Diversified

FERC on Thursday issued a favorable environmental review of Tennessee Gas Pipeline’s proposed expansion of its system to provide customers in the Northeast with diversified supplies, including newly accessed Appalachian Basin and Marcellus Shale gas.

For the first time in 50 years, this year will mark the first to see a decline in global natural gas demand, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reported Monday.

Diversified energy and utility holding company Black Hills Corp. said Wednesday that CFO Mark Thies resigned for “personal considerations and health” effective Friday. CEO David Emery will fill in as CFO for an interim period. Emery said the Rapid City, SD-based company has retained an executive search firm to assist in identifying a replacement for Thies, who had been with the company 10 years. The company has retail and wholesale utility and merchant energy businesses in South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and other states.

Business Roundtable, an association of 150 CEOs of some of the largest U.S. corporations, has unveiled a comprehensive energy plan calling for a more diversified and domestic-based energy supply mix, increased energy efficiency and more investment in new technology. Among other things, the CEOs want expanded access to oil and natural gas supplies in the Rocky Mountains, the U.S. coasts and Alaska, as well as increased nuclear power supplies.

Business Roundtable, an association of 150 CEOs of some of the largest U.S. corporations, on Wednesday unveiled a comprehensive energy plan calling for a more diversified and domestic-based energy supply mix, increased energy efficiency and more investment in new technology. Among other things, the CEOs want expanded access to oil and natural gas supplies in the Rocky Mountains, the U.S. coasts and Alaska, as well as increased nuclear power supplies.

Diversified energy holding company Energen Corp. added to its 2006 natural gas hedge position and as a result, raised its earnings forecast for next year by 10 cents to a range of between $3.05-3.35/share. Prior guidance, issued Aug. 1, was $2.95-3.25.

A diversified energy and communications company moving toward concentrating solely on energy operations, Rapid City, SD-based Black Hills Corp. said Thursday that its board of directors voted to make President/CEO David Emery the chairman of the board, effective immediately. He replaces Chairman Daniel Landguth who retires next month. A 15-year veteran with the company, Emery joined the board in January 2004 and before becoming CEO headed the retail services division and before that (1997-2003) he was responsible for the company’s fuel resources operations, including coal mining and oil/natural gas exploration and production. Landguth leaves the board May 25, after serving as Black Hills’ chairman for the past 14 years.

ExxonMobil Corp. released its 2004 Energy Outlook Thursday, predicting that global natural gas demand will grow about 2.2%/year through 2030, remaining the fastest of any major fuel over that period and reaching a 25% share of total energy consumption by 2030.

ExxonMobil Corp. released its 2004 Energy Outlook Thursday, predicting that global natural gas demand will grow about 2.2%/year through 2030, remaining the fastest of any major fuel over that period and reaching a 25% share of total energy consumption by 2030.