Archive for February, 2011
CPUC to Set New Rules For Safe, Reliable Operation of State’s Natural Gas Pipelines
CPUC to Set New Rules For Safe, Reliable Operation of State’s Natural Gas Pipelines
San Francisco, CA, February 25, 2011 - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) said it will set new rules for the safe and reliable operation of natural gas pipelines in California.
Through a proceeding opened today the CPUC will obtain public input, and collect and analyze the data and conclusions from the investigations and reports of the Sept. 9, 2010, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) pipeline rupture in San Bruno. Recommendations from the Independent Review Panel investigating the accident will be presented, considered, and implemented via this Rulemaking.
The Rulemaking’s primary objectives are to:
A. Provide the public with a means to make their views known to the CPUC.
B. Provide the public with the Independent Review Panel’s expert recommendations.
C. Develop and adopt safety related changes to the CPUC’s regulation of natural gas transmission pipelines, including requirements for construction, especially shut-off values, maintenance, inspections, operation, record retention, ratemaking, and the application of penalties.
D. Consider ways that the CPUC can undertake a comprehensive risk assessment for all natural gas pipelines regulated by the CPUC, and possibly for other industries that the CPUC regulates.
E. Consider available options for the CPUC to better align ratemaking policies, practices, and incentives to elevate safety considerations, and maintain utility management focus on the “nuts and bolts” details of prudent utility operations.
F. Consider the appropriate balance between the CPUC’s obligation to conduct its proceedings in a manner open to the public with the legitimate public safety concerns that arise from unlimited availability of certain utility information.
G. Consider if further rules or other protection is needed for whistleblowers to inform the CPUC of safety hazards.
H. Expand emergency and disaster planning coordination with local officials.
In addition, the proceeding will allow for the consideration of who should pay for needed improvements to PG&E’s gas system; consideration of more aggressive use of fines and penalties in progressive enforcement; and consideration of immediate actions needed to respond to information to be received March 15, 2011, especially identification of pipelines with missing records.
The proceeding is not necessarily limited to the issues identified in the Rulemaking approved today, although the CPUC must prioritize the issues based on information obtained in the initial stages of the Rulemaking. The Rulemaking includes specific proposed rules on several issues that require action now by the CPUC. Parties may submit written comments on these proposals within 45 days. The CPUC expects to propose additional rule changes as the proceeding develops and will set a procedural schedule for comments from parties.
CPUC President Michael R. Peevey said, “We will use the proceeding opened today to strengthen our rules regarding pipeline safety. We will hear from many parties and examine ways the utilities can operate more safety, and also how the CPUC can increase its effectiveness and performance.”
Commissioner Timothy Alan Simon, who also serves as the Chair of the Committee on Gas for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, which sponsored a recent resolution on pipeline safety requesting reauthorization of funding for safety inspections nationwide, said, “I fully support this new Rulemaking, which will impact utilities statewide. As the assigned Commissioner in PG&E’s pending application for gas transmission and storage rates, I added a safety phase to that proceeding to review how PG&E allocates funds for pipeline safety within its system. This new Rulemaking appropriately will consider whether any safety related directives issued in the PG&E case also should apply to utilities statewide.”
Added Commissioner Mike Florio, “This is a big step toward ensuring that the state’s utilities and the CPUC are utilizing best practices when it comes to pipeline safety and reliability. I look forward to hearing from consumers, community groups, pipeline safety experts, and others as we work to better ensure public safety.”
Said Commissioner Catherine J.K. Sandoval, “The initiation of today’s Rulemaking demonstrates our urgent resolve in the aftermath of the San Bruno explosion and fire to develop new and more appropriate rules to ensure ongoing safe and reliable operations of natural gas pipelines.”
To accept public comment on its regulation of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines, the CPUC will hold a Public Participation Hearing in San Bruno on April 5, 2011, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Senior Center, 1555 Crystal Springs Rd., San Bruno. The CPUC will also hold Public Participation Hearings in another Northern California location and in Los Angeles. Dates, times, and locations will be released in the coming days.
