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AMERICANGAST H E M O N T H L Y M A G A Z I N E O F T H E A M E R I C A N G A S A S S O C I A T I O N MARCH 2015

A CONVERSATION WITH SENATOR AND ENERGY

LEADER LISA MURKOWSKI

WILL A SMALL U.S. CITY BE THE FIRST TO SOLVE THE WORLDWIDE PROBLEM OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY? 28

ARE YOU USING SOCIAL MEDIA THE RIGHT WAY? 34

‘IT ALL COMES DOWN TO BALANCE’:

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Itron’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure solution helps utilities deliver natural gas more effi ciently than ever before. Itron’s AMI solution enhances safety, expands customer service benefi ts and empowers gas utilities to realize new cost saving opportunities and deliver added-value services.

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Is Your SystemStanding Up to

EXTREMECONDITIONS?

MARCH 2015 AMERICAN GAS 1

COVER PHOTO AND ABOVE PROVIDED BY SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R-ALASKA)

AMERICAN GASVOLUME 97 NUMBER 2 MARCH 2015

20

AMERICANGASAMERICAN GAS

PIPELINE

Plugged In 5

Digest 6 Schools cut costs by switching to natural gas; Argentina boosts offshore oil and natural gas produc-tion; UGI brings Utica Shale gas to Pennsylvania; and more.

Fresh Ideas 6 Waste Management heats homes, businesses with repurposed landfill gas.

Customer Service 7, 82014 Utility Customer Champions share a common factor; Pennsylvania PUC lowers barriers to LDC expansion.

Industry 7, 9Executives aren’t worried about natural gas or oil supplies in U.S.; Bidirectional pipeline capacity is on the upswing.

NGV 10Natural gas transportation fuel is still trending up.

By the Numbers 11 When winter weather rolls in, more households turn to natural gas for heat.

People 12

Places 13

STATE WATCH

Hawaii 15

Compressed gas liquid could increase the reliability of the state’s synthetic natural gas operations.

Colorado 16Ice cream and hydraulic fracturing have more in common than you might think.

Missouri 16Kansas City is gung ho for natural gas vehicles, and it’s not done yet.

New Jersey 17Reducing a surcharge on the state’s utility bills would help residential and business customers.

North Carolina 18State-supported grants are cleaning up polluted air in metropolitan areas.

West Virginia 18A five-year field study hopes to uncover greater efficiencies in shale gas development.

BURNER TIPS

Social Media 34The power of a simple thank-you is multiplied when you factor in social media, says E Source’s Kim Burke. Here’s how to use social media to engage with customers, increase their satisfaction and build your brand.

DEPARTMENTS

President’s Message 2It’s our role to continue to remind policymakers at every level that direct use of natural gas has positive environmental and efficiency benefits.

Jobs 32

Advertisers’ Index 35

Making a Difference 36A PG&E employee and veteran is honored to serve as a guardian for the Honor Flight program.

F E A T U R E S

Cover Story 20 “It All Comes Down to Balance”From growing up in Alaska to her energy policies, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski shares what will guide her in her new role as chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Feature 28A Race for the PrizeBY ADAM FOLK

Over the next two years, communities across the U.S. will work with local distribution companies to improve energy efficiency as they compete for the Georgetown University Energy Prize.

AMERICAN GAS MARCH 20152

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Today, more than 177 million Americans use natural gas to heat their homes, warm their water and cook their food, and they understand the comfort, affordability and reliability of this abun-dant domestic resource. We continue to remind policymakers at every level of the environmental and efficiency benefits of the direct use of natural gas. Whether it is the administration’s Clean Power Plan, the U.S. Department of Energy’s

codes for appliances and buildings or an uneven playing field for natural gas transportation, we are pushing to reduce barriers to opportunities where the benefits of natural gas can give consum-ers, businesses and our nation a clear advantage.

In this month’s issue of American Gas, we profile U.S. Sentor Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, one of the preeminent voices on Capitol Hill advocating for efficient and effective use of our nation’s natu-ral resources. In the new Republican majority, Sen. Murkowski is now chair of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. We are glad to have this unique opportunity to hear her thoughts on the role that energy—specifically natural gas—plays in moving our nation forward.

The production, transportation and delivery of energy was a part of my upbringing in Oklahoma. I think that is similar in Alaska, where energy is a way of life. That is reflected in Sen. Murkowski’s leadership as she advocates with great passion for constructive energy policies that benefit our entire country and President and CEO, [email protected]

BUILDING CONSENSUS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL preserve its natural beauty. In these pages, she restates her belief in an American energy sector that provides jobs and high wages and allows her constituents to live, work and play in a state that her family has called home for three generations.

Avid readers might recall that we featured Sen. Murkowski in the November 2011 issue of American Gas. She reflects now on what has changed since then, noting that “the role of natural gas within the nation’s energy policy has grown stronger than ever.” In February 2013, the senator released the broad-ranging energy policy blueprint Energy 20/20. She is quick to point out that this document is meant to serve as the beginning of a conversation about how policy can be shaped in the next few years to make energy “abundant, affordable, clean, diverse and secure.” That is a discussion that we are happy to be a part of.

After some difficult times for our nation, there is good news, starting with a burgeoning energy sector driving an economy that has shown growth and resilience. Still, there are many areas where we need to invest assets and attention to ensure prosperity and opportunity for future generations. u

It’s our role to continue to remind policymakers at every level

that direct use of natural gas has positive environmental

and efficiency benefits, thus reducing barriers and giving

consumers, businesses and our nation a clear advantage.

BY DAVE McCURDY


BelGas.net 800.727.5646

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OFFICERS

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARDTerry D. McCallister, WGL Holdings Inc.

FIRST VICE CHAIRMANRalph A. LaRossa, Public Service Electric & Gas Co.

SECOND VICE CHAIRMANPierce H. Norton II, ONE Gas Inc.

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMANGregg S. Kantor, NW Natural

PRESIDENT & CEODave McCurdy, American Gas Association

GENERAL COUNSELKevin B. Belford, American Gas Association

CORPORATE SECRETARYGary W. Gardner, American Gas Association

CHIEF FINANCIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERKevin M. Hardardt, American Gas Association

DIRECTORS

Craig L. Adams, PECO Energy, an Exelon Co. Dennis V. Arriola, Southern California Gas Co.

Robert F. Beard, UGI Utilities Inc. Lawrence T. Borgard, Utilities, Integrys Energy Group

Carl L. Chapman, Vectren Corp. Kim R. Cocklin, Atmos Energy Corp.

Laurence M. Downes, New Jersey ResourcesJeffrey E. DuBois, South Jersey Gas Co.

Gordon L. Gillette, Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas Kimberly J. Harris, Puget Sound Energy

John P. Hester, Southwest Gas Corp. Glenn R. Jennings, Delta Natural Gas Co. Inc.

Ronald W. Jibson, Questar Corp.Christopher P. Johns, Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

Patricia L. Kampling, Alliant Energy Thomas B. King, US, National Grid

Steven E. Kurmas, DTE Energy Kent T. Larson, Xcel Energy Inc.

James P. Laurito, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. Diane Leopold, Dominion Energy Richard J. Mark, Ameren Illinois

Kevin Marsh, SCANA John McAvoy, Consolidated Edison Inc.

Michael P. McMasters, Chesapeake Utilities Corp.

Scott L. Morris, Avista Corp. Michael Noone, SourceGas

Morgan K. O’Brien, Peoples Natural Gas Scott M. Prochazka, CenterPoint Energy

Ian Robertson, Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. John G. Russell, CMS Energy Corp.

Suzanne Sitherwood, The Laclede Group Inc. Robert C. Skaggs, Jr., NiSource Inc.

Thomas E. Skains, Piedmont Natural Gas Co. Inc. Ronald J. Tanski, National Fuel Gas Co. John W. Somerhalder II, AGL Resources

ADVISORY DIRECTORS

David J. Devine, Kinder Morgan Inc. Julie A. Dill, Spectra Energy Corp.

Gordon L. Gillette, Tampa Electric and Peoples GasPatricia L. Kampling, Alliant Energy

Rodney O. Powell, Northeast UtilitiesWilliam C. Stephens, ATCO Gas

Ronald J. Tanski, National Fuel Gas Co. Craig E. White, Philadelphia Gas Works

The American Gas Association, founded in 1918, represents more than 200 local energy companies that deliver clean natural gas throughout the United States. More than 72 million U.S. residential, commercial and industrial customers use natural gas; 94 percent—more than 68 million customers—receive their gas from AGA members. Natural gas meets almost one-fourth of the United States’ energy needs. Visit us at www.aga.org.

American Gas provides natural gas industry professionals with the information they need to enhance their effectiveness and that of their companies by publishing leading-edge reports on the industry and on American Gas Association activities that offer value to its members.American Gas (ISSN 1043-0652) is published monthly (except for bimonthly August/September and December/January issues) by the American Gas Association, 400 N. Capitol St., N.W., 4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001. Phone numbers: advertising, 717/430-2218; editorial, 717/430-2397; circulation, 866/512-3111; fax, 845/267-3478. Statements of fact and opinion herein are the responsibility of the authors and advertisers alone and do not imply an opinion or endorsement on the part of the American Gas Association.

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: $59 domestic (United States), $110 foreign. Single copies, $7.50 each domestic, $12.50 each foreign. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to American Gas, P.O. Box 317, Congers, NY 10920-0317.

REPRINTS: For high-quality reprints of articles to use in your education, promotional or sales efforts, including electronic reprints, contact Cindy Eyler at Sheridan Reprints at 717/632-3535, x8008 or [email protected]. ©2015 American Gas Association.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

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EDITORIAL DIRECTORTracy L. Burleson

[email protected]/824-7229

CONTRIBUTING EDITORSMichael MurrayJennifer O’Shea

CIRCULATION MANAGERSherri R. [email protected]

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AMERICANGASTHE MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION

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IN THIS SECTION

Trust leads to higher customer service ratings 7

Reducing barriers to LDC expansion 8

Bidirectional pipeline capacity is on the upswing 9

PLUGGED IN

AMERICAN GAS

New software to detect pipeline leaks pays more attention to pressure flow than previous software models, potentially preventing serious explosions and saving the industry millions of dollars.

“We take the data from the pressure and flow meters and put it through a software statistical model we developed to compare it to known thresholds for leaks. From that information, you can know whether there is a leak or there is not a leak,” explained Gary Valtinson, a process design engineer in Norman, Oklahoma, and a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma. Previ-ous software models have focused on flow and have not accurately measured pressure drops in pipelines, which has led to errors, he said.

“Your best equipment to detect leaks is hardware—fiber-optic cables—but those are very expensive. For pipelines that are already in place, it requires digging them up to attach the cables. We thought, ‘What if we looked at it from a

software point of view?’ It’s much more economi-cal because you don’t have to lay something along the pipeline; you just have to look at your meters,” Valtinson told American Gas.

Along with former University of Oklahoma engineering professor Miguel Bagajewicz, who spe-cializes in instrumentation and data reconciliation, Valtinson researched, developed and tested the software model, then reported on it in a recent issue of Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. Ac-cording to their data, the technique detected small leaks and reduced errors from 21 percent to 3 percent when compared with existing software.

“It’s pretty exciting. Our hopes are to get it into the industry,” Valtinson said.

The software-based method, called ALINA, is available through OK-Solutions (www.ok-solutions.org) and can be used as an Internet-based service or as an in-house installed software. —Carolyn Kimmel

The ALINA leak-detection software finds leaks without costly fiber-optics or the hassle of digging up miles of pipeline.


The New Stanton toll plaza is now the first of 17 plazas on the Pennsylvania Turnpike to offer compressed natural gas for passenger and commer-cial vehicles. The Sunoco-brand dispensers are the first natural gas offering in Pennsylvania since the 1990s, according to officials. Honda is the only company mak-ing passenger vehicles that utilize CNG, but others will soon follow suit, said Rick Price, executive director of Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities. Businesses are the most prevalent users of CNG—espe-cially for transit buses and large trucks—due to its economic and environmental benefits.

