Lowered

Enbridge Energy Partners LP ast Tuesday lowered its full-year earnings projections to the C$440-470 million range from earlier guidance of C$510-$550 million. The near-term outlook for the natural gas business is being hurt by continuing declines in natural gas liquids (NGL) prices, but management said the company has “significantly mitigated” the the negative impact through “existing commodity hedging arrangements.”

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P) lowered its corporate credit and senior unsecured debt ratings on Rockies Express Pipeline LLC (REX) to “BB” from “BBB-” with a “stable” outlook and said the decision was based on compressed basis differentials leading to increased recontracting risk in the years ahead.

Moody’s Investors Service on Friday joined a chorus of energy analysts and lowered its assumptions for North American natural gas prices for the next two years. However, its two-year outlook for benchmark crude oil prices are higher.

Due to the expanding shale gas development that has lowered prices, gas-fired generation has become increasingly competitive with coal-fired generation in some eastern U.S. markets, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Tuesday.

Due to the expanding shale gas development that has lowered prices, gas-fired generation has become increasingly competitive with coal-fired generation in some eastern U.S. markets, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Tuesday.

Acceleration of shale natural gas development not only has lowered the price of natural gas but will exert downward pressure on the price of crude oil, said an official with the International Energy Agency (IEA) Thursday.

Acceleration of shale natural gas development not only has lowered the price of natural gas but will exert downward pressure on the price of crude oil, said an official with the International Energy Agency (IEA) Thursday.

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P) lowered its outlook on Noble Corp. to “negative” from “stable” and affirmed its “A-” long-term corporate credit rating on the drilling company. The ratings agency expressed concern for weakening credit metrics due to delays in permitting wells in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

Reflecting continued depressed retail demand and lower wholesale natural gas costs, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Wednesday lowered further the retail rates of Boise-based Intermountain Power Co. The utility revenue requirement was dropped by $2.2 million and retail rates were cut slightly, effective last Friday.