Capable

Quicksilver Resources Inc. has executed an agreement with the U.S. exploration arm of Royal Dutch Shell plc to establish an area of mutual interest (AMI) covering more than 850,000 acres of the Sand Wash Basin in northwestern Colorado.

Oneok Partners LP Thursday said it would spend between $980 million and $1.1 billion by 2014 on a slate of natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) midstream projects in Texas, Oklahoma and North Dakota.

February natural gas gave up more than half of Friday’s gains Monday as traders cited a lack of cold weather capable of any kind of meaningful change in the storage surplus. At the close February had fallen 5.1 cents to $3.011 and March had skidded 4.8 cents to $3.050. February crude oil shed 25 cents to $101.31/bbl.

September natural gas futures limped lower in dull trading Friday as analysts suggested that the market was not showing signs that it was capable of advancing further. At the close September natural gas had eased 4.8 cents to $4.060 and October had slid 5.6 cents to $4.071. September crude oil dropped 34 cents to $85.38/bbl.

Alaska’s Cook Inlet basin is capable “given sufficient continued investments” of supplying the region’s gas needs until 2018-2020 at a price below that of supply alternatives being considered, according to a new study.

A shortage of onshore drilling equipment capable of blasting into shale is contributing to double-digit inflation in some of the big U.S. unconventional plays, an issue expected to be played out over the coming weeks as North American exploration and production (E&P) companies unveil earnings for the first three months of 2011.

A shortage of onshore drilling equipment capable of blasting into shale is contributing to double-digit inflation in some of the big U.S. unconventional plays, an issue expected to be played out over the coming weeks as North American exploration and production (E&P) companies unveil earnings for the first three months of 2011.

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) said last week it has spent $575,000 to develop a new robotics system that will be capable of detecting flaws in polyethylene natural gas pipelines without disrupting operations. These plastic distribution pipes makes up almost one-quarter of the nation’s natural gas pipeline system.

Trunkline LNG said Friday it had completed inspections of the Lake Charles, LA terminal and would accept sendout nominations for Saturday. While the terminal was capable of accepting new shipments, LNG vessels were still unable to transit the Calcasieu Ship Channel and Industrial Canal due to debris and restrictions imposed by the Coast Guard and other government agencies, Trunkline said.