United School District near Johnstown in western Pennsylva-nia is looking to cut costs by switching to natural gas. The district would save approximately $225,000 a year on fuel by switch-ing from oil to natural gas, accord-ing to Dave Kramer, an account executive with Schneider Electric. Current gas lines would need to be extended about two miles to reach the district at a cost of about $227,000 in addition to fees for permits. Kramer estimated it could take more than a year to complete the permitting and construction to connect the school district, but after two years United should see a return on the investment.

YPF, a state-run energy company in Argentina, and Chile’s state-owned company ENAP have agreed to

AMERICAN GASF R E S H I D E A S

A New DayWaste Management heats homes, businesses with repurposed landfill gas

It’s a new day—a new renewable day—for landfill gas processed at the Renewable Natural Gas Facility operated by Texas-based Waste

Management at its Milam Landfill in Fairmont City, Illinois.

According to Waste Management, the facility, which was undergoing the commissioning process in December, creates pipeline-ready natural gas from the landfill gas produced at Milam, which can then be injected into the Ameren Illinois pipeline for uses such as heat for homes or fuel for trucks and other equipment that run on compressed natural gas.

The Milam Renewable Natural Gas Facility is designed to process about 3,500 standard cubic feet per minute of incoming landfill gas—or as much gas as it takes to fuel about 200 Waste Management CNG collection trucks each day, company officials said.

“The Milam Renewable Natural Gas facility will reduce landfill air emissions as the landfill gas is

treated and then injected into the Ameren Illinois pipeline rather than burned in a flare onsite,” Paul Pabor, vice president of renewable energy at Waste Management, told American Gas. “That makes this new facility something to celebrate from both an environmental and a business perspective.”

An existing Milam Landfill-Gas-to-Energy facility produces 2.4 megawatts of renewable energy. The output from this power plant is now directly connected to the new Renewable Natural Gas Facility, providing the power needed to run the new facility, the company said.

Waste Management says it anticipates a 60 per-cent reduction in emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter because the gas is treated rather than burned onsite.

The new $19 million facility was partially funded by a $2.4 million grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Energy Office.

Officials at Ameren Illinois said the collabo-ration with Waste Management on the renew-able gas facility fit with its own mission.

“Operating in an environmentally responsible manner is one of Ameren Illinois’ core values and it’s important to our customers,” said Richard J. Mark, president and CEO of Ameren Illinois.

Waste Management also operates two other

D I G E S T

Waste Management’s CNG vehicle is in front of Milam’s renewable natural gas facility in Fairmont City, Illinois.

PHO

TO P

ROVI

DED

BY W

ASTE

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ENT


plants that convert landfill gas to natural gas in Ohio and California, where the company collabo-rated on the world’s largest plant to convert landfill gas to ultra-low-carbon liquefied natural gas.

C U S T O M E R S E R V I C E

Whom Do You Trust? 2014 Utility Customer Champions share a common factor

More than 37,000 residential natural gas and electric customers cast their votes for the 2014 Utility Customer Champions,

which were named by Cogent Reports, a division of Market Strategies International.

The winners are industry leaders in building customer trust, delivering excellent service and offering extra products and services that make con-sumers feel they were getting more for their money.

All 48 utilities named Customer Champions— 19 gas utilities, 19 electric utilities and 10 com-bination utility providers—received Engaged Customer Relationship index scores of at least 710 out of a possible 1,000 points. The composite score takes into account separate measures for operational satisfaction, product experience and brand trust.

Trust, as you might guess, is paramount to customers. Interestingly, it wasn’t enough to be excellent at delivering the product that consum-ers had paid for, the process revealed.

“Our research finds that 53 percent of rat-ings utility customers provide on operational satisfaction are influenced by how highly they rate their utility on brand trust. Therefore, brand trust becomes as important to manage as service metrics,” Chris Oberle, author of the report, told American Gas. “Customers lacking brand trust do not rate their gas utility high even when they have accurate bills, no service interruptions and no safety issues. In fact, customers without service issues still score 300 points lower than the utility industry average if they lack brand trust.”

The Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™ study by Cogent Reports is a new industry-leading body of research that enables gas and electric utilities to benchmark perfor-mance, target improvements on how their brand

is perceived and strengthen utility-customer relationships, according to Market Strategies.

Notably, by region, Oberle observed:• East: New Jersey Natural Gas stands out

on how it presents its service options as bundles that focus on true benefits.

• Midwest: CenterPoint Energy-Midwest stands out as a leader in the utility industry in offering value-added home services and products that date back to its days as Minnegasco.

• South: PSNC Energy is rated the most credible communicator in the utility industry—electric or gas.

• West: NW Natural posts the highest envi-ronmental champion score of any natural gas utility.

I N D U S T R Y

Clear Skies AheadIndustry executives: No worries for natu-ral gas or oil supplies in U.S.

There will be plenty of natural gas to meet the country’s needs, and the U.S. will likely be self-sufficient in oil within the next

decade, according to the responses of industry executives polled by consulting firm Deloitte in its 2014 Oil & Gas Survey.

Responses were overwhelmingly positive on a range of topics included in the survey, such as expectations for energy self-sufficiency, price and industry profitability, capital outlays and mergers and acquisition activity, regulatory issues and the broadening of the North American Energy Renais-sance. The 252 professionals surveyed by Deloitte were in a managerial or similar role and had an aver-age of 21 years’ experience in the industry.

The majority of those surveyed said they believe the U.S. energy situation has improved in the last five years, and four out of 10 executives said the energy situation is much better than five years ago.

Ninety percent of respondents believe that rising domestic production will provide enough affordable natural gas supply for new demand sources such as power generation, the chemicals industry, the manufacturing sector, a growing

jointly invest about $200 million to boost offshore oil and natural gas production in southern Argentina. The goal is to ramp up gas output from 2.4 million cubic meters/d to 4 million over the next three years and increase the output of associ-ated liquids from 5,000 b/d to 7,000 b/d, according to YPF. The partnership allows the companies to share financing and accelerate this expansion. The project will be carried out at Magallanes, a block in the South Atlantic off the coast of Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost province of Argentina.

Kansas City-based CorEnergy Infrastructure Trust Inc. has ac-quired a natural gas pipe-line that supplies Laclede Gas Co., which serves the St. Louis area, and Ameren Missouri, which has custom-ers in eastern and central Missouri. The pipeline, formerly owned by St. Peters-based MoGas Pipeline LLC, is 263 miles long and cost CorEnergy $125 million. It runs from northeast Missouri and extends into western Illinois and mid-Missouri. At press time, CorEnergy planned to issue 13 million shares of common stock to partially finance the sale.

Blu Liquefied Natural Gas, a company that supplies the resource to Nampa, Idaho, has formed a campaign to recognize southern Idaho farmers who use natural gas, calling them leaders of a “revolution.” The Treasure Valley Clean Cities Coalition, Lt. Gov. Brad Little and a Blu representative all met at the Blu-owned station to acknowledge farmers and fleet operators who made the switch to natural gas. “McNabb Farms here in Idaho,

D I G E S T

Continued on page 8


AMERICAN GAS

C U S T O M E R S E R V I C E

Pay As You Go? PUC lowers barriers to LDC expansion

A Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania Inc. pilot program approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission will provide a

new way to bring natural gas service to those who request it.

“Many potential customers will have an option to pay for their line extension over a period of 20 years rather than the upfront payment that Columbia Gas has historically been required to charge,” said Mark Kempic, president of Colum-bia Gas of Pennsylvania. “For example, a customer paying the maximum monthly rate of $35 under the new tariff would have been required to provide an upfront payment of more than $4,000 under the previous tariff.”

Since the PUC approved Columbia Gas of

D I G E S T

number of natural gas-powered vehicles and export markets.

Perhaps one of the biggest revelations of the survey came in the share of respondents who said they believe the U.S. has achieved energy security, which jumped from 12 percent in 2012 to nearly 40 percent in the current survey.

The study showed an attitude of contin-ued enthusiasm for the potential of U.S. shale. Sixty-six percent of respondents believe that technological advancements in shale extraction have improved the economics of shale. Some 44 percent point to the smaller environmental footprint of shale as a significant improvement, while 39 percent believe freshwater recycling has improved, according to Deloitte.

Deloitte officials say the 2014 survey’s marked sense of optimism might need to be tempered a bit, however, by events that took place after the October polling of executives, including an almost 15 percent drop in global prices for crude oil, the Republican sweep of midterm elections and a ban on hydraulic fracturing in Denton, Texas.

Continued from page 7as well as Funk Farms and RTTI, these fleets have really led the charge and taken a bit of a risk and it’s paid off for them,” said Zachary Wester of Transfuel Blu LNG.

“Benefits of Natural Gas Produc-tion and Exports for U.S. Small Businesses,” a November 2014 study conducted by the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council has discovered that small and midsize energy companies are growing at a faster rate than the rest of the economy. From 2005 to 2012, when the U.S. employ-ment market lost 378,000 jobs, the energy companies––including the gas extraction, wells, opera-tions, pipeline construction and manufacturing sectors––gained 293,000 jobs. While other small businesses during this time frame struggled, the study concluded that small businesses in the energy sectors grew between 4.9 and 31.3 percent. The SBE Coun-cil is optimistic that these numbers will continue to climb, thanks in part to expansion of American LNG exports.

Danville Public Schools in Danville, Virginia, is seeking al-ternate bus fueling options in the form of natural gas to save on next year’s budget. Interim Superintendent Kathy Osborne said the school district is considering partnering with CNG Technologies to switch from diesel fuel to natural gas. Osborne says the district was influenced to consider the switch by the success of other school districts and local communities that work with CNG, including Washington, D.C., which operates close to 500 natu-ral gas buses. The school district is

Columbia Gas joins a growing number of utilities offering customers the option of paying for line extensions in their monthly bills instead of a large upfront payment.


Pennsylvania’s New Area Service program on Oct. 23, Pennsylvania residents in the company’s service territory have begun to explore this new option to pay for the extension of pipelines to access natural gas, Kempic said.

“The commission’s initiative in approving this program furthers the goal of making natural gas more readily available to residents of Pennsylvania, the second-largest producer of natural gas in the country,” he said. “Natural gas can be as much as 40 percent less expensive than other home energy choices, so now is a great time to be a natural gas customer.”

In 2013, Columbia Gas had 77 projects for gas service that did not go forward, all of which had upfront deposits due, according to Russell Bedell, manager, communications and commu-nity relations for Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania and Maryland. The costs to add new service can vary due to a number of factors, including the diameter of pipe needed to extend facilities, distance from facilities and geographical nature of the area involved.

Columbia Gas proposed the New Area Ser-vice program in an effort to make natural gas ser-vice more accessible to Pennsylvanians not cur-rently served by natural gas energy, Bedell said. In many cases, the economic analysis shows that a large upfront payment is needed for Columbia Gas to extend its main lines, which can deter customers from choosing natural gas service. This is particularly true when the customer is a significant distance from the company’s existing facilities, he said.

Columbia’s program joins other similar proj-ects launched by utilities such as Pennsylvania’s UGI Utilities Inc. and Southern Connecticut Gas Co., Connecticut Natural Gas Corp. and Yankee Gas in Connecticut.

I N D U S T R Y

Two is Better Than OneBidirectional pipeline capacity is on the upswing

Spurred by underutilized pipelines and grow-ing natural gas production in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, the natural gas

pipeline industry plans to modify its systems to allow bidirectional flow to move up to 8.3 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas out of the Northeast, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The industry plans to expand existing systems and build new systems to transport natural gas produced in the Northeast to consuming markets outside the region. In addition to bidirectional pipeline projects, the industry plans to build 35 Bcf/d of additional capacity to support the growth of natural gas production in the Northeast.

ANR Pipeline Co., Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co., Texas Eastern Transmission and Transcon-tinental Gas Pipe Line Co. plan to send natural gas from the Northeast to the Gulf Coast because of the potential for industrial demand and LNG exports. These projects total 5.5 Bcf/d of flow ca-pacity. In addition, the Rockies Express Pipeline’s partial bidirectional project, with 2.5 Bcf/d of capacity, will flow Marcellus natural gas to mar-kets in Chicago, Detroit and the Gulf Coast. The Iroquois Gas Pipeline’s bidirectional project

D I G E S T

optimistic that a switch to natural gas will shrink its $2.2 million transportation budget.

