Cast

Much is said, and often, about how escalating decline rates have cast U.S. gas producers onto an ever-accelerating treadmill. In last week’s “Stat of the Week” from Raymond James & Associates Inc., a trio of analysts pointed at decline rates with alarm and, of course, bullishness. “The treadmill is running too fast,” the analysts said, while conceding that this view is a contrarian one in some quarters.

Much is said, and often, about how escalating decline rates have cast U.S. gas producers onto an ever-accelerating treadmill. In the latest “Stat of the Week” from Raymond James & Associates Inc., a trio of analysts points at decline rates with alarm and, of course, bullishness. “The treadmill is running too fast,” the analysts say, while conceding that this view is a contrarian one in some quarters.

Defense witnesses for Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay and ex-CEO Jeffrey Skilling on Tuesday continued to refute claims by government witnesses, attempting to cast doubt about whether layoffs were actually reassigned and whether international assets were in poor shape, as the prosecution claims. Skilling is expected to take the stand in his defense within the next two days.

Noting forecasts indicating that Hurricane Frances could make landfall on the cast coast of Florida or turn north and make landfall north of the state, Florida Gas Transmission said Wednesday landfall is expected to occur sometime over the Labor Day weekend. “Historically, gas demand is high on FGT just prior to a hurricane passing over Florida. This high demand is then followed by a dramatic decrease in gas demand if the hurricane actually makes landfall in Florida. Additionally, gas demand can be high when a hurricane just passes by Florida without making landfall,” the pipeline added. Because of the anticipated load volatility, FGT asked customers to make adequate arrangements to manage supplies to accommodate both increases and decreases in demand. To maintain operational integrity, FGT said it may issue either an Overage or Underage Alert Day on any of the upcoming gas days. (An Overage Alert Day notice at 20% tolerance remained in effect through at least Wednesday).

Portland, OR-based Northwest Natural Gas Co. announced Monday it reached a proposed settlement calling for a $3.5 million rate increase for Washington customers. The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission must approve the deal, which involved the utility commission staff and key Washington intervenors for the company, the bulk of whose customers are in Oregon.

The massive oil and gas reserve revisions announced in the past few months by Royal Dutch/Shell Group and El Paso Corp. during a period of high commodity prices casts an “ominous shadow” on bookings by other producers that use full-cost accounting, a Standard & Poor’s (S&P) analyst said in a report issued on Thursday.

The massive oil and gas reserve revisions announced in the past few months by Royal Dutch/Shell Group and El Paso Corp. during a period of high commodity prices casts an “ominous shadow” on bookings by other producers that use full-cost accounting, a Standard & Poor’s (S&P) analyst said in a report issued on Thursday.

A start has been made on lightening the long shadow cast on the future of Canadian natural gas supplies by rapid development of the northern Alberta oilsands with the arrival of the first example of new technology aimed at tapping alternative fuel sources.

A start has been made on lightening the long shadow cast on the future of Canadian natural gas supplies by rapid development of the northern Alberta oilsands with the arrival of the first example of new technology aimed at tapping alternative fuel sources.