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 Tuesday.
Concern
Articles from Concern
U.S. Attorney Drops Four-Year-Old PBR Rate Probe of Nicor
Putting to rest at least part of its concern related to its failed performance-based rate (PBR) scheme that ran from 2000 through 2002, Naperville, IL-based Nicor Inc. announced that it has been advised by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois that the government is closing its inquiry and will not seek to prosecute the company or any individuals in connection with the ill-fated plan.
U.S. Attorney Drops Four-Year-Old PBR Rate Probe of Nicor
Putting to rest at least part of its concern related to its failed performance-based rate (PBR) scheme that ran from 2000 through 2002, Naperville, IL-based Nicor Inc. announced Tuesday that it has been advised by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois that the government is closing its inquiry and will not seek to prosecute the company or any individuals in connection with the ill-fated plan.
FERC Begins Inquiry into RTO/ISO Scheduling, Compensation Systems
Expressing concern over the electric sector’s lack of scheduling coordination with natural gas pipelines, FERC last Wednesday instituted a Section 206 inquiry under the Federal Power Act (FPA) into the scheduling and compensation practices of independent system operators (ISOs) and regional transmission organizations (RTOs).
Industry Briefs
There may be a role after all for foreign companies seeking to work with the giant Russian gas concern Gazprom on development of the Shtokman natural gas field in the Barents Sea. One day after Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller told Russian television that the massive state oil company will develop the huge Shtokman field on its own and ship supplies to Europe via pipeline instead of to the United States as liquefied natural gas (LNG) (see Daily GPI, Oct. 10), Russian President Vladimir Putin reopened the door to foreign involvement. “Russia has decided to develop this field independently,” Reuters quoted Putin saying following a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. “We will be the sole subsoil user and owner of the field, but we do not rule out inviting foreign companies for joint work on development or doing part of the gas liquefaction process and marketing it in third countries.”
WY Delegation Says Ruling on Pipe ROE Sends ‘Discouraging Message’
Three members of Wyoming’s congressional delegation have expressed concern with a FERC administrative law judge’s (ALJ) initial decision that recommends a significantly lower return on equity (ROE) for a Wyoming-to-California pipeline, Kern River Gas Transmission.
Storage Issue Plays Major Role in Price Dive
Amid rising concern about a potential price crash this summer because there likely will be little if any capacity left for storage injections, the cash market may have hinted at what is in store by plummeting across the board Friday.
NGI The Weekly Gas Market Report
INGAA Says House Bill Could Thwart Foreign Gas Trade, Investment in U.S.
A major natural gas pipeline group last Wednesday expressed concern that pending House legislation could restrict the free flow of gas between the U.S. and its “traditional trading partners,” as well as block capital investment in U.S. pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure by allies, such as Canada, Mexico, Great Britain and France.
INGAA Says House Bill Could Thwart Gas Trade, Investment by Foreigners in U.S.
A major natural gas pipeline group Wednesday expressed concern about House legislation that it believes could be interpreted to restrict the free flow of gas and investment in pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure in the United States by allies and “traditional trading partners,” such as Canada, Mexico, Great Britain and France.
New Storm Worries Spur Dollar-Plus Spikes
Whether you dismissed it as “storm hype” or considered it a justifiable reason for concern that hurricane-devastated Gulf Coast supplies faced the possibility of another major hit late this week, one thing was for certain. The Monday morning formation of Tropical Storm Wilma in the western Caribbean Sea was the primary reason for cash market spikes Monday that were around or exceeded a dollar in most cases.