Public comment period extended for Walan air quality regulations construction permit

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control extended the public comment period on the company’s permit application through close of business Dec. 31.

On Oct. 19, DNREC received a Regulation No. 1102 Natural Minor Construction Permit Application submitted by Walan Specialty Construction Products to construct a slag grinding, drying and processing facility at the company’s proposed location for the facility at 501 Christiana Ave. in Wilmington.

Anyone wishing to submit written comment for DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin’s consideration regarding Walan Specialty Construction Products’ construction permit application may do so by emailing DNREC Hearing Officer Lisa Vest at lisa.vest@state.de.us, or by mail to Vest’s attention of DNREC Office of the Secretary, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

Comments must be submitted in written form and received by the department no later than close of business, 4:30 p.m. Dec. 31, for inclusion in the formal hearing record.

http://www.doverpost.com/news/20181128/public-comment-period-extended-for-walan-air-quality-regulations-construction-permit

EPA finalizes amendments to refinery emissions control requirements

The US Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule on Nov. 26 which amends its National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) and New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for refineries. The rule went into effect that day.

The changes aim to clarify the rules’ requirements and make technical corrections and revisions to requirements for work practice standards, recordkeeping, and reporting that EPA proposed on Apr. 10, the agency said. The rule also finalized amended compliance date requirements for existing maintenance vents from Aug. 1, 2017, to Dec. 26, 2018, which EPA proposed on July 10, it added.

NESHAP covers two sets of maximum achievable control technology (MACT) requirements. Requirements that EPA imposed on Dec. 1, 2015, included revisions to the continuous compliance alternatives for catalytic cracking units and provisions specific to startup and shutdown of catalytic cracking units and sulfur recovery plants.

The 2015 rule also finalized technical corrections and clarifications to portions of the refinery NSPS section to address issues which the American Petroleum Institute had raised. These included corrections and clarifications to provisions for sulfur recovery plants, performance testing, and control device operating parameters.

EPA said it received three separate petitions to reconsider the 2015 rule. Two of these were filed jointly by API and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers.

The first, which was filed on Jan. 19, 2016, asked EPA to take a second look at the maintenance vent provisions in Refinery MACT 1; the alternate startup, shutdown, or hot standby standards for fluid catalytic cracking units (FCCU) in Refinery MACT 2; the alternate startup and shutdown for sulfur recovery units in Refinery MACT 2; and the new catalytic reforming units (CRU) purging limitations in Refinery MACT 2.

The second, which API and AFPM filed on Feb. 1, 2016, outlined several specific issues related to the work practice standards for pressure relief devices (PRD) and flares, and the alternative water overflow provisions for delayed coking units (DCU), as well as other specific issues on other aspects of the rule.

Earthjustice and several other environmental groups filed the third reconsideration petition on Feb. 1, 2016. They said that further public comment was needed on several issues which they believed had not been addressed adequately, including work practice standards for PRDs and flares, alternative water overflow provisions for DCUs, reduced monitoring provision for fence lines, and adjustments to the risk assessment to account for these changes from what was proposed. EPA sent them letters on June 16, 2016, granting them reconsideration of these issues.

Officials at API and AFPM were studying the amendments that EPA made final on Nov. 26 and did not comment immediately.

https://www.ogj.com/articles/2018/11/epa-finalizes-amendments-to-refinery-emissions-control-requirements.html

Town hall event held to encourage women to pursue transportation careers

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, along with Lehigh University, wrapped up a Moving Women Forward town hall that aimed to encourage young women to pursue careers in transportation.

The Moving Women Forward Speaking Tour was started by PennDOT secretary Leslie Richards and First Lady Frances Wolf in 2017 because they want to encourage more diversity and representation in the transportation field.

The tour has a new panel. Although women make up about half of the workforce in the United States only 24 percent of women are in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

Transportation and civil engineering have been and are still a very male-centric field and in order to get more women in the fold they have to study those STEM careers.

The townhall style event centered mainly around the importance of diversity not only in the workforce itself, but in leadership positions itself in order to give young women role models to look up to along their career path. Although women make up 50 percent of the public sector jobs only 20 percent are in those leadership positions.

It also touched on what the department is doing in order to recruit a more diverse workforce and the role women and men play in supporting and encouraging a diverse body of workers.

http://www.wfmz.com/business/town-hall-event-held-to-encourage-women-to-pursue-transportation-careers/895560469

GeoPark to acquire Colombia, Chile assets from LGI

GeoPark Ltd. has agreed to acquire LG International Corp.’s interest in its Colombian and Chilean operations and subsidiaries, bringing GeoPark’s equity interest in the assets to 100%.

