Conditions

The U.S. northern tier will be colder than normal over the next two months, with the northern Rockies and northern Plains in line for especially cold conditions, and Arctic air is expected to be a “frequent guest in [the] largest gas-demand population centers,” according to forecasters at Andover, MA-based Weather Services International (WSI). Above-normal temperatures are expected across the southern United States over the next three months, the forecasters said.

Australia’s Amadeus Energy Ltd. plans to acquire Fort Worth, TX-based Lonestar Resources Inc. — a player in the Eagle Ford, Bakken and Barnett shales — via the purchase of Lonestar’s holding company, Ecofin Energy Resources Plc of the United Kingdom.

With oil production booming in the Permian Basin of West Texas, projects are being developed to serve producers wanting to get their oil to Houston. But going west on a converted portion of Kinder Morgan’s El Paso Natural Gas (EPNG) system could one day be an option, too.

Market conditions and technology are on target for U.S. natural gas to compete in world markets, and industry watchers are placing their bets on which natural gas export proposals will actually be built and whether the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports will leave U.S. shores by 2015 or 2016.

Market conditions and technology are on target for U.S. natural gas to compete in world markets, and industry watchers are placing their bets on which natural gas export proposals will actually be built and whether the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports will leave U.S. shores by 2015 or 2016.

Domestic proved oil and natural gas reserves achieved record annual volumetric increases in 2010, thanks in large part to advances in drilling technology, according to a report released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) Wednesday.

Fading oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) prices, butting into subdued world economic conditions, point to slower exploration and production (E&P) growth for the next two years, according to Moody’s Investors Service.

Fading oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) prices, butting into subdued world economic conditions, point to slower exploration and production (E&P) growth for the next two years, according to Moody’s Investors Service.

On balance cash markets were unchanged Wednesday in spite of a fire and explosion on a pipeline in Gray County, TX. Weather conditions for the most part were mild limiting both electrical generation requirements as well as heating load. Northeast, Gulf, and California points moved little beyond a penny either side of unchanged. At the close of futures trading July had eased 2.5 cents to $2.421 and August weakened 2.2 cents to $2.474. July crude oil gained 73 cents to $85.02/bbl.