Possibility

FERC Commissioner Marc Spitzer endorsed the possibility of federal permitting of potential liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects that would apply a programmatic — as opposed to ad hoc, case-by-case — environmental review. Spitzer made his comments at the “Energy in California” conference Monday in San Francisco while responding to questions from participants in the Law Seminars International two-day meeting.

As results of the Alberta election sank in last week, a senior oil and gas business leader, faced with the very real possibility that oil and gas royalties will likely climb 20% next year, glumly described the industry as learning a hard lesson about its political standing.

As results of the Alberta election sank in Tuesday, a senior oil and gas business leader, faced with the very real possibility that oil and gas royalties will likely climb 20% next year, glumly described the industry as learning a hard lesson about its political standing.

Forecasters at Weather Insight LP are predicting seasonably cold winter temperatures in the Midwest and Northeast for the next few weeks and the possibility of another arctic cold snap by mid- to late January.

Forecasters at Weather Insight LP are predicting seasonably cold winter temperatures in the Midwest and Northeast for the next few weeks and the possibility of another arctic cold snap by mid- to late January.

On the eve of the official start of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season, with the remote possibility of the birth of Tropical Storm Barry in the background, prices were close to flat in most cases Thursday. The primary exceptions were larger losses of up to about half a dollar at some points in the Rockies and at Westcoast Station 2 in Western Canada.

ExxonMobil Corp. CEO Rex Tillerson Wednesday said the proposed Mackenzie Delta natural gas pipeline is “not economic at the current costs.” The near-term possibility of an Alaska gasline also is in doubt because of escalating service and raw materials costs.

With its Alaska business forever tied to the possibility that natural gas supplies could be curtailed, Agrium Inc. plans to switch its Nikiski nitrogen plant in Kenai, AK, from gas to coal. A final decision on coal plant construction is scheduled for 2008, and if it moves forward, the revamped plant would be operational in late 2011, company officials said.

The cash market finally bowed — but not totally — to the reality of weak weather fundamentals and the steadily diminishing possibility of Tropical Storm Florence even reaching North America, much less the Gulf of Mexico. Although a majority of points recorded moderate losses Thursday, there were still quite a few that were flat to a dime higher.