Concern

After cautioning customers a day earlier that an FTNN Hourly Limit OFO might become necessary because of concern about potential excess drafting of the pipeline due to frigid market-area weather (see Daily GPI, Dec. 14), Dominion followed through Friday by announcing that the OFO would become effective Sunday (Dec. 16) until further notice. Dominion also said a Conform Transportation Services to Scheduled Nominations OFO would take effect Sunday. See the bulletin board for details.

Expressing concern over the future of the energy bill (HR 6) pending in the Senate, Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) Monday offered an amendment to the $286 billion farm bill (HR 2419) that seeks to increase the nation’s use of renewable fuels over the next decade and a half.

September natural gas futures staged a stout 29.1-cent advance Monday to settle at $6.499, and for the moment all concern of bin-busting inventories and low demand have been put on the back burner. The latest government figures show that funds and managed accounts increased their short holdings by more than 20%, thus adding to the overwhelming short holdings (and number of ultimate buyers) of speculative accounts.

Taking concern for the life of the sage grouse to a new level, the governor of Wyoming is convening a Sage Grouse Summit on June 27 and 28 in Casper, WY, “to develop a plan to protect and restore core sage grouse habitat.”

Taking concern for the life of the sage grouse to a new level, the governor of Wyoming is convening a Sage Grouse Summit on June 27 and 28 in Casper, WY, “to develop a plan to protect and restore core sage grouse habitat.”

Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon has made no secret that he sees a market growth play for natural gas in growing concern over global warming and disaffection for “dirty” coal-fired power plants. And last week he minced no words in promising that his company has the natural gas to fuel much of the power generation the country will need. If McClendon is right, Chesapeake could be the nation’s No. 3 gas producer by year-end and No. 1 in as few as 18 months.

Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon has made no secret that he sees a market growth play for natural gas in growing concern over global warming and disaffection for “dirty” coal-fired power plants. And Friday he minced no words in promising that his company has the natural gas to fuel much of the power generation the country will need. If McClendon is right, Chesapeake could be the nation’s No. 3 gas producer by year-end and No. 1 in as few as 18 months.

Demonstrating that global warming is also a natural gas utility concern, Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. Tuesday said it has followed an affiliated utility in successfully certifying its 2005 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory with the California Climate Action Registry, gaining designation as a “Climate Action Leader.” Sempra’s other California utility, San Diego Gas and Electric Co., gained similar status earlier in March.

The top concern of industry executives is uncertainty about oil and natural gas prices this year, according to a survey released by business advisor Grant Thornton LLP last Tuesday.