Despite

Despite the decision by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to shut down a wastewater disposal well in Youngstown, industry backers are confident the decision will not have an impact on the emerging oil and gas industry in Ohio’s portions of the Marcellus and Utica shales.

Despite California regulatory approval to begin reinstituting higher operating pressures in its natural gas transmission pipeline system for the winter season, Pacific Gas and Electric still has 29 segments operating at reduced pressures, including its main Southwest supply line from the California-Arizona border (300 A-B), a spokesperson told NGI Thursday.

Despite getting prior-day screen support and frigid weather continuing to linger in several regions, cash prices were down at a large majority of locations Thursday. The market may regain its footing as soon as Friday, however, as the West leads yet another turnaround to lower temperatures in a substantial portion of North America.

Nexen Inc. has made good on a promise to find a joint venture (JV) partner by the end of this year for its extensive shale acreage in northeastern British Columbia (BC) after agreeing to sell a 40% stake for C$700 million to a consortium led by Japan’s Inpex Corp.

Despite the sluggish economy and low natural gas prices, renewable power generation continued to grow in California this year, according to the latest status report. The progress appears modest, however, compared to the state’s new renewable portfolio standard (RPS) of 33% by 2020.

The leader of the political party that currently represents the opposition in New Brunswick is calling on the government to form a bipartisan committee on shale gas development and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the emerging Frederick Brook Shale.

Despite the big players and big money pouring into the Utica and Point Pleasant Shales of Ohio over the past 90 days, don’t expect the play to boom next year, a diverse panel told attendees at Hart Energy’s 2011 DUG (Developing Unconventional Gas) East conference in Pittsburgh last Thursday.

Despite last Thursday’s announced delay in U.S. State Department processing and earlier criticisms of inflated economic benefits from the project (see Shale Daily, Nov. 9), the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Alberta, Canada to the U.S. Gulf of Mexico ultimately should be approved, according to project sponsor TransCanada.

Despite “a major supply glut,” the natural gas-directed rig count has crept up, and oil-focused drilling in shale plays also is yielding natural gas, so analysts at Bank of America Merill Lynch (BofA) have raised their 2012 forecast for production growth and cut their price forecast.