Best Efforts, More NatGas Coming to New England). The ExC project was supposed to begin construction in spring 2023 and be placed in service by November 2023. Yeah, well, that didn’t happen, even though FERC approved it back in 2022 (see Iroquois Gas Enhancement by Compression Project Approved by FERC). As Iroquois finally gets ready to begin construction, antis and neighbors of the compressor plants are launching an effort to stop the expansions.
Read More “Antis Launch Effort to Block Iroquois Pipe Compressors in NY & CT”

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Gas Flows to Cove Point LNG Go to Zero, Shut Down for Maintenance

Feedgas flows from the Marcellus/Utica to the Cove Point LNG export facility located on the shore of Maryland fell to zero yesterday. It was the start of the facility’s annual maintenance outage. The question is, how long will Cove Point be out of commission for liquefying and exporting LNG? There are conflicting reports. Last year, the facility was closed from Oct. 1-27 — nearly a month! In most years, the closure lasts around three weeks (see our stories about previous years). This time around, Reuters is reporting Cove Point will be down just a week, from Sept. 21-29. We don’t think that’s quite accurate.
Read More “Gas Flows to Cove Point LNG Go to Zero, Shut Down for Maintenance”

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With Cove Point LNG Imports Ended, Owners Want Regs Changed

Cove Point LNG

Cove Point LNG exports roughly 1.8 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of Marcellus/Utica gas from the Maryland coast. The LNG export plant was conceived and built by Dominion Energy. However, Dominion has (stupidly) decided to divest from natural gas pipelines and other ventures and sold its ownership in Cove Point to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy. Here’s one thing you may not have known… Cove Point existed for decades as an LNG import facility before it was expanded to handle exports. Cove Point began to receive LNG imports in 1978. With long-term import contracts at Cove Point now expired, the owners want the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to change the regulatory statutes governing the facility’s older (import) parts.
Read More “With Cove Point LNG Imports Ended, Owners Want Regs Changed”

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Berkshire Hathaway Energy Now Owns 75% of Cove Point LNG

In July 2020, Dominion Energy announced it had decided to exit the natural gas pipeline business by selling it to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy (see Dominion Cancels Atlantic Coast Pipe, Sells Pipe Biz for $9.7B). Part of the deal involved selling a 25% interest in the Cove Point LNG export facility to Berkshire Hathaway, transferring responsibility for operations to Berkshire (see Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Now Runs Cove Point LNG!). In July, both Dominion and Berkshire announced a deal for Berkshire to buy out Dominion’s remaining 50% share in Cove Point for $3.3 billion (see Dominion Sells Remaining 50% Share in Cove Point LNG to Buffett). According to a Berkshire announcement issued Friday, the deal is now down.
Read More “Berkshire Hathaway Energy Now Owns 75% of Cove Point LNG”

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NY DEC Intentionally Delays Permits for Iroquois Compressor Upgrades

It is so maddening and frustrating to live and (if you are a business), operate in New York State. We have one-party rule: The radical leftwing of the Democrat Party. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (a lecher and liar) and current Gov. Kathy Hochul (Lt. Governor under Cuomo) are completely controlled by the radical environmental movement. Cuomo/Hochul’s latest target is to block the expansion of two compressor stations along the Iroquois Gas Transmission pipeline, preventing an additional 125 MMcf/d (million cubic feet per day) of Marcellus/Utica gas flowing into New York City and New England.
Read More “NY DEC Intentionally Delays Permits for Iroquois Compressor Upgrades”

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Dominion Sells Remaining 50% Share in Cove Point LNG to Buffett

In July 2020, Dominion Energy announced it had decided to exit the natural gas pipeline business by selling it to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy (see Dominion Cancels Atlantic Coast Pipe, Sells Pipe Biz for $9.7B). Part of the deal involved selling a 25% interest in the Cove Point LNG export facility to Berkshire Hathaway, transferring responsibility for operations to Berkshire (see Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Now Runs Cove Point LNG!). Yesterday both Dominion and Berkshire announced a deal for Berkshire to buy out Dominion’s remaining 50% share in Cove Point for $3.3 billion.
Read More “Dominion Sells Remaining 50% Share in Cove Point LNG to Buffett”

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Upgrades to Eastern Gas Metering Station in Plum Done by Summer

Eastern Gas Transmission and Storage (EGTS), a subsidiary of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy company, provides natural gas transportation and storage services with one of the largest underground natural gas storage systems in the United States. Essentially EGTS is a pipeline network that connects to other pipelines to flow and store natural gas in six states: Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. An upgrade of an EGTS metering station in Plum (Allegheny County, PA, near Pittsburgh) is currently under construction and due to be complete “by summer.”
Read More “Upgrades to Eastern Gas Metering Station in Plum Done by Summer”

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15 Biggest Natural Gas Pipeline Companies in the World

Here’s a question: What are the 15 biggest (by company revenue) natural gas-owning pipeline companies in the world? The U.S. has the biggest natural gas pipeline infrastructure in the world, covering a distance of 333,000 kilometers (206,917 miles). Even so, only one U.S.-based company is in the top 5 biggest pipeline companies. Can you guess which country takes the top 2 spots on the list?
Read More “15 Biggest Natural Gas Pipeline Companies in the World”

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Cove Point LNG and Its 0.76 Bcf/d Offline for Annual Maintenance

On Saturday, Oct. 1, Berkshire Hathaway Energy shut down the Cove Point, Maryland, LNG export facility to perform regular annual maintenance. Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett), while a minority owner of Cove Point, is the operator of the facility. Natural gas flowing to the plant for liquefaction and export averaged 0.76 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in September (three-fourths of a Bcf). Those flows dropped to near zero on Oct. 1. Cove Point is typically offline for three weeks each year for maintenance. Now we hold our collective breath until it comes back online. Three-fourths of a Bcf each and every day is a lot of gas. Where will it go?
Read More “Cove Point LNG and Its 0.76 Bcf/d Offline for Annual Maintenance”

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Cove Point LNG Files with FERC to Add Another 20 MMcf/d Output

Located in Lusby, Maryland, Cove Point LNG is the first major LNG export facility to locate on the East Coast. It is recognized as one of the most technically advanced and environmentally sensitive LNG facilities in the world. The Cove Point LNG Terminal has a storage capacity of 14.6 billion cubic feet (Bcf) and a daily send-out capacity of 1.8 Bcf. The owners/managers of Cove Point recently filed a preliminary request with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to increase export capacity by an extra 20 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) by installing a small liquefaction unit to capture “boil off gas” the plant currently evaporates during normal operations.
Read More “Cove Point LNG Files with FERC to Add Another 20 MMcf/d Output”