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Several key supporters of shale development in New York say the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) proposed rules governing high-volume hydraulic fracturing (fracking) are too restrictive and in their current form would drive operators to other states.

Responding to complaints that its findings were biased in favor of drilling, a consulting firm that studied the socioeconomic impact of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in New York has been asked to go back and do more research.

December natural gas futures rose Wednesday in a quiet session punctuated more by trader anticipation of the extended holiday weekend than the release of bullish storage data or options expiration. At the close December had risen 4.5 cents to $3.460 and January had added 4.7 cents to $3.608. Oil and equity markets faltered. January crude oil dropped $1.84 to $96.17/bbl and with 45 minutes to the close the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 163 points to 11,330.

The Interior Department on Monday extended 1,381 deepwater oil and natural gas drilling leases to compensate for delays caused by the Macondo well blowout and subsequent offshore drilling moratorium.

After designating Friday as a Critical Day for storage in which no interruptible injections were expected to be available, Columbia Gas extended the Critical Day period to Saturday through Monday. The pipeline also barred Auto-PAL (Park and Loan) service through the weekend and said no nominations to resolve due-pipe imbalances were being accepted.

The “big takeaway” from a recent investigation of power outages and curtailed gas deliveries during extended cold weather in the Southwest earlier this year is the need for more natural gas storage capacity, according to some FERC commissioners.

The “big takeaway” from a recent investigation of power outages and curtailed gas deliveries during extended cold weather in the Southwest earlier this year is the need for more natural gas storage capacity, according to some FERC commissioners.

The natural gas industry said it was largely supportive of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) final draft report on the environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which had been scheduled on Wednesday to release the final draft of a report on the environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing (fracking), said the report has been delayed because the department is too busy assisting with cleanup related to Hurricane Irene.