Michael

Traders got the news they needed to meaningfully move natural gas futures prices Thursday in the form of milder weather that showed up in long-range outlooks. Nymex November gas futures settled at $3.222, down 6.2 cents on the day. Spot gas prices also were overwhelmingly lower, with dramatic day/day (d/d) declines seen across the country and especially in the Midcontinent, Rockies and West. The NGI National Spot Gas Avg. fell 19.5 cents to $2.96.

As Hurricane Michael continued on its collision course with the western Florida coast Tuesday, natural gas markets were left to weigh the impacts of Gulf of Mexico (GOM) production shut-ins against the potential demand destruction from storm-related power outages.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has ordered Harch Environmental Resources Inc., a brine waste hauler, to cease operations in the state after finding evidence that the company illegally dumped oilfield waste at a farm in Belmont County. Regulators also took aim at Gulfport Energy Corp., which had contracted with the hauler.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is looking for a new secretary to lead the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), but in a strange twist the outgoing secretary, Michael Krancer, is reportedly on a short list of names to replace a state Supreme Court justice who resigned last Monday after being convicted on corruption charges.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is looking for a new secretary to lead the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), but in a strange twist the outgoing secretary, Michael Krancer, is reportedly on a short list of names to replace a state Supreme Court justice who resigned Monday after being convicted on corruption charges.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett announced Friday that Michael Krancer, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), will step down on April 15 and return to practice law in Philadelphia. But the decision to replace him on an interim basis with the governor’s deputy chief of staff is being derided by Krancer’s predecessor, John Hanger.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett announced Friday that Michael Krancer, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), will step down on April 15 and return to practice law in Philadelphia. But the decision to replace him on an interim basis with the governor’s deputy chief of staff is being derided by Krancer’s predecessor, John Hanger.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett announced Friday that Michael Krancer, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), will step down on April 15 and return to practice law in Philadelphia. But the decision to replace him on an interim basis with the governor’s deputy chief of staff is being derided by Krancer’s predecessor, John Hanger.

Michael Peevey, long-time president of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is under fire from state utility consumer group The Utility Reform Network (TURN) for allegedly railroading through the commission a research project that could cost private sector energy customers up to another $150 million. TURN is urging state lawmakers to “rein in” Peevey for apparently pushing through CPUC an arrangement between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the state’s major investor-owned utilities to create a cooperative research institute. CPUC plans on Thursday to consider authorizing the utilities to cover research project costs with LLNL of up to $152.19 million.