Mean

Concerned about volatility of natural gas prices and what that might mean for development of gas resources and wider use of the fuel, major energy producers, consumer groups, environmental organizations and others have formed a task force to examine how to bring more stability to gas markets.

Low gas prices mean residential gas bills will be lower, making them easier to pay by cash-strapped consumers, noted analysts at Fitch Ratings. This should alleviate some risk of rising bad debt expense among gas utilities.

Low gas prices mean residential gas bills will be lower, making them easier to pay by cash-strapped consumers, noted analysts at Fitch Ratings. This should alleviate some risk of rising bad debt expense among gas utilities.

In the unconventional gas resource era, falling rig counts no longer mean declining production, and the traditional rig count no longer tells the tale of where the industry and the market are going, according to Bentek Energy LLC.

In the unconventional gas resource era, falling rig counts no longer mean declining production, and the traditional rig count no longer tells the tale of where the industry and the market are going, according to Bentek Energy LLC.

ConocoPhillips avoided the “feeding frenzies” that followed the hyped natural gas and oil discoveries in North America, but that doesn’t mean the company hasn’t been surreptitiously piecing together acreage in emerging tight gas and oil shale plays across the continent, company officials said last week.

ConocoPhillips avoided the “feeding frenzies” that followed the hyped natural gas and oil discoveries in North America, but that doesn’t mean the company hasn’t been surreptitiously piecing together acreage in emerging tight gas and oil shale plays across the continent, COO John Carrig said Wednesday.

Questar Corp. expects third-quarter and full-year 2008 net income to be significantly above current First Call mean estimates. The company also estimates that Questar E&P 2008 natural gas and oil-equivalent production will come in at the high end of its previous guidance of 166-169 Bcfe, it said last week.

Warmer ocean waters could mean fewer Atlantic hurricanes striking the United States, according to new findings by climate scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).