Feds oppose gas terminal in Long Island Sound The Associated Press N.Y. (AP) — The U.S. Commerce Department on Monday announced its opposition to a proposed massive floating liquefied natural gas terminal in Long Island Sound. Environmentalists hailed the decision as a victory over "the corporate Goliaths of our time." Politicians in New York and Connecticut have campaigned for several years to stop what would have been the world's first floating liquefied natural gas terminal.

LNG opponents to show documentary on fuel dangers Providence Journal -Providence, RI WARREN - Opponents of a proposal to put a liquefied natural gas offloading facility in the middle of Mount Hope Bay are trying to raise concerns about the project with a showing of the 2004 video "The Risks & Dangers of LNG" Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Kickemuit Middle School, 525 Child St. The 45-minute video is being billed by the Kickemuit River Council and Warren Councilman Joseph DePasquale as "the film Weaver's Cove and Hess [Corporation] don't want you to see," a reference to the two developers of the project. Produced by two consumer protection advocates from Oxnard Shores, California, the video was made to demonstrate LNG's vulnerability to accidental disaster and terrorism. It also tries to show that a tanker breach could produce massive destruction to our coastal communities.   EDITORS NOTE: Other groups who are also interested in hosting Public Screenings of the film must contact the Law Office of Tim Riley at 760-683-5898 to discuss the licensing fees and terms. Public Screening of the film is illegal without proper licensing and prior written authorization from the producers. 

KBR pleads guilty in Nigerian bribery case REUTERS UK "Appearing in U.S. District Court in Houston, KBR General Counsel Andrew Farley admitted that the company paid bribes to high-ranking Nigerian officials between 1994 and 2004 to secure four contracts for a KBR joint venture to build and expand Nigeria's Bonny Island liquefied natural gas terminal. Under a deal reached with the U.S. Justice Department, Houston-based KBR and Halliburton will pay a $402 million fine, of which Halliburton has agreed to pay $382 million. In a separate settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Halliburton will disgorge $177 million in profits to settle parallel criminal charges that its former subsidiary violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)."

Oil tanker bursts into flames BBC News, UK - An oil tanker collided with a container ship off the coast of Dubai setting both vessels on fire. The Kashmir was carrying some 30000 tonnes of oil ...     According to AP Story: The Maltese-flagged tanker, Kashmir, was carrying about 30,000 tons of oil condensate, according to Stephen Olley of the Lloyd's Marine Intelligence Unit in Britain. It was headed from Iran to the UAE.

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1344/of2008-1344.pdf Geologic and Seismic Hazards Affecting Proposed Liquefied Natural Gas Site in Santa Monica Bay, California. The LNG facility is proposed to lie in a region of known geologic hazards that include: "Strong shaking from earthquakes: the estimated probability of a magnitude 6.5 or larger earthquake occurring in the next 30 years..."

LNG facility off L.A. coast is scrapped Los Angeles Times, CA  “It marks the second LNG project off the Los Angeles coast to be killed. In 2007, another project died because of opposition from residents.”

Woodside suspends gas project due to tough market  Reuters “Larger rivals have so far failed to convince Californians to accept construction of terminals on or near the mainland, with a similar plan proposed by BHP Billiton Ltd rejected in 2007 after strong public opposition.”

USGS Says Seismic Safety Is Major Issue for Offshore LNG Project Malibu Surfside News - Malibu, CA

2d incident involving an LNG tanker off coast stirs critics Boston Globe The US Coast Guard aided a disabled tanker carrying liquefied natural gas early yesterday after it went adrift 16 miles northeast of Provincetown. It was the second time this year an LNG tanker broke down near the state's coastline. The Coast Guard and the company considered yesterday's incident to be less severe than another one in February. In that case, the LNG tanker Catalunya Spirit went adrift for hours off Cape Cod because a computer glitch caused the vessel to lose power. After the vessel was tugged to shore, it took workers several days to restart the boilers.

Pirates seize oil tanker off East Africa coast Los Angeles Times "Security specialists are concerned that pirates might someday seize a tanker carrying pressurized liquefied natural gas, or LNG, then blow it up or sell it to terrorists. 'If it was an LNG tanker seized, we're looking at something potentially catastrophic,' said Candyce Kelshall, a specialist in maritime energy security at Blue Water Defence, a Trinidad-based firm that provides training to governments and companies combating piracy. 'An LNG tanker going up is like 50 Hiroshimas.'"

Oil and gas pirates of Somalia New Europe - Brussels, Belgium Somali pirates, who have given the Saudi owners of a 1,000- foot oil supertanker a looming deadline to cough up a USD 25 million ransom, could easily seize a tanker carrying pressurised liquefied natural gas, or LNG, a captain of 15 years told New Europe. “Sure. Chemical tankers have already been attacked so why not gas tankers,” Marc Nuytemans, managing director of the Royal Belgian Shipowners’ Association, told New Europe telephonically from Antwerp.

Ala. governor rejects offshore LNG terminal BusinessWeek 

Plans shelved for LNG terminal in South Jersey Newsday

US allows Cove Point LNG expansion to continue Reuters 

Baltimore Co. sued to block gas terminal Baltimore Sun
 

Federal agency opposes open-loop LNG for Gulf al.com In a letter this week, the National Marine Fisheries Service warned the Coast Guard that the open-loop system could kill millions of fish eggs and billions of other microscopic marine organisms, setting back efforts to rebuild populations of red drum, snapper and other fish.

