Blast

Gas distributors across the northwestern U.S. — from Washington state to Colorado — were back in a normal operations mode Friday, at the same time adding up record natural gas send-outs prompted by a freezing arctic storm that drove through the region at the beginning of the week.

The Industrial Energy Consumers of America (IECA) believes the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which assists the president in overseeing the federal budget, has been dragging its feet on an important proposed rule that is designed to stimulate more natural gas production from deep gas wells in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

The Industrial Energy Consumers of America (IECA) believes the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which assists the president in overseeing the federal budget, has been dragging its feet on an important proposed rule that is designed to stimulate more natural gas production from deep gas wells in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Bullied by a surprisingly strong blast of winter weather, the natural gas futures market turned abruptly higher Monday as waves of fund and local short covering entered the trading pit. A stronger open set the tone and by 12:30 p.m. EST the January contract had carved out a new six-week continuation-chart high at $5.38.

A number of generators are up in arms over a recent bid by several California entities, including the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), to have FERC publicly disclose materials that power suppliers filed in response to data requests as part of the Commission’s ongoing probe into the possible manipulation of California’s energy markets.

Apache Corp. Chairman Raymond Plank continues to blast energy marketing firms, saying the U.S. Department of Justice must follow through on corporate crime and punishment. “The Justice Department appears to be moving very slowly, and occasionally netting a small fry, while letting the larger guys — the guys who take the elevator to the top floor — continue” to move freely.

Apache Corp. Chairman Raymond Plank, continues to blast energy marketing firms, saying the U.S. Department of Justice must follow through on corporate crime and punishment. “The Justice Department appears to be moving very slowly, and occasionally netting a small fry, while letting the larger guys — the guys who take the elevator to the top floor — continue” to move freely.

Increasing natural gas prices should not scare Congress into allowing greedy gas producers to drill willy-nilly across environmentally sensitive areas or areas currently blocked by drilling moratoria, environmentalists, ranchers, public interest groups and scientists said last Wednesday during a teleconference on the “real story behind the natural gas crisis.”

Increasing natural gas prices should not scare Congress into allowing greedy gas producers to drill willy-nilly across environmentally sensitive areas or areas currently blocked by drilling moratoria, environmentalists, ranchers, public interest groups and scientists said on Wednesday during a teleconference on the “real story behind the natural gas crisis.” The conference was organized by the Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE), the Northern Plains Resource Council and The Wilderness Society.