Needed

The storage-poor Pacific Northwest could get some needed reliefin the near future. Avista Corp. and PG&E GasTransmission-Northwest (PG&E GT-NW) have joined forces toinvestigate building another underground natural gas storagefacility in an aquifer in eastern Washington near theinterconnection of PG&E GT-NW and Williams (NorthwestPipeline).

The only thing John Olson, senior energy analyst for SandersMorris and Mundy, needed last week following his speech at aproducers’ conference on gas supply and demand at the Canadianembassy in Washington, D.C., was a producer to volunteer to step upon stage and be slapped around.

The only thing John Olson, energy analyst for Sanders Morris andMundy, needed yesterday following his speech at a producers’conference on gas supply and demand at the Canadian embassy inWashington, D.C., was a producer to volunteer to step up on stageand be slapped around.

A five-fold increase in drilling discoveries will eventually beneeded if Canadian producers are to keep up with expanded marketsfor their natural gas, according to a just-completed supply reviewthat comes virtually from the horse’s mouth.

A five-fold increase in drilling discoveries will eventually beneeded if Canadian producers are to keep up with expanded marketsfor their natural gas, according to a just-completed supply reviewthat comes virtually from the horse’s mouth.

It wasn’t long ago that producers bemoaned sky-high offshore rigday rates and said a turnaround in climbing rates was needed toprevent harm to the industry. Well, that turnaround seems to beunderway.

FERC last week conditionally approved the formation of the12-member Midwest independent system operator (ISO), but somecommissioners expressed disappointment that moretransmission-owning utilities from the region hadn’t joined yet.

FERC last week conditionally approved the formation of the12-member Midwest independent system operator (ISO), but somecommissioners expressed disappointment that moretransmission-owning utilities from the region hadn’t joined yet.

Officials of key electricity trade groups question whetherDeputy Energy Secretary Elizabeth Moler has the political cloutneeded to be considered as a serious candidate by the White Houseto replace departing Energy Secretary Federico Pena.