10 Environmental Reasons The Bahamas Should Not Engage in Any LNG ... thebahamasweekly.com, Bahamas

LNG: American Admits Bribing Nigerian Officials THISDAY, Nigeria

Terrorism Scenario Shared By Fire Commissioner Boston Channel.com

Crew crunch may compromise shipping safety standards Emirates Business 24/7

Study: US has up to 50% more natural gas than once thought  USA Today

Samsung to Deliver World's Biggest LNG Tanker for Exxon Project Bloomberg Samsung was contracted to make 11 tankers, each of 266,000 cubic-meter capacity...

NOTE: “The energy content of a single standard LNG tanker (one hundred twenty-five thousand cubic meters) is equivalent to seven-tenths of a megaton of TNT, or about fifty-five Hiroshima bombs." according to Brittle Power Energy Strategy for National Security, Part 2  Disasters Waiting to Happen / Chapter 8: Liquefied Natural Gas (First Prepared as a US Pentagon Study) By Lovins & Lovins at page 88 

House deals blow to proposed Mass. LNG terminal The Associated Press

Court orders review of Cove Point gas project Reuters UK, UK
 

3rd UPDATE: Woodside Says Emissions Plan May Threaten LNG CNNMoney.com
 

Man charged with shining laser at helicopter escorting LNG tanker Boston Globe FBI Investigation Field Div Press

Fed official rules against Fall River LNG terminal Boston Herald

LNG wins federal favor Baltimore Sun

Reversal in LNG Plant Decision Outrages Community ABC2 News MD

More bad news for LNG plan Providence Journal, RI

LNG could hit US$40 Trinidad News, Trinidad and Tobago

LNG may turn more expensive than crude oil Business Intelligence Middle East (press release), United Arab Emirates 

Plans for Long Beach liquid natural gas terminal shelved Los Angeles Times  Facing significant opposition, Mitsubishi subsidiary Sound Energy Solutions withdraws its LNG proposal.

Cheniere's problems grow as LNG market slumps Houston Chronicle, United States

Latest appeal on Fall River LNG proposal fails Boston Herald

Canadian Superior plans LNG facility off New Jersey Reuters Canada

LNG facility in Mass. Bay takes first delivery Boston Globe

Court removes hurdle for LNG plant at Sparrows Point Baltimore Sun

Gas Plant in L.I. Sound Is Rejected - New York Times A broad range of environmental groups, community activists and elected officials from New York and Connecticut have strongly opposed ...

NY rejects Long Island Sound LNG terminal | Reuters Similar projects have been canceled by energy companies facing opposition from community groups and local governments opposed to construction of the terminals.

Carbon trade to burst LNG bubble The Australian  Australia's booming $15billion a year LNG export industry has plans to triple output by 2017, which would see it eclipse coal as Australia's biggest commodity export. liquefied natural gas, could stall if new investors are forced to comply with an emissions trading scheme from 2010... Although the combustion of LNG produces up to half the emissions of coal, it involves a more greenhouse-intense production process than other fossil fuels because large amounts of energy are needed to freeze the gas for export in liquid form.

REMINDER: LNG Has 35% Higher Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Than Coal  In the September 2007 edition of the journal Environmental Science and Technology, Carnegie Mellon researchers show that liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported from foreign countries and used for electricity generation could have 35 percent higher lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions than coal used in advanced power plant technologies. The researchers point out that LNG has many indirect impacts compared to domestic gas. LNG is extracted in a foreign country, liquefied, put into a tanker to cross oceans, and then regasified and put into pipelines when it reaches the U.S. Each of these steps leads to indirect environmental impacts, such as carbon dioxide emissions from changing from gas to liquid and back.

ALERT: House passes Coast Guard bill despite Bush veto threat The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Defying President Bush's threatened veto, the House on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a bill making the Coast Guard enforce security zones around eight liquefied natural gas terminals and any arriving tankers - all potential terrorism targets. Read Bill Text: https://thomas.loc.gov

ALERT: New York Rejects Broadwater LNG Plant For Sound Hartford Courant

Clinton, Obama support LNG states-rights bill Longview Daily News, WA

FERC authorizes larger LNG vessel access EnergyCurrent, TX  FERC has determined that the Sabine Pass liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal can receive LNG tankers with cargo capacities of up to approximately 9.3 MMcf (266000 cubic meters).

Supreme Court says Delaware can block BP LNG project Bizjournals.com, NC

First onshore US LNG port in 25 yrs nears startup Reuters

ALERT: Helpless LNG Tanker Adrift off Cape Boston Herald, United States - 2/11/08 Tug boats are racing to help a stricken Liquefied Natural Gas tanker which lost power 35 miles off Cape Cod, leaving it at the mercy of powerful winds and 12-foot high waves.  The fully laden, 933-foot long tanker Catalunya Spirit, with 29 listed aboard, was en route to Boston from Trinidad and Tobago when it lost propulsion at about 3 a.m. today, according to the U.S. Coast Guard in Boston… UPDATE: 2/12/08 Tugs assist, investigation underway; 2/13/08 repairs & investigation of computer glitch continue, electrical restored; 2/14/08 power restored, boilers activated, and testing operating system before turning on propulsion. 2/15/08 After several days of troubleshooting, repair specialists determined a malfunctioning boiler feed pump, which supplies water to the main propulsion boilers, caused the Catalunya Spirit's loss of power and propulsion. Captain of the Port of Boston reviewed and approved the final repair certification presented by Lloyd's Register and Teekay Corporation. The LNG delivery through Boston Harbor was cancelled.

