Believes

Despite what he sees as excessive federal government regulation and unnecessarily lengthy permitting processes, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell still believes his state will become “the energy capital of the East Coast” and an offshore energy leader.

Despite what he sees as excessive federal government regulation and unnecessarily lengthy permitting processes, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell still believes his state will become “the energy capital of the East Coast” and an offshore energy leader.

William Reilly, co-chair of the president’s oil spill commission, believes that the deepwater moratorium should end before the anticipated Nov. 30 expiration deadline, say energy analysts.

If one believes the shale gas story — that North America is swimming in the stuff — then it’s obvious that the market needs a sponge to soak up the supply. Gas-fired power generation is easily the largest and most likely, but its absorbency will be dictated by constraints on coal-fired power emissions that have yet to be worked out, let alone understood.

Calgary’s Talisman Energy Inc. last week laid off 220 people, or 15% of its workforce in North America, as it restructures its natural gas business from conventional to unconventional.

Whether one believes speculators exert undue influence over commodity prices likely depends as much on one’s market position as on any empirical evidence that speculative trading is “good” or “bad.” So rather than trying to call out market sinners, a new report on gas market speculation from the National Regulatory Research Institute (NRRI) merely offers a primer on the long-debated topic and advice for state utility regulators who must weigh the impact of hedge fund activity on ratepayers.

Whether one believes speculators exert undue influence over commodity prices likely depends as much on one’s market position as on any empirical evidence that speculative trading is “good” or “bad.” So rather than trying to call out market sinners, a new report on gas market speculation from the National Regulatory Research Institute (NRRI) merely offers a primer on the long-debated topic and advice for state utility regulators who must weigh the impact of hedge fund activity on ratepayers.

FERC Chairman Joseph Kelliher said he believes that significantly expanding the use of natural gas to other markets, such as the transportation sector, would put even more upward pressure on what already are the highest sustained gas prices ever.

FERC Chairman Joseph Kelliher said he believes that expanding the use of natural gas to other markets, such as the transportation sector, would put significantly more upward pressure on what already are the highest sustained gas prices ever.