Dominion Energy

Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide VA | Virginia

Virginia Governor Moves to Bypass FERC in Regulating Pipe Projects
March 22, 2018March 22, 2018

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam

Not until a few years ago when the corrupt Andrew Cuomo decided to block federally approved pipeline projects like the Constitution, and then Northern Access, did the issue of states rights verses the rights of the federal government come into sharp focus with respect to pipeline projects. At its core, it is an age-old issue. During the founding of our country the early leaders wrestled with how much control a federal government should have. We have a Bill of Rights (and a Constitution) specifically to LIMIT how much control the federal government exercises over the individual states. We support a very limited federal government. However, the founders recognized there will be times when the interests and “rights” of states clash with the federal government, and with other states. How to break a tie when deciding competing interests? Perhaps not in their wildest dreams would the founders have foreseen things like interstate highways, high tension electric lines, and yes, natural gas pipelines. Through the years our country has innovated a system based on the original founders’ vision, using agencies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to oversee the permitting and permissioning of infrastructure projects like pipelines. What happens if several states want and need gas from a pipeline, but a single state stands in the way and blocks it, denying the citizens of other states the benefit of that gas? That’s why FERC was created–to referee such “wisdom of Solomon” situations. New York plunged us down the slippery slope of overturning long-established law with their lawless action in blocking FERC-permitted pipelines. Other states noticed and are now trying it themselves (like Massachusetts). The latest state to take a stab at assuming powers it doesn’t legally possess is Virginia, under a Democrat governor who plans to pass legislation that can willy nilly stop construction of federally approved pipelines like Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline…
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CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Statewide MD

Cove Point LNG: BP Ship Coming for 1st M-U Pickup; India Wants Swap
March 20, 2018March 20, 2018

“Hey Jim, what’s happening with Cove Point LNG? Didn’t you say a ship was on the way to pick up the very first cargo of Marcellus molecules?” Great question. Cove Point did see its first cargo set sail in early March (see Cove Point Ships First LNG Cargo – But Not M-U Gas). However, that first cargo was imported gas (from Nigeria) used to test the facility as part of the commissioning process. The plant chilled the Nigerian gas and loaded it onto a waiting LNG tanker and the tanker left. So yes, the plant works, but the first batch wasn’t M-U molecules, so in our book it doesn’t really count. We also told you that a second LNG tanker, called Methane Spirit, was on the way to Cove Point and would be the first ship to load and distribute M-U molecules to distant shores. Orders have changed. Methane Spirit is no longer en route to Cove Point. However, a BP-chartered ship by the name of Patris is on the way to Cove Point. Meanwhile, those who keep an eye on these things say there is currently very little feed gas (i.e. Marcellus gas) flowing into the Cove Point facility. Meaning what? Meaning it looks like the original rumor from January that Cove Point won’t be up and running, shipping Marcellus gas until April, was correct (see Uh-Oh: Cove Point LNG Exports Possibly Delayed Until April). The Patris is not due to dock at Cove Point until April 9th. Meanwhile, as India gets ready for its first contracted shipment of LNG from Cove Point, the country no longer wants it! They want to swap their Cove Point shipments with someone else. We explain it below…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | North Carolina | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide VA | Statewide WV | Virginia | West Virginia

Atlantic Coast Pipe Asks FERC for More Time to Cut Trees
March 20, 2018March 20, 2018

Dominion Energy’s $6.5 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline (running from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina) is supposed to get built this year. ACP began to cut trees along the pipeline’s path in late January (see Atlantic Coast Pipeline Begins Cutting Trees in WV & VA (Not NC)). ACP chainsaws have been busy since that time. Due to restrictions for species like the threatened Indiana bat, tree cutting season is limited–from November 16 to March 31. ACP says it won’t be done by March 31 and is asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for permission to continue clearing trees in WV, VA and NC until May 15th. Antis are making loud noises that FERC should deny the request. What will FERC do? If they don’t grant permission, ACP will be delayed–perhaps by a year…
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Dominion Energy | Duke Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | North Carolina | Pipelines | Regulation

NC Republicans Slam Democrat Gov. for Approving Atlantic Coast Pipe
March 15, 2018March 15, 2018

We’re not quite sure what to make of this story. North Carolina has been, as we’ve long pointed out, nitpicking in an attempt to slow down (or stop) the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) from traversing the state (see NC Plays “Death by a Thousand Questions” with Atlantic Coast Pipe). Dominion Energy and Duke Energy are building the $5-$6.5 billion, 594-mile ACP–a natural gas pipeline that will stretch from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina–reaching almost to the border with South Carolina. NC has a Democrat governor, Roy Cooper, whose administration has been hassling ACP for months. But then, all of a sudden, the NC Dept. of Environmental Quality issued permits approving the pipeline–which happened at the same time Dominion and Duke set up a $58 million fund “to protect the environment” in those counties where the pipeline will run. Sure sounds like a $58 million bribe to us, but hey, what do we know? If it gets the job done, it’s a cost of doing business, right? So now NC Republicans, who would normally be in favor of a project like ACP, are crying foul and launching an investigation into NC Gov. Roy Cooper’s $58 million “slush fund,” threatening to hold up work on ACP…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pipelines | Statewide VA | Virginia