ALERT: MARITIME SECURITY (GAO REPORT) - LNG Tankers Vulnerable & Security Resources Lacking  Government Accountability Office Report LNG Tankers face three main types of threats - suicide attacks, 'standoff' attacks, and armed assaults resulting in severe threat to public safety, environmental, and energy supply chain. The Congressional report further admonishes that the US Coast Guard - the lead federal agency for maritime security - has insufficient resources to meet its own self-imposed security standards.

ALERT: Coast Guard stretched thin, and it's about to get worse CBS News, Houston KHOU.com “I think it’s assuming too much the Coast Guard itself is going to come out and say ‘Sorry folks, we can’t protect you,’” said Tim Riley, an attorney who has spent the last five years investigating the dangers of liquefied natural gas. “The Coast Guard has had difficulty meeting its own self-imposed requirements for security,” the GAO report said. “We have started focusing on protecting air travel,” Riley added. “But yet our harbors are very, very risky right now. We should shore it all up before major tragedies start happening in the country.” VIDEO

LNG Tankers Vulnerable The Associated Press-

LNG tankers vulnerable to attack The Australian - Sydney, Australia

Long Island LNG Gas Terminal Nears FERC Approval New York Times FERC staff report drew immediate criticism from Gov. M. Jodi Rell of Connecticut, who called the conclusions ludicrous and said the state would challenge in court any approval of the terminal. “An enormous and potentially flammable industrial facility floating in the middle of Long Island Sound would be as shockingly out of place as a steel plant in a state park,” Gov. Rell said.

December 2007

Council votes to oppose LNG project Malibu Times - Malibu, CA

Wary of Protests, Exxon Plans Natural Gas Terminal in the Atlantic New York Times

Staten Islanders up in arms over proposed floating liquefied ... Staten Island Advance - SILive.com - Staten Island, NY  

Coast Guard rejects Weaver's Cove Energy appeal over LNG terminal Boston Globe - United States

November 2007

ALERT: LNG Investigation - Videos - NBC

Saudi Gas Pipeline Fire Kills 28 The Associated Press  Saudi Arabia (AP) — “An explosion and fire on a gas pipeline killed 28 workers in eastern Saudi Arabia… The Hawiyah plant produces 310,000 barrels of ethane and liquefied natural gas daily.”

UPDATE 4-Fire breaks out at Saudi gas plant, causes deaths Reuters UK  “The state oil company said in a statement the fire was caused by a gas leak in the pipeline around 30 km (18 miles) from the natural gas liquids plant…  

Saudi gas pipeline fire kills 28 Washington Post, United States "It appears to be an accident rather than an act of sabotage," one diplomat said.

 After four died in Ras Tanura fire in July  Gas pipeline blaze kills 28 in Saudi Arabia Al Arabia News Channel, AlArabiya.net, Agencies The Hawiyah plant, which produces 1.4 billion cubic feet (39.6 million cubic metres) of gas a day and cost four billion dollars to build, was launched in October 2002 as the first to process only non-associated gas. 

LA Daily News - Two area liquefied natural gas plants in pipeline Tim Riley, an Oxnard attorney who has made a film about the dangers of liquefied natural gas - or LNG - said the Oxnard LNG terminal could be at risk from earthquakes, accidents and terrorist attacks that would pose a risk to marine life as well as nearby residents. "I can't imagine this getting beyond the Coast Guard (review) because this Clearwater Port is too dangerous, and it's unneeded," Riley said.

October 2007

Coast Guard Says LNG Waterway Unsafe For Tanker Transit BOSTON (AP) -- A proposed liquefied natural gas terminal in Fall River may have been dealt a fatal blow. The Coast Guard has ruled the river approaching the Weavers Cove Energy project is unsafe for navigation by massive LNG tankers.

Smoke from LNG plant could give you cancer Barents Observer - Archangel, Russia
 

September 2007

Third Blue Whale Found Dead Off California Coast Environment News Service - USA ...the carcass was floating south of Platform Grace, Santa Barbara Channel.

Maine: Co. Can't Pull LNG Application Forbes - NY, USA ...board rejected request by Downeast LNG to withdraw application and to later resubmit

FERC approval of Four new, expanded natural gas facilities By customer@ferc.gov

August 2007

Paperwork for First of Two Area LNG Projects Accepted by Feds  Malibu Surfside News  Neither project sits well with some environmentalists, like Oxnard attorney Tim Riley, who is gearing up to battle an LNG terminal 13 miles west of his Oxnard Shores home. "This is a guinea pig project that is going to be twice as close to Oxnard as the BHP Billiton one," he said. "It will have two LNG tankers at it so it will be at least twice as dangerous, so we all need to team together as with BHP Billiton and work twice as hard." Riley noted that the old oil platform has reached the end of its design life, and was supposed to be removed from its prominent position on the sunset horizon in Ventura County.

Canadian PM to Bush: No LNG Tankers OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper has reiterated in a private meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush that Canada will not let massive tankers carry liquefied natural gas through tricky Head Harbour Passage.

Natural Gas Imported To US For Electricity Generation May Be Environmentally Worse Than Coal  Science Daily A team of Carnegie Mellon University researchers report that the choices U.S. officials make today could limit how the nation's future energy needs are met and could cost consumers billions in idle power plants and associated infrastructure systems. "...liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported from foreign countries and used for electricity generation could have 35 percent higher lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions than coal used in advanced power plant technologies."

