Capital

Cash-heavy energy producers have to begin making some capital investments soon if they expect liquefied natural gas (LNG) and Arctic gas to make up the projected natural gas shortfall in North America, said a senior analyst at BP North America Gas & Power this week.

Enbridge Inc. last week completed its purchase of Shell Gas Transmission LLC (SGT) for $613 million plus associated working capital, which positions the Canadian company as a major player to develop gas supply and transport in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

Enbridge Inc. on Monday completed its purchase of Shell Gas Transmission LLC (SGT) for $613 million plus associated working capital, which positions the Canadian company as a major player to develop gas supply and transport in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

In light of the huge capital expenditures and long lead times for liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, as well as LNG supply constraints, energy industry experts and analysts told a joint House-Senate panel last Thursday that U.S. gas prices will remain at lofty levels throughout most of the current decade.

In light of the huge capital expenditures and long lead times for liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, as well as LNG supply constraints, energy industry experts and analysts told a joint House-Senate panel Thursday that U.S. gas prices will remain at lofty levels throughout most of the current decade.

Crosspoint Ventures, a global private equity and venture capital firm, said last Thursday it submitted an offer of $190 million to buy one of Canada’s largest oil and gas operations from Anadarko Canada Corp., a subsidiary of Houston-based Anadarko.

Crosspoint Ventures, a global private equity and venture capital firm, said Thursday it has submitted an offer of $190 million to buy one of Canada’s largest oil and gas operations from Anadarko Canada Corp., a subsidiary of Houston-based Anadarko.

In yet another record year that was spurred by its upstream operations, ExxonMobil Corp. boosted its fourth quarter income 63% over a year ago, reporting $6.65 billion ($1.01/share), an increase of $2.56 billion year-over-year. Excluding still-lingering merger effects, discontinued operations and special items, ExxonMobil’s earnings were up $630 million from 4Q2002.

After the market closed Tuesday, Black Hills Corp. warned investors to expect sharply lower than expected net income from continuing operations in the fourth quarter. Fourth quarter income is expected to be in the range of 25-30 cents/share, compared to 54 cents/share in fourth quarter 2002 and analysts’ expectations of 55 cents/share.