(Jan. 4, 2024) — The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has denied the City of Berkeley, California, the chance to appeal a ruling against a gas ban the city put in place in July 2019. The ban applied to natural gas hookups in new construction, the first of its kind in the U.S.

Blue Peak Resources facilitated the sale of Harris Propane in Salem, NJ, to ThompsonGas, LLC, with Harris Propane's 30-year legacy in residential and commercial propane services continuing under new ownership.

The Baker Hughes United States rig count is down three from last week to 620, with oil rigs down three to 498, gas rigs up one to 120 and miscellaneous rigs down one to two. The U.S. rig count is down 159 rigs from last year's count of 779, with oil rigs down 124, gas rigs down 35 and miscellaneous unchanged at two. The U.S. offshore rig count is unchanged at 19, up four year-over-year.

 

As Bangladesh continues to face a natural gas crisis, distributors and manufacturers are urging the government to support the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Operators that use LPG argue the fuel is more cost-effective than several alternative fuel choices and, perhaps more importantly, accessible.

During the latest mid-month period, prices at Mont Belvieu, Texas, increased as we get deeper into winter. The posted prices increased 3.934 cents/gal, from November mid-month to December mid-month, and the spot prices increased 5.125 cents. Conway, Kan., postings increased 0.418 cents/gal, and spots increased 2 cents over the month.

Dover, Del. (Dec. 19, 2023) — Chesapeake Utilities Corporation announced today that its subsidiary, Sharp Energy, has acquired the propane operating assets of J.T. Lee and Son's in Cape Fear, North Carolina. Through this acquisition, Sharp Energy expands its customer base in North Carolina, including adding approximately 3,000 customers and distribution of approximately 800,000 gallons of propane annually.

Energy North, a local family-owned business, has announced the reopening of its gas station and convenience store location at 71 Essex St., Gloucester, Massachusetts, under its Haffner’s brand. Over the past several years, Haffner's worked to redevelop the property.

Haffner’s in Gloucester houses Sal's Pizza, Crack'd Coffee Bar, Beer Cave, and features the Mobil brand. The redeveloped property stands as the second oldest Mobil station in America.

North Kansas City, Mo. (Dec. 12, 2023) — In a move that strengthens its position in the delivery of propane to New England, Alliance Energy Services LLC (AES) has successfully completed the acquisition of the Biddeford, Maine, rail and truck propane terminal from CHS Inc. This strategic investment marks a significant milestone for the company and underscores its commitment to provide safe, efficient and reliable energy solutions to customers in the Northeast.

Valley Forge, Pa. (Dec. 12. 2023) — UGI Corporation announced that Mario Longhi, incoming chair of the board of directors, has been named interim chief executive officer. Roger Perreault has stepped down as president and chief executive officer and as a member of the board, effective immediately.

Gray, Gray & Gray LLP, a consulting, accounting and business advisory firm headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts, has announced the retirement of longtime partner C. Joseph “Joe” Ciccarello, CPA, MST.

Ciccarello joined Gray, Gray & Gray in 1986 and was elected a partner in 1992. He served as the firm’s managing partner (now leading partner) from 2008-2017. During his tenure as managing partner, he spearheaded the acquisition of three accounting firms, helping Gray, Gray & Gray’s annual revenue more than double.

At this year's United Nations Climate Change Conference, world leaders and big players in the energy industry gathered to discuss climate change policy. The United States recently released some of the highlights of its conversations and agreements that took place at the event.

Briggs & Stratton Energy Solutions has been recognized by the California Public Utilities Commission as a California manufacturer of energy storage systems (ESS). The company is one of only five manufacturers to receive this designation in the state. With this recognition, California residential and commercial customers can now take advantage of an additional 20% Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) savings on the cost of their Briggs & Stratton ESS systems.

S&P Global Commodity Insights, a global independent provider of data, insights, analysis and benchmark prices for the commodities, energy and energy transition markets, honored industry excellence in 21 performance categories and winners from nearly a dozen countries at the Platts Global Energy Awards gala held at the Cipriani Wall Street in downtown New York City.

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation recently announced the completion of the acquisition of Florida City Gas, which is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company. This transaction represents an expansion of Chesapeake Utilities' footprint in the dynamic and high-growth market of Florida, encompassing five of the top 10 most populous counties. By more than doubling Chesapeake Utilities' customer base and natural gas infrastructure in the state, the company is positioned for substantial future growth.