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SGC Energia SA of Portugal and Houston-based Great Northern Project Development LP plan to spend $100 million to renovate a dormant steam methane reformer in the Westlake, LA, area and convert it to a natural gas-to-liquids (GTL) facility, producing clean waxes, drilling fluids, diesel and naphtha.

Dry natural gas production in June from the Lower 48 states was higher than a year earlier and proved resilient from May, lifted mostly by sharp increases in the Marcellus Shale, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Form 914 data.

The reach of U.S. technology for compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles is drawing attention — and money — coast-to-coast and overseas.

Mild summer temperatures have masked bullish signals for the U.S. natural gas market, with industrial demand aggressively growing and net imports dropping more steeply than expected, according to Barclays Capital. However, onshore natural gas production still is on the upswing and likely will dictate prices.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) found itself once again under fire last week for admitting it mislabeled high-pressure natural gas pipeline segments on the same set of pipes traversing the peninsula south of San Francisco where the San Bruno, CA, explosion occurred three years ago. State regulators held a show-cause hearing on Friday, putting the utility again on the hot seat.

Top Senate lawmakers four months ago called on FERC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to execute a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to coordinate their actions in monitoring natural gas and electricity market trading. But the agencies apparently have failed to iron out their disagreements, mostly over jurisdiction.

Officials with New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG), which was the hardest hit of all the natural gas utilities on the East Coast when Superstorm Sandy struck last October, have submitted a plan to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) that is designed to give the distribution infrastructure and its customers greater protection from the next super storm.

Domestic unconventional natural gas and oil production is increasing household incomes, boosting trade and contributing to an increase in U.S. competitiveness in the world economy, IHS Inc. said Wednesday.

For the week ended Sept. 6 the national physical gas average price was $3.65, up 11 cents. Most market points — with the exception of a handful of spots in the Northeast, Midwest, and Midcontinent — added a dime or more.