Accurate

Noting that, on average, the oil and natural gas price forecasts of Raymond James Energy Research have been more materially accurate than Wall Street estimates or 12-month futures strips from 2001 through 2004, Raymond James analysts said in a research note that they are again more optimistic than consensus, putting 2005 oil at $44/bbl and full-year gas at $7.25/Mcf.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has signed a data sharing agreement and formed an information gathering partnership with the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), an organization of governors that represents 37 oil and gas producing states. The pact is part of a broader government effort to improve EIA’s natural gas supply data, which has a significant time lag and often goes through multiple revisions, sometime more than a year after the fact.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has signed a data sharing agreement and formed an information gathering partnership with the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), an organization of governors who represent 37 oil and gas producing states. The pact is part of a broader government effort to improve EIA’s natural gas supply data, which has a significant time lag and often goes through multiple revisions, sometime more than a year after the fact.

Even though it has found no evidence of impropriety on its part, Royal Dutch Shell affiliate Coral Energy said last week it has implemented new procedures to shield itself from any misunderstandings or abuses that may occur when reporting prices on natural gas trades to energy trade publications.

Even though it has found no evidence of impropriety on its part, Royal Dutch Shell affiliate Coral Energy said it has implemented new procedures to shield itself from any misunderstandings or abuses that may occur when reporting prices on natural gas trades to energy trade publications.

Even though it says “accurate and precise prediction of commodity prices is futile,” Simmons & Co. International nevertheless makes a stab at it, increasing its natural gas price forecast for 2002 from $2.25/Mcf to $2.90/Mcf, in line with a rise in the forecast for crude oil from $21 a barrel to just over $24 a barrel.

Cash market predictions proved accurate again as pricescontinued to slide going into the weekend Friday. It didn’t take arocket scientist to make that call, sources said, as forecasts ofgorgeous weather virtually throughout the nation (and north of theborder too) should lower gas load greatly by encouraging a lot ofoutdoor activity.