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With its latest liquefied natural gas (LNG) permits in hand for projects in Mexico and Louisiana, San Diego-based Sempra Energy appeared to have “first mover advantage” among the four or five serious proposals to site LNG receiving terminals along the Pacific Coast of North Baja California, according to report released Tuesday by Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB). Success of the LNG ventures could allow a major merchant energy part of Sempra to eventually raise its share of Sempra’s earnings to 15% in a company still dominated by two cash-cow utility companies.

Operating cash flow, combined with cash on hand and available credit, is expected to be more than enough to cover Dynegy Inc.’s scheduled spending over the next 12 months, and with that knowledge, Moody’s Investors Service on Thursday assigned the company a speculative grade liquidity rating of SGL-1. Moody’s SGL is a short-term rating system for speculative grade issuers that are, by definition, “not prime,” and are assigned on a scale from SGL-1 (very good) to SGL-4 (weak).

Operating cash flow, combined with cash on hand and available credit, is expected to be more than enough to cover Dynegy Inc.’s scheduled spending over the next 12 months, and with that knowledge, Moody’s Investors Service on Thursday assigned the company a speculative grade liquidity rating of SGL-1. Moody’s SGL is a short-term rating system for speculative grade issuers that are, by definition, “not prime,” and are assigned on a scale from SGL-1 (very good) to SGL-4 (weak).

What’s an El Paso Corp. shareholder to do? With the annual shareholder meeting scheduled for 2 p.m. CST Tuesday in Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center, the incumbent board of directors will know in less than 48 hours whether they will remain in control of the massive energy services corporation or whether they will be replaced by a tenacious group of energy professionals.

With its successful merger of Prize Energy boosting proved reserves a year ago, Magnum Hunter Resources Inc. was able to increase total proved reserves 121% last year, the company said. Based on total capital expenditures of approximately $584 million, Magnum Hunter’s unaudited finding and development cost was about 93 cents/Mcfe.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) has asked the Bush Administration to hand over documents detailing any contacts the White House may have had related to a controversial underwater transmission cable system linking Connecticut to Long Island that remains idled as its operator works to bury the cable to required depths.

FERC Chairman Pat Wood on Wednesday told federal lawmakers his agency hopes to be able to hand over to Congress in the next two weeks an interim report on the status of its five-month investigation into allegations that suppliers manipulated natural gas and electricity prices in California and other western energy markets.

FERC Chairman Pat Wood on Wednesday told federal lawmakers his agency hopes to be able to hand over to Congress in the next two weeks an interim report on the status of its five-month investigation into allegations that suppliers manipulated natural gas and electricity prices in California and other western energy markets.

A federal judge in Washington, DC has ordered the Department of Energy (DOE) to turn over secret documents identifying the individuals, companies and groups that Vice President Dick Cheney and his task force met with when developing the Bush administration’s national energy policy last year.