Calls

There appears to be one issue that Republicans and Democrats onCapitol Hill can agree on — gas prices are too high. ChairmanFrank H. Murkowski (R-AK) of the Senate Energy Committee andRanking Minority Member Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) have called for anoversight hearing to look into rising natural gas prices.

As it ended its annual conference in San Antonio this week, theInterstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission emerged with an agendacalling for new tax and public policy incentives to increasenatural gas production in the United States. The 30-stateorganization re-issued its call for a national energy policy andurged Congress to give tax breaks to exploration and developmentcompanies.

Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode is waiting forsomeone to be politically incorrect — at least when it comes tosetting up a domestic energy policy. She readily admits, however,that the problems that basically eliminated natural gas drillingfor nearly two years in her state won’t be solved overnight.

In an acquisition that CEO Jack E. Wheeler calls “very strategicand synergistic,” the Aspen Group Resources Corp. has acquired 100%of Old Dominion Oil Corp.’s Anadarko Basin producing wells, leases,property and equipment, of which about 90% are natural gasreserves, in an all-cash transaction. Terms of the transaction werenot disclosed.

Indicative of the banged up status of the state’s aging fleet ofpower plants, the California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO)declared its first weekend Stage One Alert last Saturday despitethe fact that peak demand was only 36,000 MW.

Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode is waiting forsomeone to be politically incorrect — at least when it comes tosetting up a domestic energy policy. She readily admits, however,that the problems that basically eliminated natural gas drillingfor nearly two years in her state won’t be solved overnight.

Governors from across the United States are expected to convene in Columbus, OH, Sept. 20 at a summit to discuss the high natural gas prices and supply challenges facing consumers this winter. The meeting will also address long-term state and federal gas policy, such as human resource needs in the domestic petroleum industry, tax incentives and access to public lands for gas drilling.

Governors from across the United States are expected to convenein Columbus, OH, Sept. 20 at a summit to discuss the high naturalgas prices and supply challenges facing consumers this winter. Themeeting will also address long-term state and federal gas policy,such as human resource needs in the domestic petroleum industry,tax incentives and access to public lands for gas drilling.

Coming at a time when a national plan is gathering more supportas energy prices have escalated at the pump and in homes andbusinesses, the governors of the 30 U.S. oil and gas producingstates have begun their push for an official national energypolicy, offering their own four-pronged strategy.