Handle

Traders and market-watchers alike on Wednesday were trying to get a handle on exactly what was happening in energy futures as natural gas and crude soared higher once again. April natural gas gained 38.8 cents on the day to close at $9.741, while April crude got back to its recent record-setting ways by adding $5 to close at an all-time high of $104.52/bbl.

Looking to help handle the normal peaks and valleys in natural gas demand in the South, Dallas-based Atmos Energy Corp. subsidiary Atmos Pipeline and Storage LLC has submitted a pre-filing request with FERC to construct and operate a 15 Bcf salt-cavern gas storage project in Franklin Parish, LA.

Looking to help handle the normal peaks and valleys in natural gas demand in the South, Dallas-based Atmos Energy Corp. subsidiary Atmos Pipeline and Storage LLC has submitted a pre-filing request with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to construct and operate a 15 Bcf salt-cavern gas storage project in Franklin Parish, LA.

Ozark Gas Transmission received FERC authorization last Thursday to make a quick fix to its system to increase its maximum capacity from 330 MMcf/d to 400 MMcf/d to handle increased gas volumes coming from the Fayetteville Shale in Arkansas near the eastern end of the Ozark system (CP07-381).

FERC Thursday approved a certificate amendment authorizing Ozark Gas Transmission to make a quick fix to increase its maximum capacity from 330 MMcf/d to 400 MMcf/d to handle increased gas volumes coming from the Fayetteville Shale in Arkansas near the eastern end of the Ozark system (CP07-381).

Finishing the week with a sub-$7 handle, April natural gas futures traded a slim 9.5-cent range Friday before finishing the week at $6.924, down 3.5 cents on the day and 15.9 cents lower than the previous Friday’s close.

FERC on Friday issued a preliminary environmental approval of two related pipeline projects — Southern Natural Gas’ Cypress Pipeline — which will handle increased deliveries of regasified liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies from a proposed expansion of Southern’s Elba Island LNG terminal in Georgia — and Florida Gas Transmission’s (FGT) expansion project to be built downstream of an interconnect with Cypress Pipeline so regasified LNG can reach Florida.

Western energy infrastructure is inadequate to handle the significant gas and power demand growth expected to occur over the next five years, according to a study released last week by the staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

New England’s electric power supplies are projected to be adequate to handle demand this summer, but several unexpected events could result in localized problems that could lead to tight power supply situations, ISO New England, operator of the region’s electric power grid, said last Monday in its annual summer forecast.