Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman (R) notified US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton that he has approved the proposed Keystone XL crude oil pipeline’s new route across the state.

China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) has signed a cooperation framework agreement with Shenergy Group and Yangkou Port Co. Ltd. to build the Rudong-Haimen-Chongming natural gas pipeline. The 89.5-km pipeline will deliver 2.4 billion cu m/year from Jiangsu province to Chongming Island in Shanghai.

PetroChina let a compression contract for its Third West-East Pipeline Project (WEPP 3) to Rolls-Royce.

Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. (TAQA) has begun restoring the flow of an estimated 80,000 b/d of crude oil in the Brent pipeline system following a precautionary pipeline shutdown because of a hydrocarbon release into a platform leg on the Cormorant Alpha platform, which remains shutin.

Project permits from federal agencies other than the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are taking interstate pipelines longer to obtain since passage of the 2005 Energy Policy Act, a new study by the INGAA Foundation found.

Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. (TAQA) shut down Cormorant Alpha platform in the northern UK North Sea and the Brent System pipeline infrastructure extending through the platform as a precaution following a hydrocarbon release into one platform leg.

Cabinda Gulf Oil Co. Ltd., a Chevron Corp. subsidiary, has completed pipe-end measurement of 19,402 20-in. and 22-in. OD joints for its Congo River Crossing Pipeline project.

Joe Oliver, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, noted strengthened environmental protections introduced by the Canadian government regarding transport of its energy resources as part of remarks welcoming Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP’s Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion project.

Progress Energy Canada Ltd. has selected TransCanada Corp. to design, build, own, and operate the proposed 470-mile Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project.

The Association of Oil Pipelines (AOPL) asked the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Jan. 7 to fix a developing dispute that the trade association says threatens pipelines’ ability to get financing for new construction.

Statoil and partners have submitted plans for development of deepwater Aasta Hansteen natural gas and condensate field offshore Norway and for an affiliated pipeline that will make further exploration and development possible in the northern Norwegian Sea (OGJ Online, July 13, 2012).

Construction and operation of the proposed Keystone XL crude oil pipeline along its revised route, with the necessary mitigation measures, could have minimal environmental impacts on Nebraska, the state’s Department of Environmental Quality said on Jan. 4.

Seaway Crude Oil Pipeline Co. LLC is completing final pump station connections in preparation for increasing capacity to roughly 400,000 b/d from 150,000 b/d.