Big Green Makes Desperate Attempt to Stop Atlantic Coast Pipe
March 14, 2018March 14, 2018

Big Green groups opposed to Dominion Energy’s $6.5 billion (up from $5 billion due to delays) Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina are about out of options in their holy mission to stop the project. They’ve tried multiple lawsuits, protests, bullying state environmental agencies–the whole bag of nasty tricks. And yet ACP is now under construction. What’s left to try to stop it? The Southern Environmental Law Center and Appalachian Mountain Advocates, on behalf of a mishmash of second tier radical groups, have filed a “hail Mary” request with the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to stop construction of ACP until a lawsuit sitting before the Fourth Circuit questioning the validity of the permits granted for the project is played out. In other words, back to the tried-and-true playbook: delay, delay, delay–until eventually you deny…
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CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD

FERC Grants Cove Point LNG Permission to Begin Commercial Ops
March 6, 2018March 6, 2018

As MDN reported last Friday, the very first cargo of LNG (liquefied natural gas) left the Cove Point LNG export facility in Lusby, Maryland (see Cove Point Ships First LNG Cargo – But Not M-U Gas). However, as we accurately surmised, that first shipment did not contain Marcellus/Utica gas molecules, but instead the gas aboard was previously shipped in from Nigeria by Shell, used in the commissioning process to test the facility. Now that the commissioning process is complete, Dominion Energy, operator of the plant, requested (on Friday) a full-blown kiss of approval from FERC to begin real, commercial operations–chilling and liquefying Marcellus gas for export. On Monday, FERC granted its big, sloppy, wet kiss of approval. Cove Point is now up and running “for real”…
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CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Statewide MD

Cove Point Ships First LNG Cargo – But Not M-U Gas
March 2, 2018March 5, 2018

Earlier this week MDN told you the ship that would carry the very first cargo of LNG from Cove Point LNG had docked (see Ships Line Up for Cove Point LNG – 1st Ship Docked). LNG tanker Gemmata, as we reported, docked earlier this week at the Cove Point terminal. We assumed (incorrectly) that it would carry Marcellus/Utica gas when it left…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | North Carolina | Pipelines | Regulation

NC Issues Permits for Atlantic Coast Pipe in Dribs and Drabs
March 1, 2018February 28, 2018

Although it’s been sloooooow in coming, the North Carolina Dept. of Environmental Quality is now issuing permits for ACP.
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CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Statewide MD

Ships Line Up for Cove Point LNG – 1st Ship Docked
February 27, 2018February 27, 2018

The very first ship that will load and transport Marcellus LNG from Cove Point is now docked and waiting.
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Dominion Energy | Duke Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation

Regulatory Delays Push Atlantic Coast Pipeline Costs 30% Higher
February 26, 2018February 26, 2018

Delays from regulatory agencies have caused Atlantic Coast Pipeline’s costs to skyrocket by as much as 30%…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Equitrans/EQT Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pipelines | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Unions in WV Hiring Workers as Pipeline Construction Begins
February 12, 2018February 12, 2018

Tree clearing for Dominion’s $5 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) has already begun in West Virginia (see Atlantic Coast Pipeline Begins Cutting Trees in WV & VA (Not NC)). Construction for ACP in WV will begin this spring. Tree clearing for EQT’s $3.5 billion Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), along with construction of access roads and construction yards, has not yet begun but soon will in WV (see Mountain Valley Pipe Gets FERC Approval to Begin WV Construction). What it all means is that a lot of workers will be needed in a hurry as construction gets underway. Enter trade unions. Union workers will perform the bulk of construction–everything from driving trucks to delivery of supplies (and people), to operating heavy equipment, to digging trenches, to welding–even cutting down the trees, an activity happening now. Unions in WV are currently recruiting new members who want a good-paying, hard-working jobs in the pipeline industry in the Mountain State…
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CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Shell | Statewide MD

Dominion Cove Point Begins Producing LNG – for Shell
February 1, 2018February 1, 2018

