Decent

Nearly every major natural gas play in the United States makes money at prices above $4.00/Mcf, and more important, can generate a “decent rate of return” at prices above $4.25, according to an analysis by Raymond James & Associates Inc.

Nearly every major natural gas play in the United States makes money at prices above $4.00/Mcf, and more important, may generate a “decent rate of return” at prices above $4.25, according to an analysis by Raymond James & Associates Inc.

Penn Virginia Corp. (PVA) is opening its Eagle Ford Shale oil window wider with the acquisition of 40,600 gross acres (19,000 net) in Gonzales and Lavaca counties, TX, for $401 million from Magnum Hunter Resources Corp. (MHR), which has set its sights, in part, on the Pearsall Shale.

Dry gas producers have been a victim of their own success, but they’re still making their way in a glutted market. The Marcellus Shale is throwing off decent returns and plenty of gas.

With steadily improving efficiencies in the drilling of onshore natural gas wells, most operators will earn a “decent living” if gas prices average around $5/Mcfe “and the others will adapt…or fade away,” analysts with Raymond James & Associates Inc. said last week. Credit Suisse analysts also are pessimistic about gas price gains in 2010, and meanwhile, the FitchRatings credit ratings team lowered its gas price estimates to around $4 for the coming year.

With steadily improving efficiencies in the drilling of onshore natural gas wells, most operators will earn a “decent living” if gas prices average around $5/Mcfe “and the others will adapt…or fade away,” analysts with Raymond James & Associates Inc. said this week.

For a good while any chart of oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) activity in Texas looked pretty decent, with steadily increasing drilling, production and prices yielding mounting positive data. But it turned out that on the other side of the data mountain was a cliff from which the industry continues to plunge.

For a good while any chart of oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) activity in Texas looked pretty decent, with steadily increasing drilling, production and prices yielding mounting positive data. But it turned out that on the other side of the data mountain was a cliff from which the industry continues to plunge.

Like any decent sports team, Spokane, WA-based Avista Corp. posted more wins than losses this month in the wake of selling its trading/marketing arm, Avista Energy, to Shell’s Coral Energy Holding LP. Nevertheless, on a preliminary basis, Avista Energy showed a loss of 14 cents/diluted share for the first quarter this year, compared to 10 cents/diluted share in profits for the same period last year, the parent company reported last Wednesday. The Avista utility unit also lost a state of Washington court fight over a proposed new electric transmission line.