Factor

Always an important factor in gauging summer energy supplies, particularly for power generation, Pacific Northwest river flows and water levels are getting increased scrutiny this month following an above-normally dry and warm January through March period.

U.S. onshore horizontal drilling has improved steadily across every category, in part because of improvements in technology, but the “human experience factor” appears to be playing a substantial role as well in moving well times and depth curves to the left, according to an analysis by Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. (TPH).

U.S. onshore horizontal drilling has improved steadily across every category, in part because of improvements in technology, but the “human experience factor” appears to be playing a substantial role as well in moving well times and depth curves to the left, according to an analysis by Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. (TPH).

Can Appalachia support all of the ethane projects proposed for the region? Potentially, but economics could play a much more decisive factor than supply over the coming decade, experts said last week at the Hart Energy Marcellus Midstream Conference and Exhibition in Pittsburgh.

The surge of U.S. shale gas supplies has caused a large-scale rethink on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the relationship of the U.S. gas market to that of the rest of the world. Those who used to watch U.S. shores for inbound tankers now wonder how soon and how many tankers will leave this country loaded with liquefied shale gas.

Energy experts predict that natural gas will surpass coal and become the second most widely used fossil fuel on Earth by 2030, but said challenges remain for the industry to make that a reality.

With weather, futures, the weekend factor and lack of tropical threat appearing mostly bearish, it wasn’t quite clear how a substantive portion of the cash market managed to achieve small rebounds Friday. But flat to moderately higher numbers showed up at a majority of points, primarily in the Midcontinent/Midwest, Gulf Coast and Rockies.

Hot weather wasn’t much of a factor in Wednesday’s market as forecast peaks in the mid 90s or higher remain confined to parts of South Texas, the desert Southwest and inland California. Otherwise moderate to cool or chilly conditions dominate the rest of the North American outlook.

Dry natural gas production from the Barnett Shale during the first half of this year increased 6% compared with the year-ago period. Total liquids production was up 7%, mainly on a 12% gain in oil production (see chart). But the Barnett rig count has declined 25% from a year ago. Clearly, producers there are doing more with less, and it’s because they have “learned by doing.”