Downturn

While not shying away from active trading, independent generation and merchant natural gas pipeline/storage plays, it’s a sign of the economic downturn that Sempra Energy is charting a course led by its two sizable California utilities, CEO Don Felsinger told financial analysts.

The economic downturn could be half over, and when it ends the oil and gas industry is poised to benefit from the upturn — if it prepares now for better days, according to Ernst & Young.

The economic downturn could be half over, and when it ends the oil and gas industry is poised to benefit from the upturn — if it prepares now for better days, according to Ernst & Young.

Economic strife and the consequent downturn in gas demand, particularly for power generation, and growing domestic production have flipped the priorities of the gas industry, at least for the time being, according to analysts at Barclays Capital.

Economic strife and the consequent downturn in gas demand, particularly for power generation, and growing domestic production have flipped the priorities of the gas industry, at least for the time being, according to analysts at Barclays Capital.

The previous Friday’s 15.9-cent downturn by March futures proved more persuasive to cash traders Monday than the abundant heating load expected from Tuesday lows predicted to range from a little below zero to the mid 20s across northern market areas and even into the Deep South. The result was falling prices at all points except for Northeast citygates, the Dominion pipeline in Appalachia and the Florida citygate, which were flat to about $1.55 higher.

Canadian exporters scored an 18.7% revenue gain in the last natural gas contract year. But the period also ushered in a pronounced downturn in the volume of trade with the United States. Improved prices accounted for virtually all of the increase in the total value of Canadian gas exports in the 12 months that ended Oct. 31, show records kept by the National Energy Board (NEB).

Canadian exporters scored an 18.7% revenue gain in the last natural gas contract year. But the period also ushered in a pronounced downturn in the volume of trade with the United States. Improved prices accounted for virtually all of the increase in the total value of Canadian gas exports in the 12 months that ended Oct. 31, show records kept by the National Energy Board (NEB).

Even with the global economic downturn, XTO Energy Inc. said late last week that its board of directors has approved a 2009 capital budget for development and exploration expenditures of $3.3 billion and an additional $500 million has been budgeted for the construction of pipeline infrastructure and compression and processing facilities.