American

February natural gas is expected to open 3 cents lower Monday morning at $2.43 as overnight weather models hint at mild conditions in the longer term and the technical case for continued higher prices weakens. Overnight oil markets were mixed.

Emphasizing the environmental benefits of increased reliance on natural gas, American Petroleum Institute (API) CEO Jack Gerard outlined the trade association’s apparent lobbying strategy amid growing concern about the climate impacts of fossil fuels.

The North American rig count dropped by 31 units last week, according to Baker Hughes Inc., just as a group of oilfield services (OFS) analysts said in a note assessing the sector that things are “so bad it may be good.”

The global natural gas trade should increase much more rapidly than pipeline gas over the next 25 years, with U.S. gas exports helping to diversify the market and make trading more flexible, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Tuesday.

Halliburton Co. is sending out another round of layoff notices within the next two weeks, with most of the jobs lost, including management positions, to affect North America.

For the third time this year, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) granted liquefied natural gas (LNG) export authority to American LNG Marketing LLC. The approval announced Friday is to market containerized LNG shipments to non-free trade agreement (FTA) nations, covering up to 800 MMcf/d for 20 years.

Newly hatched independent Amistad Energy Partners LLC, run by veterans of BP plc’s North American operations, has opened for business in Houston with an eye on acquiring and developing U.S. onshore properties.

“Intensified” surpluses will keep the lid on North American natural gas prices through 2017, the National Energy Board predicted in a three-year…

“Intensified” surpluses will keep the lid on North American natural gas prices through 2017, the National Energy Board (NEB) predicted in a three-year Canadian deliverability forecast.