Akin

Spending on natural gas extraction in the Haynesville Shale has stuffed so much money in the pockets of some Louisianans that it is akin to winning the lottery, suggests a recent analysis prepared for the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Spending on natural gas extraction in the Haynesville Shale has stuffed so much money in the pockets of some Louisianans that it is akin to winning the lottery, suggests a recent analysis prepared for the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Operators in emerging shale gas plays can expect to experience high costs as the plays are developed because drilling and completion is akin to research and development. However, costs fall as operators build their land positions in a particular play and develop drilling programs with the right type of rigs and completion services, according to Houston-based Ziff Energy Group.

Operators in emerging shale gas plays can expect to experience high costs as the plays are developed because drilling and completion is akin to research and development. However, costs fall as operators build their land positions in a particular play and develop drilling programs with the right type of rigs and completion services, according to Houston-based Ziff Energy Group.

Natural gas futures trading on Wednesday was akin to watching paint dry as the May contract traded within a tidy 22-cent range from $6.940 to $7.160, making it the second half-hearted effort to sub-$7 prices in as many days. The prompt month ended up settling at $7.069, up less than half a cent from Tuesday’s close.

Calling 2000 a watershed year for the natural gas market issomewhat akin to saying 1776 was an important time in U.S. history.With only a couple of exceptions, last year began with all spotprice indexes between $2 and $3. It ended with January 2001 indexesranging from $8.56 (Questar) to $18.81 (Transco Zone 6-NYC).

Calling 2000 a watershed year for the natural gas market issomewhat akin to saying 1776 was an important time in U.S. history.With only a couple of exceptions, last year began with all spotprice indexes between $2 and $3. It ended with January 2001 indexesranging from $8.56 (Questar) to $18.81 (Transco Zone 6-NYC).

The legislative architect of California’s 1996 precedent-settingelectric industry restructuring law Monday proposed a $2 billionreserve be carved out of the state’s next fiscal budget to fund astate effort to buy or build new generation plants. Theannouncement came at the same time the state energy commission,which approves all new power plants of 50 MW or larger, released alegislatively mandated report that concludes the state’s generationresources are adequate, and temporary peaking plants are not neededfor the upcoming summer.