Others

Some companies saw substantial growth and others saw their numbers fall, but the total volume of natural gas sold in North America in 1Q2009 remained basically flat, falling less than 0.5 Bcf/d from the same period last year, according to NGI’s 1Q2009 Top North American Gas Marketers Ranking.

Some companies saw substantial growth and others saw their numbers fall, but the total volume of natural gas sold in North America in 1Q2009 remained basically flat, falling less than 0.5 Bcf/d from the same period last year, according to NGI’s 1Q2009 Top North American Gas Marketers Ranking.

While investors, traders and others await the economy’s turnaround, at least one thing has improved since late last year. That would be the market for ethane. Late last year stocks of ethane were building on shrinking demand from the petrochemical sector, leading to negative frac spreads, according to some. However, “inventories…have stabilized,” Enterprise Products Partners LP’s A.J. Teague, chief commercial officer, told NGI recently.

While cooling load is due to grow in some areas Thursday and recede in others, the market saw too much overall weakness in weather fundamentals to sustain Tuesday’s general rally and fell at most points Wednesday. In addition, the screen had provided minuscule negative guidance for cash prices with a 1.9-cent drop by September futures Tuesday, and the perception of potential tropical storm threats to Gulf of Mexico production retreated somewhat.

The Northeast is emerging more slowly than expected from weekend winter storms that snarled air traffic in that region and others. Nevertheless, Northeast citygate prices saw double-digit declines Monday amid overall softness based on forecasts of mild temperatures in nearly all areas this week. Several scattered points managed to buck the trend with numbers that were flat to more than half a dollar higher.

Cook Inlet, AK, producers and others have until March 19 to respond to a request for proposal (RFP) for gas supplies from Alaska Pipeline Co. and ENSTAR Natural Gas Co. The companies have supplies termed up through 2008 but will need additional supply beginning in 2009.

Cook Inlet, AK, producers and others have until March 19 to respond to a request for proposal (RFP) for gas supplies from Alaska Pipeline Co. and ENSTAR Natural Gas Co. The companies have supplies termed up through 2008 but will need additional supply beginning in 2009.

A tug boat and two barges apparently struck a natural gas pipeline in Louisiana Thursday, killing two people and critically injuring at least two others. Three other people were confirmed missing by state police. The accident occurred near Gulfport Energy Corp.’s West Cote Blanche Bay production facility, located near Baldwin, LA.

The legal questions concerning the estate of Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay remain unanswered, but the court wranglings for and against ex-CEO Jeffrey Skilling and others involved in alleged misdeeds at the company continued last week in Houston.