Economists

Between 59,000 and 77,000 megawatts (MW) of U.S. coal-fired power generating capacity will be retired over the next five years, according to economists at The Brattle Group. That’s an increase of 25,000 MW over their December 2010 estimate, in part due to low gas prices. Upcoming coal retirements could bring “modest increases in natural gas prices,” they said.

While economists say the recession has ended and some economic indicators have begun to trend upward, continued weak demand led to another decline in natural gas marketing during the third quarter, with the total volume sold in North America tumbling 4% — nearly 5 Bcf/d — according to NGI’s 3Q2009 Top North American Gas Marketers Ranking. read more

While economists say the recession has ended and some economic indicators have begun to trend upward, continued weak demand led to another decline in natural gas marketing during the third quarter, with the total volume sold in North America tumbling 4% — nearly 5 Bcf/d — according to NGI’s 3Q2009 Top North American Gas Marketers Ranking.

While economists say the recession has ended and some economic indicators have begun to trend upward, continued weak demand led to another decline in natural gas marketing during the third quarter, with the total volume sold in North America tumbling 4% — nearly 5 Bcf/d — according to NGI’s 3Q2009 Top North American Gas Marketers Ranking.

When economists at the Energy Information Administration (EIA) early this year pondered what might put a floor under falling natural gas prices, their first thought was supply curtailments. But attention soon turned to the demand side and the growing economic advantage of gas-fired generation relative to coal-fired plants.

When economists at the Energy Information Administration (EIA) early this year pondered what might put a floor under falling natural gas prices, their first thought was supply curtailments. But attention soon turned to the demand side and the growing economic advantage of gas-fired generation relative to coal-fired plants.

The experts disagree on how much recoverable gas there is in the Rocky Mountains, but economists, E&P and pipeline executives working in the area do agree it is “under explored and under exploited,” with extremely complex geology requiring new technologies that are continuously under development, as well as increased land access and investment in infrastructure.

The experts disagree on how much recoverable gas there is in the Rocky Mountains, but economists and E&P and pipeline executives working in the area do agree it is “under explored and under exploited,” with extremely complex geology requiring new technologies that are continuously under development, as well as increased land access and investment in infrastructure.

With politicians and economists pointing fingers in various directions to attach responsibility for California’s electricity problems, the quarterly UCLA business school economic forecast last Thursday predicted a recession for the state, particularly in the north, driven largely by the electricity crisis. A separate analysis by the university and Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) looked at two scenarios, advocating perhaps a different course than the one charted currently by the state.