Is pipeline's approval an ironic death knell for LNG plans? Daily Breeze "The Sempra plant alone can supply all the future needs anyone responsible now forecasts for California," Garamendi notes. "... any other LNG facility is economically problematic," Garamendi said.

LNG expansion plans approved Savannah Morning News, GA Local critic Judy Jennings, of the Sierra Club, said the expansion is not a done deal. Anti-LNG film coming next month The Coastal Group of the Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club plans to screen "The Risks and Dangers of LNG" at 8 p.m. Sept. 20 at The Sentient Bean coffee house, 13 E. Park Ave. Produced by Hayden and Tim Riley, who are consumer protection advocates from Oxnard Shores, Calif., the film demonstrates the perils of LNG and its vulnerability to accidents and terrorism. "This is the film that LNG proponents don't want you to see," says Tim Riley on his Web site, https://TimRileyLaw.com. NOTE: Others who are also interested in obtaining usage rights to the film for public screenings must contact the Law Office of Tim Riley at 760-683-5898 for terms and authorization.

Man-Made Island Proposed for LNG Terminal

FERC staff issues Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Bradwood Landing LNG Project ...

FERC staff issue Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Elba ...

July 2007

Small liquefied gas canisters of acetylene, commonly used by welders, exploded in Dallas. Workers were filling acetylene tanks Wednesday, July 25, 2007 when a malfunction started a chain reaction of explosions that sent debris shooting into the air and onto Interstates 30 and 35E. The explosion rocked buildings as far as 2,000 feet away and sprayed debris 600 feet from the plant. A thick plume of smoke marred the Dallas skyline as flaming debris rained onto a busy highway during a series of explosions at a gas facility near the city's dense downtown area, rattling windows and buildings blocks away. At least three people were injured. 

6.6 Earthquake Aftershock Causes Japan Nuclear Plant to Leak Radioactive Water  MSNBC.com KASHIWAZAKI, Japan - A strong aftershock rocked Japan on Monday just hours after an earthquake left at least seven dead and caused a radioactive water leak and fire at one of the world’s most powerful nuclear power plants.

Malacca Strait pirates still plunderous The Japan Times A fourth case involved a Japanese-operated LNG tanker near Karimun, also in April. The LNG carrier had departed Niigata and was heading toward Singapore when pirates boarded near Karimun. A crew member found four men in the steering room.

June 2007

Judge backs county LNG ban Baltimore Sun

US Senate Rejects Giving States Greater Say Over LNG Projects CNNMoney.com

Congressional delegates back amendment to block LNG site Boston Globe

Senate approves bill establishing LNG approval process Malibu Times - Malibu, CA

May 2007

ALERT:  Governor rejects offshore gas project Sacramento Bee, CA - "Any LNG import facility must meet the strict environmental standards California demands to continue to improve our air quality, protect our coast, and preserve our marine environment," the governor said in a statement. But Schwarzenegger said the proposed project by BHP Billiton LNG International Inc. "fails to meet that test."

ALERT:   The California Coastal Commission unanimously voted 12-0 to sink BHP Billiton's LNG floating platform proposal. Three days earlier the California State Lands Commission,  before a packed house untied against LNG (800 inside & over 1000 outside), denied Billiton's LNG Deep Water Port pipeline license.

 

Click Arrow for Tim Riley's appearance before California Coastal Commission

ALERT: The next West Coast LNG Battleground - Platform Grace oil platform 10.5 miles offshore California Coastline  This new guinea-pig LNG fossil-fuel sea-factory proposal will directly impact Malibu, Oxnard, Ventura, and Santa Barbara. The Deep Water Port Act review (same process as for the BHP project), will commence soon - probably within 60 days. This LNG regassification sea-factory proposal has been dubbed 'Clearwater' by its proponents as if it were simply a desalination plant as opposed to a dirty and dangerous LNG fossil-fuel sea-factory. From the get-go, this euphemistic project name is probably a tell-tale sign of just how profoundly our intelligence will be insulted by the predictably superficial spin.

ALERT: According to FERC Chairman - Domestic Gas Reserves are Growing For years the FERC has been urging LNG proliferation in America - claiming our domestic gas reserves are decreasing. Yet now, as the FERC pushes for expansion of new pipelines they claim - domestic gas reserves are increasing. Is this inconsistency due to incompetence, intentional manipulation or simply unrestrained arrogance?  Rockies Pipeline Project: Laying the Groundwork Energy Central  In any event, the Rockies Express-West will deliver reliable and affordable supplies to others around the country, says FERC Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher. "The Rocky Mountain region is a major supply source for the Lower 48 states and its production continues to grow," he adds. "In addition, the amount of proven reserves, critical for increased production, is growing as well."

ALERT: House Bill to Give Local & State Governments Right to Prevent LNG Plants  Washington, D.C. Congressman Ruppersberger, Cummings, and Sarbanes (D-Maryland) introduced legislation in the United States House of Representatives that will give local and state governments the right to veto the location of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility. The bill would strike a provision in the Energy Act of 2005 that gave the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the authority to preempt local and state concerns about the location, construction, and operation of an LNG facility.

Council receptive to offshore LNG plan Long Beach Press-Telegram

LNG concerns inspire federal legislation Baltimore Sun - Baltimore, MD

Global axis of oil and gas ASIA Times The prospects of direct or indirect manipulation of global gas prices and of a more frequent and widespread use of gas as a political/geopolitical weapon are distinct possibilities, they fear. From the perspective of the US and its closest allies, this strikes at the heart of their strategic security interests and imperils the global dominance of the industrialized powers in the West.

