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After dancing around the issue for a few minutes last Thursday, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said federal officials plan to “move expeditiously” on applications to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to countries without free trade agreements (FTA) with the United States.

After dancing around the issue for a few minutes, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz Thursday said the department plans to “move expeditiously” on applications to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to countries with which the United States does not have free trade agreements (FTA).

Following similar initiatives around the nation, Houston-based CenterPoint Energy on Thursday said it will add 35 natural gas vehicles (NGV) to its fleet across Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. It also is planning to supply compressed natural gas (CNG) to 17 new fueling stations built in its multi-state territory.

Sempra Energy CEO Debra Reed on Thursday outlined the company’s strategy, which is centered around the surge in North American natural gas supplies, particularly from U.S. shale plays. Reed sees opportunity in Mexico, where Sempra already holds a big stake, as that country migrates from oil to natural gas use.

Oil and natural gas producers still are poring over the 171-page draft rule governing hydraulic fracturing (fracking) activities on public lands, and while proponents and opponents agree that some concessions were made by the agency in the latest rule to avoid duplication of state and tribal fracking requirements, they say BLM could have gone further.

There appears to be no scarcity of global shale gas opportunities, but it may be two years — or longer — before drilling progresses to commercial success, according to Raymond James & Associates Inc.

Around the middle of the year, SM Energy Co. management will have a clearer picture of how to allocate spending among a number of opportunities as it targets annual production growth of 15-20% over the next three years, executives said during a conference call Wednesday.

Around the middle of the year, SM Energy Co. management will have a clearer picture of how it will allocate its spending among a number of opportunities as it targets annual production growth of 15-20% over the next three years, executives said during a conference call Wednesday.

Contrary to a media report, there is no time frame for when a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc will make a decision over whether to build a proposed “world scale” ethane cracker in western Pennsylvania, state and company officials told NGI’s Shale Daily.