Brought

A federal appeals court in Washington, DC, has upheld a 2005 order in which FERC granted a complaint brought by Neptune Regional Transmission System LLC, which alleged that three additional system impact studies called for by PJM Interconnection to assess the cost impact of Neptune’s proposed interconnection were unnecessary and unreasonable.

Nicor Inc. and its former controller agreed last week to pay more than $10 million to settle charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that they engaged in improper transactions, made material misrepresentations and failed to disclose material information regarding Nicor’s gas inventory in order to meet earnings targets and increase the company’s revenues under a performance-based rate (PBR) plan administered by the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Nicor Inc. and its former controller agreed Thursday to pay more than $10 million to settle charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that they engaged in improper transactions, made material misrepresentations and failed to disclose material information regarding Nicor’s gas inventory in order to meet earnings targets and increase the company’s revenues under a performance-based rate (PBR) plan administered by the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Mediation efforts to resolve a high-profile royalty lawsuit brought by an Anadarko Petroleum company against the Interior Department have failed, according to documents filed in federal court in Louisiana Thursday.

Mediation efforts to resolve a high-profile royalty lawsuit brought by an Anadarko Petroleum company against the Interior Department have failed, according to documents filed in federal court in Louisiana last Thursday.

The April natural gas futures contract dropped 17 cents Tuesday to close at $7.533 in its first regular session as prompt-month as traders brought the contract more in line with March’s $7.547 expiration a day earlier. Traders see gas futures in an in-between phase, where the winter season is approaching its end but summer temperature and hurricane forecasts have yet to really hit the radar. Some market experts are eyeing an end to the weather-driven advances of the last few weeks and anticipate a robust injection season.

FERC Friday approved a settlement of a complaint brought last year by several Pennsylvania and New York agencies alleging that interstate pipeline National Fuel Gas Supply Corp. was charging unfair rates and profiteering from the sale of retained gas.

The natural gas boom in Fort Worth’s Barnett Shale has brought a raft of out-of-towners to the area looking to make a killing in what many believe is the hottest gas play going. But the locals who’ve worked in the energy patch all their lives also are benefiting from a boom the likes of which many have never seen before.

The natural gas boom in Fort Worth’s Barnett Shale has brought a raft of out-of-towners to the area looking to make a killing in what many believe is the hottest gas play going. But what about the locals who’ve worked in the energy patch all their lives; are they benefiting from all the activity?