LNG advocates spin revolving door again San Francisco Chronicle

Governor likes LNG despite panel vote San Francisco Chronicle

State's stance unclear after rejection of LNG terminal Sacramento Bee

LNG too perilous for offshore site Los Angeles Daily News

Keep Oxnard Clean Los Angeles Times Editorial It's a complicated call to make, but when officials weigh in on the proposal this week, they should vote a resounding "no."

Editorial: Conserve, don't buy into LNG Ventura County Star, CA

Feds Defend LNG Fast Track as Clock Starts Malibu Surfside News, CA Opponents Dominate First of Three Cabrillo Port Hearings in Eight Days: Tim  Riley, an anti-LNG activist from Oxnard Shores, noted that “every single elected public official” who testified, spoke against the project. “That’s what so remarkable, the hardworking blue collars are agreeing with the rich and famous,” he said.

Two State Commission Staffs Split on Cabrillo Port Malibu Surfside News, CA The California Coastal Commission  report said the total impact of compressing natural gas in Australia, shipping LNG cargoes across the Pacific, and then burning gas to heat up the fluid at Cabrillo Port would add 26.4 million tons per year of greenhouse gas to the globe's atmosphere. Coastal staff said Cabrillo Port's impact on the surrounding environment would be incompatible with state coastal law in 14 major areas. The CCC report said BHP Billiton is mitigating some of the 14 negative impacts, but cannot possibly comply with state coastal laws related to air quality, oil spill prevention and response, earthquake and tsunami hazards, and the visual impact on the spectacular coastal views between Malibu and Oxnard.

March 2007

Watchdog Agency Slams LNG Science and Says Experts Can’t Assess Disaster Potential
Malibu Surfside News - Malibu, CA  Oxnard anti-LNG film producer Tim Riley said, “The GAO study shows the federal scientists are finally admitting that they do not know what the effects of millions of gallons of cryogenically-chilled liquid on a ship’s decks will be. We’ve been saying all along it would make the ship’s skin peel like a banana, and now they say they agree that more study has to be done." Riley, an Oxnard Shores attorney, said the GAO study says the same thing that he was labeled an “extremist” for bringing up three years ago. “  And there are a lot of additional questions raised by the study, like who were the scientists who were interviewed?” he said. “A lot of those people may work for the LNG industry as safety consultants.” Riley said the GAO study shows “an ever-changing worst-case scenario” and said Malibu residents cannot rest assured that the permanently-anchored Cabrillo Port would stay put in an emergency. “BHP Billiton has a proven record of failure in that department, one of its natural gas terminals that was supposedly hurricane-proof came loose in a hurricane and traveled 200 kilometers (124 miles) upside down,” he said. “There is nothing to stop an LNG leak from snapping those anchors, and the wind from blowing that facility onto the shore."

Report tells risks of LNG attacks Ventura County Star ,CA, USA  In calling for further research on LNG safety, the government report points out that previous studies have been based on inconsistent computer models instead of factual data, said Oxnard Shores attorney Tim Riley. "We've been saying this for years," said Riley, who produced a documentary on the dangers of LNG. "Our detractors try to call us fearmongers. I think they are going to be hard-pressed to call the GAO fearmongers. We've just been asking for reasonable prudence and urging more testing. We are glad to see the (government) officials are finally in agreement." LNG facilities that are awaiting government approval should be put on hold until additional research is completed, Riley said.

Court: U.S. can regulate emissions MSNBC WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court ordered the federal government on Monday to take a fresh look at regulating carbon dioxide emissions... Carbon dioxide is produced when fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas are burned... states have the right to sue the EPA to challenge its decision...

Probe Broadens into Allegations of White House Pressure on EPA in Cabrillo Port Flip-Flop  Malibu Surfside News

BHP gas port would pollute air, study says Ventura County Star, CA

Waxman wants BHP gas investigation Ventura County Star, CA

BHPB Cabrillo Port Hearing schedule   Final EIR of LNG project   California Coastal Commission Report Recommending OBJECTION to BHP's Proposed LNG project

McFarlane says renewable energy best solution for terror threats United States should accelerate development of renewable energy sources because of increased risk from terrorist attacks that could cripple the economy, said former national security adviser to President Reagan.

Blumenthal Demands Air Security For LNG Depot TheDay - New London, CT AG says no-fly zone a critical issue for Broadwater proposal

Congressional delegation opposed to LNG terminal Boston Globe - Boston, MA

Top LNG Concern: Who Will Pay For Security? TheDay - New London, CT  Officials Pan Proposed Terminal, Say Security Of Tankers No Sure Bet  Connecticut and its coastal towns would have to redo their emergency response plans if the Broadwater liquefied natural gas terminal is allowed to locate 10.5 miles from the shoreline in Long Island Sound, the head of the state Department of Homeland Security said Thursday. Commissioner Wayne Sanford, speaking during a meeting of the task force set up by Gov. M. Jodi Rell to analyze the Broadwater LNG proposal, said the cost of rewriting the plans and purchasing any equipment that would be needed to protect the public if an accident or attack occurred on the facility is unknowable at this point. “Where would the money come from to pay for this?” he asked. “Would the corporation (Broadwater) pay to update the plans?” Exercise drills would also need to be conducted on the new plans, he added. “The plan is useless unless you exercise it over and over again.”

