Backward

One of two problematic liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal proposals in Oregon took a step backward when a newly constituted local county elected board voted 4-1 to rescind approval for a pipeline that would connect Oregon LNG’s proposed terminal along the Columbia River at Warrenton, OR, with the metropolitan Portland area.

FERC last Thursday took a giant step backward with its new proposal governing the conduct of natural gas pipelines and electric transmission providers and their marketing affiliates.

FERC on Thursday took a giant step backward with its new proposal governing the conduct of natural gas pipelines and electric transmission providers and their marketing affiliates.

Although gas unbundling and customer choice seems to have taken a step backward in the United States (see Daily GPI, April 19), it’s still just getting started in British Columbia. Terasen Gas said Tuesday that it aims to offer new supplier options to its residential customers by May 2007, given regulatory approval.

The cash market was looking both forward and backward Friday in recording gains ranging from just above flat to more than 30 cents at a majority of points. The look back was at Thursday morning’s report of a 114 Bcf storage refill, which many apparently felt was subpar despite its large volume, and the accompanying futures spike of 36 cents that day. The gaze ahead was riveted on forecasts of above normal temperatures this week in the key Midwest and Northeast market areas.

Aggregation of small retail natural gas customers is still alive in California, but barely. And it’s future is dim in the wake of new state legislation (AB 1421) passed earlier this month and now on the governor’s desk. The legislation restricts unbundling in the retail core gas markets (see NGI Sept. 13).