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Natural gas price bears could be in for a treat over the next few months if Mother Nature goes along with WSI Corp.’s just-released forecast, which calls for the May-July period to be cooler than normal across parts of the northeastern United States, with above-normal temperatures common elsewhere, especially in the western United States.

The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) has a new $6 million grant program to help companies replace their older forklifts and medium- and heavy-duty diesel vehicles with ultra low-emission natural gas- and propane-fueled equipment. The grant program is funded by the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Since 2005, the RRC has awarded $39.5 million in grants to Texas companies and school districts, and has reduced emissions of smog-forming nitrogen oxides by nearly 5,000 tons. To be eligible for the grants, new equipment must meet the latest emissions standards and operate in one of the 43 counties designated by the TCEQ as having substandard air quality. The grant amount averages $9,500. For more information, visit www.altenergy.rrc.state.tx.us.

Natural gas vehicles (NGV) will represent just 2% of the overall demand for natural gas in the United States by 2025, making them unlikely to cause a spike in natural gas prices, according to a report by the American Clean Skies Foundation (ACSF).

Natural gas vehicles (NGV) will represent just 2% of the overall demand for natural gas in the United States by 2025, making them unlikely to cause a spike in natural gas prices, according to a report by the American Clean Skies Foundation (ACSF).

Just one month after Russia’s state-owned OAO Rosneft claimed a stake in 20 deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GOM) exploration blocks held by ExxonMobil Corp., the partners said they plan to spend as much as $15 billion to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility on Russia’s Pacific Coast that would ship fuel to Asia-Pacific markets. A final investment decision is set for June, and if it’s approved, the plant could begin exporting LNG by 2018, according to Rosneft, which is the world’s largest listed oil producer (see Daily GPI, March 22). Rosneft and ExxonMobil in 2011 struck a cooperation agreement to swap access in Russia’s Arctic offshore and other areas; Rosneft gained access to U.S. and Canadian plays in the onshore and GOM (see Daily GPI, Aug. 31, 2011). Rosneft acquired a 30% interest in the 20 deepwater GOM blocks last month (see Daily GPI, March 13). The partners expanded the strategic agreement in February, which gave Rosneft the option to take a stake in the Point Thomson, AK, gas project (see Daily GPI, Feb. 14). At that time, they signed a memorandum of understanding to study the economic viability of a LNG development in the Russian Far East.

A Harris Interactive poll found that most registered voters in Ohio are opposed to higher severance taxes on oil and natural gas, believing such increases would destroy job creation and harm the economy.

In some cases operators just aren’t drilling and in others they are leaving the state for greener pastures as 2012 continued to be another year for declining natural gas production in Northwest New Mexico’s San Juan Basin, according to the latest state statistics that showed the region produced 780 Bcf last year.

In some cases operators just aren’t drilling and in others they are leaving the state for greener pastures as 2012 continued to be another year for declining natural gas production in Northwest New Mexico’s San Juan Basin, according to the latest state statistics that showed the region produced 780 Bcf last year.

Howard Midstream Energy Partners LLC (HEP) will construct a cryogenic natural gas plant capable of processing 200 MMcf/d in the heart of the Eagle Ford Shale in Webb County, TX, the San Antonio, TX-based company said Wednesday.