Race against time as stricken ship drifts towards gas platform Scotsman - Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Tension surrounds plan for natural gas terminal in LI Sound Newsday - Long Island, NY

Sailboat Incident Prompts Tighter Security at Elba Island LNG Terminal (Subscription) Natural Gas Intelligence

Giuliani Says Broadwater LNG Plan For Sound Is Safe, Secure, Needed TheDay - New London, CT "Giuliani Partners was hired by Broadwater to conduct an analysis of the proposed terminal ..."

Terror attack fears for LNG plant BBC News - UK
 

Protest plunge: Blumenthal leads swim to protest gas platform proposed for Long Island Sound Stamford Advocate - Stamford, CT

Second protest over gas pipeline BBC News - UK A group of around 12 demonstrators have begun a fresh protest against work on a gas pipeline in the Swansea Valley. Some residents in Milford Haven formed a campaign group, Safe Haven, to try to prevent two LNG terminal being built in the town, citing concerns over safety. An offshoot campaign, Safe Haven Network, has also taken part in protests against the pipeline.

Group opposes plan for liquefied gas facility Baltimore Sun - Baltimore, MD Officials including Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, Gov.-elect Martin O'Malley, Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr., state senators and delegates and the councilman representing the Dundalk area, have all stated opposition to the project.  LNG report finalized Examiner.com Members of a state-appointed task force studying liquid natural gas signed a final report Thursday that all but condemns an LNG terminal...

Security found lax at LNG sites Washington Times - Washington, DC

December 2006

PHMSA Advisory on Pipeline Safety:  Lessons Learned From a Security Breach at a Liquefied Natural Gas Facility [In the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), PHMSA - the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has public responsibilities for safe and secure movement of hazardous materials to industry and consumers by all transportation modes, including the nation's pipelines.]

LNG Consultation Offer Rejected The Bahama Journal - Nassau,Bahamas
 

Nigeria Pipeline Blast Kills Over 200  Outside the Beltway Thieves trying to steal gas from a pipeline in Lagos, Nigeria have caused an explosion that has killed over 200 people. At least 200 people were killed Tuesday when a pipeline carrying petroleum products exploded...

  Pipeline Blast Incinerates Dozens   CNN

LNG tanker asleep at the slip? River is no racetrack Savannah Morning News  "... and apparently wasn't refuted - that the tractor tugs tending the Golar Freeze were not in the proper position for a vessel discharging LNG. Mr. McCarthy also said the docking pilot on watch on the bridge of the Golar Freeze was asleep and not monitoring the Charleston's progress upriver."

LNG facility in Fall River may be out of picture Boston Herald

Governor approves 2 LNG ports Boston Globe

Bonanza in gas exports to US west coast a pipedream, banker warns

$500M for LNG plant not worth it Long Beach Press-Telegram -CA

Proposed gas terminal at Long Beach port is losing steam Los Angeles Times "We're willing to pull the plug if the city isn't going to support the project," said Long Beach Harbor spokesman Art Wong.

Tanker collision near LNG berth BBC News - UK Mr Sangster told BBC Wales he did not know what the tanker was carrying but said there was no danger to the immediate area. He said: "We're assessing what happened and an investigation will take place looking not just at the accident but what needed to be done. "We will be looking at the cause of why it happened and what other steps can be taken to ensure that it doesn't happen again."  A spokesman for SemLogistics said "superficial" damage was caused to both the tanker and the jetty and that the vessel, the 18,000-tonne MV Prospero, was empty at the time.

EPA shortens science reviews, angering some LA Times "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday streamlined the way it updates regulations for the nation's worst air pollutants, a move that drew immediate charges that officials are trying to quash scientific review to benefit industry at the expense of public health. The changes, some of which closely mirror requests by the American Petroleum Institute and Battery Council International industry groups, include shortening what is now an exhaustive scientific review, and replacing recommendations prepared by career scientists and reviewed by independent advisors with a "policy paper" crafted by senior White House appointees at the agency..."

Mayor vows to fight LNG terminal Long Beach Press-Telegram, CA

Scientists Cite Flaws In LNG Assessment TheDay - New London, CT

Renewed Call For LNG Referendum The Bahama Journal - Nassau, Bahamas

Photo credit: shanghaidaily.com

Hundreds flee as LNG leaks in north China

Small LNG Tank Leak - Huge Plume & Evacuation:  “A SPILL of liquefied natural gas sent hundreds of families fleeing their homes, shut down two schools and forced workers to evacuate from 15 factories in northeast China's Liaoning Province on Monday, a media report revealed yesterday… The mishap occurred around 6:30am on Monday while workers were conducting a routine valve check at a 400-cubic-meter container used to hold the gas. LNG is natural gas cooled into liquid form for easier transport. During the inspection, the valve froze in an open position, and fuel began pouring out. As the liquid warmed, it turned back to a gaseous state and nearly 30,000 cubic meters of fumes dispersed over a six square-kilometer area, the news report said… ‘It's fortunate there was no wind,’ Jiang Yonghe, director of Fushun's fire bureau, told reporters. ‘Otherwise, an explosion could have occurred if the wind had pushed the fumes near an open flame.’"

NOTE:  The holding tank pictured above in the China LNG leak accident holds just 400-cubic meters, yet produced a six square-kilometer plume. The typical LNG tanker holds 120,000-cubic meters, and since U.S. LNG plume leak estimates are based upon hypothetical ‘worst case’ scenarios and calculated by disputed computer modeling - we still don’t know how far a large hazardous plume will actually spread. Apparently, we now have an actual baseline calculation (approximately: 400-cubic meter LNG leak produces a six square-kilometer hazardous plume).

