Monday

The American Petroleum Institute (API) and a coalition of business groups appeared before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Monday to challenge the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) implementation of Section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, which requires companies registered with the agency to publicly report how much they pay governments for access to oil, natural gas and minerals.

National Fuel Gas Co. (NFG), which recently raised its production guidance for 2013 by 6 Bcfe to 102-112 Bcfe, said Monday it expects production to jump to 126-138 Bcfe in 2014.

Building on a strategy to expand its petrochemicals business in Canada, Williams on Monday sanctioned the first propane dehydrogenation (PDH) facility in Alberta.

Two Democratic senators — Dianne Feinstein of California and Bill Nelson of Florida — introduced legislation Monday that would end federal incentives for oil and natural gas producers to drill in the federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

Salaries in the oil and gas industry are trending higher in part because of a shortage of skilled labor and knowledgeable executives, according to a report published Monday.

President Obama Monday gave his official nod to nuclear physicist Ernest Moniz as nominee for secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), and to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air pollution official Gina McCarthy to head up the EPA.

Hess Corp. on Monday marked the culmination of its multi-year strategic makeover into becoming a pure-play exploration and production (E&P) company. The company is “fully exiting” the downstream and selling its retail, energy marketing and energy trading businesses. It also plans to install six new independent directors.

Columbus, OH-based American Electric Power (AEP) on Monday agreed to close or refuel units at three Midwest coal-fired electric generation plants and fill at least part of the lost capacity with renewable-based power supplies. Environmental groups hailed the move as a “victory for clean air.”

Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. (APUC) is assuming Laclede Group Inc.’s right to buy New England Gas Co. (NEG), Laclede said late Monday.