The CPUC also anticipates holding a Pre-Hearing Conference to address scoping and scheduling issues late in the second quarter of this year. Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner assigned to the Rulemaking will issue a Scoping Memo establishing a procedural schedule and setting the scope of the proceeding.
The CPUC also anticipates issuing a Proposed Decision on whether to adopt the rules in the Rulemaking’s Attachment A as soon as practicable. The Rulemaking’s Attachment B details new rules that will likely be proposed. These include:
- Retrofitting of transmission lines to allow inline inspections.
- Requiring operators to perform evaluations for installing automatic or remote controlled valves on transmission pipelines.
- Requiring operators to strengthen emergency response procedures.
- Requiring gas quality monitoring.
- Testing requirements for pipelines operating below 100 psig and service lines.
- Clearance between gas pipelines and other subsurface structures.
- Incorporating One-Call Law requirements for marking underground facilities.
- Reporting Cathodic Protection deficiencies and providing a timetable for remedial actions.
- Requirements for transmission lines.
- Reporting problems associated with mechanical/compression fittings.
- Assessing existing Meter Set Assemblies and other pipeline components to protect them from excessive snow and ice loading.
- Requiring operators to identify threats along their pipelines and come up with a plan to mitigate the threats, including research and development.
The Rulemaking voted on today is available at:
http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PUBLISHED/AGENDA_DECISION/131115.htm.
For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.
For More Information Contact
Terrie Prosper
Director, News & Public Information Office
California Public Utilities Commission
415.703.1366
www.cpuc.ca.gov
news@cpuc.ca.gov
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OSHA timeline highlights 40 years of healthier workers, safer workplaces and a stronger America
Feb. 24, 2011
Contact: Office of Communications
Phone: 202-693-1999
OSHA timeline highlights 40 years of healthier workers,
safer workplaces and a stronger America
WASHINGTON – An interactive timeline commemorating 40 years of progress protecting the safety and health of working men and women illustrates milestones from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and its state partners’ efforts to reduce injuries, illnesses and deaths.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act was signed into law by President Nixon on Dec. 29, 1970. On April 28, 1971, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created. In the four decades since OSHA was created, the nation has made dramatic progress in reducing work related deaths and injures.
“We hope you will join us in this anniversary year as we recognize OSHA’s accomplishments and reaffirm our dedication to the agency’s mission,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “Help us celebrate four decades of healthier workers, safer workplaces, and a stronger America.”
OSHA invites the public to visit the timeline and explore 40 years of progress in workplace health and safety. Visit the OSHA at 40 Web page to read Assistant Secretary Michaels’ Anniversary Message about OSHA’s journey during the past 40 years and priorities for the future, and learn about activities throughout the year to celebrate OSHA’s accomplishments.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
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U.S. Labor Department news releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this release will be made available in alternative format upon request (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the Central Office for Assistive Services and Technology. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755.
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EGPI Firecreek, Inc. Completes Acquisition of $2.5 Million Dollar Oil and Gas Interests in Texas
EGPI Firecreek, Inc. Completes Acquisition of $2.5 Million Dollar Oil and Gas Interests in Texas
EGPI Acquisition Will Initiate Growth For Its Planned 2011 Oil & Gas Division Expansion
Scottsdale, AZ, February 24, 2011 - EGPI Firecreek, Inc. (OTCBB: EFIR) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Energy Producers, Inc., is pleased to announce that it has finalized and completed a Definitive Agreement to acquire the majority interest in a producing oil and gas property in Ward County, Texas.
Under the terms of the agreement, which shall be effective March 1, 2011, the Company through its wholly owned subsidiary Energy Producers, Inc. will acquire a majority 75% Working Interest and 56.25% corresponding Net Revenue Interest in the North 40 acres of the J.B. Tubb Leasehold Estate/Amoco Crawar field and oil and gas interests, including all related assets, fixtures, equipment, three well heads, three well bores, and pro rata oil & gas revenue and reserves for all depths below the surface to 8500 ft. The field is located in the Permian Basin and the Crawar Field in Ward County, Texas (12 miles west of Monahans & 30 miles west of Odessa in West Texas).
