MARKETWIRE ALERTS

MARKETWIRE ALERTS 

MarketWire Afternoon News for September 26^th

Updated at 5:21 PM ET 

HEADLINES:

— Filing: marathon’s Carson Refinery to Flare Sept. 26-Oct. 5

— Transwestern Launches Open Season for Permian Gas Line

— EPA Fines American GreenFuels $143K for Air Violations

— Baker Hughes: North America Rig Count Up By 8

— Carb Delays Public Fleet Zero-Emission Vehicle Targets

NEWS:

Filing: Marathon’s Carson Refinery to Flare Sept.26-Oct.5

Marathon Petroleum reported flaring activity at its 365,000 bpd Carson, California refinery, beginning Friday (9/26) at 9:30 a.m. PT through Sunday (10/5) at 11:59 p.m. PT, according to a notice filed with the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The event is due to start-up and shutdown operations.

Transwestern Launches Open Season for Permian Gas Line

Energy Transfer’s Transwestern Pipeline announced Friday (9/26) that it has launched a binding open season for an expansion of its natural gas pipeline system to move significant new volumes out of the prolific Permian Basin.

Pending necessary regulatory approvals and permits, the Desert Southwest expansion is currently slated for completion in the fourth quarter of 2029.

The timeline reflects the scale of the infrastructure build and the time typically required to secure federal and state authorizations for interstate gas projects.

The expansion is designed to boost takeaway capacity for gas drilled in West Texas and New Mexico, routing supplies to key markets in the Desert Southwest, including existing and new delivery points in New Mexico and Arizona.

The upgrade, which includes new large-diameter pipe, additional compression, and metering facilities, will transport a minimum of 1.5 bcfd. The capacity is critical as Permian producers continue to ramp up oil and associated gas output, frequently straining existing infrastructure and leading to price volatility.

The expansion underscores Energy Transfer’s strategy of capitalizing on the U.S. shale boom. The Dallas-based energy firm owns and operates one of the nation’s largest and most diversified portfolios of energy assets, with approximately 140,000 miles of pipelines crisscrossing 44 states.

Transwestern, which owns and operates a sprawling network under Energy Transfer’s umbrella, said it has secured enough binding commitments to greenlight the project.

The month-long open season, which began Friday at noon CDT and runs through October 25, will focus on gauging further shipper interest to determine the project’s final design and optimal size.

EPA Fines American GreenFuels $143K for Air Violations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced an agreement with American GreenFuels that will require the company to pay a $143,000 penalty for allegedly failing to comply with the Clean Air Act over a two-year period at the biodiesel producer’s facility in New Haven, Connecticut.

The EPA, in a statement issued Friday (9/26), determined the facility — which converts used cooking oil and animal fats into biofuel — was not properly operating to control the release of air pollutants between August 2020 and August 2022.

Specifically, American GreenFuels failed to adequately manage the release of volatile organic compounds during system repairs and maintenance, according to the EPA’s investigation, which included facility inspections.

American GreenFuels will pay the $143,000 penalty to resolve the alleged violations and the facility is now in compliance with the law, the EPA said.

The enforcement action highlights ongoing scrutiny of industrial air quality compliance in the biofuel sector. Volatile organic compounds are a significant contributor to ground-level ozone, and the agency is signaling a commitment to policing emissions that directly impact the health of local communities.

Baker Hughes: North America Rig Count Up By 8

North American drilling activity increased in the week ended today, with rigs added in both the U.S. and Canada, according to Baker Hughes data released Friday (9/26).

The number of rigs operating in the United States rose by seven to 549, down 38 rigs from the same week last year.

Oil-directed rigs climbed by six to 424, while gas rigs dipped by one to 117. Miscellaneous rigs rose by two to eight.

Land-based drilling added by five rigs to reach 532. Offshore activity rose by one rig to 14, while inland waters also gained by one to settle at three. The Gulf of Mexico rig count slid by one rig to nine.

Canada’s rig count increased by one to 190, with oil-directed rigs up by one and gas staying flat. Despite the gain, the total remains 28 rigs below last year levels.

The combined North American rig count rose by eight to 739, 66 fewer than the 805 rigs counted in the same week of 2024.

Carb Delays Public Fleet Zero-Emission Vehicle Targets

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced amendments to clean fleet regulations. The changes would delay zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandates for public fleets amid industry pressure for more time to resolve hurdles in electrifying heavy-duty trucks.

CARB said Thursday (9/25) that it is delaying the 50% ZEV purchase requirement by three years and the 100% ZEV purchase requirement until 2030. 

The board is also extending the exemption for small fleets and those in designated low-population counties until 2030, and ensuring that compliance flexibilities apply to all government agencies.

The changes, which will become effective before January 2027, represent a course correction for the state’s ambitious clean-fleet program. 

CARB’s move follows its withdrawal of a federal waiver request for the ACF rules and a settlement in a lawsuit that challenged its authority to enforce them.

In an effort to resolve ongoing regulatory uncertainty, the board also voted to repeal the portions of the ACF regulation that applied to federal and private fleets, including requirements for drayage trucks. 

This effectively eliminates the legal and operational limbo that has plagued the trucking industry since the rules were adopted in 2023.

CARB Chair Liane Randolph underscored that the amendments will keep California on a path toward a cleaner fleet while ensuring a more practical implementation.

While trucks represent only 6% of the vehicles on California’s roads, they account for over 35% of the state’s transportation generated nitrogen oxide emissions and 25% of the state’s on-road greenhouse gas emissions.

The regulation, initially projected to deliver tens of billions in health savings and operational cost reductions, is part of a broader state strategy that includes the Clean Truck Check program.