Educational & Professional Background

      Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Kansas State University.
      Registered Professional Engineer (PE):  Nebraska, Colorado, Utah.
      Member, National Association of Corrosion Engineers.
      Member, Rotary International.

Work History

Since 1986, Steven Shute has worked to provide natural gas service to rural communities. In many areas, the large regional utilities are unable or unwilling to provide service. These projects are often feasible, if a new start-up utility installs a system and operates as a stand-alone entity. Mr. Shute, PSI and affiliated companies specialize in low-cost development of small gas utilities. After finding a suitable community, they work to bring in gas, operate the utility system, and maximize conversions. Several utility startup projects are in progress:

Pinedale Natural Gas, Inc.                                                               1993 to present
Mr. Shute is Founder and 50% co-owner. A small propane utility in Pinedale, Wyoming (near
     Jackson Hole) was purchased and converted to natural gas. This town is surrounded by an
     active gas producing area, but the regional utility passed over this project for 35 years.
     Tasks: arrange purchase & financing; liaison with Wyoming Public Service Commission;
     perform all design and permitting for natural gas supply pipeline and LDC system; convert
     from propane to natural gas in 1994; formulate Operations & Maintenance and Operator
     Qualification plans and implement drug testing program; train operators and implement
     enhanced safety program, ongoing supervision of utility operations. PNG has grown from 200
     to 1200 meters with a $3.5M investment since starting operations in 1993.

Kentucky Frontier Gas, LLC                                                              2005 to present
Mr. Shute is a Founder and 40% owner. Frontier purchased about 10 different small gas
     distribution entities, and is working to integrate them into a consolidated and updated utility.
     Tasks: arrange purchase & financing; liaison with Kentucky Public Service Commission;
     formulate DOT pipeline safety programs such as Operations & Maintenance, Public Awareness,
     Operator Qualification, alcohol & drug testing program; train operators and implement
     enhanced safety program, ongoing supervision of utility operations. Frontier has grown from
     0 to 3500 meters with a $4.5M investment since starting operations in 2008.

Walden Municipal Gas                                                                    1994 to present
Mr. Shute was project manager on the $3M project to keep gas in Walden, Colorado. The Town
    was supplied for 40 years from a gas field near Walden; when it failed, the regional utility
    company abandoned the system. Mr. Shute evaluated the options for the existing natural gas
    system, and convinced the Town to convert to municipal operation and install a pipeline to
    ensure a long-term gas supply. PSI specified the use of coiled aluminum pipe to minimize
    cost and environmental permitting problems; negotiated joint trench and shared RoW with US
    West; secured permits from 13 governmental agencies for 46 miles of pipeline; administered
    construction and inspection for the pipeline project; helped with startup and municipal
    operation in 1995; designed distribution systems along the pipeline in Wyoming in 1997.
    The system has grown from 600 to about 900 meters. In 2002, Mr. Shute through Pinedale
    Natural Gas, became the contract operator for the Walden system.

Wendover Gas Company                                                                1996 to present
Mr. Shute is primary consultant on a propane gas distribution system in Wendover, a small
     community straddling the Nevada-Utah state line on I-80 west of Salt Lake City.
     Tasks: feasibility studies, certification through the utilities commissions in Nevada and Utah,
     design and construction supervision work on a $1.2M greenfield system, gas supply and
     safety issues. This system serves about 700 homes, casinos and related businesses.
     WenGas is currently working to expand through the use of Liquefied Natural Gas to replace
     propane.

Alpine Natural Gas                                                                        1997 to present
Mr. Shute serves as consultant and partner on a gas distribution system in the foothills of the
     Sierra Nevada east of Stockton, California. Tasks: feasibility study, design and construction
     supervision work on a $3M green-field system, operations and safety issues. This system
     serves about 1200 homes and small businesses, and has many opportunities for expansion
     in the state.

Coos County Gas Pipeline Mr. Shute served as a Project Advisor on a $44M project to build
      a 12-inch gas transmission pipeline to serve the Coos Bay area on the coast of Oregon.
      Tasks: route & pipe selection, coordination of the environmental impact statement (EIS),
      secure 20+ permits from 12 governmental agencies, utilities commission liaison, public
      information meetings, prepare bids & administer construction. This 90-mile system with 3
      laterals serves an area with 60,000 residents and numerous industries around a
      deepwater ocean port.

Frontier Energy, LLC. - Mr. Shute was a co-Founder, officer, and stockholder of this gas utility
      in North Carolina. In July 1997, Frontier won a Supreme Court decision and received
      certification to build a $55 million gas utility system serving 7 counties in northwestern
      North Carolina. The initial project includes 150 miles of transmission pipeline and 500
      miles of distribution, to serve about 10,000 customers within 5 to 10 years. These seven
      counties have a population of 250,000, with 1500 poultry growout facilities and a large
      industrial and manufacturing base. Mr. Shute worked with Frontier from 1994 to its sale
      in 1999 to Sempra Energy (parent of Southern California Gas).

