Forecast

The U.S. Winter Outlook for December 2004 through February 2005 continues to call for warmer-than-normal conditions across the entire West and Alaska and cooler-than-normal conditions in the Southeast and Mid Atlantic, according to an update issued Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Elsewhere, including the key gas consuming markets in the Midcontinent/Midwest and New England, there are equal chances of above, below and normal temperatures.

The U.S. Winter Outlook for December 2004 through February 2005 continues to call for warmer-than-normal conditions across the entire West and Alaska and cooler-than-normal conditions in the Southeast and Mid Atlantic, according to an update issued Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Elsewhere, including the key gas consuming markets in the Midcontinent/Midwest and New England, there are equal chances of above, below and normal temperatures.

Calgary-based independent Nexen said Thursday that solid third quarter earnings, up nearly 22% over 3Q2003, were partially offset by higher exploration expenses and lower-than-expected production in North American and overseas operations.

Calgary-based independent Nexen said Thursday that solid third quarter earnings, up nearly 22% over 3Q2003, were partially offset by higher exploration expenses and lower-than-expected production in North American and overseas operations.

Continuing the downhill slide from where the now-expired July contract left off on Monday, the August natural gas futures contract sloughed off another 8.3 cents on Tuesday to close at $6.118.

Both its utilities and its unregulated global marketing and LNG business will be contributing to its future success and increased earnings, Sempra Energy executives told financial analysts last week.

Despite a 46% increase in drilling in Alberta last year, provincial gas production fell 2%, the second annual decline in a row, and Alberta regulators expect production to remain flat this year.

Despite a 46% increase in drilling in Alberta last year, provincial gas production fell 2%, the second annual decline in a row, and Alberta regulators expect production to remain flat this year.

The long-term domestic gas production picture isn’t nearly as dismal as some doomsday Wall Street analysts may want investors to believe, but it’s also not as rosy as the federal government says either, consultants at Energy and Environmental Analysis Inc. (EEA) said last week in an interview with NGI.