Borton-Lawson Engineering in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, is on a mission to save gas compa-nies time and money and simplify the assembling of well pad equipment. The firm designed a 3-D computer model to show natural gas contractors how well pieces fit together. According to B.J. Cline of Cabot Oil and Gas, this model shortens the assembly time by as much as 10 days, which saves gas companies close to $1 million. It also allows resi-dents to reap the benefits of natural gas heating that much faster. Cline said a pad in Springville near Scranton “alone can pretty much give gas for tens of thousands of families, [and] for any days we get extra, it’s that many more houses we can heat.”

Utica Shale natural gas is traveling a long way from its play in eastern Ohio to fuel homes in north-central Pennsylvania. UGI Utilities Inc. connected its distribution pipeline to a Utica well in Tioga County to make what UGI refers to as a “historic direct interconnection.” This partnership will provide natural gas to UGI customers in the Tioga area, which includes more than 50,000 homes. Many homes in the area are switching to natural gas from oil or propane. This increase in demand for natural gas makes the connection that much more timely.

Florida Power & Light Company is joining a growing number of utilities looking at investing in shale gas reserves. It has proposed a partnership with PetroQuest Energy Inc., a natural gas production

Bidirectional flow pipelines are moving natural gas to where it’s most needed.

Continued on page 10


AMERICAN GAS

D I G E S T

(0.3 Bcf/d of capacity) will deliver natural gas from the Marcellus to Canada. Iroquois will re-ceive gas from the Dominion, Constitution (ex-pected service in 2016) and Algonquin pipelines.

The EIA noted that modifying existing pipelines to enable bidirectional flow requires significantly less capital investment, fewer regula-tory permits and lower construction and labor costs, while resulting in fewer environmental impacts. The move to bidirectional can be done quickly to respond to new market dynamics that will improve pipeline utilization rates.

Even though the Northeast has seen increased natural gas production and new infrastructure, more work needs to be done, particularly to ensure better access during peak demand days, according to the EIA. Algonquin Gas Transmis-sion and Tennessee Gas Pipeline, which supply most of the natural gas to New England, plan to increase their capacities there by 4.1 Bcf/d by the end of 2018, which should significantly increase natural gas supply in New England.

N G V

Survey SaysNatural gas transportation fuel is still trending up

Sales of natural gas-powered trucks are continuing to grow steadily and saw a 27 percent increase in units sold from 2013 to

2014, according to updated research on natural gas transportation fuel trends in the heavy truck market released by ACT Research.

However, usage predictions have fallen from initial expectations, according to Ken Vieth, ACT Research’s senior partner and general man-ager. “There was a lot of hype and enthusiasm in 2010,” he said.

One issue that still remains to be addressed is that thousands more natural gas stations are needed along traveled routes so trucks can easily refuel. “You can’t afford to have to drive out of your way to refuel or it will not be economically viable,” he said.

Still, the ACT report found that in 2014 natural gas-powered trucks continued to grow in unit sales and production, though at a rate

proportional to the outsized growth of the overall heavy truck market.

In the study, trucking industry leaders— including manufacturers, suppliers, fleet opera-tors, the fueling industry and other companies interested in the direction of natural gas as a com-mercial vehicle fuel—were asked to reflect on the long-term future of natural gas as a vehicle fuel.

According to Vieth, a more cooperative investment strategy between shippers and truck-ers is needed. “The chicken-and-egg issue of infrastructure is being solved, albeit slowly, but the price of natural gas-powered equipment still needs to be addressed, and this won’t be solved overnight. That’s why we call it an evolution and not a revolution,” he said.

ACT estimates that by 2025 natural gas-powered trucks should make up 23 percent of units sold. “That’s a large quantity that will be shared by those with an understanding of tomor-row’s truck transportation needs and plans to get there,” Vieth said.

Continued from page 9company based in Louisiana with operations also in Oklahoma, Texas and other Gulf Coast loca-tions. The partnership would help lower energy costs for FPL customers over the course of the 50-year project. FPL spokeswoman Sarah Gatewood suggested the project will save customers $50 million to $100 million. Gatewood says FPL is seeking additional simi-lar opportunities to save customers money in the long run. “That is part of why we are doing this, to do what we can to protect custom-ers’ interests and keep their bills and fuel costs as low and stable as possible,” she said. Other utilities turning to shale gas include NW Natural, which has invested in gas reserves since 2011, along with Southern Co., Xcel Energy Inc. and Duke Energy Corp.

NW Natural launched a social media campaign to celebrate its announcement that it is now serving 700,000 custom-ers in Oregon and southwest Washington. For seven days, it tweeted a daily customer milestone using the hashtag #Celebrating-700KCustomers. Twitter users who retweeted the milestones were entered into a daily draw-ing for a gift card. The company enjoyed more than 600 retweets as it shared information about key dates in NW Natural history.

Sales of natural gas-powered trucks continue to grow.


BY THE NUMBERSWhen winter weather rolls in, many of us turn to natural gas. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, about one-half of U.S. households use natural gas as their primary heating fuel, with natural gas as the dominant heating fuel in colder parts of the country.

BCF PER HEATING DEGREE DAY

0 0.04 0.06 0.13 0.17 0.23

Natural gas consumption varies widely by region of the country, with the majority of households that heat with natural gas located in the Midwest and Northeast. The East North Central Census Division (Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio) is the largest residential and commercial natural gas-consuming division in the country, making up 28 percent of all residen-tial consumption and 24 percent of commercial consumption in 2013.

Because the East North Central Census Division has the largest number of households heating with natural gas, its collective response to changes in weather (as measured by heating degree days) is greater than in any other region. The response to changes in heating degree days in the South Atlantic Census Division (which has about 6 million homes that heat primarily with natural gas) is similar to that of the Pacific and Mid-Atlantic divisions (where 10.2 and 9.4 million households, respectively, heat with natural gas). This response may be attributable to natural gas used as a secondary heat source, such as in natural gas fireplaces or as the supplemental heat source to air-source heat pumps. When temperatures drop below a certain threshold (usually around freezing temperatures), heat pumps rely on a supplemental heat source.

CHANGE IN DAILY NATURAL GAS CONSUMPTION PER DAILY INCREASE OF ONE HEATING DEGREE DAY

GAS HEATS THE HOMES (AND BUSINESSES) UP NORTH

NATURAL GASELECTRICITYHEATING OIL/KEROSENEPROPANEWOODOTHER/NO HEATING

116 MILLION HOMES

WEST

RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL

MIDWEST

NORTHEAST

U.S. TOTAL

SOUTH

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration


PEOPLENortheast Utilities, which changed its name to Eversource Energy in February, appointed William Akley as president of its natural gas division, which includes Yankee Gas and NSTAR Gas. Akley previously was senior vice president of National Grid’s U.S. gas operations.

NiSource President and CEO Robert C. Skaggs Jr. will become CEO of the company’s spin-off business, Columbia Pipeline Group Inc. Joseph Hamrock, who is executive vice president and group CEO of NiSource’s gas distribution division, will succeed Skaggs as CEO of NiSource. NiSource Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Stephen P. Smith will take on the same roles at Columbia Pipeline, while Glen L. Kettering, who is currently executive vice president and group CEO for Columbia Pipeline, is anticipated to take on the newly created position of president of Columbia Pipeline. Other leadership changes include: Jim Stanley, executive vice president and group CEO for Northern Indiana Public Service Co., assuming the role of COO for NiSource; and Violet G. Sistovaris––currently NiSource senior vice president and chief information officer––becoming executive vice president for NIPSCO. The separation of the energy companies is planned for mid-2015.

Selim Bingol is the new senior vice president and chief communications officer at Duke Energy Corp. Bingol most recently served as senior vice president at General Motors.

MDU Resources Group Inc. has named Jason L. Vollmer to the position of treasurer and direc-tor of cash and risk management, taking over for Douglass A. Mahowald, who is retiring.

Xcel Energy Inc. has announced that David Sparby is retiring as president and CEO of Northern States Power Co.-Minnesota and senior vice president of Revenue Group. Christopher Clark has been named as his successor and will report to Executive Vice President and Group President of Utilities Marvin McDaniel, who takes over Sparby’s corpo-ratewide responsibilities as senior vice president of Revenue Group.

Gas Transmission Systems Inc. has named Joe Medina managing director of transmission and distribution compliance services. In addition, Roger Warr joins GTS as managing director of southern California.

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MARCH

16–18: Finance Committee Meeting, Dallas, TX. Contact Liliana Fonnoll, 202/824-7021, [email protected]

17: Luncheon Presentation to Dallas Financial Community, Dallas, TX. Contact Liliana Fonnoll, 202/824-7021, [email protected]

18–19: Transmission Pipeline Workshop, San Diego, CA. Con-tact Erin Kurilla, 202/824-7328, [email protected]

APRIL

6–9: EEI/AGA Customer Service Conference and Expo, Washington, DC. Contact Jim Linn, 202/824-7272, [email protected]

MAY

17–19: Financial Forum, Palm Desert, CA. Contact Liliana Fonnoll, 202/824-7021, [email protected]

PLACES17–20: AGA/EEI Spring Accounting Conference, AGA Accounting Services Committee/EEI Budgeting & Financial Forecasting Committee/EEI Corporate Accounting Committee/EEI Property Accounting & Valu-ation Committee Meeting, Boston, MA. Contact Doug Allen, 202/824-7261, [email protected]

18–19: Operations Section Spring Committee Meetings, Grapevine, TX. Contact Debbie Ellis, 202/824-7338, [email protected]

19–22: Operations Confer-ence and Biennial Exhibition, Grapevine, TX. Contact Debbie Ellis, 202/824-7338, [email protected]

20–21: AGA/EEI Property Accounting and Depreciation Training Seminar, Boston, MA. Contact Doug Allen, 202/824-7261, [email protected]

JUNE

1–2: Revenue Seminar, Chicago, IL. Contact Joe Martin, 202/824-7255, [email protected]

10–12: AGA Taxation Committee Meeting, Austin, TX. Contact Joe Martin, 202/824-7255, [email protected]

15–16: EEI/AGA Labor & Em-ployee Relations Conference, Charleston, SC. Contact Linda Nahin, 202/824-7012, [email protected]

15–17: AGA/EEI Accounting Leadership Conference, Austin, TX. Contact Joe Martin, 202/824-7255, [email protected]

15–17: AGA/EEI Chief Audit Executives Conference, Austin, TX. Contact Joe Martin, 202/824-7255, [email protected]

15–19: AGA Executive Leadership Development Program, Washington, DC. Contact Lisa Davenport, 202-824-7329, [email protected]

JULY

19–21: AGA Annual Legal Forum, Carlsbad, CA. Contact Theresa Thoman, 202/824-7072, [email protected]

20: AGA Risk Management Committee Meeting, Nashville, TN. Contact Cindy John-son, 202/824-7264, [email protected]

AUGUST

17–19: AGA Accounting Prin-ciples Committee Meeting, Location TBD. Contact Joe Martin, 202/824-7255, [email protected]

OTHER EVENTS

June 9–11: Summer Technol-ogy and Market Assessment Forum, Energy Solutions Center, Salt Lake City, UT. Leslie Auerbach, 202-824-7152, [email protected]

GAS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE EVENTS

APRIL 27–MAY 1 Measurement & Regulator Station Design. Hampton Inn & Suites—Chicago Downtown, Chicago, IL. Susan Robertson, GTI, 847/768-0783; [email protected]; www.gastechnology.org/training

MAY 4–8 Gas Technology Fundamentals. Hampton Inn & Suites—Chicago Downtown, Chicago, IL. Susan Robertson, GTI,847/768-0783; [email protected]; www.gastechnology.org/training

JUNE 9–11 ECDA Inspection Tools. GTI Headquarters, Des Plaines, IL. Susan Robertson, GTI, 847/768-0783; [email protected]; www.gastechnology.org/training

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H A W A I I

C O L O R A D O

M I S S O U R I

N E W J E R S E Y

state watchN O R T H C A R O L I N A

W E S T V I R G I N I A

HONOLULU—Hawaii could save billions of dollars through a patented new technique to ship com-pressed gas liquid to remote areas.

The Texas-based SeaOne Maritime Corp. has spent the last 10 years developing its system, which cre-ates a solution of hydrocarbons by compressing natural gas with a solvent under specific temperatures and pressures, President and Chief Operating Officer Bruce Hall told American Gas.

