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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) said Thursday it was offering another $30 million in grants aimed at advancing the equipment and technology critical to the use of natural gas vehicles (NGV). DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced the new funding under a vehicular category focused on methane’s use in transportation.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. is in advanced negotiations to sell all of its midstream assets, including its stake in Chesapeake Midstream Partners LP (CHKM), for more than $4 billion, a transaction that could be completed in the next few days, sources told NGI’s Shale Daily on Wednesday. The bidder is said to be private equity giant Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), which initially helped to fund the master limited partnership (MLP) and which continues to be a joint partner.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. is in advanced negotiations to sell all of its midstream assets, including its stake in Chesapeake Midstream Partners LP (CHKM), for more than $4 billion, a transaction that could be completed in the next few days, sources told NGI’s Shale Daily on Wednesday. The bidder is said to be private equity giant Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), which initially helped to fund the master limited partnership (MLP) and which continues to be a joint partner.

NiSource Midstream Services (NMS) is in “advanced discussions with a producer counterparty” about a potential joint venture (JV) to focus on gathering, processing and transporting in eastern Ohio’s Utica Shale, NiSource Inc. officials said Tuesday.

Both cash and financial gas advanced Monday, although marketers were trying to digest mixed weather outlooks and financial traders saw nothing on the horizon to indicate market fundamentals had changed. Nationwide cash prices rose by about a nickel with strong gains reported at Northeast points and more modest advances along the Gulf. At the close of futures trading May had risen 3.5 cents to $2.016 and June gained 2.4 cents to $2.108. May crude oil was up 10 cents to $102.93/bbl.

What is claimed to be North America’s most advanced drilling simulator is expected to begin operations early next year near Houston with the goal of making offshore operations safer and less costly.

January natural gas advanced Thursday as traders anticipating a further increase in gas storage had to scramble to cover short positions when the government announced an inventory decline. January gained 9.8 cents to $3.648, and February posted a gain of 9.7 cents to $3.675. January crude oil slipped 16 cents to $100.20/bbl.

November natural gas advanced Tuesday as traders suggest that the market is close to breaking out of its current directionless malaise and move higher. At the close November had gained 5.4 cents to $3.658 and December was up by 5.8 cents to $3.852. December crude oil gained $1.90 to $93.17/bbl.

November natural gas advanced Tuesday as players sensed some angst developing in traders who last week sold short and are now being forced to cover since their market objectives are not being realized. At the close November had risen 7.5 cents to $3.616 and December added 2.3 cents to $3.859. November crude oil added 40 cents to $85.81/bbl.