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Many consumers have less money than they did a year ago, but they are happier about paying their natural gas utility bills, according to the new J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study.

Many consumers have less money than they did a year ago, but they are happier about paying their natural gas utility bills, according to the new J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study.

When Rex Energy Corp. announced in August that it acquired the rights to lease about 11,000 net acres in Carroll County, OH, for $40 million, the company said it was doing so to develop a prospect in the Utica Shale play and expand its acreage position there.

Because of new drilling techniques that allow operators to do more with less, federal officials in Colorado have more than doubled their initial estimate on the number of natural gas wells that could be drilled in the Gothic Shale in the Paradox Basin of southwestern Colorado.

Because of new drilling techniques that allow operators to do more with less, federal officials in Colorado have more than doubled their initial estimate on the number of natural gas wells that could be drilled in the Gothic Shale in the Paradox Basin of southwestern Colorado.

September natural gas inched higher Wednesday as traders noted a less supportive weather environment, but they were reluctant to initiate any new positions prior to the release of a key government inventory report Thursday. At the close September was up 0.1 cent to $3.933 and October had added 0.1 cent to $3.943. September crude oil rose 93 cents to $87.58/bbl.

A gain of slightly less than a cent in September futures a day earlier failed to keep nearly all of the cash market from softening Thursday. Some Atlantic tropical activity was going on but posed no near-term threat to offshore gas supply, and weather patterns have subsided to largely seasonal or slightly milder conditions for the time being.

Less than a month after Australian energy giant BHP Billiton Ltd. disclosed plans to purchase Petrohawk Energy Corp., the Houston-based company announced that 2Q2011 production grew 15% and revenues shot up 21% from the previous quarter, propelling the company to huge profits.

Less than a month after Australian energy giant BHP Billiton Ltd. disclosed plans to purchase Petrohawk Energy Corp., the Houston-based company announced Wednesday that 2Q2011 production grew 15% and revenues shot up 21% from the previous quarter, propelling the company to huge profits.