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By a narrow margin, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last Tuesday voted out a final rule that will increase the agency’s ability to detect fraud and other wrongdoing in the hedge fund market, a rapidly growing segment of the financial market that has been increasing its presence in the energy markets but for the most part has been free of regulation over the years.

By a narrow margin, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday voted out a final rule that will increase the agency’s ability to detect fraud and other wrongdoing in the hedge fund market, a rapidly growing segment of the financial market that has been increasing its presence in the energy markets but for the most part has been free of regulation over the years.

By a narrow margin, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday voted out a final rule that will increase the agency’s ability to detect fraud and other wrongdoing in the hedge fund market, a rapidly growing segment of the financial market that has been increasing its presence in the energy markets but for the most part has been free of regulation over the years.

Declining availability of hydroelectric generation in the West and the larger than normal discount for natural gas compared to Gulf Coast distillate fuel, propane and NGLs will contribute to the narrowing of the storage surplus in the weeks before the Nov. 1 start of the winter season, analyst Stephen Smith said last week. Nevertheless, Smith is predicting storage stocks on that date (sans hurricane interruptions) will total about 3,200 Bcf, above the 3,030 Bcf average for Nov. 1 over the last 10 years.

Declining availability of hydroelectric generation in the West and the larger than normal discount for natural gas compared to Gulf Coast distillate fuel, propane and NGLs will contribute to the narrowing of the storage surplus in the weeks before the Nov. 1 start of the winter season, according to analyst Stephen Smith. Nevertheless, Smith is predicting storage stocks on that date (sans hurricane interruptions) will total about 3,200 Bcf, above the 3,030 Bcf average for Nov. 1 over the last 10 years.

With little in the way of fresh fundamental information Friday, the natural gas futures market chopped sideways within a narrow 8.5-cent trading range. Nearly equal amounts of bargain buying and fund selling were seen in the August contract, which followed Thursday’s impressive bounce with a more subdued, 2.8-cent decline to finish the week at $5.022. At 49,295, estimated volume was evidence of the lackluster trading Friday.

The basis blow-out in the Rockies will narrow in the short term as Kern River pipeline’s 900 MMcf/d expansion goes into service May 1, but the situation may change beyond that as Kern River fills up and Powder River Basin production increases, according to attendees at a recent conference held by the Independent Petroleum Association of the Mountain States (IPAMS).

A casual observer of the natural gas futures market might lookat the narrow losses in the January contract and the modest gainsin the out months and conclude there was a quiet, post-expirationtrading lull in the Nymex pit Wednesday. December lost 8.5% of itsvalue in its last two trading days, and traders were just easinginto trading January, right? Wrong.

Kansas City, MO’s Utilicorp United Inc. is shopping around, andhas already begun to narrow its options on which “high quality,low-cost fleet of generators” to pair with its wholesale merchantmoneymaker Aquila Energy, management announced last week. Apartnership deal is expected to be unveiled within a few months.