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August natural gas futures advanced Thursday following the release of government inventory figures and on the basis of buy orders prompted by systematic and algorithmic traders. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported an increase in natural gas inventories of 78 Bcf, slightly lower than market estimates, and the market immediately jumped off session lows. At the close August had added 5.9 cents to $4.374 and September was up 5.9 cents as well to $4.393. August crude oil rose 65 cents to $95.42/bbl.

California continues to deal with vocal dissenters opposing the widespread switch among energy utility customers — gas and electric — to advanced metering systems. While a growing number of small suburbs in the San Francisco Bay area are trying to make themselves smart meter-free zones, objective studies have verified the safety of the meters, which depend on radio frequency-emitting devices similar to — but less powerful than — cell phones. The Los Angeles Times on Sunday editorialized in favor of the new meters, noting particularly that on the electric side that they “have the potential to change the delivery of electricity as profoundly as the Internet changed the delivery of information.” Utilities save money by eliminating the decentralized house-by-house meter reading function and customers can save by being able to take advantage of time-of-use pricing and smart appliances. With at least four Northern California towns passing moratoriums against the meters, the Times said Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has “rightly ignored the nonsensical bans,” noting that it is regulated by the state, not local governments.

General Electric (GE) unveiled an advanced turbine technology that it said will allow greater flexibility and efficiency in combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plants.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (KMP) is buying Petrohawk Energy Corp.’s half of the companies’ Haynesville Shale midstream joint venture, KinderHawk Field Services, and also acquiring a 25% interest in Petrohawk’s gas gathering and treating business in the Eagle Ford Shale, the companies said.

As state regulators weigh its plan to allow customers to opt out of using advanced metering systems for health reasons, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) said Monday it is dealing with a small number of defective smart meters that overcharged about 1,600 electric utility customers throughout its territory. The problem did not arise in the smart natural gas meters the combination utility has installed.

May natural gas futures advanced Monday as traders noted favorable internal dynamics and identified higher short-term trading objectives that could take May futures up to 20 cents higher. At the close the May contract had gained 6.7 cents to $4.108 and June was up 6.9 cents to $4.176. May crude oil tumbled $2.87 to $109.92/bbl.

The Financial Stability Oversight Council Tuesday adopted an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANOPR) seeking to designate financial market utilities (FMU), including certain clearinghouses, as systemically important.

Price volatility, regulatory initiatives and the pressure to use the most advanced extraction technologies command most of the oil and gas industry’s attention, but companies shouldn’t overlook the opportunities that exist for those companies that actively manage their cash and working capital, according to a report by Ernst & Young.

Price volatility, regulatory initiatives and the pressure to use the most advanced extraction technologies command most of the oil and gas industry’s attention, but companies shouldn’t overlook the opportunities that exist for those companies that actively manage their cash and working capital, according to a report by Ernst & Young.