Normally

While normally associated with the chemicals and petrochemical industries, a number of small, niche players want to take liquids derived from natural gas and compete in the alternative transportation fuels space. The reinvigorated natural gas transportation fuel buzz has brought back methanol, introduced dimethyl ether (DME) and found potential room for bio-based fuels from natural gas.

The groundwater in Pavillion, WY, contains chemicals that are normally used in natural gas production practices, such as hydraulic fracturing (fracking), according to a draft report released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last Thursday. An Encana Corp. spokesman contested the EPA findings.

The groundwater in Pavillion, WY, contains chemicals that are normally used in natural gas production practices, such as hydraulic fracturing (fracking), according to a draft report released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Thursday.

The groundwater in Pavillion, WY, contains chemicals that are normally used in natural gas production practices, such as hydraulic fracturing (fracking), according to a draft report released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Thursday.

Spot prices continued to wither Wednesday due to a combination of relatively moderate temperatures in several regions around the midpoint of what is normally the hottest month of the year and further softness in prior-day futures. And despite continuing deficits of current storage compared to year-ago levels and the five-year average, traders appear unconcerned about inventories, especially with what was generally expected to be a very busy Atlantic hurricane season having little impact so far on Gulf of Mexico output.

Normally viewed as complementary, the natural gas and wind industries found themselves more at odds last week as the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) kicked off its annual meeting in Anaheim, CA. Windpower 2011 was less bullish than in recent years in announcing growth in megawatts and jobs, and more adversarial on regional and national debates.

Normally viewed as complementary, the natural gas and wind industries found themselves more at odds Monday as the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) kicked off its annual meeting in Anaheim, CA. Windpower 2011 was less bullish than in recent years in announcing growth in megawatts and jobs.

With the month of December — and the cold it normally brings — right around the corner, natural gas futures traders on Monday forced the December natural gas futures contract back above $4 for the third time in just more than a week. The prompt-month contract reached a high of $4.106 before closing Monday’s regular session at $4.088, up 15.1 cents from Friday’s finish.

Federal officials, utility workers, emergency response teams and nonprofit volunteer organizations descended on a normally quiet residential neighborhood in a San Francisco suburb Friday working their way deliberately through the rubble from a major natural gas transmission pipeline explosion and fire that destroyed dozens of homes, killed at least four residents and left more than 50 people injured, eight critically. Identifying the cause of the catastrophe, however, appeared to be out of reach until the water and power infrastructures in the immediate area were stabilized.