Poised

Costs are rising but the leading entry in the race to place new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals just inside Canada along the St. Lawrence Seaway is poised to enter construction, thanks to favorable regulatory and supply developments.

With production from conventional gas fields declining across North America, gas shales are poised to increase their contribution to the nation’s gas supply. There are approximately 40,000 producing wells and fewer than two-dozen significant gas shale plays in the United States today, but the one that could potentially provide the biggest payoff –the Conasauga play — is still a largely unknown quantity.

With production from conventional gas fields declining across North America, gas shales are poised to increase their contribution to the nation’s gas supply. There are approximately 40,000 producing wells and fewer than two-dozen significant gas shale plays in the United States today, but the one that could potentially provide the biggest payoff –the Conasauga play — is still a largely unknown quantity.

Natural gas drilling in Canada may be poised for an upturn later this year as oilfield service costs stabilize, but increased drilling may not be enough to compensate for the slowdown that began last year, energy executives said last week.

Natural gas drilling in Canada may be poised for an upturn later this year as oilfield service costs stabilize, but increased gas drilling may not be enough to compensate for the slowdown that began last year, energy executives said Wednesday.

Only a little more than a quarter through 2007, importers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are poised to break the industry’s two-year slump of declining volumes arriving at U.S. terminals as LNG imports and regasified LNG sendout volumes are spiking.

Only a little more than a quarter through 2007, importers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are poised to break the industry’s two-year slump of declining volumes arriving at U.S. terminals as LNG imports and regasified LNG sendout volumes are spiking.

With an arctic air mass poised to deliver what The Weather Channel called “some of the coldest weather the region has experienced in a year or two” into the Northeast Thursday, several citygates there saw huge spikes in Wednesday trading. Transco’s Zone 6-New York City pool saw a top quote of $30 as the point’s average soared by more than $11 to just over $20.

With the state’s chief regulator weighing in, California is poised to establish final rules for natural gas transmission and storage in the state as the end of the second phase of a multi-year industry restructuring. After postponing the issue earlier this month, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is scheduled Sept. 21 to vote on the issue, which covers various bread-and-butter issues affecting the state’s vast transmission/storage system and its upcoming integration of liquefied natural gas (LNG).