Williams

Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lebanon County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Sunoco Logistics | Williams

Lebanon County Antis Want Public (Spectacle) Mtg or No Mtg at All
November 20, 2015November 20, 2015

The demands of anti-drillers in Lebanon County, PA are illustrative of their true motivations. Two different anti groups–Lebanon Pipeline Awareness and Concerned Citizens of Lebanon County–are demanding Lebanon County commissioners have an open public meeting with two pipeline companies. The two pipeline companies are Williams (Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline) and Sunoco Logistics Partners (Mariner East 1 & 2 pipelines). If the meeting is not open and public, so these nutters can pummel representatives of the companies in public and have it broadcast everywhere–they want no meeting at all. Williams and Sunoco had agreed to non-public meetings that INCLUDE members of these two groups–to answer their questions. But the pipeline companies, and the county commissioners, don’t want a circus. That means no cameras/media, and the meeting is not open so it can be packed by large numbers of antis. The companies are willing to sit down and talk like adults and answer questions and address concerns–like adults. But that’s not what Lebanon Pipeline Awareness nor Concerned Citizens of Lebanon County really want. They want to behave like petulant children throwing a temper tantrum for everyone to witness. Evidence: Instead of taking the private meeting, they (the antis) want no meeting at all…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

Wrath of Kann: PA Anti’s Disorderly Conduct Conviction Overturned
November 19, 2015November 19, 2015

Kimberly Kann, a resident of Conestoga Township in Lancaster County, PA, decided she would break the rules at a town meeting this past April. The meeting was to discuss so-called home rule and the role it should play in the town with respect to regulating pipelines, like the planned Atlantic Coast Pipeline project from Williams. The ground rules for the meeting were simple: ASK QUESTIONS ONLY. Kann decided she would use it as a public forum to pontificate and rail against pipelines. She wouldn’t ask questions and was repeatedly warned–so when she wouldn’t shut up, they arrested her and threw her out of the meeting (see Wrath of Kann: Lancaster Anti-Driller Arrested/Ejected from Mtg). In July she was found guilty as charged (see Wrath of Kann: Lancaster Anti-Driller Guilty of Disorderly Conduct). Kann should have paid her $325 fine/court costs and ended it–but she kept fighting. It eventually would cost her $3,000 in legal fees, but Kann, like the character played by Ricardo Montalban in Star Trek II, has had the last laugh. In a hollow victory, Kann got her conviction overturned by a Lancaster County judge…
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Energy Services | Williams

Williams/Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Award $375K in Local Grants
November 6, 2015November 6, 2015

MDN brings you updates on pipeline companies that spread around money with very worthy organizations in an attempt to show them they “care” (and to encourage adoption of their pipeline). We previously told you that Williams and their Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project had doled out $2.5 million to 17 conservation organizations in June (see More Pipeline Payola: Williams Doles Out $2.5M in PA Grants). What we had missed was prior to that, the Atlantic Sunrise project had issued $350,000 in grants to 49 first responders and other organizations back in April (list below). What made us go looking was news that Williams made a second round of grants, this time $375,000 to 43 organizations, just this week. Here’s the list of who got what from Williams and the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide NY | Williams

DEC Official Says NY in Danger of FERC Taking Over Pipeline Permits
November 2, 2015November 2, 2015

It was just two weeks ago that MDN posted an article saying the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has had enough time to approve stream-crossing permits for the much-needed Constitution Pipeline. It’s now time to force their hand (see Time to Force NY DEC to Issue Permit for Constitution Pipeline). As we wrote in that piece, the DEC risks the very real threat that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) may step in and force the DEC to issue the permits. Now a high-ranking official with the DEC has essentially said the same thing we did–on the record…
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Energy Services | Williams

Williams Partners 3Q15: Revenue Up 21%, but Paper Loss of $194M
October 29, 2015October 29, 2015

Williams Partners issued their third quarter 2015 earnings and operating update yesterday. Williams, you may recall, is in the process of being taken over (bought out, merged, whatever you want to call it) by Energy Transfer Equity, the same company that owns Sunoco Logistics and Regency Energy (see Williams Accepts ETE’s “Indecent Proposal” – Price Went Down $10B). Perhaps one reason Williams decided to accept ETE’s offer is that although revenue was up $193 million (21%) in 3Q15 over 3Q14, the company lost $194 million in 3Q15, vs making $233 million in 3Q14. To be fair, the “loss” was a paper loss–mostly due to accounting machinations whereby the value of some assets was lowered. Below are some of the financials, and much of the narrative, which includes a great deal about the Marcellus/Utica were Williams has a huge presence…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide NY | Williams

Time to Force NY DEC to Issue Permit for Constitution Pipeline
October 22, 2015October 22, 2015