Ozark Natural Gas Co., Inc. - Mr. Shute was a principal of Ozark, which received certification
     in August 1998 to serve gas to a three-county area around the country music resort
     community of Branson, Missouri. The $20 million project includes 40 miles of transmission
     pipeline and 140 miles of distribution. Ozark planned to serve more than 5,000 customers,
     including residential, commercial / resort, a college and a few light industries. (Project was
     not built.)

Mid-Maine Gas Utilities, Inc. - in 1997, MMGU was conditionally certificated to serve gas to
     unserved areas of Maine, including Bangor, Waterville, Augusta and surrounding towns. The
     $14M system would serve homes, businesses and light industries off the Maritimes &
     Northeast PL, built in 1999 from Nova Scotia. Mr. Shute performed system design, feasibility
     studies, and testified before the Maine Public Utilities Commission. (Project built by Sempra
     Energy.)

Southern Ute Utilities - Mr. Shute serves as gas utility consultant for the Southern Ute Tribe
     in Ignacio, Colorado. PSI performed a feasibility study, and prepared design & construction
     documents for the installation of a new $300k gas distribution system for the Tribe. This
     work included hydraulic models, load study, material specifications, bid documents,
     measurement station and odorizer design, detailed design sketches and drawings, and
     operations followup. The utility has operated successfully since 1993.

Principal, Pipeline Solutions, Inc.                                                  1991 to present

Mr. Shute is a consulting engineer specializing in natural gas utilities:  pipeline and distribution system engineering, measurement facilities design, DOT compliance, corrosion control, operator training programs, environmental compliance.  Sample project list:

Western Utility - audit to identify high gas loss problem in small propane utility.  Large measurement error was found and corrected, after 25 years of non-detection.

 

Colorado Springs Gas - develop modules for DOT-mandated operator training program.

 

Colorado Clean Fuels - feasibility study and detailed cost estimate for 80 mile CO₂ pipeline to a methanol production plant.

 

South Park MHP - design gas distribution system for mobile home park, arrange for gas supply, negotiate with supplier utility.

 

Western Gas Resources - research, design, and implement program for testing for VOC leakage from large gas processing plants, to comply with EPA regulations.

 

Barrett Gas Resources - corrosion control program and training.

DairiConcepts pipeline – DOT compliance on an industrial gas supply pipeline.

 General Manager, Rocky Mountain Natural Gas                                1988 to 1991

Managed the day-to-day operation of a mid-size regional utility (120 employees, 30,000 meters) serving resort communities in western Colorado.  Administration, budgeting and long-term planning, engineering & technical supervision were bulk of duties. 

Crested Butte, Colorado - feasibility studies, pipeline and distribution system design to convert ski resort town to natural gas.  RMNG nearly completed the franchise procedure with town council and Colorado Public Utilities Commission.  The project was abandoned by RMNG parent company but the project was carried out by a competing utility.

 

Strategic pipeline projects to increase capacity for future growth (numerous projects, $10+ million):  increased capacity, higher pressures, better metering and communications.

Director Tech Services, Rocky Mountain Natural Gas                        1988 to 1991

Supervised the takeover and assimilation of RMNG as a new subsidiary of K N Energy, Inc.  Responsible for engineering department, purchasing and material accounting, corrosion control and safety, transportation and communications department.  Formulated new Standard Practices Manual for RMNG, completely overhauled measurement and telemetry systems, planned and executed numerous pipeline projects for the future. 

For RMNG, major projects included:

Telluride, Colorado - permitting and planning to install a 40 mile pipeline and convert a propane distribution system to natural gas.

 

Crawford, Four Mile Creek, Singletree, Lake Creek, Cordillera - converted small towns and large rural subdivisions to natural gas.  These projects had a very successful conversion rate even with many baseboard electric heating systems which are tough to convert.

 

Aspen upgrade:  numerous 10" pipeline and storage re-configuring projects to enhance deliveries to Aspen area.  Built new town border stations for Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale, Delta, Eagle, Gypsum, and others.

Director Tech Services, K N Energy, Inc.                                            1985 to 1986
Corrosion control, compressor performance testing, communications department.

Manager of Corrosion Control, K N Energy, Inc.                                 1982 to 1985
Corrosion control and DOT compliance for all operations of a 220,000 customer utility.

 Project Engineer, K N Energy, Inc.                                                     1980 to 1982

Project Engineer, Conoco, Inc.                                                            1977 to 1980
Executive training program, various pipeline projects for natural gas and petroleum liquids.

Personal Data

b. 10-25-55, Manhattan, Kansas.
Married, father of two young men.  Active Private Pilot.
Active in church, Rotary Club, local government, music & arts.
Current personal and professional references are available upon request.

 

Steven Shute, PE Pipeline Solutions, Inc. PO Box 1054 Glenwood Springs, CO  81602       970-928-9208 telephone       970-948-9408 mobile

e-mail Steven