Mark

Although natural gas spot prices rallied to above the $3 mark in late October and early this month, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said last week the “fundamentals are simply not there for a significant sustained rebound in prices” to occur this year and next.

Although natural gas spot prices rallied to above the $3 mark in late October and early this month, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) says the “fundamentals are simply not there for a significant sustained rebound in prices” to occur this year and next.

The current increase in the availability of natural gas in the U.S. is caused 25% by an increase in supply and 75% by a decrease in demand, Chairman Mark Papa of EOG Resources said Tuesday in a financial conference call, continuing to project an increased supply response this year of only 1% to 1.5% relative to last year (see Daily GPI, May 10).

Domestic gas production is expected to show an increase from the first quarter of about 0.5% and about 3.4% growth compared to the second quarter of last year, Salomon Smith Barney (SSB) said in a second quarter preview last week. However, SSB analysts warned that the pace of domestic drilling could slow significantly if gas prices drop below $3.

Domestic gas production is expected to show an increase from the first quarter of about 0.5% and about 3.4% growth compared to the second quarter of last year, Salomon Smith Barney (SSB) said in a second quarter preview yesterday. However, SSB analysts warned that the pace domestic drilling could slow significantly if gas prices drop below $3.

Portland, OR-based Northwest Natural Gas Co. has appointed Mark S. Dodson as the company’s president and COO. Dodson, 56, had served as NW Natural’s senior vice president of public affairs and general counsel since 1997. Dodson was a partner in the law firm of Ater Wynne Hewitt Dodson & Skerrit in Portland from 1980 to 1997. He also has worked in the general counsel’s office of the U.S. Department of Transportation and was a special counsel to the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington, D.C.

Plans by the House Energy and Commerce Committee to mark up emergency legislation designed to provide relief to the troubled California wholesale energy markets were delayed last week after last-minute negotiations broke down between Democrats and Republicans over the measure. Members from both sides of the aisle on Friday said that they would continue to try and hammer out a bipartisan solution over the Congressional recess that starts this week.

Plans by the House Energy and Commerce Committee to mark up emergency legislation designed to provide relief to the troubled California wholesale energy markets were delayed yesterday after last-minute negotiations broke out between Democrats and Republicans over the measure.

Portland, OR-based Northwest Natural Gas Co. has appointed Mark S. Dodson as the company’s president and COO. Dodson, 56, had served as NW Natural’s senior vice president of public affairs and general counsel since 1997. In his new position, he will have responsibility for all day-to-day operations of the company and report directly to CEO Richard G. Reiten. Dodson was a partner in the law firm of Ater Wynne Hewitt Dodson & Skerrit in Portland from 1980 to 1997. He also has worked in the general counsel’s office of the U.S. Department of Transportation and was a special counsel to the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington, D.C.