Cheered

Bill Barrett Corp. and several environmental groups cheered a decision Thursday by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to authorize full-field development of the natural gas-rich West Tavaputs Plateau in the Uinta Basin of Utah. The area holds an estimated 324 Bcfe of proved and 1.3 Tcfe of proved, probable and possible natural gas reserves on more than 40,000 acres.

In a decision cheered by conservationists as a turning point in their direction, EnCana Corp. has been barred at least temporarily from drilling in a spot that was a cornerstone of its growth into Canada’s top natural gas producer for 34 years.

In a decision cheered by conservationists as a turning point in their direction, EnCana Corp. has been barred at least temporarily from drilling in a spot that was a cornerstone of its growth into Canada’s top natural gas producer for 34 years.

California’s regulators, who supported a controversial PG&E bankruptcy settlement last year, cheered on state elected officials last week for producing a law that will allow the utility to continue with its final steps to full recovery.

Devon Energy Corp. and PennzEnergy Co. announced plans to mergeyesterday. While the deal was generally cheered by analysts, somecriticized PennzEnergy Chairman James L. Pate for letting thecompany go too cheaply without considering other options. Theannouncement also raised the hackles of PennzEnergy investors.