Hall said the system can deliver a full fuel, to include methane, propane and butane, as a single liquid cargo that is then regasified at its destination. He said it will cost half as much as other fuel options and is more environmentally friendly. Hawaii Gas is currently seeking additional proposals for delivering natural gas to the islands, which have no gas wells.

Hawaii Gas started importing liquefied natural gas last April as a backup for its synthetic natural gas operations, increasing the reliability of its gas supply for its customers. It has a goal of replacing 30 percent of its current fuel supply.

“We’re committed to lowering energy costs for Hawaii, and we see natural gas as playing a critical role in our state’s clean energy future,” said Alicia Moy, president and CEO of Hawaii Gas.

SeaOne Maritime offered a proposal and has high hopes of being selected, Hall said.According to the company’s website, “SeaOne Maritime Corp.’s Compressed Gas Liquid system is the first

major new approach to the monetization of natural gas and gas liquids from stranded and remote reserves since the inception of the liquefied natural gas industry almost 50 years ago.” —Monica von Dobeneck

HAWA I I

Fueled HawaiiCompressed gas liquid could increase the reliability of the state’s synthetic natural gas operations

Blue Hawaii lacks just one thing—its own natural gas wells.


COLORADO

Household Safe Ice cream and hydraulic fracturing have more in common than you might think

BOULDER—Organic chemicals used in hydrau-lic fracturing are no more toxic than those com-monly found in food and everyday household products such as toothpaste or detergent, accord-ing to a study at the University of Colorado.

A research team analyzed fluid from shale gas sites in Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, Pennsylva-nia and Texas and published results in Analytical

Chemistry.“This is the first published paper that identi-

fies some of the organic [hydraulic fracturing] chemicals going down the well that companies use,” said Michael Thurman, lead author of the paper and a co-founder of the Laboratory for Environmental Mass Spectrometry in the university’s college of engineering and applied science. “We found chemicals in the samples we were running that most of us are putting down our drains at home.”

The fluid used in hydraulic fracturing is largely composed of water and sand, but oil and gas companies also add antibacterial agents, cor-rosion inhibitors and surfactants. The surfac-tants reduce the surface tension, allowing more oil and gas to be extracted from the porous rock underground.

Results of the study are important because they give a picture of the possible toxicity of the fluid, and also because they can be used to determine whether suspected contamination of water supplies can be traced to a well site.

Thurman and co-author Imma Ferrer are working to analyze more water samples col-lected from other wells as part of a larger study exploring the impact of natural gas develop-ment. Thurman said the study so far has shown that water pollution from surfactants in the fluid might not be as big a concern as previ-ously thought.

MISSOUR I

A Very Green Place to BeKansas City is gung ho for NGVs, and it’s not done yet KANSAS CITY—The Kansas City, Missouri, area has been racking up honors for its natural gas-powered vehicles.

The city was selected as having the best gov-ernment-owned green fleet in the country during the Natural Gas Vehicles Conference & Expo in November. Then it was named North America’s premiere government fleet at the North American Green Fleet Forum in Sacramento, California.

Also, the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District

state watch


in Kansas City was named the Outstanding Compressed Natural Gas Fleet & Station Pro-gram by NGVAmerica for adding 106 natural gas-powered school buses to its fleet and opening a fueling station last fall.

In fact, the whole area seems to be getting in on the act.

The Kansas City Area Transportation Author-ity opened a fueling station last summer that is expected to save up to $500,000 in fuel costs in 2015 and up to $4 million per year once the fleet is fully converted over the next dozen years, ac-cording to the authority’s website.

Businesses are also joining in: For instance, the area AT&T fleet employs natural gas vehicles, and Questar Fueling opened a CNG fueling station in Kansas City, Kansas, in the fall. A public CNG fueling station also opened in Kansas City, Missouri, in December.

Kansas City, Missouri’s fleet manager, Sam Swearngin, told American Gas that Kansas City’s municipal government has long been a leader in the field since it started with 12 natural gas vehicles in 1997. The city now has 300 natural gas-fueled trucks, including dump trucks, and uses 620,000 gallons of CNG annually, which is 26 percent of its total fuel. And it has helped other fleets get their start.

The program relied on grants in its early years, but it is now economically viable on its own and is likely to save the city $1 million this year, Swearngin said. He hopes to update the municipal fueling station and replace more of the heavy-duty trucks with natural gas over time.

“I appreciate the recognition from the awards and I’m flattered, but we’re not done yet,” he said.

NEW J E RSEY

Societal BenefitReducing a surcharge on the state’s utility bills would help residential and business customers

TRENTON—Representatives of New Jersey consumers and large manufacturers alike are asking the state to rethink the “societal benefit” surcharge imposed on all gas and electric bills.

The New Jersey Division of the Rate Counsel and the Large Energy Users Coalition have been urging regulators to reduce the surcharge that customers pay. The surcharge is meant to fund clean energy projects and lower energy bills for low-income consumers. It is also used to clean up contaminated waste sites and former coal gasification plants and to pay to decommission nuclear power plants. But according to a filing with the state Board of Public Utilities, the clean energy portion of the fund has been used to plug holes in the general fund budget in recent years.

Stefanie Brand, director of the Division of the Rate Counsel, said the Office of Clean En-ergy should improve its budgeting process. “It’s a long-standing issue,” she told American Gas. “For many years, they have overshot, collecting more than the programs cost.”

Brand said the function is an important one. “Some of these programs are very good, they’re very important, and we don’t want them to go away,” she said. However, she said the clean energy surcharge should not be diverted to the state’s general fund.

PHO

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OF

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O.

Kansas City, Missouri, is getting into NGV in a big way with vehicles in its municipal fleet, such as vans (inset) and sweepers.


state watch

The coalition is asking the Board of Public Utilities to cut the clean energy surcharge by $100 million a year in order to provide relief for companies and households.

“The real problem is [the state is] not bud-geting only what they can spend,” Brand said. “The longer it goes on, the more people pay. The economy is tight. The surcharge on top of the regular rates adds to the burden.”

She said the clean energy surcharge has an important function, but that her group is asking for better budgeting—“and I think they have a desire to do that.”

The clean energy surcharge added a sig-nificant cost to residential gas customers’ bills in 2013, according to attorneys for the Large Energy Users Coalition. It has cost some of their business members millions of dollars, they said.

NORTH CAROL I N A

Take a Deep BreathState-supported grants are cleaning up polluted air in metropolitan areas

RALEIGH—North Carolina has been offer-ing grants to companies and communities that want to convert their vehicles to compressed natural gas in an effort to show that sustainable energy reduces air pollution.

The North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center recently awarded Greensboro-based Epes Transport System Inc. a $150,000 grant to pur-chase five trucks fueled by compressed natural gas. Epes is the state’s largest trucking company, and it has promised to operate its natural gas vehicles only in the Greensboro and Charlotte areas because those cities have struggled with poor air quality.

According to the technology center’s website,

the grants are aimed at “reducing transportation-related emissions in the 24 counties that do not meet national air quality standards.”

In 2013, the Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem areas ranked as the 42nd most polluted in the nation, according to a study by the American Lung Association. The Charlotte, Gastonia and Salisbury areas ranked 19th.

“The EPA is constantly pressuring us to reduce our greenhouse gas and carbon footprint, and each ensuing year brings a new set of rules,” Paul Huffman, senior vice president at Epes, told the Greensboro News & Record. “So we’re trying to learn about it to get ahead of the curve.”

Anne Tazewell, transportation program man-ager for the technology center, told the newspa-per that changes at companies such as Epes can have a ripple effect.

The project “is kind of like priming the pump and then having leaders like Epes step up,” she said. “Epes is a great candidate for us because they drive a lot of miles.”

The grants are funded through the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

According to information from the technol-ogy center’s website, use of CNG can reduce tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent or more compared with traditional fossil fuels. It also notes that it costs less than gasoline or diesel and is considered safer.

W E S T V I R G I N I A

Drilling DownA five-year field study hopes to uncover greater efficiencies in shale gas develop-ment, aid the environment

MORGANTOWN—West Virginia University is joining with Ohio State University for a five-year field study to help determine the best practices in environmentally responsible shale gas develop-ment. According to WVU’s website, this will be “the first-ever long-term, comprehensive field study of a natural resource that has changed the country’s—and the world’s—energy supply.”

WVU geology professor Timothy Carr, director of the lab, told American Gas that the studies will lead to less expensive gas with less

CNG is helping residents of Greensboro, North Carolina, and surrounding areas breathe cleaner air.


environmental impact. It will lead to better technologies and knowledge for greater ef-ficiencies while minimizing environmental im-plications from the time before drilling starts through production. He said it could mean more gas per well so fewer wells are required.

The program will engage a team of geo-scientists, hydrologists, engineers, ecologists, social scientists and public health profession-als to create and manage the Marcellus Shale Energy and Environment Laboratory in the Morgantown Industrial Park.

The project is being funded through an $11 million grant from the U.S. Department of En-ergy. The site is operated by Northeast Natural Energy LLC, a Charleston-based private oil and gas company. The lab will also offer education and training to undergraduate and graduate students to address the complex technical, envi-ronmental and social issues surrounding energy development and production.

Jared Ciferno, director of the U.S. Depart-ment of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, said the department is excited “to demonstrate cutting-edge science and advanced technologies to ensure the prudent develop-ment of the nation’s shale gas resources in an efficient and environmentally safe fashion.”

Mike John, CEO of Northeast Natural Energy, said his company is participating because of “our desire to help improve science, enhance technology and expand understand-ing of the natural gas industry.”

Carr said Northeast Natural Energy has a reputation of responsibly developing resources in an environmentally sensitive way.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, shale gas represented only 1 per-cent of American natural gas production in 2000 but will represent nearly half by 2035.

“The economic, national security and environ-mental benefits to shale gas development are signifi-cant,” Carr said. “But that growth must be managed in a responsible manner, which will require compre-hensive scientific data and measurement.”

WVU’s Marcellus Shale Energy and Environment Laboratory will be located

at a field site owned and operated by Northeast Natural Energy in the

Morgantown Industrial Park.

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From growing up in Alaska to her energy policies, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski shares what will guide her in her new role as chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

TO BALANCEIT ALL COMES DOWN

Problem solver. Bipartisan coalition builder. Energy advocate.

Alaska U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski has built a reputation in public service for her pragmatic, fact-based approach to policy-making. With the emergence in 2015 of a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate, she

brings that approach to her new role as chair of the Com-mittee on Energy and Natural Resources. In this post, she is poised to continue emphasizing the priorities that she has set all along for American energy—to, in her words: “Make energy abundant, affordable, clean, diverse and secure.”

Murkowski is a third-generation Alaskan whose roots in public service include the six years her father, former U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski, chaired the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. While using the power of energy policy to benefit Alaskans and all Americans is a top priority, she also advocates for health, Alaska Natives, education, military and veterans’ affairs and infrastructure development in her native state.

Murkowski’s groundbreaking Energy 20/20 blueprint, released in 2013, showcased her deep knowledge of the full energy spectrum, including the role of natural gas. Paired with a series of issue-specific white papers, the blueprint is a living document meant to guide development of com-

prehensive, research-based energy policies and practices. To ensure the ongoing place of natural gas as a clean, affordable energy source, she strives to increase access to federal assets, streamline permitting, eliminate market barriers and ease regulatory burdens.

It’s all part of her belief in Alaska as an energy hub and America as an energy innovator. Her love for Alaska’s rugged beauty keeps her grounded in the imperative to preserve the environment while responsibly cultivating natural re-sources—including methane hydrates and untapped sources on federal lands—to benefit all Americans and promote energy independence. Here, she talks in depth to American Gas about energy policies, the future of natural gas and her Alaskan heritage.

AG: Congratulations! You are now chair of the U.S. Sen-ate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. We’re pleased that someone with your deep knowledge of energy issues and reputation for working toward bipartisan solu-tions is heading this critical panel. What are your priori-ties in this post?Murkowski: It sounds simple, but I really do believe it: Energy is good. My commitment moving forward is to advance good, constructive energy policy that benefits our entire country.

C O V E R S T O R Y


“MY COMMITMENT MOVING

FORWARD IS TO ADVANCE

GOOD, CONSTRUCTIVE ENERGY

POLICY THAT BENEFITS OUR

ENTIRE COUNTRY.”

