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Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead has been busy in the past few weeks signing a long list of bills into law, including a half-dozen energy measures dealing with a state energy improvement program, microbes use in natural gas drilling, natural gas vehicles (NGV), wind project property owners’ rights, and even a nuclear energy production study.

Ciris Energy Inc. has added Khosla Ventures to a list of companies that have invested in its proprietary technology, which it says biochemically converts coal to methane at large scale and low cost. While Centennial, CO-based Ciris did not disclose the amount Khosla invested, documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission indicate Ciris in December sold $23.9 million of a total $39.7 million of securities offered. It was the second round of financing for Ciris. Existing investors Braemar Energy Ventures, Rho Ventures and GE Energy Financial Services also participated in the funding, the company said. The financing will allow privately held Ciris to implement its first commercial-scale projects for in situ biochemical conversion of coal to methane, and bring its ex situ technology to commercial-ready status.

Developing Nexen Inc.’s massive shale gas position in northeastern British Columbia (BC) is on the to-do list for 2011, CEO Marvin Romanow said last week.

Developing Nexen Inc.’s massive shale gas position in northeastern British Columbia (BC) is on the to-do list for 2011, CEO Marvin Romanow said this week.

The Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) on Friday presented a list of industry “principles” for natural gas drillers to follow that coalition members hope will translate into positives for the Marcellus Shale.

The Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) on Friday presented a list of industry “principles” for natural gas drillers to follow that coalition members hope will translate into positives for the Marcellus Shale.

Customer concerns have put a planned wood-fueled biomass power plant on hold in Traverse City, MI, prompting Traverse City Light & Power (L&P) to put natural gas at the top of its list to replace an old coal-fired power plant. “We’ve listened to many of our ratepayers tell us they don’t know enough about biomass and some have suggested they are more comfortable with natural gas as a power generation resource, even though natural gas is not a renewable energy,” said L&P Chairman Mike Coco. L&P said its previous goal of achieving 30% of its power from renewable sources by 2020 may fall by the wayside if a gas-fueled option is selected for the replacement power supplies.

NiSource Gas Transmission & Storage (NGT&S) and MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources Inc. have joined a growing list of joint venture partnerships onshore to develop new natural gas gathering, processing and transmission projects to support more production volumes in the northern West Virginia area of the Marcellus Shale.

Spectra Energy Corp. late Thursday joined a growing list of pipeline operators that in recent weeks have announced plans to expand their systems to accommodate growing natural gas supplies from East Texas and northern Louisiana.