Carbon

Vowing to reduce her state’s carbon footprint, a refrain ringing throughout the West these days, Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire last Friday signed a new climate change law (SB 6001). The new statute sets enforceable limits on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from electric generation plants, and it is expected to boost the development of natural gas-fired and renewable energy generation.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has given tentative approval to drill up to 2,000 natural gas wells in the Atlantic Rim Natural Gas Project in the eastern Washaki Basin, located in Carbon County, WY. Anadarko Petroleum Corp. is developing the project with Warren Resources Inc. and Double Eagle Petroleum and Mining Co.

While it is pursuing a reduced carbon power generation portfolio that includes a bold nuclear power plant play, Princeton, NJ-based NRG Energy, Inc.’s aggressive 10,000 MW, $15.9 billion long-term development plan is weighted toward an expectation that most of its new megawatts will come from natural gas- and clean coal-fired generation with a healthy dose of wind, according to a presentation Tuesday by CEO David Crane at NRG’s first day-long conference for financial analysts.

Seven states in the Northeast agreed to implement a cap-and-trade program to lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power plants. Forward movement on the regional greenhouse gas initiative (RGGI) came after Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney pulled his state out of the effort and the chief executive of Rhode Island decided not to sign on to the effort at this time. RGGI is the first mandatory cap-and-trade program for CO2 emissions in U.S. history.

Looking almost like a carbon copy of price action on Tuesday, December natural gas on Wednesday bottomed out at $11.510 and peaked at $11.930, before settling at $11.669, down 12.4 cents on the day.

Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) is proposing to expand the capacity of its Oil Springs natural gas storage facility in eastern Carbon County, WY to 10 Bcf/year, which would allow cycling capability to third-party shippers, the company said Friday.

Was it a case of deja vu? Friday’s market was close to a carbon copy of the day before. Sizeable declines in the Northeast and plunges in San Juan Basin and the Rockies mingled with moderate upticks at nearly all other points. The gains were around a dime or less in a majority of cases.

CIG declared force majure late Friday afternoon at its mainlineRawlins Compressor Station in Carbon County, WY after a compressorengine experienced problems and had to be taken out of service. CIGanticipates having the unit back in service by the April 7 gas day.There was no impact on scheduled services, a spokesman said Monday.

In almost a carbon copy of Monday’s session, natural gas priceserupted higherTuesday morning only to spend much of the remainderof the session checking lower as traders took profits amidintra-day technical weakness and storage uncertainty. Ending athree-day, $1.25 dollar price rally, the January contract slipped4.9 cents to close at $7.384. Meanwhile, the 12-month strip tumbledconvincingly, down 13.6 cents to $5.555.