Predicts

American Petroleum Institute (API) CEO Jack Gerard predicts three energy bills introduced by U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) will pass the House with bipartisan support but face an uncertain future in the Senate. Meanwhile, the organization will continue to lobby for regulation of the shale gas industry at the state level.

Natural gas production and demand in Mexico is forecasted to continue growing, but it will be more slowly than the government predicts, an industry consultant told NGI. Meanwhile, the country’s long-standing prohibition against foreign ownership of oil and gas resources and widespread drug cartel-related violence will hobble development that Mexico needs, he said.

Natural gas production and demand in Mexico is forecasted to continue growing, but it will be more slowly than the government predicts, an industry consultant told NGI. Meanwhile, the country’s long-standing prohibition against foreign ownership of oil and gas resources and widespread drug cartel-related violence will hobble development that Mexico needs, he said.

A second long-term forecast for the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, this one from Andover, MA-based WSI Corp., predicts above-average storm activity, though possibly not as much as the 2008 season.

A second long-term forecast for the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, this one from Andover, MA-based WSI Corp., predicts above-average storm activity, though possibly not as much as the 2008 season.

Natural gas will trade in a moderate range of US$6.00-9.00/MMBtu this winter, Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) predicts in an annual heating season forecast.

Natural gas will trade in a moderate range of US$6.00-9.00/MMBtu this winter, Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) predicts in an annual heating season forecast.

With four named storms already charted this year, including two hurricanes, WSI Corp. has increased by one the number of named storms and hurricanes that it predicts will form in the Atlantic Basin this year, calling now for 15 named storms and nine hurricanes, including four intense hurricanes (Category 3 or greater) to form.

Forecasting higher storage withdrawals this winter than last and less available liquefied natural gas (LNG), analyst Stephen Smith predicts that 2008 Henry Hub prices will exceed last year’s by more than $1/MMBtu. The caveat is that the rest of the winter does not turn out to be much warmer than normal.