Included in the transaction, Energy Producers will also acquire 75% Working Interest and 56.25% corresponding Net Revenue Interest in the Highland Production Company No. 2 well-bore located in the South 40 acres of the J.B. Tubb Leasehold Estate/Amoco Crawar field, oil and gas interests, pro rata oil & gas revenues and reserves with depth of ownership 4700 ft. to 4900 ft.
The acquisition will be the foundation for the restructuring of the Company’s oil and gas operations, and will provide assets for new potential oil & gas work programs and developments. The Company is currently working on securing additional rights which would provide for more potential work and development programs, encompassing several multi-pay zone opportunities on additional acreage in the J.B. Tubb/Amoco Crawar Field locations.
Dennis Alexander, EGPI’s Chairman and CEO, stated, “We are extremely pleased with the future outlook of EGPI Firecreek’s Oil & Gas division and this asset acquisition. We are very familiar with this property and are very excited with its revenue potential. Because of our ability to secure this interest and its revenue stream, we are confident that it will assist our future growth.” He further stated, “We will continue to aggressively pursue producing domestic oil and gas properties, as well as, alternative energy sources as indicated by our recent acquisition of Arctic Solar Engineering, LLC.”
Details of the Company’s latest acquisition will be made available through the filing of an 8-K with the SEC.
About EGPI Firecreek, Inc.
EGPI Firecreek, Inc.’s business and acquisition strategy is focused on both the vertical integration of enterprises serving the D.O.T. Construction and Intelligent Traffic System markets through South Atlantic Traffic, Inc. (SATCO) alongside its wholly owned subsidiary M3 Lighting, Inc. (M3), and on oil and gas production with an emphasis on acquiring existing fields with proven reserves, the rehabilitation of potentially high throughput oilfields, resource properties and inventories, through its wholly owned subsidiary Energy Producers, Inc. and for oil and gas servicing business through its wholly owned subsidiary Chanwest Resources, LLC. EGPI Firecreek, Inc. is also looking to expand into alternative energy sources as well as industries in the energy field.
Safe Harbor
This release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements appear in a number of places in this release and include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of EGPI Firecreek, Inc., its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) financing plans; (ii) trends affecting its financial condition or results of operations; (iii) growth strategy and operating strategy. The words “may,” “would,” “will,” “expect,” “estimate,” “can,” “believe,” “potential” and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond EGPI Firecreek, Inc.’s ability to control, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. More information about the potential factors that could affect the business and financial results is and will be included in EGPI Firecreek, Inc.’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
For More Information Contact
Joe Vazquez
Public Relations and Shareholder Information
EGPI Firecreek, Inc.
754-204-4549
infinityglobalconsulting@gmail.com
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US Labor Department’s OSHA cites US Minerals facility in Baldwin, Ill., for failing to lock out equipment, protect workers from falls; fines total $83,000
Region 5 News Release: 11-206-CHI
Feb. 22, 2011
Contact: Rhonda Burke Scott Allen
Phone: 312-353-6976 312-353-6976
E-mail: burke.rhonda@dol.gov allen.scott@dol.gov
US Labor Department’s OSHA cites US Minerals facility in Baldwin, Ill., for
failing to lock out equipment, protect workers from falls; fines total $83,000
Company cited for safety violations for fifth time, facility second time in less than a year
BALDWIN, Ill. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued the U.S. Minerals LLC facility in Baldwin seven citations for allegedly failing to develop and implement procedures to control hazardous energy, install guard rails where necessary and maintain equipment. The company faces penalties totaling $83,000 following an inspection that began during September 2010.
“U.S. Minerals’ failure to develop and implement plans to control hazardous energy and prevent injuries to workers is simply unacceptable,” said Thomas Bielema, OSHA’s area director in Peoria. “U.S. Minerals repeatedly has been cited at this facility and others for failing to follow OSHA safety and health standards to protect workers. OSHA is committed to ensuring employers abide by the law, which requires commonsense safety practices.”
