Experience

Although most of the U.S. is expected to experience normal to above-normal temperatures this week, there was enough heating load in the forecasts for Christmas Day into the weekend to generate moderate increases at a majority of points Wednesday. There was also substantial support for the cash market from the previous day’s 44.3-cent spike by January futures, while the normally extra-bearish influence of a long holiday weekend apparently had minimal impact.

“The land grab of 2008 is over” in many of the major natural gas shale formations across the United States, said an energy analyst with New York-based Jeffries & Co. Inc. last week.

Much of the eastern United States is poised to experience one of the coldest winters in several years, according to AccuWeather.com Chief Long-Range Forecaster Joe Bastardi.

Much of the eastern United States is poised to experience one of the coldest winters in several years, according to AccuWeather.com Chief Long-Range Forecaster Joe Bastardi.

While warmer-than-normal temperatures will dominate the Northeast for the next two months, the region could experience much colder weather in December, according to forecaster WSI Corp. of Andover, MA. The company said a recurrence of La Nina conditions — cooling ocean surface temperatures off the western coast of South America — could lead to “a very cold winter” for much of the country.

Operators in emerging shale gas plays can expect to experience high costs as the plays are developed because drilling and completion is akin to research and development. However, costs fall as operators build their land positions in a particular play and develop drilling programs with the right type of rigs and completion services, according to Houston-based Ziff Energy Group.

Operators in emerging shale gas plays can expect to experience high costs as the plays are developed because drilling and completion is akin to research and development. However, costs fall as operators build their land positions in a particular play and develop drilling programs with the right type of rigs and completion services, according to Houston-based Ziff Energy Group.

The U.S. Atlantic basin will likely experience a well above-average hurricane season this year and odds are nearly even that a major hurricane will make landfall on the Gulf Coast, according to weather forecasters at Colorado State University (CSU).

The U.S. Atlantic basin will likely experience a well above-average hurricane season this year and odds are nearly even that a major hurricane will make landfall on the Gulf Coast, according to weather forecasters at Colorado State University (CSU).