SEE ALSO:  New Sandia Report of 7 Mile LNG Vapor Cloud Emediawire  Consumer protection advocates and filmmakers Tim Riley and Hayden Riley, producers of the LNG documentary film The Risks and Danger of LNG, are very concerned about the ever-changing ‘worst case’ scenarios for LNG spills. “This new Sandia 7 mile ‘worst case’ scenario is even more frightening than their earlier ‘worst case’ reported in December of 2004, which determined an offshore flammable LNG vapor cloud could extend approximately 2 miles,” said co-producer Tim Riley. “What is equally disturbing, according to co-producer Hayden Riley, “Sandia admitted in its 2004 report that it is relying on, ‘... the dynamics and dispersion of a large spill, and the hazards of such a spill, are not fully understood.’ So that means Sandia doesn’t really know how much further an LNG vapor cloud could actually extend.” “Sandia further disclosed that, ‘It is evident that there is a lack of large-scale spill data for model comparison.’ Sandia also urged that, ‘experimental validation should be undertaken;’ and we agree,” said Tim Riley In their film, The Risks and Danger of LNG, the Riley’s provide a vivid and riveting counter-point to the LNG industry safety claims by exposing the documented hazards of LNG. They point out the unreliability and inconsistency of LNG computer modeling, and urge the federal government to conduct large-scale offshore LNG spill tests…

Residents evacuated following huge LNG spill China Daily – China SHENYANG -- Hundreds of residents were evacuated after a huge spill of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in Fushun City in northeast China's Liaoning Province. ... Initial investigation showed that an operator on duty failed to shut off a tank valve which had been opened for dehydration and had frozen in the cold weather. More than 300 firefighters and policemen were called to help control the leakage and evacuate residents. "The LNG combined with the air to form a 30,000-cubic-meter cloud of poisonous white fumes shrouding the area," said Jiang, adding that the evacuation began immediately after the leak. All the surrounding buildings would be flattened in case of an explosion, according to a firefighter...

Opposition Pipes Up: People who live near a proposed natural gas ... The Register-Guard - Eugene, OR

November 2006

The Bahamas to Host LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) Protest Concert PRNewswire

Northeast lawmakers expect boost in LNG fight Boston Globe

Opposition Stirs With LNG Report Fairfield Citizen-News - CT

First victory for Trebanos protestors at LNG pipeline Indymedia UK

Cabrillo Port Smog Impact Estimates Climb Upward MalibuSurfsideNews

LNG opponents hail Ventura vote to hold facility to stricter ... Malibu Times - Malibu,CA

Department of Revolving Doors Los Angeles Times - CA Joe Desmond, the energy advisor to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, has taken a new job with a Houston-based company seeking to operate a liquefied natural gas terminal about 12 miles off the Ventura County coastline... Desmond is the former chairman of the California Energy Commission - which recently released a report calling for more LNG supply - but Desmond's job there ended when the state Senate refused to confirm him. Lawmakers thought he was too sympathetic to building coal-fired power plants and favored deregulation of the energy industry. Schwarzenegger then appointed him as undersecretary of energy affairs in the Resources Agency.

Pipeline protesters pull in a steady flow of support ic Wales - United Kingdom

Pipe protest enters second week BBC News - UK

New York Offshore LNG terminal gets FERC thumbs up Reuters - USA

LNG pipe march ic Wales - United Kingdom

Agency Backs LNG Terminal Hartford Courant Says Facility In Sound Would Be Safe; Foes Vow To Fight

FERC staff issue Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the Broadwater LNG Project, Long Island Sound

Feds refuse to back off permit for BP's LNG plant The News Journal - Wilmington, DE

Protesters occupy LNG pipeline BBC News - UK

Yemen steps up security after Qaida threat United Press International - USA A Yemeni official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told United Press International Friday that all security precautions have been taken at ports, airports and oil installations, especially at the site of a project for liquefied natural gas (LNG).... A private U.S. institution for financing foreign investments, OPIC, expressed in a recent report fears that the LNG project it is funding in Yemen could be a target for a terrorist attack on the model of the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole, which was hit by a booby-trapped boat in the port of Aden killing 17 American sailors. 

Schwarzenegger re-election delights BHP Sydney Morning Herald - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Taking aim at LNG plans Boston Globe;

US is urged to delay action on LNG ports Boston Globe

OPIC Concerned By Total-Led Yemen LNG Terror Risk-Sources Easy Bourse (Communiqués de presse) - Paris, France
 

BHP's still California dreaming The Australian - Sydney,Australia

Are You Voting for the Terminator's Terminals? Truthout.org

October 26, 2006

News Flash: Governor says no stand taken on LNG Malibu Times

October 23, 2006

Celebrities, Residents Protest LNG Terminal CBS 2 - Los Angeles,

Pierce Brosnan Brings Out Malibu's Hollywood Power to Oppose LNG PCH Press - Malibu  "Tim and Hayden Riley from LngDanger.com donated copies of their DVD The Risks And Dangers of LNG to the event. The Rileys have been involved in the movement to oppose LNG from the early stages. And, the film exposes the serious risks invovled in using LNG in the United States."

