Conservation

A recently released study, funded by the Montana Oil and Gas Conservation Board, says the discharge of a limited amount of untreated coalbed methane (CBM) wastewater into the Tongue River in Montana is not substantially affecting water quality or damaging crops downstream of Wyoming and Montana CBM operations.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) set a new record for power demand of 63,056 MW Thursday afternoon between 4 and 5 p.m. The agency was encouraging power conservation but did not have to institute rolling blackouts.

Houston-based independent Ultra Petroleum Corp. in a joint application with Shell on Tuesday obtained approval from the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) for additional 10-acre down-spacing to increase drilling on the Pinedale Anticline.

Mark-to-market changes on certain gas contracts, much warmer than normal weather and customer conservation due to high gas prices all contributed to a net loss of $27 million, or $0.12 per share, for Michigan-based CMS Energy in the first quarter compared to net income of $150 million, or $0.74 per share, in the same quarter of 2005.

Although it doesn’t need to revise its power forecasts for the region, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s power planning director Monday told the group’s oversight board power committee that natural gas prices were high even before the Gulf of Mexico hurricanes and they have increased dramatically following the back-to-back natural disasters. The power council’s plans shaped late last year anticipated the type of wholesale gas price volatility being experienced, according to Terry Morlan, the council planning director.

A lower utility margin due to warmer weather and customer conservation because of high wholesale natural gas prices led to a 4% decline in Charlotte, NC-based Piedmont Natural Gas’ second quarter 2005 net income. Net income slipped to $39.6 million, or $0.52/share, from $41.3 million. or $0.54/share, posted for the same period in 2004.

A lower utility margin due to warmer weather and customer conservation because of high wholesale natural gas prices led to a 4% decline in Charlotte, NC-based Piedmont Natural Gas’ second quarter 2005 net income. Net income slipped to $39.6 million, or $0.52/share, from $41.3 million. or $0.54/share, posted for the same period in 2004.

A group of North Slope producers plans to submit a proposal to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC) about sharing proprietary production data from the Prudhoe Bay reservoir. A final agreement on use of some of the data is expected to help the commission revise a rule on the rate of allowable natural gas production from Prudhoe, which in turn could pave the way for moving forward on the producers’ proposed $20 billion gas pipeline.

Within the next two weeks, a group of North Slope producers plans to submit a proposal to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC) about sharing proprietary production data from the Prudhoe Bay reservoir. A final agreement on use of some of the data is expected to help the commission revise a rule on the rate of allowable natural gas production from Prudhoe, which in turn could pave the way for moving forward on the producers’ proposed $20 billion gas pipeline.