—U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R–Alaska


AG: Since we last talked in November 2011, the role of natural gas within the nation’s energy policy has grown stronger than ever. However, there are still barriers, such as Section 433 of the 2007 Energy Act, which bans fossil fuels in federal buildings by 2030. How do you plan to continue assuring the place of natural gas as a key player in energy security, reliabil-ity and environmental stewardship? Murkowski: It’s true that we need to focus on barriers. Section 433 is one of them. I am also concerned that natu-

ral gas production on federal lands has plummeted while private and state lands have seen record-setting increases, so that’s something we will look at closely. On the positive side, higher production has enabled greater exports, and greater exports will send positive signals to producers.

AG: In February 2013, your broad-ranging energy policy blueprint, Energy 20/20, was meant to kick-start a national dialogue about energy policies. Recom-mendations included regulatory reform, effective use of public lands and selling offshore oil and gas leases on the East Coast and eastern Gulf of Mexico. What is the status of the blueprint, and how much of it will guide your work as Energy and Natural Resources chair?Murkowski: The blueprint remains just that: a blueprint. And we didn’t just put Energy 20/20 out there and stop, either. We have released five follow-up white papers— on the global gas trade, U.S. energy exports, electric reliability, the energy-water nexus and energy insecurity—and several staff reports that lay the intellectual foundations for my legislative agenda in 2015. All of them are available on our committee’s website, www.energy.senate.gov, and I’d encourage anyone who is interested to give them a look.

AG: Energy 20/20 called for observing the liquefied natural gas export process and, if necessary, updating the rules to provide certainty to producers and export-facility investors. At the same time, some are concerned that bumping up LNG exports could squeeze domestic prices higher. What are your thoughts on this?

Murkowski: The most reputable analyses— whether in the government or private sec-tor—suggest that upward pressure on prices will be minimal. We are talking about cents, not dollars, per million cubic feet. The gains in jobs, the benefits to our bal-ance of trade and the signals all of this will send to producers and to the world are why I support expanding our nation’s liquefac-tion capacity.

AG: The natural gas industry is commit-ted to energy efficiency as a key plank in the appropriate use of our nation’s resources. What are the prospects for fed-eral energy-efficiency incentives to further encourage research and development of energy-efficient homes, businesses and appliances?Murkowski: I agree that efficiency has a key role to play in making our energy supply abundant, affordable, clean, diverse and secure. That’s why I supported the Shaheen-Portman bill last Congress. I would like to see industry take the lead on developing new technologies, and for the government’s efforts to either be consensus-based or vol-untary in nature. As we continue to look at different ways to encourage efficiency, I think we have also reached a point where our current policies—through the Depart-ment of Energy, through the tax code and elsewhere—should be carefully reviewed to make sure they, themselves, are efficient.

AG: Are methane hydrates—the vast supply of methane natural gas locked in icelike structures under the ground and sea floor—the next frontier in our quest for energy security? How do you propose to accelerate our ability to access these resources? Murkowski: Methane hydrates can absolute-ly be a major fuel source for us in the future. Technical hurdles remain, but research indi-cates that there are sufficient resources under the Gulf of Mexico and in Alaska to handle all of America’s energy needs for 1,000 years. We need to get there, but the Obama admin-istration has been too slow to allow funding for the needed follow-up research. I sponsored the most recent Methane Hydrate Research Act and continue to press the Department of

ABOUT REPUBLICAN SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI, CHAIR OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES

• The first Alaskan-born senator.

• Born in Ketchikan and raised in Wrangell, Juneau, Fairbanks and Anchorage.

• Serves on the Senate Committee on Appropriations, where she is the ranking Republican of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies subcommittee. She is also a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and a senior member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

• Earned a B.A. in econom-ics from Georgetown Uni-versity in 1980 and a law degree from Willamette University in 1985.

• Served three terms in the Alaska State House of Representatives and was elected to a full six-year U.S. Senate term in 2004.

C O V E R S T O R Y


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Energy to speed up the pace of research. Right now I’m cautiously optimistic that DOE will spend the extra money that Congress is providing in 2015 to advance research in the coming year. If unlocking methane hydrates succeeds, it could well be the breakthrough that literally mandates advancement of an Alaska natural gas pipeline project.

AG: As the U.S. tries to diversify its power production, a range of methods—bio-mass, geothermal, marine hydrokinetic and renewables—are gaining traction next to traditional large-scale producers such as coal and nuclear plants. Natural gas, with its abundance and efficiency, is a perfect fit for clean energy production. Do you see natural gas playing an increased role in energy production for our homes and businesses, and what steps do you envi-sion to make it happen? Murkowski: I prefer to let consumers and markets sort out which is the best energy resource, but I do see a major role for natural gas going forward. It is affordable, secure, abundant and clean—and for those reasons is certainly seeing greater demand. My overarching priorities are to increase access to federal lands and waters, to make our permitting process more efficient, to open up new markets by eliminating barriers and to make sure that burdensome regulations don’t take our supply offline.

AG: You said in our 2011 interview that any additional regulations or restrictions on hydraulic fracturing would “diminish our productivity of the resource.” Do you still feel that way? How does your blue-print address the continued responsible development of natural gas from hydrau-lic fracturing?Murkowski: It was a clear sign that a lot is going on at the federal level when President Obama felt the need to issue an execu-tive order coordinating all of the agencies involved in oversight and regulation. I remain concerned that federal regulations, or several new regulations from several different agencies, could have a negative impact on production. And I remain convinced that my approach is the right one: States, not the federal government, should regulate hydrau-lic fracturing. All the research over the past several years—and this administration has put a lot of money into such research—has seemed to confirm that hydraulic fractur-ing, when done properly under existing state regulations, is perfectly safe and will have no negative impacts on drinking water.

AG: Can the federal government do more to encourage the application of new tech-nologies to improve natural gas produc-tion, delivery and use?Murkowski: Again, I am not looking to pick winners and losers. We should always

be looking for responsible ways to help create new technologies or improve existing ones. What I tend to favor at the federal level is fundamental, precompetitive research.

AG: You’re known as a strong defender of your constituents’ interests, especially in developing resources in an environ-mentally responsible way to provide jobs, revenue and energy security. Do you believe that all Americans share those values? As you deal with com-peting interests in a highly polarized political atmosphere, how will you keep the needs of your constituents and all of their fellow Americans in mind as you head the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources?Murkowski: Not everyone will agree on every issue—I know that much. At the same time, all Americans are affected by energy prices, and we see pretty resounding agreement that those have been too high in recent years. Families all over the country have been forced to make tough choices between a trip to the grocery store and being able to heat or cool their homes. I’m hopeful that our current experiences—with both low oil and natural gas prices provid-ing a real economic boost and new supply clearly being the driver—will help demon-strate why all types of energy production are so important. Certainly, Alaskans have

C O V E R S T O R Y

F or more than two years, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has worked on a range of issues to improve reliability and

increase coordination between natural gas and electricity markets. Most notably, in March 2014 FERC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Coordination of the Scheduling Processes of Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines and Public Utilities, proposing to revise the schedule for nominating natural gas service on interstate pipe-lines in order to better coordinate their operations with those of the electric industry.

Among other things, FERC proposed to move the start of the gas day from 9 a.m. CCT to 4 a.m. CCT, move the Timely Nomination Cycle deadline to 1 p.m. CCT and increase the number of intraday nomination opportuni-ties. The goal of the proposal is to provide greater opportunities for gas-fired generators to participate in the scheduling process and obtain

needed supplies. More than 70 parties and groups, in addi-

tion to the American Gas Association and Natu-ral Gas Council, filed comments in response to the NOPR. There was uniform opposition to the 4 a.m. CCT gas day among natural gas interests, while comments filed by the regional transmission organizations and independent system operators supported the change.

The reaction among various other parties of the electric industry were mixed. For example, two generators supported the 4 a.m. CCT gas day, but the Electric Power Supply Association did not take a position. Similarly, while several electric utilities supported the 4 a.m. CCT gas day, Edison Electric Institute did not take a position.

Interestingly, the combination gas and electric utilities were split. Although the electric and gas industries had varied opinions about the gas day start time, there was no support

among the commenters for a time other than 4 a.m. CCT or 9 a.m. CCT and several parties urged FERC not to adopt a time other than 4 a.m. CCT or 9 a.m. CCT.

Furthermore, there was widespread support among both industries for the proposed later deadline of the Timely Nomination Cycle and an additional intraday nomination opportunity, although several electric industry participants con-ditioned their support for the recommendations on FERC adopting a 4 a.m. CCT gas day start time.

In light of the comments filed by partici-pants, FERC’s Office of Energy Policy and In-novation issued data requests to all of the ISOs and RTOs, requesting additional information regarding the impact on reliable and efficient operations of the current 9 a.m. CCT gas day.

FERC expects to finalize any changes to the gas nomination schedule sometime in 2015.— Michaela Burroughs, AGA Policy Coordinator

GAS DAY: WILL IT CHANGE?


Spring Accounting Conference• Budgeting & Financial Forecasting• Corporate Accounting• Property Accounting & ValuationMay 17–20, 2015 • Boston, MA Property Accounting & Depreciation Training SeminarMay 20–21, 2015 • Boston, MA

Revenue SeminarJune 1–2, 2015 • Chicago, IL Taxation Committee MeetingJune 10–12, 2015 • Austin, TX

Accounting Leadership ConferenceJune 15–17, 2015 • Austin, TX

Chief Audit Executives ConferenceJune 15–17, 2015 • Austin, TX Accounting Principles Committee MeetingAugust 17–19, 2015 • Asheville, NC Utility Internal Auditors’ Training CourseAugust 24–26, 2015 • Washington, DC

Public Utility Accounting Courses: Introduction & AdvancedAugust 24–27, 2015 • Washington, DC

Accounting for Energy Derivatives Seminar / Workshop September 16–18, 2015 • Chicago, IL

Taxation Committee MeetingNovember 9–11, 2015 • Las Vegas, NV

Fall Accounting Conference• Corporate Accounting• Property Accounting & ValuationNovember 15–18, 2015 • Phoenix, AZ

Here’s what attendees have said about previous meetings...

“ This is the single most valuable training I get every year.”

“ A great benefit for members — I hope more of my colleagues will attend.”

“ Great seminar, I will be utilizing the information during my fiscal 2015 audit plan.”

“ I liked the real-world examples and the deep dive into all the definitions.”

“ This will benefit me at my job.”

“ Great examples used to explain a confusing topic.”

For registration information: www.aga.org/events/2015events

For information on meeting content: Joe Martin, [email protected]; Doug Allen, [email protected]

For information on sponsorship opportunities: Annemarie O’Donoghue, [email protected]

Group discounts available. CPE Credit available.

With the opening of the 114th Congress, many energy stalwarts return to the energy policy arena and welcome new members. Here’s an overview of the people to watch.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE

Committee Chair: Fred Upton (R-Mich.)Supports “all of the above” energy strategy of domestic energy production, breakthrough technologies and safe nuclear power. In 2014, introduced the “Architecture of Abundance” plan to modernize infrastructure, permit a manu-facturing renaissance, harness energy efficiency and innovation and unleash energy diplomacy to maximize use of U.S. energy in global affairs. Prime sponsor of H.R. 3301, North American Energy Infrastructure Act, 2013, to prevent gridlock in energy projects conducted with Canada and Mexico.

Vice Chair: Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)Considered a policy expert on telecommunications issues and intellectual property rights. Proponent of anti-tax and government reform issues. Supports expediting exports of liquefied natural gas and construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Opposes cap and trade. Sponsored H.R. 97 to prohibit the EPA from regulating carbon emissions under the Clean Air Act.

Chairman Emeritus: Joe Barton (R-Texas)Supports high-supply, low-demand, consumer-friendly prices and environmental protection. Responsible for legislation that deregulated the natural gas industry.

SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, MANUFACTURING, AND TRADE

Chair: Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas)With interest in transportation, successfully amended the 2005 Highway Bill to include development credits, design-build and environmental streamlining. Represents the 26th Congressional District, bordering Dallas-Fort Worth, which is home to the Barnett Shale, the nation’s largest field of natural gas reserves.

