Need

Rising prices for basic commodities — including both agricultural and energy markets — underscore the need for greater oversight of the $600 trillion derivatives market, said the head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Rising prices for basic commodities — including both agricultural and energy markets — underscore the need for greater oversight of the $600 trillion derivatives market, said the head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Domestic natural gas — particularly that from shales — is the fix for a host of problems, including the need for national energy security and measures to address pollution, as well as volatile energy prices, a task force formed last year said in a report released Monday.

A pair of water advocacy groups claim that two Pittsburgh-area treatment plants have been discharging oil and gas wastewater without proper permits.

Even though there is no gas drilling in the state, several New Jersey lawmakers are proceeding with a bill to ban hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) and plan to vote next week on a resolution urging neighboring states to enact fracking moratoriums to protect the water supply.

Because of an anticipated funding shortfall for fiscal year (FY) 2012, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) may need additional authority from Congress to impose user fees on traders of futures and swaps to implement the new regulations required under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, said CFTC Commissioner Bart Chilton.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) may need legislative authority to impose user fees on traders of futures and swaps if the agency does not receive sufficient funding in fiscal year (FY) 2012 to implement the new regulations required under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act.

Observers need look no further than ExxonMobil Corp.’s buyout of shale king XTO Energy Corp. in late 2009 to acknowledge that the integrated U.S. producers aren’t ceding North America’s unconventional oil and gas reservoirs to the independents.

Observers need look no further than ExxonMobil Corp.’s buyout of shale king XTO Energy Corp. in late 2009 to acknowledge that the integrated U.S. producers aren’t ceding North America’s unconventional oil and gas reservoirs to the independents.