Disputed

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Thursday disputed a published report that said speculators account for about 81% of the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex).

Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Commissioner Tom Irwin has canceled almost all of the disputed leases for the Point Thomson oil and gas field in a decision issued last Monday. “This is the final decision” on the consolidated appeal from the decisions of the DNR director of oil and gas terminating the Point Thomson Unit (PTU), the agency said.

Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Commissioner Tom Irwin has canceled almost all of the disputed leases for the Point Thomson oil and gas field in a decision issued Monday. “This is the final decision” on the consolidated appeal from the decisions of the DNR director of oil and gas terminating the Point Thomson Unit (PTU), the agency said.

A pared-down energy bill, minus the hotly disputed $21.8 billion tax package and renewable electricity mandate, was overwhelmingly passed by the House Tuesday. The next stop for the measure is President Bush, who is expected to sign the legislation.

Northern Natural Gas last week disputed allegations that it restricted access to receipt point capacity at a proposed interconnection between the Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) and Northern Natural systems to shippers who agreed to buy a “phantom backhaul service.”

Northern Natural Gas disputed allegations that it restricted access to receipt point capacity at a proposed interconnection between the Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) and Northern Natural systems to shippers who agreed to buy a “phantom backhaul service.”

Columbia Gas Transmission Corp. has disputed allegations made by Pepco Energy Services Inc. (PES) earlier this month that a November capacity auction conducted by the pipeline was faulty and ultimately led to the rejection of valid bids submitted by PES and the sought-after capacity being awarded to another shipper.

FERC on Wednesday rejected El Paso Natural Gas’ hotly disputed compliance tariff filing that was submitted in late April, agreeing with shippers that the pipeline failed to follow many of the agency’s directives that were contained in an earlier order.

In a press conference Thursday, Governor Frank H. Murkowski announced that he has delivered a proposed contract for construction of a long-disputed pipeline to carry Alaska natural gas to the Lower 48, to the main producers in Alaska, ExxonMobil, BP and ConocoPhillips. “I urge the producers to respond affirmatively and immediately.”