According to the report LNG Export Facilities in Texas: A Primer, commissioned by the Texans for Natural Gas group, selling Texas’ liquefied natural gas to other countries will create more than 136,000 jobs nationwide and generate $145 billion in economic activity. “LNG exports from Texas will allow our trading partners to meet their growing energy needs from a safer and more reliable source, while giving us more energy security, more jobs and more tax revenue to fund schools and other public services,” said Steve Everley, a spokesman for Texans for Natural Gas.
The U.S. Department of Energy has authorized Golden Pass Products LLC to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas to countries that do not have a free trade agreement with the United States. The order mandates that Golden Pass may export LNG up to the equivalent of 2.21 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas to any non-FTA country not prohibited by U.S. law. The Department of Energy has authorized a total of 19.2 Bcf/d of natural gas exports to non-FTA countries from facilities in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia and Maryland. Once in full production, these products would assert the United States as the dominant force in LNG exports worldwide.
WGL, the parent company of Washington Gas Light Co., will relocate its corporate headquarters in 2018 to The Wharf, demonstrating its commitment to green practices and sustainability. The new office building, part of the mixed-use neighborhood being built along the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., has been designed to meet LEED Gold Core and Shell green building standards and will be powered by a natural gas-fueled combined heat and power plant. The company’s agreement includes a vast array of branding, greening and energy efficiency initiatives serving The Wharf, plus opportunities for community involvement.
According to the U.S. Commerce Department, Chinese companies are now able to negotiate long-term contracts to source liquefied natural gas from U.S. suppliers. The action plan falls under the framework of the U.S.-China Comprehensive Economic Dialogue. “The agreement connects the U.S., the fastest growing LNG supplier, with China, the largest LNG growth market,” said Massimo Di Odoardo, head of global gas and LNG research at global natural resources consultancy Wood Mackenzie. “By 2030, we expect Chinese LNG demand to reach 75 mmtpa, triple 2016 imports. This is equivalent to $26 billion a year at today’s prices ($7/MMbtu), and the U.S. is keen for a slice of the pie.”
Dominion Resources Inc., Virginia’s largest utility, has changed its name to Dominion Energy as part of a rebranding effort to recognize the company’s focus on an evolving energy marketplace and to unify the company after the purchase of Questar Corp. last year. Other arms of the company have changed in kind—Dominion Virginia Power has become Dominion Energy Virginia, and Dominion Energy Inc. has become Dominion Generation Inc. The company’s web address has also changed from dom.com to dominionenergy.com.
DiversityInc, a publication based in Princeton, New Jersey, devoted to the coverage of diversity and inclusion efforts made by companies, has announced its list of the top five utility companies for 2017. The utilities were recognized for creating inclusive workplaces, reaching diverse customers and developing strong relationships with diverse suppliers. This year’s top five are: Ameren Corp.; Sempra Energy; Pacific Gas and Electric Co.; DTE Energy; and Consumers Energy.
Two utilities were recognized with the Southern Gas Association’s Community Service Award at the association’s 2017 Management Conference. The annual award celebrates the most successful service or outreach programs concentrated on improving member communities. CenterPoint Energy was awarded first place for its natural gas safety education website, “Safe and Smart with Buddy Blue Flame™.” Atmos Energy was a runner-up for its efforts last year on Aug. 11 (8/11 Day) to promote “Call 811 Before You Dig.”
Employees at the Georgia-Pacific paper mill in Brewton, Alabama, recently celebrated the completion of a $388 million energy improvement project. The two-year effort updated and restructured the equipment in the mill’s recovery boiler system. As a result, the mill now has the ability to generate its own energy using natural gas and biofuel residuals from the paper-making process.
FortisBC has recognized 11 British Columbia-based organizations for their dedication to conserving energy with its annual Efficiency in Action Awards. The awards acknowledge companies that have worked with FortisBC to realize exceptional energy savings in building construction and in operations improvements. Through the honorees’ combined efforts, they have earned an estimated 120,000 gigajoules of annual natural gas savings, which is the equivalent of taking nearly 1,200 gasoline-powered cars off the road.