Appearance

The administration’s multi-agency approach to hydraulic fracturing (fracking) studies and the appearance of mission-creep is causing confusion within the oil and natural gas industry, according to some critics on Capitol Hill.

The administration’s multi-agency approach to hydraulic fracturing (fracking) studies and the appearance of mission-creep is causing confusion within the oil and natural gas industry, according to some critics on Capitol Hill.

Despite the recent appearance of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season’s first four named storms, Andover, MA-based WSI Corp. said it is sticking with its previous forecast of a total of 10 named storms, including five hurricanes, with two of them intense (Category Three or greater) forming by Nov. 30. Temperatures across most of the country during the next three months will be warmer than normal, WSI said.

Despite the appearance in the last 10 days of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season’s first three named storms, Andover, MA-based WSI Corp. said it is sticking with its previous forecast of a total of 10 named storms, including five hurricanes, with two of them intense (Category Three or greater) forming by Nov. 30.

The two FERC nominees agreed on most energy issues during their first appearance before the Senate energy panel Thursday, except on whether the U.S. should look to foreign countries now to supplement its natural gas supplies.

After giving the appearance in Wednesday morning trading that natural gas futures were headed higher for a seventh consecutive day, the September contract ended up pulling off of its highs and exploring lower, before settling near unchanged.

Real winter made a brief appearance in the East early last week as several major eastern utilities reported setting some new gas and power send-out records on Monday, Dec. 20. Consolidated Edison (ConEd) pinpointed the average temperature in its New York City area over a 24-hour period last Monday at 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

In his first appearance before the Natural Gas Roundtable since taking over the reins at FERC a year ago, Chairman Pat Wood said last Thursday that “by and large” the Commission’s job of establishing competitive natural gas markets was already done, and that its task now was to make sure the high level of competitiveness in the markets continued. Toward that aim, he announced the agency plans to hold its first ‘State of the Gas Markets’ conference in late October to explore gas supply and demand issues.

In his first appearance before the Natural Gas Roundtable since taking over the reins at FERC a year ago, Chairman Pat Wood said Thursday that “by and large” the Commission’s job in establishing competitive natural gas markets was already done, and that its task now was to ensure that the high level of competitiveness in the markets continued. Toward that aim, he announced the agency plans to hold its first ‘State of the Gas Markets’ conference in late October to explore gas supply and demand issues.