-An EPA official said the agency would finalize the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard by June 20. EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality head Chris Grundler said the agency is still processing comments on the recently proposed mandate, which was reduced for the first time amid pressure from industry groups.
-A Bloomberg report examines the production slump in the Haynesville shale and how it could be turned around by natural gas demand from Asia. Local officials are hopeful LNG exports to Asia will drive up natural gas prices enough to rekindle activity in the Haynesville, where output has dropped 40% since 2011.
-Shell sold its downstream assets in Italy to Kuwait Petroleum International for an undisclosed sum. The assets include retail, supply and distribution logistics and aviation businesses. Yesterday it was announced that Shell had unloaded $2.4 billion in downstream assets in Australia. Shell also sold wells and leases in Kansas to Tapstone Energy.
-A fertilizer storage facility at an airport in Northwood, Iowa, exploded and caught fire Thursday. Residents were evacuated, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
-Azure Midstream Energy hired Valerus Energy Holdings executive Eric Kalamaras as its new CFO. Kalamaras, who served in a similar position at Valerus, has also worked for Delphi Midstream Partners and Atlas Energy.
