Gaining

With survey data indicating steady future growth, the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel is gaining momentum in a variety of fleet vehicle operations in four key areas — economics, manufacture of vehicles, fueling infrastructure and public policy support, according to Richard Kolodziej, president of Washington, DC-based NGVAmerica.

Foreign buyers have been gaining intelligence about drilling in North America’s prolific unconventional formations through joint ventures (JV) and region-specific acquisitions with willing U.S. natural gas and producers, but that’s about to change, according to an energy expert with industry consultant PwC US.

Foreign buyers up to now have been gaining intelligence about drilling in North America’s prolific unconventional formations through joint ventures (JV) and region-specific acquisitions with willing U.S. natural gas and producers, but that’s about to change, according to an energy expert with industry consultant PwC US.

In a first step to gaining broader approvals, the Jordan Cove liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Oregon on Wednesday gained an initial approval from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to export LNG. The backers of the project at Coos Bay called it a “procedural” step needed to seek broader DOE and FERC approvals.

The Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania is generally divided into two regions, the northeast and the southwest, but increasingly the stretch of fairway between those regions is gaining prominence.

ExxonMobil Corp.’s profits soared in the first three months of 2011 from a year ago, gaining on higher natural gas production and solid chemical returns, and harkening back to the industry’s boom days before the late 2008 global economic collapse.

Less than two months after gaining a financially able partner to develop some of its Marcellus Shale acreage, Gastar Exploration Ltd. on Wednesday said it would buy another 59,000 net acres in the WestVirginia portion of the play.

Looking to expand its oil and natural gas field services operations in Western Canada while gaining a foothold in Alaska, Calgary-based Total Energy Services Inc. has agreed to acquire the drilling services, rental and transportation business currently operated by DC Energy Services Inc. for C$44.5 million (US$42 million), the company said Tuesday.

Traders looking for the expiring May natural gas futures contract to test psychological support at $3 were sorely disappointed Tuesday as it instead finished its run by gaining 6.8 cents over Monday’s close to terminate at $3.321. The June contract, which takes over Wednesday as the prompt month, added 7.8 cents to close at $3.440.