Enough is enough. It’s become quite obvious that NY Gov. Cuomo is up to his old tricks–delay and then deny. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) long ago approved the Williams Constitution Pipeline (see FERC Issues Final Approval for Constitution Pipeline in PA/NY). The Constitution is a desperately needed pipeline that will largely following an existing utility corridor where electric lines are run, going from Susquehanna County, PA into Broome County, NY (very near to MDN HQ), into Chenango County, Delaware County, briefly touching Otsego County, and terminating in Schoharie County where it will connect with the Iroquois and Tennessee Gas pipelines. The pipeline will not only provide northeast PA gas to people in the New York City/New England area, there will be taps along the pipeline to deliver gas locally to communities along the way. The only thing preventing the pipeline from being built is the New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation. They need to issue what is called a 401 Water Quality Certificate that allows the pipeline to cross streams, swamps and other bodies of water. It is a no-brainer. Yet the DEC is withholding the certificate. MDN received an appeal from the Constitution to show our support–to add our name to a list of people supporting the project (to send a message to Gov. Cuomo). We have, and we’re encouraging you to do the same…
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Columbia Pipeline Group | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Hilcorp Energy | Industrywide Issues | Pennant Midstream | Pipelines | Williams

Williams Joins Columbia & Hilcorp in Pennant Midstream JV
October 5, 2015October 19, 2015

It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything about Pennant Midstream, a joint venture between Columbia Pipeline Group and Hilcorp’s midstream subsidiary Harvest Pipeline Company with assets located mostly in the Mahoning Valley area of Ohio. Columbia, the lead jv partner, announced today that Williams (currently being bought out by Energy Transfer Equity) will become the third partner in the jv. Williams will have an initial 5% ownership share, although it’s not clear to us how much they’ve initially invested for that 5%. However, should Williams want to pony up cash for expansions to the system, they can achieve a full one-third ownership in time. Here’s the announcement with the details Columbia has decided to share…
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Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Williams

Williams Accepts ETE’s “Indecent Proposal” – Price Went Down $10B
September 29, 2015September 29, 2015

In the end, Williams decided that the takeover/merger proposal from Energy Transfer Equities (ETE) wasn’t so indecent after all. In June, ETE’s billionaire CEO Kelsy Warren revealed he had been propositioning Williams for over six months–offering Williams $64 per share to buy the company, totaling $48 billion (see Energy Transfer Makes “Indecent Proposal” to Buy Williams for $48B). Sometimes life imitates art. Like the movie Indecent Proposal, Williams (Demi Moore’s character) played hard to get but in the end announced, yesterday, they would accept ETE/Warren’s (Robert Redford’s character) offer. The price, however, has changed. The final deal will now be $37.7 billion total, or $43.50 per share. It’s easy to Monday morning armchair quarterback, but obviously Williams should have taken the earlier offer. The question now is, what will investors (Woody Harrelson’s character) think in the morning?…
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Crestwood Midstream | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | MarkWest Energy | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Williams

MarkWest Energy Takes Top Honors in Midstream Survey
September 23, 2015September 23, 2015

Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest midstream company of them all? As it turns out–it’s MarkWest Energy, the premier midstream company in the Marcellus/Utica! EnergyPoint Research has just published the results from its 2015 Oil & Gas Midstream Services Customer Satisfaction Survey, and MarkWest Energy received the top rating–for the fourth consecutive time. Other northeast midstreamers rating tops in at least one category include Crestwood Midstream and Williams…
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Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Utica Shale | Williams

Credible Rumor: Chesapeake Shopping Utica Dry Gas Assets for $2B
September 16, 2015September 16, 2015

Did Chesapeake Energy take Williams to the cleaners? Chesapeake Energy has just cut a deal with Williams to shave 25 cents per Mcf off their natural gas gathering fees in the Utica Shale (see this Shale Daily story: Chesapeake Strikes Sweeter Haynesville, Utica Gathering Deals With Williams). In return for the price cut from Williams, Chesapeake agreed to bring more wells online and increase the volume of the gas they send through Williams’ pipes. But what’s this? Credible rumors are swirling that Chesapeake, after winning concessions from Williams, is now looking to dump their dry gas (not wet gas) Utica Shale assets in an effort to raise $2 BILLION. Sure looks to us like Chessy just enhanced the value of their assets in the Utica as a way to turn around and sell it…
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Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines | Statewide OH | Utica Shale | Williams

Williams/Chesapeake Ohio Utica Deal Adds 50K Acres & 20 Years
September 8, 2015September 8, 2015

Midstream giant Williams and drilling giant Chesapeake Energy are cuddling a little bit closer in the Ohio Utica Shale. Williams announced today they have signed an agreement with Chesapeake to run gathering pipelines in a new area of the dry gas Utica for Chesapeake in return for signing a contract that binds Chessy to using Williams until 2035. Williams was already gathering natural gas for Chessy on 140,000 acres of Utica Shale land in Ohio. This agreement extends the time on that 140,000 acres by adding another 20 years, and adds another 50,000 acres to the mix…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Virginia | Williams

Williams Completes $300M Pipeline Expansion in Virginia on Time
September 2, 2015April 27, 2016