Vice Chair: Leonard Lance (R-N.J.)Supports pro-growth policies, including leveraging American-made energy and easing regulatory burdens to promote American manufacturing. Supports construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY

Chair: Greg Walden (R-Ore.)House sponsor of the Crooked River Collaborative Water Security and Jobs Act, which implements a water management plan to create jobs and boost hydro-power energy. Supports opening federal onshore and offshore areas to energy exploration, expediting approval of liquefied natural gas export permits, and establishing “clear and efficient approval” of pipelines that cross U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico.

Vice Chair: Bob Latta (R-Ohio)Supports the American Energy Solutions for Lower Cost and More Ameri-can Jobs Act, which would allow construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, strengthen Canadian and Mexican partnerships for a more secure and efficient North American energy market, lower energy costs, expedite LNG exports, modernize the review process for natural gas pipeline permit applica-tions and streamline the federal permitting process for construction projects. A prime sponsor of the Energy Star Program Integrity Act, which would codify the existing reinstatement process for disqualified products.

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND POWER

Chair: Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.)Supports “all of the above” energy strategy. Prime sponsor of the proposed Energy Security and Affordability Act, which would set achievable regulations for new power plants and give Congress power to set effective dates for regulations on existing power plants. Has helped modernize national energy policy while promoting clean uses of coal.

Vice Chair: Pete Olson (R-Texas)Supports cutting red tape to expedite gas exports. Supports construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Prime co-sponsor of legislation requiring the EPA to back major rules with feasibility and economic impact studies.

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND THE ECONOMY

Chair: John Shimkus (R-Ill.)Led 1998 law allowing for biodiesel fuel use in federal, state and private fleets. Led insertion of the Renewable Fuel Standard, requiring that transporta-tion fuels contain a minimum volume of biodiesel and ethanol, in the Energy and Policy Act of 2005. Supports full accounting of costs associated with EPA’s ground-level ozone rule.

Vice Chair: Gregg Harper (R-Miss.)Advocate for American-made energy. Supports stabilizing fuel prices and building a steady supply of American energy.

SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH

Chair: Joe Pitts (R-Pa.)Supports sustainable energy and reducing dependence on foreign energy and fossil fuels through innovation, competition and encouragement, not through regulation and taxation. Opposed the 2009 Cap and Trade Act. Has led efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and worked to author and pass into law the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act.

Vice Chair: Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.)Supports construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Supports the Regulatory Accountability Act.

SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS

Chair: Tim Murphy (R-Pa.)Murphy’s energy working group on freeing the U.S. from dependence on foreign oil led to creation of the Infrastructure Jobs and Energy Independence Act, which would expedite the exploration of American oil and natural gas resources and invest new revenues from leasing and royalties into rebuilding roads, bridges, locks and dams. Authored the Pipeline Safety Emergency No-tification Act regarding community emergency notification procedures when a gas pipeline is ruptured.

Vice Chair: David McKinley (R-W.V.)Advocates for natural gas development to promote manufacturing growth. Supports the Protecting States’ Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act (H.R. 2728), which would prevent duplicative federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing on public lands in states that already have regulations in place; the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act (H.R. 1900), which would stream-line pipeline permitting; and the Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act (H.R. 6), which would expedite the approval of LNG export facilities. Sup-ports construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. —Danielle Wong Moores

PEOPLE TO WATCH


C O V E R S T O R Y


90th Annual

International School of Hydrocarbon Measurement

Cox Communications Center in Oklahoma City, OklahomaMay 12th, 13th & 14th 2015

Presented annually in affiliation with the University of Oklahoma since its origin in 1924, the school is the oldest and one of the largest

hydrocarbon measurement schools in the world. Over 180 lecture classes andover 50 hands-on workshops are offered on a wide range of

Gas and Liquid Measurement and Flow Control topics.More than 140 educational exhibits are presented by leading manufacturers

in the measurement industry worldwide.

Registration Fee$125 per Student

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For Additional Information, contact:

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energy we would like to produce, and our country has energy needs that it can help meet. There’s a clear linkage between what we can do and what the country needs. My job is to make the case and to help ensure that as many members as possible, on both sides of the aisle, understand why that’s the right thing to do.

AG: You are following in the footsteps of your father, former Alaska Sen. Frank Murkowski, who chaired the Senate Com-mittee on Energy and Natural Resources from 1995 to 2001. Like you, he advocated for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. He also sponsored legislation to accelerate depreciation for natural gas infrastructure and to improve the economic feasibility of upgrades. What energy policies do you support in common with your father, and are there any areas where you differ? What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from your father about politics and public service? Has he given you advice about chairing the committee? Murkowski: My father believes that our nation must responsibly produce its natural resources rather than import them from abroad. He understands that producing our

own energy provides good-paying jobs to Americans, strengthens our economic outlook and bolsters our national security. I’m simply expanding on that philosophy when I say that it is in our national interest to make energy abundant, affordable, clean, diverse and secure. I’d have to think about areas where we might disagree. What comes to mind first are all the areas where we agree with each other—and, really, almost all Alaskans—starting with de-velopment of the nonwilderness portion of the Arctic Coastal Plain, in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, offshore in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas and elsewhere in Alaska. He wants a gas pipeline project to go forward; I want a gas pipeline project to go forward. We’re also incredibly frustrated with the lack of energy production in federal areas in Alaska right now.

AG: As a third-generation Alaskan, talk to us about what it means to be from the Last Frontier. What experiences have you had and what values did your parents and grandparents instill in you that helped shape you today and your philosophy of public service?Murkowski: As one who grew up loving the Alaskan outdoors, I have a keen interest

in ensuring that we remain stewards of this great land in all that we do. It all comes down to balance. I was born in the Tongass and raised in the southeast. I learned that trees are renewable resources that can be harvested without harming fisheries or the environment if high standards are set and followed. As a young adult, I worked on the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline and learned that oil and natural gas production is a way for us to achieve economic independence and the promises made to us at statehood. I learned that resource development is not mutually exclusive with environmental quality, but that it provides jobs and high wages that allow us to live, work and play in this rug-ged state. I learned that hard work has its rewards, from the beauty that one sees when you hike the steep sections of the Chilkoot Trail or the rewards that come when my sons work hard as deckhands on fishing boats. Mostly what I learned from my parents is to always stop and listen to the wisdom of Alaskans. I’ve learned that Alaskans know a lot more about life on the Last Frontier than bureaucrats in Washington. Public officials need to listen more. And we all need to talk to each other, not at each other, for public policy to succeed. u


Over the next two years, communities

across the U.S. will work with local

distribution companies to improve

energy efficiency as they compete

for the Georgetown University

Energy Prize. BY ADAM FOLK

THE PRIZEA RACE FOR

FEATURE

For many of us, the start of the new year marks the beginning of self-improve-ment efforts. This year, 50 communities across the nation are following in this tradition through their

participation in the Georgetown Univer-sity Energy Prize—a nationwide contest for small cities to increase their energy efficiency that began on Jan. 1. Over the next two years, these communities will test their resolve to reduce energy consumption as they compete for a $5 million purse.

The idea for this nationwide competi-tion to increase energy efficiency dates to May 2012, when Francis Slakey, Upjohn lecturer on physics and public policy at Georgetown, hosted a meeting of mayors, city planners, utility companies and envi-ronmental experts from across the country for the first of a series of workshops to develop the prize concept.

It became clear early on in these discus-sions that small cities—constituting 70 percent of the U.S. population—lack the

money and manpower to tackle energy efficiency in an economical way, Slakey said. It’s an area where they simply cannot compete with such megapolises as Chicago and New York. To do so, they needed an incentive beyond the long-term savings from upping their energy efficiency. They needed money.

“The ambition is to turn [the George-town University Energy Prize] into the Su-per Bowl of energy efficiency,” Slakey said. “It’s needed because small and midsized cities don’t have anything within their sweet spot. And this is in their sweet spot.”

To win, the 50 communities—each with a population between 5,000 and 250,000—will have to forge new alliances between utilities, local governments and private business and industry. They’ll need to report their progress in cutting total natural gas and electricity usage per capita, adjusted for the local climate, for a period of two years. Meanwhile, they need to develop a process that may be replicated easily by other small cities, no matter their location.

“That’s exactly what we’re seeing,”

Slakey said. “Every one of the communities that made it into this round got enthusias-tic participation from all three sectors.”

Worldwide Energy EfficiencyStarts HereThe Georgetown University Energy Prize is not unlike others—both recent and in years past—that helped bring global change. In the mid-18th century, with European states fighting for supremacy on the seas and opening new trade routes, the greatest sea-faring nations of the day offered the equiva-lent of millions of pounds of today’s money to anyone who could solve a problem that had stumped the world’s greatest minds for centuries: an accurate way to determine longitude on long sea voyages.

Spain was first to offer a prize in 1567. It was followed by the Netherlands, Portu-gal, the Venetian Republic and France. But it wasn’t until the Sicily naval disaster of 1707 that Britain offered its own prize in the hopes of improving safety for its sailors. Over the next several decades, little-known clockmaker John Harrison would create



GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY ENERGY PRIZE FROM START TO FINISH

Communities must develop a long-term energy efficiency plan and be able to demonstrate its effectiveness and sustain-

ability over a two-year period. They will be judged, in part, on their ability to:

• Spur innovative approaches to decrease their per-capita energy usage.

• Highlight the best practices for communities working with utilities, businesses and their local governments to create and implement plans for sustained energy efficiency.

• Educate the public and engage students in energy efficiency issues.

PRELAUNCH 2013 – 2014Letter of Intent

STAGE ONE

APRIL – JUNE 2014 Applications: Communities submitted stock appli-cations that were reviewed by the Energy Prize team. Those selected progressed to Stage Two.

✔ ✔

and refine the chronometer, which won him the prize and solved what was arguably the greatest scientific quandary of the age.

In our age, navigation is not a prob-lem for today’s governments. Energy use is. Concerns about domestic production of fossil fuels, OPEC and environmental problems drive the need for people to use less. Today, many people in cities, utilities and at Georgetown believe they can repli-cate Harrison’s success with the problem of energy efficiency.

“Prizes work,” said Christofer Nelson, project director for the Georgetown Uni-versity Energy Prize. “They’ve worked for hundreds of years. They work specifically for stuck problems like energy efficiency, and, in fact, we’re already seeing it.”

Like the old empires of Europe, today’s nation states are struggling with an issue that is stumping the world’s top minds: Worldwide demand for energy is ravenous. Growing nations will increase world energy demand by 37 percent in 2040, according to the latest International Energy Agency annual “World Energy Outlook” report. In a statement, the Paris-based agency said the pressure on the global energy system would be greater if not for recent world-wide energy efficiency efforts. Those efforts, the IEA said, are “becoming an established market segment, with innovative new prod-ucts and standards helping to overcome risks and bringing stability and confidence to the market.”

The agency estimates the global energy efficiency market is worth at least $310 bil-lion a year, and it continues to grow.

“Energy efficiency is the invisible powerhouse in IEA countries and beyond, working behind the scenes to improve energy security, lower our energy bills and move us closer to reaching our climate goals,” IEA Executive Director Maria van der Hoeven said at the summit launching the report.

With all of this in mind, Nelson said he hopes someone in a small American city will be the one to increase the world’s efficiency even more. “[The contestants] are going to come into this with fresh eyes and new approaches that haven’t been tried before because nobody has asked them to.”

Communities at WorkAbout 90 miles north of Seattle and 21 miles from the Canadian border lies the city of Bellingham, Washington. For years, Bellingham has worked to be a leader in energy efficiency and green energy with forward-thinking programs and initiatives. For them, the Georgetown University Energy Prize is a way to take their efforts to the next level, according to Mark Gardner, legislative policy analyst for the Bellingham City Council.

“The prize provided an opportunity to fine-tune and strengthen a lot of those programs and also look for ways to update and improve their design,” Gardner said.

The city’s toughest challenge will be to convince the late adopters, the people who haven’t yet worked to decrease their home or business’ energy use, that it’s both in their interest and easy to do, Gardner said. Part of that work means the Bellingham team is

focused on reaching out to groups such as area college students and low-income resi-dents and getting them to do more.

“I’ve been very surprised at the amount of energy and support for the project across the board,” he said. “Every few days, people come up with new ideas. It really has worked as designed, to raise the level of sophistica-tion of our energy efficiency activities.”

