Called

A coalition of mostly energy groups Thursday called on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to provide the industry with guidance for calculating the “notional amount” of certain commodity swaps, a prerequisite to determining which entities will be subject to or exempt from the new regulations under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Customer Protection Act.

Louisiana officials last Friday called for the capture or venting of natural gas in the area of the compromised Napoleonville Salt Dome in South Louisiana. The salt dome is in the area of a mysterious sinkhole that developed earlier this summer, threatening some natural gas pipelines in the area.

Efforts to replicate in Europe the United States’ shale gas success took another blow Friday when French President Francois Hollande said that a ban on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) would remain in place during his five-year term. Hollande, the candidate of the Socialist party, became president following a two-round election earlier this year.

States and producers Monday called on the Obama administration to either withdraw or suspend a proposed rule that would require companies to publicly disclose chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations on federal and Indian lands. Environmental and conservation groups lobbied for the federal government to tighten the rule.

Independent oil and natural gas producers Monday called on the Obama administration to meet with them face-to-face to discuss their concerns with the federal government’s proposed rule on hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

Physical and futures markets both fell about 4 cents Monday as weather forecasts called for cooler temperatures across major energy markets. Some Northeast points shot higher, while California locations fell moderately in spite of forecasts for greater power generation requirements. At the close of futures trading September had given up 4.1 cents to $2.729 and October had retreated 4.0 cents to $2.768. September crude oil fell 14 cents to $92.73/bbl.

The Louisiana Oil and Gas Association (LOGA) is launching a television show, called “The Energy Zone.” It will be the only television talk show in the state focused on the oil and gas industry. The show premieres Tuesday, Aug. 7. The 30-minute show will be hosted by LOGA’s Gifford Briggs. Briggs will host interviews with industry insiders, elected officials, field experts and many others. It will be televised weekly on Cox 4 on Tuesdays at 6 p.m., and Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. Additional airings for the Acadiana Region will begin on Friday at 6:30 a.m. and will occur throughout the week on the Acadiana Open Channel. LOGA is also negotiating air times for the Shreveport and Ark-La-Tex region. For more information, visit www.theenergyzone.tv.

Williams CEO Alan Armstrong last week called on the natural gas industry to join the fight against the Sierra Club’s legal challenge the issuance of nationwide permits (NWP) to natural gas pipelines to cross streams/wetlands during the construction of projects. A win by the environmental group in federal court would require pipeline companies to go through the onerous process to obtain individual Section 404 permits under the Clean Water Act (CWA) for each water crossing in their project.

Williams CEO Alan Armstrong Tuesday called on the natural gas industry to join the fight against the Sierra Club’s challenge to the pipeline stream crossings rule that threatens construction of pipeline projects across the country.