On Monday, Dominion Energy CEO Tom Farrell reported that the company’s Lusby, Maryland Cove Point LNG export facility will become operational and begin to export LNG in “early March” (see Dominion CEO Says Cove Point LNG Operational in “Early March”). Then yesterday, Dominion issued a press release to say Cove Point has now (as of this week) begun producing LNG! What gives? This “we’re now producing LNG” is part of the commissioning process which began back in December (see Dominion Cove Point LNG Export – Dress Rehearsal Begins). Feed gas is imported and used for testing purposes, and is the final step before the plant goes online into full production. The feed gas came from Shell (sourced from Nigeria), and Shell will take delivery of the LNG that results. When the initial commissioning is done, Marcellus/Utica gas will then begin flowing to the plant and the LNG produced will begin shipping (by “early March”) to Japan and India…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services

Dominion Energy Gives Update on ACP, Greensville Plant & SCANA
January 31, 2018January 31, 2018

Dominion Energy, a huge company with fingers in many pies (gas and electric utility, electric generator, nuke plant owner, pipeline company, LNG exporter) issued its fourth quarter and full year 2017 update on Monday. Dominion’s top brass also held an earnings call with analysts. We reported yesterday that on the earnings call, Dominion CEO Tom Farrell said the Cove Point LNG export plant on the shore of Maryland will begin shipping LNG “in early March” (see Dominion CEO Says Cove Point LNG Operational in “Early March”). Farrell said getting the facility ready is “an enormously complicated process” and safety is front and center. While the Cove Point news was tops in importance for us, Dominion is working on other critically important projects for the Marcellus/Utica. Dominion is the company building the $5 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline, a huge 1,588-megawatt gas-fired electric plant in Greensville County, VA, and they are in the process of (hopefully) buying South Carolina-based SCANA Corporation–the main electric and gas company for much of South Carolina. What about an update on all these other important projects? We have it for you below…
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CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Statewide MD

Dominion CEO Says Cove Point LNG Operational in “Early March”
January 30, 2018January 29, 2018

Earlier this month MDN brought you news that Dominion’s Cove Point LNG export facility along the shore of Maryland has delayed its official start-up until perhaps as late as April (see Uh-Oh: Cove Point LNG Exports Possibly Delayed Until April). An expert analyst theorized the reason for the delay is to install two flaring systems at the plant (a safety precaution). We still don’t know the exact reason for the delay, but we now have confirmation direct from the top at Dominion, from CEO Tom Farrell, that Cove Point will become operational and begin to export in “early March.” On an analyst phone call yesterday to discuss Dominion’s fourth quarter and full year 2017 results, Farrell had this to say about Cove Point…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | North Carolina | Pipelines | Regulation

After Months of Delay, Atlantic Coast Pipe Gets NC Water Permit
January 29, 2018January 29, 2018

Atlantic Coast Pipeline path through North Carolina – click for larger version

On Friday, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued a federal stream/water crossing permit for Dominion’s $5 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP)–a natural gas pipeline that will stretch from West Virginia through Virginia and slice through the midsection of North Carolina, almost to the border with South Carolina. The permit comes more than a year and a half after Dominion and their partners filed an application for it. It is the final “biggie” permit required to construct the project in NC. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved ACP last October (see FERC Approves Atlantic Coast, Mountain Valley Pipeline Projects). West Virginia previously issued a water crossing permit for the project, and Virginia recently granted a conditional approval for its water crossing permit. NC was the last domino to fall, and now it has. However, the project is still not out of the woods in NC just yet. First, the DEQ attached all sorts of extra requirements to the water permit they issued. Second, even though a water/stream crossing permit is the biggest and most important permit, NC continues to delay the project by withholding other permits (see NC Continues to Delay Atlantic Coast Pipe, Rejects Part of Erosion Plan). Friday’s water permit issuance was, however, a very positive development–a signal that the rest of the permits although delayed, will be forthcoming. Dominion said it will begin construction in NC (and VA and WV) this year, and finish the project sometime in 2019…
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Dominion Energy | Duke Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide VA | Virginia

Big Green Files Lawsuit Against VA Regulators for Approving Pipe
January 24, 2018January 24, 2018

In December members of Virginia’s Water Control Board voted 4-3 to approve issuing a water permit/certification for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) project (see Atlantic Coast Pipeline Delayed in Virginia by Water Board Vote). ACP is a $5 billion natural gas pipeline project from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina being built by Dominion Energy and Duke Energy. The Water Board’s approval was conditional, the condition being that approval “is dependent on a final review of several environmental studies.” Those studies won’t be done until March or April of this year, meaning in all likelihood the project will be delayed. You would think Big Green groups would have rejoiced at the Water Control Board’s decision, effectively delaying the project. But they didn’t. Instead, a coalition of groups filed a lawsuit late last week against the Water Control Board–for doing their jobs. The groups claim the Water Control Board and the Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) have not done a good enough job of protecting Virginia’s water resources with respect to the ACP project…
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