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Idaho regulators are anticipating making further decreases in the retail charges for natural gas in the state as they currently circulate for public comments a filing by Intermountain Gas Co. to cut retail charges by 5.3%, effective Oct. 1.

The Louisiana Mineral and Energy Board conducted its August lease sale last Wednesday and collected more than $647,000 in bonuses, making the total collected for fiscal year 2011-2012 more than $4.8 million. For the calendar year the total is more than $28.9 million.

Range Resources Corp. credited its second quarter results to a simple factor: better rocks.

Lots of capital is “sitting on the sidelines,” making now a very good time to build energy and other infrastructure in the United States, according to Richard Cortright, a managing director at Standard and Poor’s Rating Services (S&P).

Lots of capital is “sitting on the sidelines,” making now a very good time to build energy and other infrastructure in the United States, according to Richard Cortright, a managing director at Standard and Poor’s Rating Services (S&P).

Global natural gas and oil companies remain cautious as they consider making new investments and hiring more employees, but a surge in worldwide energy demand should increase hiring to the end of this year, according to a report released on Wednesday.

August natural gas futures continued to advance Tuesday, making it three consecutive gains driven in large part by expectations of higher temperatures raising cooling load and limiting storage injections. Traders caution, however, that at some point the market may reach a point where further forecasts of warm weather may not have much impact and prices could tumble. At the close August had risen 4.5 cents to $4.333 and September had gained 3.5 cents to $4.312. August crude oil gained $2.28 to settle at $97.43/bbl.

A researcher with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) cautioned the U.S. Secretary of Energy Advisory Board’s (SEAB) Natural Gas Subcommittee that regulation and enforcement of shale gas was of paramount importance if the industry’s full potential is to become a reality.

Texas is on its way to leading the nation in the public disclosure of hydraulic fracturing chemicals. Gov. Rick Perry Friday signed into law HB 3328, making the Lone Star State a leader on an issue with which other states producing natural gas from shale plays have struggled.