Leader

As expected, Senate Majority Leader-elect Harry Reid (D-NV) has named Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) to be chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the 110th Congress, replacing current Chairman Pete Domenici (R-NM).

As expected, Senate Majority Leader-elect Harry Reid (D-NV) has named Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) to be chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the 110th Congress, replacing current Chairman Pete Domenici (R-NM).

Nevada attorney Jon Wellinghoff was sworn in last Monday as a new FERC commissioner by Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada at his Capitol Hill office. He is the last of the three FERC nominees to take the oath of office. The commissioners already are at work at the agency, according to a FERC spokeswoman.

Nevada attorney Jon Wellinghoff was sworn in Monday as a new FERC commissioner by Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada at his Capitol Hill office. He is the last of the three FERC nominees to take the oath of office. The commissioners already are at work at the agency, according to a FERC spokeswoman.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) is expected to bring to the Senate floor Friday a bill opening open up to eight million acres in the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil and natural gas leasing, a Frist spokeswoman said.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) signaled that he will schedule debate this month on a bill based on a deal negotiated by Republicans Wednesday that would open up eight million acres in the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil and natural gas leasing and would allow sharing of federal royalties from offshore production with four Gulf coastal states.

Reacting in part to recent House action on energy legislation, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has called on the chairmen of four committees to step up the pace and deliver new energy measures by July 14.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) is negotiating with other senators on the Lease Sale 181 bill that was voted out by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in March, Frank Macchiarola, majority counsel for the Senate Energy Committee said Tuesday in a briefing to gas industry representatives in Washington, DC. He said he expects the legislation, which would allow drilling in a small portion of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, to be taken up for a floor vote soon but could not predict exactly when that would happen (see Daily GPI, May 12).

Alberta leaders are voicing hope the province will become the world leader in synthetic gas production to prevent massive waste of the natural commodity by its oilsands development rush.