Liquidity

Despite reporting a $16.3 million net loss for 2010, Magnum Hunter Resources Corp. believes that recent and pending acquisitions could help the company more than triple production, allowing it to compete with bigger companies in three major shale plays.

Shale gas plays have been a magnet for energy deals, and that was even more true last year, which saw a record dollar value for upstream energy mergers and acquisitions (M&A), driven largely by shale-related activity, according to consultancy Wood Mackenzie.

Characterizing his energy trading unit as having “tremendous liquidity and highly ample capital,” the head of Sempra Energy Commodities told a financial analysts meeting late in March that he sees the environment for trading remaining mostly unchanged through 2009 with annual profits in the $350-450 million range. David Messer spoke at an analysts’ meeting hosted by Sempra in San Diego March 29.

Characterizing his energy trading unit as having “tremendous liquidity and highly ample capital,” the head of Sempra Energy Commodities said he sees the environment for trading remaining mostly unchanged through 2009 with annual profits in the $350-450 million range. David Messer spoke at a financial analysts meeting hosted by Sempra in San Diego Thursday.

Dynegy Inc. blew away analysts’ forecasts on Wednesday, reversing a year-ago second quarter loss on the strength in its power generation and natural gas liquids (NGL) businesses. The Houston-based company, which had teetered toward bankruptcy two years ago, also improved its full-year outlook by settling four natural gas transportation contracts.

With expansion overseas ending in retreat and the continuing liquidity and regulatory problems plaguing natural gas and power utilities, U.S. executives remain perplexed over the market’s direction, according to a new study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).

With expansion overseas ending in retreat and the continuing liquidity and regulatory problems plaguing natural gas and power utilities, U.S. executives remain perplexed over the market’s direction, according to a new study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).

Seeking to ease the flow of power across a big chunk of the Eastern Interconnection, the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO), PJM Interconnection and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) on Wednesday announced plans to pursue the development of a multi-regional approach to strengthen electric transmission, operations and related transactions.

At literally the eleventh hour, Reliant Resources Inc. (RRI) last week successfully completed a $6.2 billion financing package to refinance $5.9 billion of existing bank credit facilities with new ones that won’t mature until 2007. The lenders also provided the cash-poor company a $300 million line of credit, which matures in 2004.