The businesses consist of multiple hydrocarbon blocks and associated oil and gas production and reserves, including the Llanos 34 block (GeoPark operated, 45%) in Colombia (OGJ Online, Sept. 8, 2017).

The acquisition price includes a fixed payment of $81 million at closing, plus two installments of $15 million to be paid in June 2019 and June 2020. Three contingent payments of $5 million each could be payable over the next 3 years, subject to certain production thresholds being exceeded. Closing is expected by Nov. 28.

https://www.ogj.com/articles/2018/11/geopark-to-acquire-colombia-chile-assets-from-lgi.html

Hundreds attended town hall meeting to discuss mineral rights and royalties

MOUNDSVILLE, W. Va - As the oil and gas industries continue to grow, this can cause major impacts on the Ohio Valley. Those impacts can affect people with mineral rights and landowners.

The National Association of Royalty Owners or NARO and Gold Khourey & Turak held a public town hall meeting Tuesday night in Moundsville at the old West Virginia Penitentiary.

They discussed varying topics from personal income tax implications to severance taxes. They also answered questions pertaining to royalty statements, which sometimes can be difficult to understand.

"It's important that people learn as much as they can about whether they're being paid properly when they see a royalty check," said Jonathan Turak with Gold Khourey & Turak.

More than 150 people attended the meeting wondering how their current situations will pan out in the future.

"There's going to be a tremendous amount of development, and we're only beginning to see the infant stages of it," continued Turak.

A panel of experts from Gold Khourey and Turak, local legislation and more answered questions from the community, including "Am I being paid what it is that I'm entitled to be paid under the terms of lease?"

One of the attendees, David Weaver, owns mineral rights with his an acre and half, and he has a trust with his family. He feels that he's not getting the most out of what he has because of the confusing contracts.

"This is ridiculous. A lot of leases I've seen over the years have been horrible," he said.

Weaved added that hasn't received any royalties yet. "I want to learn the taxes, what I need to do prior receiving royalties, after receiving the royalties," he continued.

https://www.wtrf.com/news/oil-gas-town-hall-meeting-held-to-discuss-mineral-rights-and-royalties/1623244096

EOG Resources names executive vice-president, E&P

EOG Resources Inc. reported that Kenneth W. Boedeker has been promoted to executive vice-president, exploration and production, and will join the headquarters executive management team effective Dec. 1.

Boedeker is currently vice-president and general manager of EOG’s Denver office, which includes responsibility for operations in the Powder River, Williston, and DJ basins.

David W. Trice, currently executive vice-president, E&P, will move to and assume responsibility for EOG’s Denver office as executive vice-president and general manager.

Boedeker has more than 33 years of industry experience and 24 years of service with EOG. As the leader of EOG's Denver office since 2016, he has been involved in the company's recent success in the Powder River basin. Prior to leading EOG's Denver office, Ken served as vice-president, engineering and acquisitions, at EOG's Houston headquarters and has held technical and managerial positions of increasing responsibility across multiple offices within EOG.

Trice has 25 years industry experience and nearly 20 years of service with EOG. Before joining the headquarters executive management team in 2013, he served as vice-president and general manager of EOG's Fort Worth office, after holding various roles of increasing responsibility since being hired as a senior geologist in EOG's Midland office in 1999.

https://www.ogj.com/articles/2018/11/eog-resources-names-executive-vice-president-e-p.html

Pipeline builder asks judge to allow pre-construction work

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The company that wants to build the Keystone XL pipeline is asking a Montana judge to change his order blocking the project so that pre-construction work can continue.

Attorneys for TransCanada will argue on Wednesday that U.S. District Judge Brian Morris should clarify or amend his ruling to say the injunction does not apply to activities such as finalizing contracts, purchasing materials, conducting land surveys and discussing federal permits.

On Nov. 8, Morris blocked TransCanada's permit to build the pipeline from Alberta's oil sands through a half-dozen U.S. states to the Gulf of Mexico.

The judge had ruled the Trump administration had not fully considered the environmental effects of the pipeline.

TransCanada's attorneys say the company wants to continue preparing for construction while it considers an appeal.

https://nebraska.tv/news/local/pipeline-builder-asks-judge-to-allow-pre-construction-work