Eighth

While natural gas marketers overall registered an approximate 12% gain in volumes sold in NGI’s 1Q2008 marketer survey over year-ago totals, Constellation Energy Group, now fourth in the marketer listings, and Louis Dreyfus Energy Services LP, now in sixth place, reported remarkable sales volume gains of 54% and 68%, respectively. Shell Energy North America, Nexen Inc. and Tenaska Marketing Ventures all reported sales volume increases of more than 20%, while Chesapeake Energy Corp. and XTO Energy Inc. both had sales that were up by 32% over 1Q2007.

Domestic natural gas reserves increased for the eighth straight year in 2006 and now exceed 205 Tcf — 1 Tcf higher than in 2005 and their highest level since 1978 — according to preliminary findings by the American Gas Association (AGA).

Domestic natural gas reserves increased for the eighth straight year in 2006 and now exceed 205 Tcf — 1 Tcf higher than in 2005 and their highest level since 1978 — according to preliminary findings by the American Gas Association (AGA). The AGA, which issued its report Wednesday, based its numbers on a representative sample of 30 natural gas reserves holders, which it said account for more than half of total U.S. booked reserves and slightly less than half of all U.S. gas production.

A string of consecutive higher daily settlement came to an end on the eighth day Wednesday as November natural gas futures pushed lower to close at $6.150, down 31.6 cents on the day. With forecasted cold air finally entering the Plains, some traders said Wednesday’s trade action was a classic example of “buy the rumor, sell the fact.”

Literally billions of dollars and thousands of job can turn on how high (or low) wholesale natural gas prices go in California, the world’s eighth largest economy, said international consulting firm Global Insight, Waltham, MA.

Putting in their eighth up day out of the last nine sessions, September natural gas futures on Friday saved their best for the last 15 minutes of the regular session. During this time, the prompt month rallied to record a new $8.750 high before settling at $8.700, up 22.9 cents on the day.

ConocoPhillips topped Mastio & Co.’s eighth annual gas marketer customer satisfaction rankings among the major marketing companies, while U.S. Energy Services was the top regional/niche marketer. The ranking was based on the results of up to 800 interviews with customers, including other marketers, utilities, pipeline companies, producers and power generators.

ConocoPhillips topped Mastio & Co.’s eighth annual gas marketer customer satisfaction rankings among the major marketing companies, while U.S. Energy Services was the top regional/niche marketer. The ranking was based on the results of up to 800 interviews with customers, including other marketers, utilities, pipeline companies, producers and power generators.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit Thursday vacated and remanded a decision by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) approving a $1.4 billion rail project to carry coal from the Powder River Basin to power plants in the East and Midwest, saying the board failed to assess the environmental impact of increased coal burning.