Cfos

Low natural gas and oil prices will be the biggest challenge for the domestic energy sector this year, with asset sales likely to continue and unconventional development less of a priority, according to a new survey of industry financial chiefs.

A turnaround in oil and natural gas prices is paramount to the recovery of U.S. upstream operators, according to a survey of 100 financial chiefs.

While the excitement mounts regarding the fate of a number of proposed U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects, the CFOs of three companies with projects on the line said last week a good market exists among free trade agreement (FTA) nations, some in North America’s backyard.

Infrastructure investment needs and a changing energy mix in the Pacific Northwest present challenges and opportunities for players throughout the West, and CFOs from two major West Coast players — Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) — told Wall Street early this month their utilities are actively engaged in newly proposed projects in the region.

Canadian oil and natural gas industry CEOs and CFOs are more bullish on commodity returns than anytime in the past five years, according to the 2004 Deloitte Canadian Oil and Gas Outlook survey released on Monday. Respondents expect positive double-digit returns for publicly listed companies.