Nation

February natural gas is set to open 3 cents higher Tuesday morning at $2.19 as traders try to reconcile a bearish outlook with weather forecasts calling for cooler temps in the medium term. Overnight oil markets were mixed.

A plan to make a realistically modest start on international exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from British Columbia (BC) took a step forward Monday when Painted Pony Petroleum Ltd., a Calgary-based BC shale gas developer, secured a path onto the lone pipeline currently available to the province's northern Pacific ports.

A plan to make a realistically modest start on international exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from British Columbia (BC) took a step forward Monday when Painted Pony Petroleum Ltd., a Calgary-based BC shale gas developer, secured a path onto the lone pipeline currently available to the province’s northern Pacific ports.

The Texas Transportation Commission has approved $225 million for work to repair roads damaged as a consequence of the state’s oil and gas boom. The funding, provided by the Texas Legislature (see Shale Daily, May 30), will allow the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)to begin repairing and rehabilitating roadways damaged by heavy trucks and increased traffic. It is estimated that energy sector traffic across the state has caused $400 million in immediate roadway safety concerns, such as severe edge damage on narrow roadways, deep rutting and pavement damage. Estimates show an additional $1 billion per year is needed to restore roadways heavily impacted by energy development to “good” or “better” conditions, the commission said. “Fatalities resulting from motor vehicle crashes in Texas rose by 11% in 2012 compared to the previous year,” said TxDOT Executive Director Phil Wilson. “We are pleased that our lawmakers saw fit to fund some of these safety-focused rehabilitation and repair projects, and we hope resources that enhance safety will continue to be a priority as our energy industry thrives.” With more than 80,000 miles of highway, Texas, home of the Eagle Ford and Barnett shales as well as the Permian Basin, has the largest highway system in the nation.

Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, has called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine the impact of growing shale oil and gas development on the nation’s rail and pipeline infrastructure.

Output from the nation’s shale plays has ballooned domestic natural gas production over the past few years, but the industry, and the country, have yet to fully embrace all that the paradigm shift entails, said Rick Smead, a director in Navigant Consulting Inc.’s energy practice.

In recent months, the Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS) has examined shale oil and natural gas potential in southeastern and westerly parts of the state, in addition to the already exploratory drilled northern formations, particularly in the northeast Four Corners area in which the Mancos Shale is found.

Output from the nation’s shale plays has ballooned domestic natural gas production over the past few years, but the industry, and the country, have yet to fully embrace all that the paradigm shift entails, said Rick Smead, a director in Navigant Consulting Inc.’s energy practice.

Responding to Illinois’ tough new hydraulic fracturing (fracking) legislation, and with the potential for a surge of activity in relatively untapped shale natural gas deposits in Illinois, two colleges say they are planning an array of training opportunities for the emerging oil and natural gas industry.