A wave of celebrity protest in Malibu Los Angeles Times 

October 17, 2006

Residents storm out of hearing on LNG tankers Providence Journal - Providence, RI

Anti-LNG forces rally with candidate in NB Coos Bay World - Coos Bay, OR

October 16, 2006

Liquefied gas' future in hands of next governor San Francisco Chronicle

October 15, 2006

Hundreds protest proposed LNG port Ventura County Star CA  With hopes of stemming what they see as a possible environmental and human catastrophe, hundreds gathered in downtown Oxnard Saturday to protest the proposed liquefied natural gas project just miles off the coast....  Protests were also held in Oregon, Washington and in Tijuana, Mexico.

October 14, 2006

Barge explosion death toll mounts The Daily Advertiser - Lafayette, LA Local authorities on Friday continued their search for the missing, now deemed a "recovery effort" while federal authorities investigated the reasons behind the explosion that occurred when a tugboat carrying two barges struck an underwater gas pipeline…

October 11, 2006

LNG fears raised in India Trade Winds (Subscription) "Safety fears over substandard construction hotly debated with LNG vessels as targets for terrorism once again to the fore."

October 9, 2006

Huge Baja Project May Chill Others' LNG Plans Los Angeles Times

El Paso Officially Scraps LNG Plan The Bahama Journal - Nassau, Bahamas When confronted with the news, Sam Duncombe of reEarth stated "one down, two to go."

October 6, 2006

Community Opposes LNG Plant; Lawsuit Filed WBAL Channel.com - Baltimore, MD

October 4, 2006

Bluffs Park site of two anti-LNG rallies same week Malibu Times - Malibu, CA

October 3, 2006

LNG site confirmed as Port Taranaki Radio New Zealand, New Zealand The location of a potential liquefied natural gas project in New Zealand has been confirmed as Port Taranaki. Radio New Zealand reported last month that Port Taranaki has been selected as the preferred site for the LNG import site in favour of Northport near Whangarei. Contact Energy and Genesis Energy are considering importing LNG to meet the country's rising energy needs, as the huge Maui gas field starts to run out.  The two have formed a new company called Gasbridge...

El Paso scraps plan for proposed pipeline to link Bahamian LNG to Florida SNLi

September 29, 2006

Angelides Opposes LNG Terminal Los Angeles Times "This coastline is one of our most precious assets, an asset we have an obligation to leave pristine for generations to come," Angelides told a cheering audience. "We cannot despoil our coast with these LNG facilities." Angelides criticized Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for his support of marine LNG terminals, including one proposed by Australian energy giant BHP Billiton Inc. The company's plan to place a floating gas-processing plant 14 miles off the Southern California coast has drawn the wrath of many local elected officials and activists. Angelides said the plan is incompatible with the state's tradition of protecting the marine environment and beaches from energy development. He said if he were elected governor, he would veto the project.

The biggest issue you've never heard of San Francisco Chronicle "The big Austrialian company, BHP Billiton, has hired a law/lobbying firm which includes as a partner George Kieffer. Kieffer happens to be a friend of both the governor and his wife and is a chairman of the governor's re-election campaign." 

September 28, 2006

LNG site break-in prompts concern Boston Globe

September 27, 2006

Report Looks At Alarm In LNG Plant Breach Boston Channel.com - MA,

September 23, 2006 (

Bid to terminate BHP venture gains pace Sydney Morning Herald - Sydney,New South Wales, Australia

September 22, 2006

Large Numbers Of Dead Fish Found Near Sakhalin LNG Easy Bourse (Communiqués de presse) - Paris, France  LONDON -(Dow Jones)-

PUC Clears Way for Liquefied Gas Imports Los Angeles Times

Coast Guard: LNG terminal would require additional security Newsday - Long Island, NY "Based on current levels of mission activity, Coast Guard Sector Long Island currently does not have the resources required to implement the measures that have been identified as being necessary to effectively manage the potential risk to navigation safety and maritime security associated with the Broadwater Energy proposal," the report states.

Coast Guard Releases Broadwater LNG Safety and Security Report  USCG Press release   

Click here to read the full report "WATERWAY SUITABILITY REPORT FOR BROADWATER LNG FACILITY"

September 21, 2006

ALERT: US EPA reopens comment period for Cabrillo Port water discharge ... U.S. EPA.gov (press release) - Washington, DC

Concerns Raised Over Natural Gas From Abroad Los Angeles Times - CA  

Related Story: LNG Causes Pipeline Leaks - Warning by LngDanger.com IndustrialNewsUpdate.com

September 20, 2006

Hollywood versus BHP Melbourne Herald Sun - Australia  Celebrities who are supporting the anti-BHP proposal include Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Sting, Dick Van Dyke, Jane Seymour, Dylan McDermott, Martin Sheen, James Brolin, Kenny G, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Cindy Crawford, Daryl Hannah and Ed Harris.

Natural gas surplus could trigger drilling cutbacks National Post - Canada CALGARY - With a 400-billion-cubic-foot natural gas surplus hanging over their heads, many oil and gas producers may be forced to pull back drilling activity in the coming months after having ramped up aggressively this decade in the belief the lowest-cost supplies of the fuel were running out. The huge surplus, a result of last year's balmy winter, is expected to push up inventory levels in the United States to an estimated 3.5 trillion cubic feet at the end of October, 12% higher than the five-year average. It's also the highest capable storage in the United States without adding compression. It's so big it is pushing gas prices to lows few thought would ever return.  See Also:  Analyst says US LNG not hurt by gas plunge HOUSTON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The recent skid in natural gas prices will cause some private investors to restudy plans for U.S. liquefied natural gas terminals...