Climbed

Three of the top four natural gas marketers reported volume declines compared with the year-ago period, and 24 leading companies had total sales transactions of 123.44 Bcf/d in 2Q2011, a 3.50 Bcf/d (3%) decrease from the 126.94 Bcf/d they transacted in 2Q2010, according to NGI’s 2Q2011 Top North American Gas Marketers Ranking.

Houston-based Boardwalk Pipeline Partners LP has been able to strengthen the value of its natural gas pipeline network by expanding and extending it into North American shale basins over the past few years, but the recent overabundance of gas has resulted in “lower natural gas prices and a reduction in price differentials, both seasonally and between basins,” according to CEO Stanley Horton.

The management team at unconventional natural gas giant Encana Corp. has raised its cost outlook for both the United States and Canada and said last week the labor and supply markets are as tight as they’ve ever been. However, the company is fighting back by using cutting edge technology to drill wells in less time and at a lower cost.

Driven by North America’s shales, global merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions within the exploration and production (E&P) sector climbed to $45 billion in the first three months of the year, Evaluate Energy said Tuesday.

The Arkansas Public Policy Panel (APPP) issued a report Wednesday urging state lawmakers to strengthen regulation of oil and gas development in the Fayetteville Shale and encouraged them to use moratoria as needed.

The number of overall transportation fatalities fell by 9.2% in 2009 from the prior year, but pipeline-related deaths climbed by 75% during the period, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Marcellus Shale activity has clearly taken hold in western Pennsylvania. In the region’s Allegheny County the number of properties leased for oil/gas exploration climbed by 322% between 2008 and 2009, and about 7% of the county’s land has been leased for drilling and extraction since 2003, according to University of Pittsburgh data.

Marcellus Shale activity has clearly taken hold in western Pennsylvania. In the region’s Allegheny County the number of properties leased for oil/gas exploration climbed by 322% between 2008 and 2009, and about 7% of the county’s land has been leased for drilling and extraction since 2003, according to University of Pittsburgh data.

Tuesday’s upward momentum carried over to Wednesday as most cash point averages for Thursday delivery climbed. Increases were predominant in every region except the East, which saw a few gains sprinkled in amongst no changes and declines.