Government

A proposed settlement between the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and two independent producers, which allegedly rigged bidding in a government lease sale in Colorado, would nearly double the fines to be paid by the companies, compared with a previous settlement, according to documents filed recently in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado.

With the federal government continuing to drag its feet on applications for exporting domestic liquefied natural gas (LNG) — and President Obama’s nominee to head the Department of Energy (DOE) hedging his bets on the issue — some industry officials contend that regulatory agencies may not be the best place to decide how many of those facilities should operate.

Cash prices added less than a penny overall in Thursday’s trading as traders got their deals done ahead of the release of government inventory figures.

With the federal government continuing to drag its feet on applications for exporting domestic liquefied natural gas (LNG) — and President Obama’s nominee to head the Department of Energy (DOE) hedging his bets on the issue — some industry officials contend that regulatory agencies may not be the best place to decide how many of those facilities should operate.

For industry and government officials in North Dakota hungry for new ways to reduce the nearly 30% of the state’s associated natural gas that is flared, it is unclear if an innovative approach from a Louisiana-based oil/gas field services firm using converted military helicopter jet engines will prove to be a panacea anytime soon.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) on Wednesday introduced an interactive website that allows users to examine information related to the collection and distribution of revenue from the state’s unconventional natural gas well impact fee, which was enacted as part of Act 13, the state’s omnibus Marcellus Shale law.

The dismal days of 2009 are behind the chemical industry, and while the global recession isn’t completely gone, there are brighter times ahead. Much of that is because of the revolution in shale natural gas and oil, speakers at the IHS World Petrochemical Conference said Wednesday in Houston.

The issue of sharing offshore revenues between coastal states and the federal government, which has failed to gain support in previous Congresses, is expected to have a better chance in the 113th Congress.

The Mexican government said last Thursday’s explosion at the headquarters of state-owned petroleum company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) in Mexico City was caused by a methane gas leak.