Dealt

Cuts dealt to estimates of natural gas reserves offshore Nova Scotia this winter were only temporary setbacks to growth that still has potential to surprise even optimists, the National Energy Board has been assured. The region harbours up to 89 Tcf of gas or about twice as much as Alberta’s remaining established reserves, Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline said.

The Bush administration was dealt a series of blows last week in its attempt to withhold secret documents of Vice President Dick Cheney’s energy task force from public scrutiny.

Oil and natural gas producers were dealt a major, unexpected blow last Thursday when the Republican-controlled House voted by an overwhelming majority to block exploration off the coast of Florida and to exclude new drilling in millions of acres of national monuments.

Oil and natural gas producers were dealt a major, unexpected blow last Thursday when the Republican-controlled House voted by an overwhelming majority to block exploration off the coast of Florida and to exclude new drilling in millions of acres of national monuments.

Whitecap Energy System LLC — a proposed Midwest pipeline — was dealt a serious setback last week when one of its sponsors pulled out, placing the project “in abeyance” for now.

Whitecap Energy System LLC, a proposed Midwest pipeline, was dealt a serious setback last week when one of its sponsors pulled out, placing the project “in abeyance” for now.

The Alberta Energy and Utilities Board dealt a blow to Shell Canada Ltd. by rejecting an application to drill a prime target that the company wanted badly enough to invest more than two years in seeking approval. The dramatic regulatory setback has left industry executives voicing hope that it was an isolated case and confirmed that the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers has been right to target access to drilling targets as a priority issue.

Natural gas prices again came under selling pressure Monday astraders dealt with below-normal temperatures both outside theirwindows and also in the forecast. After gapping lower at the open,the August contract sifted lower throughout the session and dippedbriefly below key psychological support at $4.00 before closing at$4.002, 14.8 cent lower on the day.

The Florida Supreme Court dealt a serious blow to thedevelopment of merchant power in the state and proposed new gassupply lines in a 6-1 decision issued last Thursday, reversing thestate Public Service Commission’s authorization for Duke Energy’sconstruction of a $160 million, 514 MW power plant at New SmyrnaBeach. (See NGI, Aug. 24, 1998)