Cadeville Gas Storage LLC (Cadeville) and Perryville Gas Storage LLC (Perryville), two wholly-owned interstate natural gas subsidiaries of Cardinal Gas Storage Partners LLC, have commenced service as of May 1, 2013.

US Representative Mike Pompeo (R-Kansas) has introduced a bill (HR 1900) that would expedite the permitting of new interstate natural gas pipelines. Such projects require approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as well as a number of other federal agencies.

The proposed $2 Billion Kinder Morgan Freedom pipeline project is conducting an open season for shipper commitments from West Texas to California. The California refining market has long operated like an island within the US and has so far received few supplies from new domestic production. To proceed with the project Kinder need shippers to make long term commitments but today’s unsettled markets place a premium on flexibility. Today we conclude our two-part analysis of the chances that the pipeline will get built.

Kinder Morgan is conducting an open season to convert an El Paso Natural Gas pipeline to crude oil service from the Permian Basin in West Texas to California refineries. The ”Freedom Pipeline” project would cost as much as $2 Billion. Before going ahead they need to convince crude producers in the Permian and/or refiners in California to make long term commitments to the pipeline. Today we begin a two part assessment of the chances that this pipeline will get built.

MarkWest Energy Partners LP (NYSE: MWE) has agreed to acquire 100% of the ownership interests of certain midstream assets in the Anadarko Basin from a wholly owned subsidiary of Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE: CHK), for $245 million in cash. The transaction closed simultaneously with the execution of the agreements.

Eagle Rock Energy Partners LP (Nasdaq:EROC) has entered into a new fee-based Gas Gathering, Processing and Purchase Agreement with Monarch Natural Gas LLC, who has offices in Austin, Dallas, and Denver.

Williams (NYSE: WMB) lost a transformative founder and former leader of the company when John H. Williams died at his home in Linville, NC on May 1. He was 94.

In the short term midstream companies with crude-by-rail unloading terminals at the Gulf Coast can deliver cheaper light sweet crudes from the Midwest and West Texas. Once new pipelines come online to deliver that crude direct to Houston that price advantage will disappear. At that point rail terminal operators need to diversify their business to survive. Today we look at the fate of Texas Gulf Coast rail terminal operators.

Plains All American Pipeline LP (NYSE: PAA) is constructing the Cactus Pipeline, a new 310-mile, 20-inch crude oil pipeline from McCamey to Gardendale, Texas.