Bellingham’s outreach efforts started ear-lier than most when they tipped off Cascade Natural Gas about the prize. Cascade, in turn, helped another Washington city—Walla Walla—become involved. Now Cascade provides energy and advice to four separate contestants. Monica Cowlishaw, the manager of energy efficiency and communi-ty outreach for Cascade, has worked closely with each of the communities from the outset. For Cascade, it’s a chance to serve the communities and practice what Cowlishaw calls “good environmental stewardship.”

“Our ears perked up,” Cowlishaw said. “We were really excited to hear of the pros-pects of one of our local service territory towns able to win a $5 million prize, not to mention the two-year process of reduc-ing energy use and increasing community awareness of energy consumption.”

Supporting the contestants means stay-ing impartial, but also aiding each by engag-ing with some of the cities’ planning groups and giving feedback on questions about data and natural gas-related upgrades.

“We would love for all four to win, although that’s obviously not practical,” Cowlishaw said.

One of the people helping to decide

FEATURE


STAGE TWO

AUG. – NOV. 2014Quarterfinals: Communities submitted detailed plans for their energy-saving pro-gram. These are long-term plans, with commitments by governments, residential associations, institutions and businesses.

STAGE THREE

JAN. 2015 – DEC. 2016Semifinals: The selected cities will compete for two years to reduce their energy consumption.

✔

✔ = completed

efficient compared with electricity because very little energy is lost during the trans-mission and distribution of the gas. Homes that use natural gas appliances for heating, water heating, cooking and clothes drying spend an average of $693 less per year than homes using electricity, according to the American Gas Association.

Georgetown sought the AGF’s involve-ment specifically because the university recognized that utilities play a key role in educating consumers about energy use, said Kathryn Clay, vice president of policy strategy for AGA.

“That’s something AGA member companies excel at—helping consumers make informed energy choices,” Clay said. “One important aspect of this competition is that it measures energy efficiency over the full fuel cycle. This creates a tremendous opportunity for natural gas utilities to talk with their customers about the journey their energy makes to reach them and the benefits of choosing natural gas.”

For AGA, the prize also spotlights the more than $1 billion a year that member companies spend on promoting energy effi-ciency. And it’s a chance for utilities and cit-ies to cooperate toward a common goal. One key part of that, according to Sandherr, has been making sure cities and AGA member utilities abide by the rules and benchmarks set by the energy project’s founders.

Sandherr said she wants all of the cities, not just the winner, to see a benefit from participating in the contest. “The hope is everybody is going to come away with some improvements in their energy efficiency.” u

the winner is Cynthia Sandherr, director of community sustainability programs and a consultant for the American Gas Founda-tion, a prize launch sponsor. Seventy-two communities submitted applications, and of those, 53 moved on to the quarterfinals and 50 to the semifinals. Sandherr person-ally reviewed 13 of these submissions to see if they met the minimum guidelines for the project, whether AGF and Georgetown could help them in any areas and to see if there were notable new ideas.

“There’s potential all the way through to help make sure the communities suc-ceed,” Sandherr said. And she’s confident the winner’s innovative ideas will capture the world’s imagination.

“Where the competition is really going to succeed is there will be something de-livered—whether it’s a process, technology or combination of communication and community engagement—that is really go-ing to be an extraordinary means to deliver energy efficiency.”

For example, some communities are planning to establish “ambassador ser-vices”—public places that act like a public help desk for energy efficiency issues. Residents will be able to get information on energy efficiency that’s specifically tailored to their home as well as information on the latest discounts and government rebates. Communities seem to recognize that outreach is a key part of using energy more efficiently, Sandherr said. “Technology isn’t enough. It’s not one size fits all. There needs to be some tailoring.”

Walla Walla is also relying heavily on

outreach, recognizing early in the process the importance of coordinating with local public schools and the area’s three colleges. The Sustainable Living Center, a nonprofit that advocates for conservation efforts in the city, has spearheaded efforts by holding meetings and answering questions about the prize. Its executive director, Erendira Cruz, said working with the educators is the perfect way to increase energy efficiency.

“That’s where you can really make an impact on the future,” Cruz said. “You’re teaching a whole new generation of kids and young adults how to save energy. They’ll be able to internalize it a little better than some of us old fogies.”

If Walla Walla happens to win the prize, Cruz said the money will likely be put into investments for the city. But even if it doesn’t come out on top, Walla Walla will be a winner anyway, she said.

“We just thought that it would be a great way to engage the community around a common goal. There’s basically no down-side to trying to save energy.”

Continuing the Conversation Early on, launch sponsor American Gas Foundation recognized that the Georgetown University Energy Prize would be a great way to continue the conversation about the bene-fits of natural gas. The prize offers natural gas utilities all over the nation the opportunity to educate residential and municipal custom-ers about the greater efficiency and reduced emissions that come from using natural gas, said Sandherr.

The direct use of natural gas is more

STAGE FOUR

JAN. – JUNE 2017Finals: The finalists will be selected based on their energy- saving performance in Stage Three. A panel of judges will score the final reports in specific, weighted categories and select the winners based on a combination of these scores and the Stage Three energy-saving performance. The highest-ranking community will be awarded first place, with the requirement that the prize purse benefit the community at large. Second and third place will also be awarded. The additional winners will receive special recognition and additional benefits, which may include cash prizes.


Listings may be posted on AGA’s website for 90 days and in one issue of American Gas. Rates: AGA member companies: $150 for up to 50 words, $1 per additional word; nonmembers: $250 for up to 50 words, $2 per additional word. All ads must be prepaid. Unless noted, the code following each listing ensures confidentiality and should be referenced in correspondence.

TO SUBMIT A LISTING TO JOBLINE, PLEASE VISIT WWW.AGA.ORG.

J O B S

DIRECTOR, ELECTRIC SERVICES PROGRAMSTo provide meeting planning, volunteer manage-ment, and event leadership for Electric Section groups.Job Type: Full time, Salary; Reports To: Vice Presi-dent, Program Services

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:• Meeting planning, committee management and

event leadership: Lead the planning, develop-ment and execution of the various MEA Electric Section in-person meetings, webinars and other learning events as required.

• Work collaboratively with the Electric Section volunteer committees and appropriate MEA staff in developing program agendas and event logistics.

• Lead the site selection and meeting planning details (venue location, food, meeting room requirements, sleeping rooms, contracts, a/v requirements, etc.)

• Lead the development of online meeting informa-tion and registration.

• Maintain records and work within process guidelines established by IACET (if necessary for a given event).

• Lead the collection and organization of speaker information and communicate with speakers when needed.

• Lead the development and delivery of event marketing materials.

• Lead the development and compilation of event evaluations.

• Develop and monitor event budgets.• Manage any CEU/PDH-related requirements &

documentation.• Attend meetings as required and provide onsite

registration and meeting support.• Maintain strong relationships with committee

volunteers and solicit new committee participa-tion and leadership, as necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS:• College degree (preferred) or related work

experience.• Prefer 3+ years working in an association or

member driven organization.• Prefer 3+ years’ experience in the electric utility

industry.• Previous experience in meeting planning and

organization administration.• Excellent interpersonal skills.• Strong communications skills—phone and

in-person.

• Warm, outgoing personality.• Strong project management skills.• Willingness to take ownership and responsibil-

ity for own work and willingness to assist others when needed.

• Intermediate skills in word-processing, data-base programs, Excel, Outlook, Internet search engines and conference webinar platforms such as WebEx.

• Ability to accurately enter information into da-tabase and clearly and accurately communicate meeting information to webpage and marketing materials.

• Experienced in multitasking, setting priorities and willingness to adjust to changing needs.

• Willingness to travel as necessary; anticipated travel is 6–9 trips/year.

Interested parties please contact [email protected].

DIRECTOR, GAS SERVICES PROGRAMSTo provide meeting planning, volunteer manage-ment, and event leadership for Gas Section groups.Job Type: Full time, Salary; Reports To: Vice Presi-dent, Program Services

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:• Meeting planning, committee management, and

event leadership: Lead the planning, develop-ment, and execution of the various MEA Gas Section in-person meetings, webinars and other learning events as required.

• Work collaboratively with the Gas Section vol-unteer committees and appropriate MEA staff in developing program agendas and event logistics.

• Lead the site selection and meeting planning details (venue location, food, meeting room requirements, sleeping rooms, contracts, a/v requirements, etc.)

• Lead the development of online meeting informa-tion and registration.

• Maintain records and work within process guidelines established by IACET (if necessary for a given event).

• Lead the collection and organization of speaker information and communicate with speakers when needed.

• Lead the development and delivery of event marketing materials.

• Lead the development and compilation of event evaluations.

• Develop and monitor event budgets.• Manage any CEU/PDH-related requirements &

documentation.• Attend meetings as required and provide onsite

registration and meeting support.• Maintain strong relationships with committee

volunteers and solicit new committee participa-tion and leadership, as necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS:• College degree (preferred) or related work

experience.• Prefer 3+ years working in an association or

member driven organization.• Prefer 3+ years’ experience in the natural gas

utility industry.• Previous experience in meeting planning and

organization administration.• Excellent interpersonal skills.• Strong communications skills—phone and in-

person.• Warm, outgoing personality.• Strong project management skills.• Willingness to take ownership and responsibil-

ity for own work and willingness to assist others when needed.

• Intermediate skills in word-processing, data-base programs, Excel, Outlook, Internet search engines and conference webinar platforms such as WebEx.

• Ability to accurately enter information into da-tabase and clearly and accurately communicate meeting information to webpage and marketing materials.

• Experienced in multitasking, setting priorities and willingness to adjust to changing needs.

• Willingness to travel as necessary; anticipated travel is 6–9 trips/year.


DIRECTOR, GAS TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION GENERAL CONSTRUCTIONThis position is responsible for leading the Gas Dis-tribution General Construction organization within Gas T&D Maintenance and Construction (M&C) for PG&E’s north region. This Director is respon-sible for safely and efficiently installing new and replacing existing gas pipelines and facilities in accordance with the investment plan. Construction work includes hydro testing, pipeline replacement, Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure validation digs and in line inspections. Pipeline replacement includes the replacement of plastic, steel and cast iron using the most efficient trenchless method of excavation such as horizontal directional drilling, pipe bursting, inserting and pneumatic drilling.

This Director must be able to travel at least 50% of the time with occasional overnight stays.


The position reports to the Senior Director of Gas T&D Construction. The Director’s organization is primarily comprised of the following:

Gas Transmission & Distribution General Construction superintendents, supervisors, field en-gineers, various physical workers and clerical and support employees (the majority of the workforce is represented by IBEW 1245 and Engineers and Scientists of California, ESC).

Contract resources performing inspection and construction work on behalf of PG&E. JOB RESPONSIBILITIES• Leads and mobilizes geographically distributed

teams in the timely and safe accomplishment of gas distribution construction work.

• Improve Safety and Human Performance to include OSHA Recordable Rate, Lost Work Day Case Rate, Motor Vehicle Incident Rate, Premier/Pulse Survey, Performance Management and Process Improvements/Execution.

• Deliver on Budget, on Plan and on Purpose the Gas Distribution Capital Budget, Gas Distribu-tion Expense Budget, Unit Costs, Labor Costs, Overtime, Project Schedule Milestones, Complete Critical Projects and Complete Maintenance Plans.

• Improve Reliability/Drive Customer Satisfaction by completing Capacity/Reliability Improvement Projects and connecting new business customers.

• Partner with and empower employees and union representatives to enhance employee satisfaction and engagement.

• Partner with peers, staff departments, matrix organizations and outside agencies to improve overall business results.

• Oversees projects contracted to outside vendors and the associated work inspections.

• Maintains effective relationships with contractors and ensures work is completed within company and regulatory quality and safety standards.


ENGINEERING MANAGERThis position is responsible for providing engineer-ing and technical support to Operations Services, Construction and Engineering. The duties include designing natural gas transmission and distribu-tion facilities within our service territory, planning and construction of transmission and distribution reinforcement facilities and ensuring compliance and record keeping of our integrity management programs. The individual also manages the Gas Engineers, Corrosion Technician and GIS Engineer-ing Technician.

