Portions

Denali — The Alaska Gas Pipeline concluded its open seasons for the U.S. and Canadian portions of its project to move Alaska North Slope gas to Canadian and Lower 48 markets.

Temperatures in the Northeast and North Central portions of the United States will average warmer than normal through November, but are likely to turn colder than normal in December as the historically persistent negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation and the strength of the North Pacific climate overcome the effects of a La Nina event off the western coast of South America and record warm North Atlantic, WSI forecasters said.

A La Nina event — an unusual cooling of ocean surface temperatures off the western coast of South America — will help produce relatively warm temperatures through November and, despite a slow start to the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, will be one of the drivers behind the creation of an unusually large batch of tropical storms this year, according to Andover, MA-based WSI Corp.

Denali — The Alaska Gas Pipeline has launched open seasons for the U.S. and Canadian portions of the Denali Project, which would carry gas from Alaska’s North Slope to Lower 48 markets. Both open seasons, approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in June, will last 90 days, ending on Oct. 4 (see NGI, June 14). The project, owned by subsidiaries of BP plc and ConocoPhillips, is competing against a state-sanctioned pipeline project sponsored by TransCanada Corp. and ExxonMobil Corp. (see NGI, May 3).

Denali — The Alaska Gas Pipeline started its open seasons Tuesday for the U.S. and Canadian portions of the Denali Project, which would carry gas from Alaska’s North Slope to Lower 48 markets. Both open seasons will last 90 days, ending on Oct. 4.

An auction of natural gas and oil leases on Michigan-owned parcels last Tuesday, with explorers mostly focused on portions of the Utica and Collingwood shales on the Lower Peninsula, netted the state $178 million in bonus payments, which exceeded projections and broke the record for previous auctions.

An auction of natural gas and oil leases on Michigan-owned parcels last Tuesday, with explorers mostly focused on portions of the Utica and Collingwood shales on the Lower Peninsula, netted the state $178 million in bonus payments, which exceeded projections and broke the record for previous auctions.

Thanks to strong oil prices, Calgary-based Nexen Inc. posted strong first quarter earnings on Tuesday as the company continues to divest portions of its energy marketing business in order to focus on core competencies.

Thanks to strong oil prices, Calgary-based Nexen Inc. posted strong first quarter earnings on Tuesday as the company continues to divest portions of its energy marketing business in order to focus on core competencies.