Brethren

Global energy CEOs, who joined their brethren at the 31st annual IHS CERAWeek 2012 in Houston last week, urged their colleagues to dust up their images and become more proactive in exceeding regulatory safety standards.

Royal Dutch Shell plc is joining its brethren in staking out liquids-rich shale development in North America while at the same time it works to leverage value from its extensive natural gas portfolio, executives said last week.

In sympathy with its petroleum complex brethren, and amid concerns that it is not too late in the season to suffer hurricane-related production loss, natural gas futures shuffled higher Monday, after a disappointing opening trade threatened to take the prompt month to new lows. November finished the session at $2.27, 4.3 cents higher for the day and 13 cents above its Oct. 1 lows.

Break out a top gas and power marketer, like for instance,Aquila Energy, from its regulated brethren at UtiliCorp United, andpartner it with an aggressive, hard-charging independent powerproducer (IPP), like for instance, Calpine, and you could create adynamic front-runner in the energy market.

Break out a top gas and power marketer, like for instance,Aquila Energy, from its regulated brethren at UtiliCorp United, andpartner it with an aggressive, hard-charging IPP, like forinstance, Calpine, and you could create a dynamic front-runner inthe energy market.

As it adjusts its exploration and production portfolio, Texaco,like its brethren among major producers, is turning away from theUnited States and focusing on the international arena. However, thedeep-water Gulf of Mexico still shines like a new diamond, and thecompany also has professed a desire to become more weighted tonatural gas.

As it jiggers its exploration and production portfolio, Texaco,like its brethren among major producers, is turning away from theUnited States and focusing on the international arena. However, thedeep-water Gulf of Mexico still shines like a new diamond, and thecompany also has professed a desire to become more weighted tonatural gas.

Not to be outdone by its integrated energy industry brethren,the energy transaction software industry is also conducting itsfair share of consolidation. Altra Energy announced its third majoracquisition of the year last Monday, as the Houston-based softwareprovider entered into a definitive agreement to purchaseTransEnergy. Terms of the deal between the two private companieswere not disclosed, but Paul Bourke, Altra’s CEO, said the combinedcompany’s annual revenue will grow into the $50 to $100 millionrange.

Not to be outdone by its integrated energy industry brethren,the energy transaction software industry is also encountering itsfair share of consolidation. Altra Energy announced its third majoracquisition of the year Monday, as the Houston-based softwareprovider entered into a definitive agreement to purchaseTransEnergy. Terms of the agreement between the two privatecompanies were not disclosed, but Paul Bourke, Altra’s CEO, saidthe combined company’s annual revenue will grow into the $50 to$100 million range.