NYMEX

The two North American pipelines with substantial stakes in Mexico have passed up the latest bidding solicitation by Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), which has been looking for potential builders for a $1.8 billion natural gas pipeline, considered the biggest now ongoing in the country.

Natural gas will continue to grow in popularity as a source fuel for power generation in North America, but it still faces obstacles to catching on in other parts of the world, in large part because of disparate gas prices, according to a report by the World Energy Council (WEC).

Physical gas for Thursday delivery gained overall on average 3 cents in Wednesday’s trading. Gains were widespread, with Gulf points solidly in the black, although Midcontinent constraints prompted lower prices at some Midcontinent pipelines. Major market hubs for the most part were within a few cents of unchanged.

Anti-shale protesters have taken down part of a barricade across a highway in New Brunswick but continue to block access to a facility where Southwestern Energy Co. (SWN) parks vehicles and seismic equipment.

Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP) Tuesday got the go-ahead from FERC to place into service three pipeline loops associated with its Northeast Upgrade Project, which will carry an additional 636,000 Dth/d of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale to Northeast markets.

Gulfport Energy Corp. continues to expand its position in the Utica Shale, but the Oklahoma City-based operator’s 2013 exit rate has been adversely impacted by delays associated with drilling.

A decision last year by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia has been upheld by an appeals court that landowners had not proven property damage or physical harm resulted from drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on their land in Jackson County, WV.

Transportation of rapidly rising oil production in the Bakken Shale play is no longer a problem as both rail and pipeline shippers have excess capacity, according to the CEO of Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp., which sells its growing production at the wellhead. It holds no capacity for either rail or pipe shipments.

In a possible sign that the Heinz Endowments is shifting away from support for hydraulic fracturing (fracking), Robert Vagt announced Monday that he is stepping down as president of the Pittsburgh-based philanthropic organization.