Desk

Pennsylvania legislators failed once again to advance a bill to the governor’s desk that would impose an impact fee on natural gas drilling in the Marcellus and Utica shales.

Nearly a week after a bill that would temporarily block hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the Empire State landed on his desk, New York Gov. David Paterson has not decided if he will sign or veto the legislation.

The federal coordinator for the Alaska natural gas pipeline project predicted Monday that Gov. Sarah Palin will have a gasline bill on her desk by the end of the state legislative session and likely will issue a request for proposal in July.

SG Corporate & Investment Banking (SG CIB), a division of Paris-based Societe Generale, said it has hired six new natural gas and power traders at its commodity derivatives desk in New York and plans to ramp up its U.S. energy trading business, extending its strong banking position from Europe into the U.S.

PG&E Energy Trading-Gas Corp. has named Al Pollard to thepost of Midwest basis trader with responsibility for managing theMidwest desk’s basis risk, reporting to Michael L. Axton, directorof gas trading, Midwest. Pollard joins PG&E Energy Trading fromEnron where he has held trading positions in natural gas and powersince 1995.