Energy Partners
Energy Partners, Ltd. today announced that on March 27, 2008 it had completed its previously announced sale of two Gulf of Mexico Shelf properties located within its Western offshore area for $16.2 million effective January 1, 2008. As of the effective date, the estimated proved reserves represented less than 1% of the Company’s proved reserves and a recent average production rate net to the Company of less than 2% of fourth quarter 2007 average production. After preliminary closing adjustments for the closing dates of March 26, 2008 and March 27, 2008, the cash proceeds received totaled approximately $15.0 million.
Founded in 1998, EPL is an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Company’s operations are focused along the U.S. Gulf Coast, both onshore in south Louisiana and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.
Shaw Contract
The Shaw Group Inc. announced today that its Environmental & Infrastructure Group has been awarded a design-build contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hurricane Protection Office for the design and construction of the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Hurricane Protection project located at Lake Borgne in Louisiana, adjacent to the confluence of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The value of Shaw’s contract approximates $700 million and will be included in the company’s third quarter fiscal 2008 backlog.
J.M. Bernhard Jr., chairman, president and chief executive officer of Shaw, said, “As a Louisiana-based company and key infrastructure services provider to the federal government, we are proud to support our home state, the citizens of the Greater New Orleans area and the Corps of Engineers in this historic project - the largest design-build civil works project ever undertaken by the Corps. Since the 2005 hurricane season, we have been dedicated to supporting the federal government and the state of Louisiana in their mission to rebuild the gulf coast region and provide long-term solutions for the safety of local communities.”
Corps Plan
NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, is hosting a public meeting on Wednesday, Apr. 9, 2008 at the St. Rose Public Library, 90 East Club Dr., in St. Rose to discuss proposed actions that will bring the Greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System on the Eastbank of St. Charles and Jefferson parishes up to 100-year levels of protection.
The meeting will cover projects discussed in Individual Environmental Reports 1, 2 and 3. IER 1 discusses the La Branch Wetlands Levee in St. Charles Parish. IER 2 covers the West Return Floodwall that runs along the Jefferson and St. Charles Parish boundaries. IER 3 covers the Lakefront Levee in Jefferson Parish.
"The meeting presentation will detail the preferred alternatives under consideration that will bring the hurricane system up to 100-year levels of protection," said Carl Anderson, Corps senior project manager for St. Charles and Jefferson parishes.
The public meeting begins with a Corps-staffed open house at 6 p.m. A formal presentation begins 7 p.m. and is followed by a discussion period.
The purpose of the meeting is to allow the public the opportunity to provide input on development of the system.
In addition to IERs 1, 2 and 3, the Corps will also discuss potential areas from which borrow material may be obtained. Borrow is a specific type of clay the Corps needs to upgrade the current levee system. The Corps is investigating potential borrow source sites all across the region.
Public meetings are an essential part of the Corps' commitment to environmental compliance efforts and construction updates on the proposed 100-year storm system for both the Westbank and Vicinity and Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity areas. These meetings, which enhance the Corps effort to introduce alternative National Environmental Policy Act arrangements to the community, are held to provide the public the opportunity to participate in the Corps' decision making process.
The Corps encourages the public to provide written comments on IERs available for public review by mail, e-mail or by visiting www.nolaenvironmental.gov at any time throughout the environmental analysis period. Questions or comments concerning proposed hurricane storm damage reduction actions should be addressed to:
Gib Owen, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, PM-RS P.O. Box 60267, New Orleans, LA 70160-0267
Phone: 504-862-1337; Fax; 504-862-2088 or by e-mail at: mvnenvironmental@usace.army.mil.
For more information or to sign up for meeting notifications please visit the following web site: www.nolaenvironmental.gov.
Blue Cross, Blue Shield
With Monday’s launch of www.2Step4Kids.com, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana has expanded the health and fitness message of its acclaimed Louisiana 2 Step program to include elementary and middle school children.
The site is a kid-oriented version of www.Louisiana2Step.com, Blue Cross’ innovative healthy eating and exercise website that has encouraged thousands across the state to “Do the 2” by making small but significant daily lifestyle changes.
“Louisiana’s children are among the heaviest in the nation,” said John Maginnis, vice president of Corporate Communications at Blue Cross. “This launch will address that unfortunate statistic and is our way of responding to parents and teachers who’ve asked for a way to involve kids in the 2 Step.”
Aimed at five- to 12-year-olds, www.2Step4Kids.com teaches the simple “Eat Right, Move More” message in a fun way. Kids can play interactive games with nutrition and exercise themes, earn reward points, build their own “Me 2” characters and keep track of their exercise and eating habits with simple food and activity logs. The site also includes resources and an idea exchange for teachers and parents.
Apple Inc
Apple Inc. said Thursday its iTunes store surpassed Wal-Mart Stores Inc. as the top music retailer in the country and has sold over 4 billion songs. It claims to be the favorite retailer in the U.S.
