Nat Gas News – September 11, 2017

Nat Gas News – September 11, 2017

Proposed ethane storage hub can add security to its list of advantages

The Washingtion, PA Observer-Reporter reports: Officials discussing the potential for an ethane storage hub that could be built somewhere in the tri-state area weren’t too far into their bullet points of advantages during an Aug 29 workshop at Southpointe when one panelist brought up another reason for considering such a project in the Appalachian Basin. Bryan Morreale, of the U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory, who heads NETL’s office of research and development for its molecular science division, noted that the impact of Hurricane Harvey on Texas’ massive petrochemical industry makes a case for adding ethane hub here. As Morreale noted the shutdown of petrochemical refineries along the Gulf Coast, he said the actions would precipitate temporary price increases in gasoline “and everything else – even a gallon of milk.”

Irma Cuts Power to 2.4 Million, Shuts Ports, Imperils Crops

Bloomberg reports: Hurricane Irma has knocked out power to 2.4 million customers, paralyzed tanker traffic and shut about 6,000 gasoline stations. Once the storm makes its way up Florida’s west coast, it’ll also threaten more than $1 billion worth of crops. NextEra Energy Inc.’s Florida Power & Light utility warned Sunday that some customers may go without power for weeks, and parts of its system may need to be rebuilt “from the ground up.” The company took offline one of two reactors at its Turkey Point nuclear plant south of Miami. Florida, which depends wholly on pipelines and tankers for fuel supplies, was already facing fuel challenges after Hurricane Harvey knocked offline refining capacity in the Gulf Coast.