Mitigated

Executives at drilling and pressure pumping contractor Patterson-UTI Energy Inc. have experienced a seasonal slowdown in the northeastern U.S. energy patch, they told financial analysts during an earnings conference call.

Sharply lower natural gas prices cut into Williams’ earnings in 2Q2009, but the losses were mitigated by reduced project costs and hedging practices, the company said Thursday.

Lehman Brothers is estimating that 2004 U.S. natural gas supply declined 3.2% over 2003, with the 4.8% decline in production partly mitigated by an increase in Canadian and liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports. The estimates are based on a survey of producers responsible for about two-thirds of U.S. volumes.

Natural gas price volatility for ultimate consumers can be mitigated by distribution companies to some degree, but there is no way to totally mask the volatility engendered by short supplies for the next three to five years, according to an American Gas Association (AGA) paper issued last Thursday.

Natural gas price volatility for ultimate consumers can be mitigated by distribution companies to some degree, but there is no way to totally mask the volatility engendered by short supplies for the next three to five years, according to an American Gas Association (AGA) paper issued Thursday.

The recent bond offering and stock refinancing by Dynegy Inc. mitigated some concern on the company’s near-term liquidity position and financial flexibility, but they haven’t led to a change in its overall credit quality, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) analysts said Friday.