-The national trade deficit in petroleum products fell by $56.2 billion in 2013, which helped narrow the overall trade deficit by $38.3 billion last year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The American Petroleum Institute cited the Commerce Department’s findings in calling for the Obama Administration to reduce the current backlog of applications for LNG export licenses.
-As if California’s current water supply woes aren’t enough, the state is also running low on natural gas, the Associated Press reports. Harsh winter weather across the U.S. has led to a diversion of supply to Texas, the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountain states. State officials on Thursday urged residents to cut their energy use.
-The weather is affecting natural gas producers as well. Chesapeake Energy CEO Doug Lawler told analysts on Thursday his company’s daily output in December fell short of expectations due to adverse weather conditions. Anadarko reported production disruptions in Colorado earlier this week.
-United Transportation Advisors issued a white paper calling on the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to follow through on its promise to review pipeline regulations and promulgate new standards. The group also urged flexibility in rulemaking to incorporate technological advancements such as leak detection, smart pigs and composite pipes, all of which “may be facing unnecessary regulatory hurdles.”
-Meanwhile, the nation’s second largest railcar manufacturer is offering to retrofit older tank car models that carry crude. Via the Wall Street Journal, Greenbrier CEO William Furman said crude-by-rail risks could be significantly reduced if DOT-111 cars were outfitted with sturdier valves and steel shields on the front and back ends. This would provide a stopgap until newer cars are phased in, Furman said.
