Playing

U.S. shale gas supplies and pipeline exports have been drafted into playing backup for Canadian energy merchants’ plans to expand into overseas markets.

U.S. shale gas supplies and pipeline exports have been drafted into playing backup for Canadian energy merchants’ plans to expand into overseas markets.

The burgeoning development of shale gas plays in the United States “has changed the playing field for long-haul pipelines,” diminishing the need to move natural gas along traditional west-to-east routes and leaving large stretches of pipeline underutilized, according to a new report from Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P).

The burgeoning development of shale gas plays in the United States “has changed the playing field for long-haul pipelines,” diminishing the need to move natural gas along traditional west-to-east routes and leaving large stretches of pipeline underutilized, according to a new report from Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P).

President Obama, in his annual State of the Union speech Tuesday night, for the first time issued a strong call for development of domestic natural gas and oil as part of “an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy.”

Abundant natural gas, including shale, is playing a significant role in continuing the three-year slide in electric power prices and the downbeat outlook for independent power producers, say analysts.

With more critical revelations and regulatory penalties unfolding this week, Pacific Gas and Electric. Co. (PG&E) has hunkered down to playing some serious defense, and very clearly not disputing all the critical shots being taken at its natural gas operations — past and present.

A week after President Obama lent his support to natural gas vehicles, the administration made clear it was not playing favorites in the transportation sector. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Friday announced a new federal program to expand flexible vehicle fuel pumps for ethanol.

Ironically, the oil and natural gas industry’s recent focus on shale plays, which was made possible by technological breakthroughs, has prompted more recent innovations, according to Jonathan Lewis, Halliburton senior vice president, drilling & evaluation.