The ideal candidate must have a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or other related engineering field, seven or more years’ progressive experience in the natural gas industry in a techni-cal engineering position, experience managing technical staff and large capital projects and pos-sess advanced project management and planning skills. Knowledge of DOT and PHMSA codes and regulations is a must.

Vermont Gas Systems is a transmission and distribution company providing natural gas to al-most 50,000 customers in Vermont. It’s an exciting

time to join our company. We are expanding in the state and have the following new job opportunity in South Burlington, VT.

At Vermont Gas, you’ll find an atmosphere of teamwork, competitive salaries and a comprehen-sive benefits package. Join a growing company where your energy makes a difference. In Vermont, you’ll find a high quality of life, good schools, recreation for all seasons and stunning views every day. For more detail on the company and these opportunities, go to www.vermontgas.com.Interested candidates should apply at www.jobs.vermontgas.com. Vermont Gas is an Equal Oppor-tunity Employer. EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability.

SENIOR RESERVOIR ENGINEER (DOWNTOWN DETROIT, MI)DTE Energy is a Fortune 500 company based in Detroit, MI. We are a diversified energy company, involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Our operating units include DTE Electric Company, an electric utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern Michigan, DTE Gas Company, a natural gas utility serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan, and other non-utility energy businesses focused on coal and gas mid-stream services, power and industrial projects, unconventional gas production and energy trading. Information about DTE Energy is available at www.dteenergy.com.

JOB SUMMARYDTE Energy has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Reservoir Engineer with natural gas storage experience in our Geology and Reservoir depart-ment located in downtown Detroit, MI. This position supports our DTE Gas Company and has the following responsibilities: Applies intensive and di-versified knowledge of engineering and geological principles to plan, design, construct and maintain gas storage capacity and deliverability to meet market demands. Make decisions independently utilizing advanced techniques and the modification and extension of current theories and practices, to resolve unique, complex technical issues. Applies diversified knowledge to determine gas reserves, contents and flowrates, preserve stored gas inventory as well as enhancing and/or protect-ing corporate cash flow and earnings. Extensive computer modeling is utilized to obtain results for the preceding responsibilities. The knowledge and expertise required for this level usually results from progressive experience. Supervisory consultation is limited to unusual problems and developments. As a specialist, you may be assisted on projects by others or assist others in data evaluations.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES• Maintain storage field and well deliverability to

meet peak day requirements, many times under immediate time constraints.

• Economically driven maintenance and enhance-ment via state-of-the-art techniques. Storage field design for both current and future multi-million dollar investments.

• Advanced well and reservoir performance simulation.

• Interpret corrosion and related logs and/or

determination of required remedial work to proactively prevent well leaks.

• Advanced reserve and flowrate forecasts for use in multi-million dollar projects or equivalent.

• Integrated well capability and gathering pipeline design and cost minimization.

• Financial analysis of technical alternatives includ-ing cost-of-service and cost/benefit analysis.

• On-site work direction during stimulation, workovers and/or well drilling or plugging as needed.

• Inventory verification and well integrity preserva-tion.

QUALIFICATIONS:• Bachelor of Science in Petroleum or Geologi-

cal Engineering or equivalent, and five to eight years’ diverse job experience.

• Major oil or gas company experience preferred.• Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering

preferred.• Natural gas storage experience preferred.• Professional registration is desired.• Advanced knowledge of gas-storage deliverabil-

ity mechanisms, transient flow test analyses, and stimulation techniques and inventory analysis.

• Advanced knowledge of production drive mechanisms and oil- and gas- in-place determi-nation techniques.

• Nodal analysis methods to provide rate and pressure forecasts to the plant inlet.

• Selects vendors for services and materials, completes or coordinates material procurement, landowner contacts and state filings.

• Directs field and office projects (with both internal employees and external contractors) for drilling, testing, maintenance and stimulation of storage wells.

• Responsible for maintenance of Reservoir Department equipment, tracking inventory and disposing of surplus equipment as required.

• Four of items 1 through 6 and extensive under-standing of Excel, reservoir engineering/geologi-cal software and database management.

• Experienced in technical paper preparation and presentation or as testimony as an expert witness.

• Must be able to develop and manage budgets.• Must practice the corporate core values of

Integrity, Respect, Learning, Business Success and Customer Service.

• Must be able to work with people at all levels both within and outside the Company.

• Must be able to make clear and concise presen-tations to all levels of management.

• Attendance information for the past three full years or since initial employment may be used.

• Must have a valid driver’s license, provide a suit-able vehicle for use on Company business and meet Company driving standards.

***Must receive a score of a RECOMMENDED on an online pre-hire assessment; Assessment will arrive by email***

Interested applicants must apply at www.dteenergy.com/careers; Click Search/Apply, then enter job number 06735.


Engaging with customers on social media increases

their satisfaction and builds your brand. BY KIM BURKE

best in class by their peers share common attributes: They have a social media strategy and offer informative and engaging content. They have a presence on a variety of chan-nels. More often than not, they have a team dedicated to social media and a budget to pay for ads and tools that help track, measure and analyze data.

But many utilities are still grappling with how to enhance their social media presence, so we put together these recommendations based on advice from top performers:

Explore new channels. Because social media is always growing and changing, it’s important to be flexible and open to trying new things as long as you don’t overextend yourself across too many channels. Don’t lose sight of maintaining consistent messaging and branding across all channels to ensure you’re speaking with a unified voice.

Did you ever think your company would com-municate with customers via Twitter, let alone be “liked” on Facebook? I never thought so, and I work in the industry. But

a few months ago I tweeted a thank-you to my utility for expeditiously fixing a broken streetlight that I had reported online. The company thanked me back, letting me know it was happy the issue was resolved. As some-one who follows utility social media trends, I thought to myself, “Yes! That’s how you provide a good customer experience!”

We’ve seen exciting growth and sophis-tication in the industry in the five years that E Source has conducted its annual Utility Social Media Survey. Our 2014 survey results indicate that utilities that are considered

B U R N E R T I P S

SOCIAL MEDIA

HOW A SIMPLE THANK-YOU RESONATESOur 2014 survey asked utilities which

social media channels they intended to start using, stop using, increase the use of, decrease the use of or maintain the same use of over the next 12 months. The two channels that more respondents stated they would start using are Instagram and blogs. Meanwhile, more than half of respondents indicated that they plan to increase their use of LinkedIn and YouTube.

Solicit ideas from across the organiza-tion. Another trend we’ve noticed is the expansion of social media involvement throughout departments. Although corpo-rate communications still typically “owns” the social media function, other departments have figured out that having a voice online can be a good thing. For example, Human Resources might use Twitter and LinkedIn to recruit for jobs, and marketing and energy

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

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24

10

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4

51

46

54

8

44

57 43

53

6 6 29 47

30 13

4 42 4

2 38 4

13 75

2 76

8 67

2 12 40

4 52

20% 40%

PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS

SOCIA

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ANNE

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60% 80% 100%

OTHER (N = 7)

TWITTER (N = 57)

FLICKR (N = 49)

LINKEDIN (N = 54)

FACEBOOK (N = 55)

YOUTUBE (N = 53)

LOCAL ONLINE COMMUNITIES/BLOGS (N = 47)

PINTEREST (N = 49)

GOOGLE+ (N = 49)

UTILITY BLOG (N = 50)

INSTAGRAM (N = 50)

START USING STOP USING INCREASE USE DECREASE USE MAINTAIN SAME USE DON’T HAVE PLANS TO START USING


efficiency groups might use Facebook to let customers know how to save energy and money. Encouraging other groups—yes, even executives—to participate in social media and experience its benefits can help foster support.

Measure performance and celebrate success. Capturing customer feedback and using a variety of metrics to gauge the success of your social media activities can help you build a business case to hire more people and increase (or get) a budget for social initia-tives. Our survey indicated that a majority of utilities use the number of fans or followers and the amount of retweets, comments, click-throughs and mentions to quantify how many people they’re reaching via social media. Yet these numbers can’t tell the whole story. Understanding the true impact of your social media strategy should include looking at whether customers got their issues resolved and how satisfied they were with the resolu-tion. Utilities can use social media analytics tools and voice-of-the-customer technology to listen to customer feedback and assess the sentiment of posts and their customers’ overall experience. Sharing the results of these metrics and celebrating the positive interactions that someone in your company had with a customer can improve employee morale and gain support for the organiza-tion’s social media strategy.

Listen to your customers. To really listen to customers, you have to go beyond

monitoring tweets and comments. According to Ike Pigott, communications strategist for Alabama Power, to truly be an active listener on social media you have to respect custom-ers, listen for context and respond like a human being. Just because criticism is inevi-table doesn’t mean you can’t seize the oppor-tunity to learn what customers’ pain points are and proactively address their concerns.

Most of the time, the fact that you engaged with a customer leaves them feeling better. Active listening enables companies to discover valuable insights into customers’ channel preferences, learn which content they find most relevant and uncover what they’re truly thinking. This data can then be used to inform your editorial calendar as well as your customer service and engagement strategy.

Social media is unique in that it’s the channel of choice for relaying time-sensitive, critical information. Yet its less formal tone also makes it one of the best mediums to humanize a company’s brand and give it a personality. Both of these attributes lend themselves to creating positive customer interactions and increased satisfaction. Though it can’t solve all of your commu-nication challenges, social media should be viewed as an essential tool in your overall digital strategy. u

Kim Burke is the director of the customer experience and marketing research practice at E Source.

RENEWABLES AND NATURAL GASPipeline-ready natural gas—from dairies? Across the nation, natural gas utilities are looking at innovative ways to reduce emis-sions, promote environmentally friendly build-ing solutions and work with policymakers to redefine natural gas as a renewable resource.

BURNER TIPS: ASSET MANAGEMENT Do you know your assets’ condition and risk? PwC’s Daniel Bowman and Chris Fynn provide a walk-through on how to put together an effi-cient and effective asset management strategy.

NEXT MONTH

American Gas advertisers support your association. AGA members and associates are in bold type.

A D I N D E X

A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co. Back

Enduro Pipeline Services Inc. 14

Gas Technology Institute 13

Holland Engineering Inc. 12

Itron Inc. Inside Front

Marsh Bellofram Group of Companies 3

Structural Integrity Associates Inc. 19

Utility Pipeline LTD 12


PG&E spokesman and Navy veteran Denny Boyles accompanied about 75 World War II veterans on a three-day trip last fall to Washington, D.C., to visit several memorials, watch the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery and see the World War II aircraft exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum. The Honor Flight is free to the veterans and gives them a chance to see the memorials built in their honor; PG&E is a sponsor of the program. Boyles (left) served

as a Central Valley Honor Flight guardian for Eugene Mould (right) of Modesto, California, who was a B-17 and B-24 pilot during the war. “I still get emotional when I talk about it,” said Boyles, “because of what it meant to the veterans, to have that experience of people thank-ing them for their service and seeing memorials from that time in their lives that was decades ago but still very vivid in their memories.” u

Are your employees or company making a difference in your community? Contact [email protected] to submit your ideas.

HONORED TO SERVE VETERANS

M A K I N G A D I F F E R E N C E

PHO

TO P

ROVI

DED

BY D

ENN

Y BO

YLES

At Itron, we’re dedicated to delivering solutions that help utilities realize operational effi ciencies and deliver enhanced customer service—in even the harshest weather conditions.

Itron’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure solution helps utilities deliver natural gas more effi ciently than ever before. Itron’s AMI solution enhances safety, expands customer service benefi ts and empowers gas utilities to realize new cost saving opportunities and deliver added-value services.

Learn more www.itron.com/gas

Is Your SystemStanding Up to

EXTREMECONDITIONS?

Exhibit & Sponsorship OpportunitiesExhibit Promotions [email protected]

General InformationSherri [email protected] 202.824.7201

Register now and join your utility industry peers to cultivate ideas and discuss best practices in customer service operations, accounting, processing, and management at this premiere event.

To register, view the conference program, and fi nd more details, visit www.aga.org/EEI.AGA-CSC2015

April 6-9, 2015Exhibit Dates: April 7-8Omni Shoreham • Washington, DC

2015 Customer Service

Conference & ExpositionREGISTER TODAY!

15CS_AGA_adAGA.indd 1 2/2/15 8:46 AM

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