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Residents living in the area adjacent to the Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) underground natural gas storage field, where a two-month-old leak has forced many to relocate, have asked state oil and gas regulators to shut down the facility.

Royal Dutch Shell plc confirmed Wednesday that it plans to close its Appalachian headquarters in Western Pennsylvania next summer, citing an “ongoing drive to enhance competitiveness” during the commodities downturn.

September natural gas is expected to open 4 cents higher Friday morning at $3.92 as traders anticipate a cautious move above $4. Overnight oil markets rose.

With solid second quarter results in the books, Encana Corp. is taking a look at its entire North American portfolio and has begun putting a “new emphasis on our portfolio of emerging liquids plays,” CEO Doug Suttles told investors on Wednesday.

A wildfire along the Western Slope in Colorado south of Rangely in the Piceance Basin prompted Denver-based Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. to close 500 conventional natural gas wells in Rio Blanco County and evacuate an eight-worker plant. The shutdown was expected to continue at least through Friday, a Colorado-based Encana spokesperson told NGI.

Plan would also have drillers use natural gas-fueled rigs, but conflict arises between E&Ps and drilling companies regarding the use of gas at the well sites.

The Interior Department is “very close” to releasing rules governing the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) of oil and natural gas wells located on public lands, Secretary Sally Jewell said last Tuesday in her first appearance before Congress. A New Jersey congressman, who said he saw a leaked copy, indicated last week that the draft rules appeared to be a water-downed version of the rules proposed last year.

The Interior Department is “very close” to releasing rules governing the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) of oil and natural gas wells located on public lands, Secretary Sally Jewell said Tuesday in her first appearance before Congress.

Proposed energy bills in the North Dakota legislature continue to hold the spotlight as state lawmakers move closer to their scheduled May adjournment. At least one proposal that could have had a negative impact on oil/natural gas operators was defeated last Friday.