Canada limits upstream releases of methane

Oil and gas producers in Canada must control releases of methane from major facilities—and stop venting from hydraulically fractured wells—under new regulations from the federal government. The aim is to lower emissions of the greenhouse gas from 2012 levels by 40-45% by 2025.  Source: News


MarkWest units settle federal, state air charges in Pennsylvania

Two MarkWest LLC subsidiaries agreed to pay a $610,000 civil penalty and spend another $2.6 million to install equipment to minimize volatile organic compound emissions in their western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio facilities, the US Department of Justice, US Environmental Protection Agency, and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection jointly announced. Source: News


Bidding modest in Iraqi licensing round

Regional and Chinese operators dominated modest bidding in an exploration and development licensing round in Iraq.   Source: News


Santos commissions Queensland Scotia project

Santos Ltd., Adelaide, has commissioned and brought on stream its Scotia CF1 project in eastern Queensland. The project came in ahead of schedule and below budget with initial full field production exceeding 40 terajoules/day of natural gas. Source: News


Zarara spuds gas well in Kenya’s Pate field

Zarara Oil & Gas Ltd., a subsidiary of Midway Resources International, reported that it has spudded Pate-2 natural gas well on its production sharing contracts on Blocks L4 and L13 near Port Lamu in Kenya. Source: News


Hess acquires interest in Kaieteur block offshore Guyana

Hess Corp. subsidiary Hess Guyana (Block B) Exploration Ltd. will acquire a 15% participating interest in the Kaieteur block offshore Guyana from ExxonMobil Corp. affiliate Esso Exploration & Production Guyana Ltd.  Source: News


DNO accelerates Kurdistan operations

Norwegian operator DNO ASA has assumed operatorship of the Baeshiqa license, its third license in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, following government and partner approvals of a transaction with ExxonMobil Corp. Source: News


LLOG to operate Shenandoah development

Privately held LLOG Exploration Offshore LLC says it envisions development of the deepwater Shenandoah discovery in the Gulf of Mexico with a floating production system. LLOG is replacing Anadarko Petroleum Corp. as operator of the Shenandoah Unit covering Walker Ridge Blocks 51 and 52 and the northern half of Block 53. Source: News