Click image for larger version

How in the world did this happen?! Williams, which operates the mighty Transco, the largest natural gas pipeline in the United States, has just completed and put into service the Virginia Southside Expansion project. The project, which was put into service to the day they predicted it would be (September 1st) as predicted in their original transmittal letter to the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission back in December 2012, consists of 91 miles of new Transco pipeline laid next to existing pipeline across Virginia (from Pittsylvania County to Brunswick County); 7 miles of new pipeline in Brunswick County; new compressor stations; and other assorted upgrades. The $300 million project will flow 270,000 dekatherms per day (dth/d) of new natgas supplies, enough gas to serve 1.6 million households, but primarily built for the purpose of fueling Dominion’s new 1,300 megawatt electric-power generating plant Brunswick County. The project will also serve increasing local distribution demand in nearby North Carolina. Aside from the fact that anti-fossil fuel nutters have been relatively silent about this project, the interesting thing to MDN is that some of the upgrades come outside of Virginia–in New Jersey and Pennsylvania where portions of the existing Transco mainline were upgraded to be bidirectional, meaning Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale gas will now be able to flow southward…
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Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | M&A | Spectra Energy | Williams

More Suitors Line Up to Buy Williams – Spectra Energy Makes a Bid
August 19, 2015August 19, 2015

Early in the year, midstream giant Energy Transfer Equity began an attempt to woo another midstream giant Williams into a buyout. Williams resisted and the whole thing went public in June when ETE announced they would pursue a hostile takeover (see Energy Transfer Makes “Indecent Proposal” to Buy Williams for $48B). Williams has continued to spurn the overtures of ETE and has instead gone shopping for another suitor (see Williams Continues to Resist ET Offer, Talks with Other Suitors). We now know of one serious alternative suitor to ETE. Reuters published an exclusive, insider story revealing that Spectra Energy is now bidding to merge with/takeover Williams. Kinder Morgan is also interested and sniffing around, but at this point Spectra seems to be in the lead…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Statewide NY | Williams

Shrill Opposition to Constitution Pipeline after Cabot Comment
August 3, 2015August 3, 2015

Flat-out, 100% lies is what best describes the claims being made by anti-pipeline groups like Stop the Pipeline in New York State in a letter sent to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, with respect to charges that the already-FERC-approved Constitution Pipeline would, if built, incite an environmental Holocaust in the state. These are the VERY SAME people who successfully pressured Cuomo into banning fracking in the state–so they’re hoping they can bully the pathetically weak Cuomo once again, this time to reject the Constitution Pipeline. The renewed and shrill campaign against the pipeline comes because last week Cabot Oil & Gas CEO Dan Dinges said he expects the NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to issue permits allowing the pipeline to cross streams and swamps (i.e. “wetlands”) any day now. The fact that this pipeline WILL get built is eating anti-drillers alive. They can’t stand it. So they whip up an email “letter” to Cuomo, and then get their sympathetic buddies at the Democrat Albany Times Union to run a story on their efforts, trying to manufacture the appearance that there is a groundswell of support against the pipeline–when there isn’t…
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Energy Services | Williams

Williams 2Q15: Revenues Up Thx to the Marcellus/Utica
July 30, 2015July 30, 2015

Yesterday both Williams Partners and parent company Williams released their second quarter 2015 financial and operational updates. For our purposes of focusing on the northeast, Williams Partners is the company to focus on. Overall Williams Partners’ EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) was up a healthy 41%, from $717 million in 2Q14 to $1.0 billion in 2Q15. When you peal back the onion, you find that Williams’ northeast operations are largely the reason for the increase. The 2Q15 numbers include revenue from Williams’ purchase of Access Midstream and largely explain the bump up in revenue, although both the Atlantic-Gulf pipeline division and the Northeast Gathering & Processing divisions also saw big increases year over year. So the financial picture for Williams is rosy largely because of the Marcellus/Utica. The quarterly update does mention the “indecent proposal” by Energy Transfer Equity (but not by name) and says Williams continues to evaluate all options (see Energy Transfer Makes “Indecent Proposal” to Buy Williams for $48B). Below is the Williams Partners 2Q15 update, along with a copy of the Williams quarterly “data book” with slides breaking down the particulars for each division…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Williams

Antis Plan to Protest Pipeline Talk Tonight in Lancaster County
July 28, 2015July 28, 2015

A small group of anti-fossil fuel protesters plans to disrupt an information meeting being hosted by the Chamber of Commerce in Lancaster County tonight. The event will feature representatives from Williams discussing and sharing information about their planned $3 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline project–a project largely embraced by the public but opposed by a few small pockets of dedicated protesters, one such group being Lancaster Against Pipelines. The Atlantic Coast project will flow Marcellus Shale gas to Mid-Atlantic and southern states. Most of the protesters are too cheap to buy a $25 ticket to the event, so they’ll stand outside and make fools of themselves by chanting and hollering at those who enter the meeting. We encourage a contingent of pro-drillers to show up and stand outside to show support for the project. It’s time to show everyone that supporters far outnumber detractors…
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