Natural Gas News – February 8, 2019

Natural Gas News – February 8, 2019

Total Makes ‘Game-Changing’ Gas Condensate Find Off South Africa

S&P Global reported: Total has made a “significant” gas condensate discovery offshore South Africa, opening up a new natural gas and oil play off the southern tip of Africa expected to spark a new round of drilling in the region, the French company said Thursday. The closely watched Brulpadda-1 well in South Africa?s frontier Outeniqua Basin encountered 57 meters of net gas condensate pay after drilling to a target depth of 3,633 meters, Total said in statement. Total gave no official estimate on the potential resources at the find, but it is targeting resources of around 1 billion boe with the well. “With this discovery, Total has opened a new world-class gas and oil play and is well positioned to test several follow-on prospects on the same block,”.

Minnesota Utility Pursues Renewable Natural Gas Option

KSTP reports: A Minnesota utility’s proposal to offer renewable natural gas under a voluntary green tariff pilot program faces opposition from state officials and clean energy advocates who see better ways to decarbonize the economy. If approved by regulators, CenterPoint Energy’s proposal would likely be the nation’s largest renewable natural gas program. Just one other utility in the country, Vermont Gas Systems, has a renewable natural gas green tariff program. “We know that methane can be cleaned up and put on our system,” Mark said. “It’s not free, but we can do it.” Suppliers would capture methane that would otherwise go into the atmosphere through flaring or other means and process it until it can be added to existing pipelines. Other potential sources include animal waste, biomass from wastewater treatment, and wood and agricultural residue, supporters claim. The Minnesota Department of Commerce, which recently issued a report on electrification, raised many issues the commission should investigate, while the attorney general said it should be rejected.