Leticia Gonzales

With mild sunny weather already blanketing much of the country, natural gas forward prices retreated for a second week, although losses were small as brief periods of chilly air were still expected to pop up during the next few weeks.

While some producers and midstreamers have shifted their focus from the Marcellus and Utica shales to oilier, more lucrative plays, pipeline giant Williams is expanding its Appalachian position by purchasing with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) the remaining 38% stake in Utica East Ohio (UEO) Midstream.

The pieces of the puzzle are falling into place for one of two liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities proposed by Venture Global LNG Inc. on the Louisiana coast after federal regulators on Tuesday approved full site preparation for the Calcasieu Pass project.

With an eye on optimizing its position in the Marcellus and Utica basins, Williams has purchased the remaining 38% stake in the Utica East Ohio (UEO) Midstream from Momentum Midstream and will take over as operator through a partnership with investment group Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).

Federal regulators on Monday approved the start-up of Texas Eastern Transmission’s (Tetco) portion of the Stratton Ridge Expansion project, which is designed to provide natural gas to the Freeport LNG Development LP export project on the upper Texas coast.

Cheniere Energy Inc. remains ahead of the race in sending U.S. natural gas into the global marketplace, but other developers continue to face delays that put into question the timing of a more than 7 Bcf/d projected bump in feed gas deliveries.

After a month of weekly gains, natural gas forward prices slammed the brakes as the latest weather models indicated the end of winter is fast approaching. April forward prices fell an average 7 cents from March 7-13, while May and the summer strip (April-October) each fell less than a nickel, according to NGI’s Forward Look.

Venture Global Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Inc. is doubling its global business due to strong customer demand, with construction set to commence “imminently” on one of its two planned U.S. Gulf Coast export facilities, the developer said Thursday.

After a month of weekly gains, natural gas forward prices slammed the brakes as the latest weather models indicate the end of winter is fast approaching. April forward prices fell an average 7 cents from March 7-13, while May and the summer strip (April-October) each fell less than a nickel, according to NGI’s Forward Look.