Entering

January futures moved lower Friday on very light volume, but traders saw the market entering what could be a prolonged period of sideways price movement that could eventually lead to an advance. At the close January had fallen 5.5 cents to $3.114 and February had retreated 5.9 cents to $3.147. February crude oil rose 15 cents to $99.68/bbl.

The decade-long romance between horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) shows no signs of burning out, much to the delight of the parents — onshore oilfield services companies — according to a compilation of industry data.

The average natural gas futures prices for the upcoming heating season will be less than $4/MMBtu, the lowest level entering the winter months since 2001-2002, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said.

While uncertainty and volatility may lurk just around the corner, for short-term natural gas supplies, demand and prices should remain stable in the water-dominated Pacific Northwest, stakeholders told the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) on Wednesday.

Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) reintroduced legislation on Tuesday to increase regulations on hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking), but the new bill is entering a different world than its predecessor.

Several western states, including Oregon, California and Arizona, are faced with filling vacant energy regulatory slots entering 2011.

This is the first time that utility Enstar Natural Gas Co. is entering a new year without firm contracts for all of the natural gas supply it expects to need to serve customers in Southcentral Alaska. Because all of its gas comes from a handful of producers in the Cook Inlet, the utility has come up with a new bidding mechanism to secure its peak day requirements.

This is the first time that utility Enstar Natural Gas Co. is entering a new year without firm contracts for all of the natural gas supply it expects to need to serve customers in Southcentral Alaska. Because all of its gas comes from a handful of producers in the Cook Inlet, the utility has come up with a new bidding mechanism to secure its peak day requirements.

Seal Beach, CA-based Clean Energy Fuels Corp. has made two deals to expand its market reach nationally, entering a securities purchase agreement to acquire fueling technology provider Wyoming Northstar Inc. for $10.9 million in cash, and through a subsidiary inking an agreement with a New Jersey-based alternative fuel vehicle manufacturer, Clean Vehicle Solutions LLC, to provide compressed natural gas (CNG) systems for the small vehicle makers’ products.