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COMPRESSED FACTS Odessa,
TX 800.478.0011 |
May/June
2001 For Print Copy (MSWord 74.50KB)Click Here
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Articles: Candidate for Custom Compression Nation's Access to Natural Gas Regions Restricted Air Pollution Policy Up for Review OPEC Will Maintain Present Output Levels
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Candidate for Custom Compression? Back to Top If you are in the process of considering new or updated compression equipment and weighing your buying options with your leasing options, ask yourself a few questions:
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, your required application may be better served by a custom designed compression system. Visit VR Systems Request for Quote form at http://www.gascompressor.com/requestquote.htm for a budget quote request or a firm price.
Nation's Access to Natural Gas Regions Restricted Back to Top Source: U.S. Department of Energy In a Department of Energy Press Release, the DOE
has indicated that one of the United States most promising natural gas
bearing regions in the Rocky Mountains may be much more restricted than
previously thought. Nearly 68 percent (as much as 79 trillion cubic feet
of natural gas) of the Greater Green River Basin’s technically
recoverable natural gas resource is either closed to development or under
significant access restrictions. A
December 1999 study by the National Petroleum Council had previously
estimated the figure at 40%. However, that study only made general
estimates of the natural gas residing in restricted areas. The DOE’s new
study examines each region in much greater detail and provides more
accurate information. The
study found that about 30 percent of the gas resources are completely off
limits, with about one percent underlying lands such as national parks and
wilderness areas that are closed by statute. The rest of the inaccessible
areas have been closed by administrative actions. An additional 38 percent
of the Federal natural gas resources have some type of leasing stipulation
that would restrict access although not prevent it completely. Most limit
the time access is allowed. The remaining land in the region is subject to
standard lease terms, which still dictate that the lessees comply with a
number of environmental requirements. Virtually every energy projection shows demand for
natural gas growing rapidly. The DOE’s projections forecast that by 2020
Americans will be consuming more than 50 percent more natural gas than
they do today. Based on that information, the Bush Administration’s
National Energy Policy calls for a review of public land status and lease
stipulations that may be impeding federal oil and gas exploration and
development. The area examined in the study actually encompasses more than the Greater Green River Basin because it includes all land area overseen by the Bureau of Land Management that contained any part of the basin. Almost 29 million acres of land were analyzed, 16 million of which are owned by the Federal government. Air
Pollution Policy Up For Review Back to Top In its May 2001
report, the energy task force headed by Vice President Richard Cheney
recommended that the EPA, in consultation with other federal agencies,
review NSR (New Source Review) regulations to determine the impact of
those regulations on investment in new utility and refinery generation
capacity, energy efficiency and environmental protection. NSR regulations
requires power plants to install the best pollution control technology
available when it builds a new facility or when it makes a major
modification that increases emission from an existing facility. The NSR
was designed to ensure that new and modified sources do not hamper
progress toward cleaner air. The EPA has
commented that it “recognizes that the NSR process is complex and
burdensome both for affected companies and for state and local agencies
responsible for implementing the program.” On June 22nd the
EPA released a background paper on a 90-day review of the NSR program. The
paper contains background information on the NSR program, information on
the electricity generating and petroleum refining industries, and asks for
comments on whether the program should be changed to encourage more
efficient use of the nation’s energy resources while maintaining air
quality. The Bush
administration, which prefers voluntary compliance programs to federal
mandates, has said that enforcement of the NSR could contribute to power
shortages. The EPA’s final report is due to the president on August 17th.
OPEC Will Maintain Present Output Levels Back to Top Source: OPEC The Conference of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) met in Vienna, Austria, on July 3rd to review the oil market situation and supply/demand expectations for the forthcoming period. The Conference decided to maintain OPEC's present output levels unchanged in order to maintain market stability and satisfy the needs of consumers. The Conference emphasized that OPEC is committed to continuing to monitor the market and to taking any further measures, when deemed necessary, to maintain prices within the range of US$22-US$28/bbl. The Conference plans to meet again on September 26, 2001. Back to Top
Industry Events Back to Top
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Above: Acid Gas Injection
Compressed Facts is published bi-monthly by VR Systems, Inc., 2408 Mercury Ave. Odessa, Texas, 79763, strictly for customers and vendors of VR Systems, Inc. Send any contact e-mail address changes or updates to: VR Systems, Inc., 13310 Leopard St., Ste.6, Corpus Christi, Texas, 78410 or e-mail to cayala@gascompressor.com Comments are welcomed and should be addressed to the editor at the above e-mail or by phone at (361)241-5348 or fax (361)241-5386. |
