Dan Gibson Safety and National Safe Digging Month

Posted on April 13, 2010 by Dan Gibson | Comments Off


The most important issue for our members, and the one that comes up most often around the AGA offices, is safety. Without a doubt and for good reason. With that in mind, we’re once again celebrating and promoting National Safe Digging Month.

090415811web Safety and National Safe Digging Month

National Safe Digging Month is “dedicated to increasing awareness of safe digging practices across the country and to celebrate the anniversary of 811, the national call-before-you-dig number.” In plain English, what that means is if you can dial 811 on your phone you can notify utilities that you will be digging on your property. The utility companies will then come to your property and mark the approximate locations of all utility-owned lines with paint or flags. It usually only takes them a few days to come out. And, best of all the 811 service is free and worth the time to prevent an accident.

Here’s some great stats from the “Did you know” section on call811.com

Did you know?

  • More than 200,000 underground utility lines are struck each year in the U.S.?
  • 37% of all U.S. digging damages result from not calling before digging.
  • Utilities are buried only a few inches underground, making them easy to strike even during shallow digging projects.

You can read more in the press release on National Safe Digging Month we issued at the beginning on the month. I worked my way through college on construction sites so I can testify that the “utilities are buried only a few inches underground, making them easy to strike even during shallow digging projects” line is a real concern.

Get the full scoop at call811.com. While you’re there you can also view their page with state specific information on 811. All of our members have their own safety programs and usually something that goes along with this month so feel free to leave a link in the comments below to anything that is helpful.

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Dave Parker Domestic Access = Security

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Dave Parker | Comments Off


nationaljournalblog2 Domestic Access = SecurityRead my latest response on the National Journal’s Energy and Environment Experts blog to the question, “Drill, Barry, Drill?”

President Obama’s plan to expand offshore natural gas exploration is a clear sign that his administration understands the importance of achieving American energy security on all fronts. While AGA is happy that the president sees the vital short- and long-term role that natural gas plays in a low-carbon future, greater inroads to capturing natural gas’ inherent efficiency and robust domestic resource base are still needed.

Just this Tuesday, AGA reported that at year-end 2009 the known reserves of natural gas in the United States likely increased for the 11th straight year, approaching 250 trillion cubic feet. Combined with the most current estimate of undiscovered resources, we have a total future supply equaling more than 100 years at the current rate of use. This is the highest level in more than 35 years. Much of the supply optimism can be traced to the influences of unconventional onshore resources such as natural gas from shale and tight sands. Access to offshore natural gas reserves will provide additional strength to domestic resources.

This kind of robust supply base reinforces the pivotal role that natural gas will continue to play in the years ahead. When used directly in homes, businesses and industry, natural gas is at its most efficient. And when used for power generation, natural gas is the cleanest of fossil fuels. All of these benefits point to the need for continued domestic exploration for natural gas onshore and off, unconventional and conventional.

The goal of a diverse stable of carbon-neutral alternatives for power generation is an important one; it is certainly a goal worth pursuing. To that end, AGA has long supported the development of a diverse domestic energy supply, including oil, nuclear, coal, wind, hydro, solar and, of course, domestic, abundant and clean natural gas.

But we as a nation also need to get behind the best low carbon fuel that is domestically accessible, already abundant, available and ready right now. Natural gas meets all of these criteria and expanded offshore access will help to ensure it continues to do so.

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Lauren Blosse Natural Gas Supply Remains Bullish

Posted on April 6, 2010 by Lauren Blosse | Comments Off


Because AGA represents member utilities that deliver natural gas to 169 million Americans, we have a vested interest in the country’s supply picture.   So we were pleased when our resident supply expert, Chris McGill, told us that in 2009 natural gas supply remained “bullish,” and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.  This trend is a result of the influences of unconventional resources such as natural gas from shale and tight sands.

Based on numbers reported to the SEC, in 2009 it appears the “known reserves” of natural gas in the United States increased for the eleventh straight year, now approaching 250 trillion cubic feet– the highest level in more than 35 years.  This record number is good news for natural gas customers, signifying that our country can continue to rely on natural gas as a staple of its energy mix.

Interestingly, BP, the largest U.S. producer of natural gas in 2009, produced less than five percent of the national total for the year – meaning the natural gas production industry remains competitive.  Other large producers and reserves holders include household names such as ExxonMobil, yet, significant volumes of gas are produced by others such as Chesapeake Energy, Devon, Anadarko and EOG Resources. In fact, thousands of other large, mid-size and small producers provided the bulk of domestic natural gas to local distribution companies last year.

For a breakdown of the numbers and further analysis, take a look at the report.

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Dan Gibson The Spurs point to natural gas during NBA Green Week

Posted on April 5, 2010 by Dan Gibson | Comments Off


I was cruising through my email this morning and saw one from Lauren with “Spurs” in the subject. I figured she was like everyone else with such a severely busted bracket that she was just tuning into the NBA. Turns out, the NBA is partnering with our friends over at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) for the second annual NBA Green Week “in an effort to generate awareness and funds for protecting the environment.”

On the Spurs Green page, they list American Gas Association as “a valuable resource for understanding the benefits and availability of clean, safe, reliable natural gas (see the column on the right).” Couldn’t have said it better myself.

100405.nbagreen The Spurs point to natural gas during NBA Green Week

They list a bunch of “green tips” including:

  • Wait until your dishwasher is completely full before you run it.
  • Get your oil changed with the proper oil. A better running car uses less gas.
  • Check your tire pressure regularly. Under-inflation takes more gas. Check your manual for the correct tire pressure.
  • Compost when you can. Yard trimmings and food residuals together constitute 24 percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream.

There’s quite a few more “green tips” on their page so be sure to check them out.

You can also visit the NBA Green Week site to learn more. And if anybody from the Spurs wants me to hook them up with a local natural gas utility to give them even more great info on natural gas, I’d be glad to.

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