Attention

Gaining some national attention from energy and environmental agencies, California’s burgeoning central valley city of Fresno has developed a clean transportation fleet and solar energy program under Mayor/actor Alan Autry and Gov./actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Fresno boasts one of the cleanest city-operated transportation fleets and a 665-kWh solar photovoltaic (PV) system at its municipal service center.

With the 2006-2007 winter now mostly in the rear-view mirror, traders and meteorologists alike are turning their attention to what kind of temperatures spring will bring to the United States. According to Andover, MA-based WSI Corp., the April through June forecast is expected to average warmer than normal in all locations except for the Pacific Coast states, which could start the natural gas storage injection season sooner than normal, but push electricity loads high enough in June to be bullish for power prices in the Midwest markets.

With the 2006-2007 winter now mostly in the rear-view mirror, traders and meteorologists alike are turning their attention to what kind of temperatures spring will bring to the United States. According to Andover, MA-based WSI Corp., the April through June forecast is expected to average warmer than normal in all locations except for the Pacific Coast states, which could start the natural gas storage injection season sooner than normal, but push electricity loads high enough in June to be bullish for power prices in the Midwest markets.

With energy traders prepared to close the book on winter 2006-2007 weather, attention will now turn to what kind of spring is in store for the United States. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) 2007 Spring Outlook, April through June is expected to bring above-normal temperatures across a wide area of the country, from the West through the Plains and into the Southeast, while below-normal temperatures are likely for southwest California and Hawaii. The government forecasting firm said the remainder of the country, including the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and the tip of the Pacific Northwest, have equal chances of above-, near- or below-normal temperatures.

With energy traders prepared to close the book on winter 2006-2007 weather, attention will now turn to what kind of spring is in store for the United States. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) 2007 Spring Outlook, April through June is expected to bring above-normal temperatures across a wide area of the country, from the West through the Plains and into the Southeast, while below-normal temperatures are likely for southwest California and Hawaii. The government forecasting firm said the remainder of the country, including the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and the tip of the Pacific Northwest, have equal chances of above-, near- or below-normal temperatures.

The frenzy over gas-fired power generation is well off the boil as developers turn their attention to coal-fired and nuclear plants as well as renewables. However, the specter of carbon dioxide regulation casts doubt on coal-fired generation economics, potentially favoring alternatives, including gas.

Cash traders turned their attention away from the current mild weather Wednesday and toward colder temperatures later this week and next — outside the Northeast. The cool-down, along with the continuing futures strength on the Nymex, prompted daily cash increases of $0.60-1.50/MMBtu.

Marginal wells may not receive the attention of the big oil and gas discoveries, but they are critical to the U.S. energy supply, providing 17% of the domestic oil and 9% of the natural gas produced onshore, according to a report by the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC). Without marginal wells, the IOGCC estimated the United States would have to increase imports by nearly 7%.

Marginal wells may not receive the attention of the big oil and gas discoveries, but they are critical to the U.S. energy supply, providing 17% of the domestic oil and 9% of the natural gas produced onshore, according to a report by the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC). Without marginal wells, the IOGCC estimated the United States would have to increase imports by nearly 7%.