Down

Two separate decisions in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York came down mostly on the side of shale play giant Chesapeake Energy Corp. in a year-old dispute over the extension of leases from landowners at below-market prices. Landowners in parts of four counties in New York state’s portion of the Marcellus Shale filed lawsuits against the Oklahoma-based shale operator.

A majority of large long-haul, heavy duty trucking fleet operators are turning thumbs down on liquefied natural gas (LNG) options for their vehicles, preliminary results from a survey by a logistics consulting firm for freight shippers showed Thursday.

Following an unusually warm winter that limited natural gas consumption and helped drive prices down and inventories to historic highs, spring and early summer are likely to bring a mixed weather bag, including mostly warmer-than-normal temperatures in the Northeast, according to forecasters at Andover, MA-based Weather Services International (WSI).

Following an unusually warm winter that limited natural gas consumption and helped drive prices down and inventories to historic highs, spring and early summer are likely to bring a mixed weather bag, including mostly warmer-than-normal temperatures in the Northeast, according to forecasters at Andover, MA-based Weather Services International (WSI).

A Department of Interior (DOI)-commissioned report disputes General Accountability Office (GAO) claims that DOI has been falling down on the job in its collection of revenues from oil and natural gas producers and that those revenues are among the lowest in the world. It also casts some doubt on the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) proposal to raise the onshore royalty rate to 18.75%.

Craig Donohue, who has been CME Group’s CEO since 2004, will step down when his contract expires in December, the Chicago-based derivatives marketplace announced. The board has appointed current Executive Chairman Terrence Duffy to the expanded role of executive chairman and president, and current President Phupinder Gill to take over as CEO when Donohue’s contract expires. Additionally, the board extended Duffy’s and Gill’s contract agreements. “Donohue, Duffy and Gill, who have worked together in the office of the CEO for the last eight years, will work together over the next several months to effectuate an orderly leadership transition,” the board said. Duffy will continue to take a hands-on approach in government relations, corporate marketing and communications. Gill, who will report to Duffy, will be responsible for all other aspects of running the company. The current management team will remain in place, the board said.

A report disputes General Accountability Office (GAO) claims that the Interior Department has been falling down on the job in its collection of revenues from oil and natural gas producers and that those revenues are among the lowest in the world. It also casts some doubt on the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) proposal to raise the onshore royalty rate to 18.75%.

After a chemical disclosure bill was shot down last year, critics of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in California are attempting to rekindle a fire in Sacramento to heat up both regulators and legislators, according to a report in Thursday’s Los Angeles Times. Focused on ways to create jobs, Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration has shied away from the issue, fearing it could stymie growth in the energy sector.

The first test, or “cool-down” shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the Manzanillo receiving facility is expected this Friday along the southwest coast of Mexico. An initial shipment of 77,000 tons of LNG is slated to come from Peru, which has a long-term contract with the Mexican federal government through Spain-based energy giant Repsol.