Finding

All-in finding and development (F&D) costs to produce U.S. natural gas are $4.00-5.00/MMBtu, but with benchmark Henry Hub spot prices hovering at $2.50/MMBtu, exploration and production (E&P) companies are in a tough spot, particularly if they have few hedges in place, no oil component in their portfolio, or are just beginning to transition to oily projects, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) analysts said in a new report.

Despite the decision by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to shut down a wastewater disposal well in Youngstown, industry backers are confident the decision will not have an impact on the emerging oil and gas industry in Ohio’s portions of the Marcellus and Utica shales.

Shares of Corridor Resources Inc. took a pounding on Wednesday after the company announced it has so far been unsuccessful in finding a joint venture (JV) partner to help develop its prospect in the emerging Frederick Brook Shale.

In Mexico there is no debate about shale gas having potential, but there is an ongoing discussion in the federal government concerning whether to focus on finding out exactly what that potential might be. A relatively new government body, the National Commission for Hydrocarbons (CNH), is pushing other parts of the federal government to pursue a more diversified energy strategy.

Finding only relatively moderate cooling load for mid-August in many areas and weighed down slightly by the previous Friday’s near-nickel futures drop, nearly all of the cash market followed up Friday’s gains with softening Monday.

Countering claims that he moves in lockstep with the industry on Marcellus Shale issues, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett spoke out against forced pooling in a speech Tuesday before a Pittsburgh audience.

Finding a way to use natural gas as a mainstream transportation fuel is the “holy grail’ for the industry, Chesapeake Energy Corp. Aubrey McClendon told a packed audience last week at the World Shale Gas Conference & Exhibition in Grapevine, TX.

Finding a way to use natural gas as a mainstream transportation fuel is the “holy grail’ for the industry, Chesapeake Energy Corp. Aubrey McClendon told a packed audience Wednesday at the World Shale Gas Conference & Exhibition in Grapevine, TX.

With some support from the previous Friday’s futures advance, the cash market was finding enough increases in colder weather either already in place or imminent to realize gains at a sizeable majority of locations the board Monday.