One willful citation with a proposed penalty of $56,000 was issued for failing to develop and document procedures to control potentially hazardous energy. OSHA regulations require an employer to establish a program consisting of energy control procedures, employee training and periodic inspections. The purpose of such a program is to ensure that, before an employee performs any servicing or maintenance on a machine or other equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the equipment is isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.
OSHA also issued U.S. Minerals three repeat citations with proposed fines of $18,000 alleging that the company failed to have guardrails on an open-sided platform 17 feet high, install guarding on a material dump hopper, and provide and use lockout/tagout hardware devices for securing or blocking machines from energy sources. A repeat citation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years.
Three serious citations were issued to the company alleging lack of inspection and maintenance documentation for a Caterpillar 980G Loader, use of an unguarded conveyer tail pulley, and failing to have authorized employees affix lockout/tagout equipment to energy isolation devices. Those violations carry total penalties of $9,000. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
U.S. Minerals LLC, headquartered in Dyer, Ind., manufactures abrasive blasting and roofing materials from slag produced at coal-fired power plants. Following an inspection that began in June 2010, OSHA issued a $466,400 penalty to the company’s Baldwin facility in September citing 35 health and safety violations for willfully exposing workers to dangerously high levels of hazardous dust and failing to provide adequate breathing protection.
As a result of the egregious conditions found in Baldwin last summer, OSHA initiated inspections of the company’s three other facilities, including its Coffeen, Ill., location where a total of 28 health and safety citations with proposed penalties of $396,000 were issued in December 2010. In November 2010, the company’s Harvey, La., operation was cited for 30 violations with proposed penalties of $110,400, and its Galveston, Texas, facility was fined $273,000 and cited with 38 violations for exposing workers to fall and machine guarding hazards. U.S. Minerals is contesting the previously issued citations at all four of its facilities.
As a result of the company’s willful and repeat safety violations, U.S. Minerals was placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program in December 2010. The program focuses on employers with a history of safety violations that endanger workers by demonstrating indifference to their responsibilities under the law. This enforcement tool includes mandatory OSHA follow-up inspections and inspections of other worksites of the same employer where similar hazards and deficiencies may be present. For more information on SVEP, visit http://www.osha.gov/dep/svep-directive.pdf.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Employers and employees with questions regarding workplace safety and health standards can call OSHA’s Fairview Heights Office in Illinois at 618-632-8612. To report workplace incidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call the agency’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
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U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The information above is available in large print, Braille, audio tape or disc from the COAST office upon request by calling 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755.
Accessibility Assistance: Contact the Office of Communications at (202) 693-1999 for assistance accessing PDF materials.
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Cabot Oil & Gas Announces New Officer
Cabot Oil & Gas Announces New Officer
Houston, TX, February 23, 2011 - Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (NYSE: COG) announced the appointment of Steven W. Lindeman to the position of Vice President, Engineering and Technology. “Having served in positions of increasing responsibility in both our North and South regions, he has unique knowledge of our operations,” said Dan O. Dinges, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. ”This experience covers all aspects of the business from drilling to production to infrastructure; along with and including the changing regulatory environment.”
Lindeman, who began his career as a Drilling Engineer in Meadville, Pennsylvania with Cabot in 1982, has served in various management positions in many company offices over the years, including Pampa and Midland, Texas, Indiana, Meadville, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before moving to Houston in 1992, where he most recently served as Director of Engineering.
Lindeman is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh; he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering specializing in Petroleum Engineering. He has been a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers since 1980.
In other news, Kevin G. Cunningham, General Counsel added the title of Vice President.
Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation, headquartered in Houston, Texas is a leading independent natural gas producer, with its entire resource base located in the continental United States. For additional information, visit the Company’s Internet homepage at www.cabotog.com.
For More Information Contact
Scott Schroeder
Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation
+1-281-589-4993
www.cabotog.com
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