Offers

If the federal government opens up now restricted areas to drilling and offers incentives to drill more difficult plays, there are still prospects in the United States on and offshore for substantial natural gas exploration and production, according to several oil and gas executives, who spoke Monday at the Ziff Energy Conference in Houston.

The Interior Department on Wednesday proposed new incentives for energy companies to increase deep natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), which, among other things, would provide royalty suspension incentives for nearly 2,400 existing leases in the area targeted for relief.

The Interior Department on Wednesday proposed new incentives for energy companies to increase deep natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), which, among other things, would provide royalty suspension incentives for nearly 2,400 existing leases in the area targeted for relief.

Marathon Oil Co. announced last week its intent to solicit offers for the company’s interests in Western Canada, which account for approximately 21,000 boe/d of net production, including about 100 MMcf/d of gas and 4,000 b/d of liquids.

Marathon Oil Co. announced Monday its intent to solicit offers for the company’s interests in Western Canada, which account for approximately 21,000 boe/d of net production, including about 100 MMcf/d of gas and 4,000 b/d of liquids.

The Interior Department on Wednesday proposed new incentives for energy companies to increase deep natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), which, among other things, would provide royalty suspension incentives for nearly 2,400 existing leases in the area targeted for relief.

How the energy wholesale marketplace sorts itself out in the wake of the past year’s stream of bad news remains to be seen, but regardless, there is a “tremendous” need to market the natural gas of producers, and the growing, underserved wholesale market presents a myriad of opportunities, energy executives believe.

In its first orders providing industry guidance on pipeline creditworthiness standards, FERC last Wednesday appeared to take the middle ground by offering protections to both interstate natural gas pipelines and their shippers.

In its first orders setting industry-wide precedents on pipeline creditworthiness standards, FERC on Wednesday appeared to take the middle ground by offering protections to both interstate natural gas pipelines and their shippers.