Concerns

June natural gas futures suffered only minor bumps and bruises Wednesday as concerns over European debt levels dragged stock markets and petroleum markets down further.

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has scheduled a public workshop for early in February to discuss concerns that have been raised by a proposal from Intermountain Gas Co. to curtail customers with gas-fired snow-melting equipment in the midst of peak-demand periods (see Daily GPI, Dec. 15, 2009). Intermountain told the PUC that snow-melting equipment under driveways and rooftops uses an inordinate amount of gas compared to more conventional uses, and thus the utility wants authority to involuntarily curtail the snow-melting gas use in the midst of peak demand times. Existing customers now can volunteer to be interrupted. In exchange for the interruptible status, new and volunteering existing snow-melt customers would be given a lower rate.

Responding in a time when security concerns and terrorism threats are heightened, Pace Global Energy Services and Ridge Global have entered into a strategic alliance to offer joint services to the energy and industrial markets.

Responding in a time when security concerns and terrorism threats are heightened, Pace Global Energy Services and Ridge Global have entered into a strategic alliance to offer joint services to the energy and industrial markets.

Citing concerns about a planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment from terrorist-torn Yemen to Boston Harbor in February, a Boston Globe editorial Tuesday chided natural gas industry and public officials for not coming up with a “safer alternative” to the Distrigas of Massachusetts import terminal in Everett, MA (see Daily GPI, Jan. 5).

Responding to heightened concerns on Capitol Hill about the chemical make-up of hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracing) fluids, the Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA) has released what it calls a “representative sample” of the additive ingredients that are used in hydrofracing fluids. The disclosure may head off attempts to regulate hydrofracing at the federal level.

Prices continued to fall at all points Friday as weather-based load remained meager, prior-day screen guidance was negative and concerns about near-term storage injection availability mounted. Only the PG&E citygate decline, which was affected by interior Northern California temperatures still forecast to approach 100 during the weekend, was by less than double digits.

Responding to heightened concerns on Capitol Hill about the chemical make-up of hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracing) fluids, the Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA) has released what it calls a “representative sample” of the additive ingredients that are used in hydrofracing fluids. The disclosure may head off attempts to regulate hydrofracing at the federal level.

Concerns that natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale could damage the region’s water quality have prompted the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to require energy companies obtain commission approval before beginning any gas extraction project in shale formations within the drainage area of the basin’s special protection waters (SPW).