January Newsreel: Spectra Energy's New CEO; New Western Canada Hub; KMP's Ethanol Flowing in Florida

The plan would combine northern BC and Alberta production into a giant system in which BC gas that moves into extensions of TransCanada’s 14,700-mile NOVA system in Alberta will be absorbed into a NOVA system-wide trading and pricing network. The NOVA Inventory Transfer (NIT) is described as North America's biggest and most liquid gas hub as more than 11 Bcf/d already moves through the NOVA grid.

Open seasons to secure binding transportation capacity contracts are under way on potential NOVA extensions into three BC drilling hot spots, said TransCanada Vice President Stephen Clark. "I would expect we would be filing an application for at least one (pipeline project) in the early part of 2009."

KMP Starts Commercial Operations Of Ethanol Transportation In Florida
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. has begun transporting commercial batches of denatured ethanol along with gasoline shipments in its 16-inch Central Florida Pipeline (CFPL) between Tampa and Orlando., making CFPL the first transmarket gasoline pipeline in the United States to do so. Kinder Morgan invested $10 million to modify the line for ethanol shipments which involved chemically cleaning the pipeline, replacing pipeline equipment that was incompatible with ethanol and expanding storage capacity at its Orlando terminal to handle ethanol shipments.

Ultrasonic Flowmeter Market Booming, Study Says
The ultrasonic flowmeter market remains the fastest growing market of any flowmeter type, according to a new market study from Flow Research (www.flowresearch.com). The study, The World Market for Ultrasonic Flowmeters, 3rd Edition (www.flowultrasonic.com), shows the worldwide ultrasonic flowmeter market at $440 million in 2007, up from $255 million in 2002, with a projected compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8% through 2012.

The study also finds that the number of companies entering the ultrasonic flowmeter market is rising and predicts that even more companies will enter the market as ultrasonic flowmeter usage continues to grow.

The most important factor in the growth of ultrasonic flowmeters is the explosive growth in the market of multipath ultrasonic meters for custody transfer of natural gas. Approvals from industry organizations in Europe and the U.S. boosted wider use of multipath ultrasonic flowmeters. At the same time, the demand for natural gas, and the need to measure it, is increasing substantially. Ultrasonic flowmeters are also being more widely used to measure process gas and flare gas.

In addition, technological improvements have increased the accuracy of ultrasonic transit time flowmeters, which has led to broader use in a wider variety of conditions. Ultrasonic flowmeters now account for more than 10% of revenues generated by the entire worldwide flowmeter market.

Jesse Yoder, Flow Research president, said the future is highly promising for ultrasonic flowmeters.