Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has activated the Hurricane Response Team and is now monitoring offshore oil and gas operations on platforms and rigs in the Gulf of Mexico as a result of Hurricane Delta. The team works with offshore operators and other state and federal agencies until operations return to normal and the hurricane is no longer a threat to Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activities.
The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) reports that government grants are available to replace diesel school buses with new propane autogas buses. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) provides funds to public and private fleets for the replacement of old diesel school buses with new or retrofit buses certified to EPA’s cleanest emission standards. The deadline to submit an application is Oct. 30, 2020.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) on Oct. 6 expanded its advertising efforts in key battleground states to provide balance to the energy debate in the final weeks of the 2020 campaign. The latest digital campaign series follows API’s ongoing advocacy efforts that began earlier this year and through the conventions.

Two spots highlight everyday conversations about practical solutions to climate change, and another series provides sharp contrast to show what’s at stake if harmful policies like a federal leasing ban are enacted.
Global professional services organization, Lloyd’s Register Group (LR: London), announced Oct. 7 that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Energy business unit to Inspirit Capital, a London-based investment firm focused on building long-term value.

The deal will create a new engineering and technical consultancy offering specialist asset performance, risk management, and project management expertise across complex industrial assets, the energy transition, and rail infrastructure.

 

The American Petroleum Institute (API; Washington, D.C.) released the following statement Sept. 24 in response to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order banning the sale of new gasoline and diesel-powered passenger cars in the state by 2035.
EIA’s Winter Fuels Outlook, published October 2020, finds that responses to COVID-19 and the mitigation efforts to stop its spread have significantly affected energy price and consumption patterns in 2020. Notably, the average U.S. consumer has increased residential uses of energy, such as powering electric appliances and space cooling/heating, but has decreased transportation-related uses of energy. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects that trend to continue into the winter of 2020–2021.
The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) is reminding the propane industry that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has published several modifications to Hours of Service (HOS) regulatory provisions, including expanding and extending elements of the short-haul operation exemption. As of Sept. 29, 2020, motor carriers and drivers can begin implementing these modifications.
The American Petroleum Institute (API; Washington, D.C.) issued the following statement on Sept. 25, in response to the Trump administration’s announcement to extend the existing offshore moratorium in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico to include additional areas off the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) through the year 2032.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Natural Gas Annual 2019, released Oct. 5, 2020, shows that the United States set new records in natural gas production, consumption, and gross exports in 2019. During the year, dry natural gas production increased by 10%, reaching a record-high average of 93.1 Bcfd. At the same time, U.S. natural gas consumption increased by 3%, led by greater use of natural gas in the electric power sector. Natural gas gross exports increased 29% to 12.8 Bcfd.
According to daily estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), Hurricane Laura reduced crude oil production in the Federal Offshore Gulf of Mexico by an estimated 14.4 MMbbl over a 15-day period, the most of any hurricane since the combined effect of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008.
ThompsonGas (Frederick, Md.) has announced the acquisition of EnergyUnited Propane, a leading energy provider in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia with 14 locations and more than 70 employees serving more than 29,000 customers. ThompsonGas says it is committed to serving the residential, commercial, and agricultural customers who have valued and trusted EnergyUnited’s presence and service in the area for over 20 years.
Cetane Associates LLC has announced that DCC Propane, LLC, a division of DCC plc (“DCC Propane”), of Roberts, Ill., has acquired the full-service energy business of Northeast Oil and Propane, Inc. and Saveway Petroleum Inc. (together the “NES Group”) headquartered in Brooklyn, Conn. The transaction closed on Sept. 2.
Renewable propane is on track to play a major role in California’s green energy future with the industry targeting 2030 for supplying the state with a 100% sustainable energy source, the Western Propane Gas Association (WPGA) announced Sept. 25.

The news, along with the unveiling of WPGA’s sustainability statement, came during Climate Week 2020 and on the heels of California Gov. Newsom’s announced agenda to accelerate California’s climate change goals.
The Western Propane Gas Association (WPGA) is hosting the first-ever virtual conference to explore promising opportunities for propane to provide sustainable energy to help address climate change. “The Path To Renewable Propane” will take place from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pacific time on Nov. 4.

The online conference will feature lawmakers, policy experts, propane producers, and retailers discussing the role renewable propane can play to meet increasing energy needs while reducing carbon in the atmosphere.
According to the latest Baker Hughes Rig Count, released Sept. 25, the U.S. Rig Count is up six from the previous week to 261. Oil rigs are up four to 183, gas rigs are up two to 75, and miscellaneous rigs are unchanged at three.

The U.S. Rig Count is down 599 rigs from last year’s count of 860, with oil rigs down 530, gas rigs down 71, and miscellaneous rigs up two.
The U.S. Offshore Rig Count is unchanged at 14, though down 10 year-over-year.
As the alternative fuel movement continues to accelerate, Alliance AutoGas (AAG) has seen tremendous growth over recent years. To keep up with ever-evolving customer needs, AAG has been committed to the continued research and development of its engineered bi-fuel systems, while simultaneously growing its list of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifications.
The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated global oil and gas project sanctioning this year and will cause total committed spending to drop to around $53 billion from 2019’s $190 billion, Rystad Energy projects. Postponed plans will, however, cause the total worth of final investment decisions (FIDs) to double next year and exceed pre-pandemic levels already from 2022.

Offshore commitments are now expected to reach $34 billion in 2020, down from 2019’s $101 billion. Onshore sanctioning is likely to fall to $19 billion this year from $89 billion last year.
Enbridge (Calgary, Alberta, and Lansing, Mich.) will restart the east segment of Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac after receiving authorization from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and approval from the Michigan Circuit Court.