natural gas

Protect Colorado, an industry-backed citizens campaign against two proposed statewide oil/natural gas drilling local control ballot measures (Initiatives 88 and 89), has launched a website urging voters to reject the measures. The measures, backed by U.S. Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), follow an abandoned move for a legislative compromise on the issue (see Shale Daily, July 17). The website is aimed at fighting “arbitrary and unnecessary” ballot measures that jeopardize private property rights and could hurt the state’s economy. Gov. John Hickenlooper and U.S. Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) oppose the initiatives.

Spot gas for Thursday delivery worked lower in Wednesday’s trading, with stout double-digit losses up and down the East Coast. New England and the Mid-Atlantic were especially hard hit, but Marcellus points also fell.

The U.S. government’s funding and partnerships with the energy industry have helped develop energy technologies much faster than the private sector could have done alone, leading to benefits sooner than may have been possible, according to the American Energy Innovation Council.

Physical natural gas prices for Wednesday delivery were mostly unchanged in Tuesday’s trading. A few New England points saw some double-digit increases, but market areas in the Midwest and Great Lakes saw prices flat to a few pennies lower despite weather forecasts calling for significant near-term cooling.

Oil and gas producers are often thanked for their contribution to the economy of the Lone Star state; however, they couldn’t do it without the midstream sector. Last year the oil and gas pipeline industry had a $33 billion impact on the Texas economy, according to a new study.

As part of the Obama administration’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) said it will provide $4.5 million (corrected 7/29/14) in the Clean Cities Program to expand the use of alternative fuel vehicles. Concept papers are due to DOE by Aug. 1, with full proposals required by Oct. 1.

The Obama administration on Friday green lighted the use of sonic sensors and air guns by the oil and gas industry to explore for resources in U.S. Atlantic waters.

Halliburton Co., the largest hydraulic fracturing services provider in the United States, signaled an industry-wide recovery on Monday as it begins to accelerate additions to its fleet and in capital spending.

Temperatures in the Northeast will average cooler than normal next month, but the East and West can expect warmer-than-normal weather to dominate in September and October, according to forecasters at Weather Services International (WSI). For much of that time, below-normal temperatures are expected to be prevalent from the northern and central Rockies, eastward through the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley.