natural gas prices

December natural gas is expected to open a penny higher Friday morning at $3.99 as traders await storage figures expected to show the last increase in inventories for a while, and traders ponder whether the market can hold $4 support. Overnight oil markets rose after sinking to 4-year lows Thursday.

FERC on Thursday put its final stamp on Freeport LNG Development LP’s request to modify its existing terminal facilities in Texas for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, denying a request by two environmental groups for rehearing of the agency’s initial decision.

Total U.S. crude oil production averaged an estimated 8.9 million b/d in October, and monthly average production is forecast to surpass 9.0 million b/d in December and 9.4 million b/d in 2015, which would be the highest annual average crude oil production since 1972, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Based on samplings of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) fluids used in five states, a first-of-its-kind analysis by Colorado researchers at two universities found the chemicals used at wellsites are no more harmful than what’s found in common household products.

An electrical subcontractor was killed late Wednesday after an accident at a condensate pumping skid caused an explosion and fire at a site owned and operated by Blue Racer Midstream LLC in Noble County, OH, the company confirmed in a statement.

Chicago-based Exelon Corp. on Thursday said it plans to continue to grow its power generation and utility businesses in the currently challenging energy market landscape through a strategy of targeted investments in core markets and promising technologies, and on asset diversification, with an eye on new technologies related to natural gas-fired power generation.

Production in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GOM) should hit a new peak of 1.9 million boe/d in 2016, driven by new developments and older field expansions, which would be the first time production would surpass the previous record in 2009, Wood Mackenzie is forecasting.

A Pew Research Center survey showing waning American citizens’ support for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline clouds the outlook coming out of the immediate aftermath of last week’s midterm elections.

U.S. energy companies, particularly small and midsize businesses, have been adding jobs faster than the overall economy since 2005, a pace that could quicken even more with expanded liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, according to the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council.