Prepare

With natural gas prices continuing to remain lofty, Americans should prepare themselves for higher utility bills this winter heating season, according to a new survey conducted by NUS Consulting Group. The annual survey found that the average price of natural gas nationwide increased by 4.3% from the period of September 2003 to September 2004.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff said it will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Golden Pass LNG Terminal and Pipeline Project, owned by ExxonMobil. The proposed facilities would consist of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal and interconnecting pipelines near Sabine Pass, TX, 10 miles south of Port Arthur; with a 1 Bcf/d capacity, expandable to 2 Bcf/d, targeted for late 2008. ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum have signed an agreement to supply 15.6 million tons a year of LNG (2 Bcf/d) to the United States from Qatar for 25 years. The proposed project joined the FERC pre-filing process in November 2003. The proposed facility mirrors another ExxonMobil proposal, the Vista del Sol project on the Texas coast near Corpus Christi, which entered the pre-filing process at FERC in January of this year. The Commission’s notice earlier this week follows on a notice of environmental review and scoping issued by FERC in January. It offers a final opportunity for parties, including other government agencies to submit comments on the project’s environmental impact.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff said it will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Golden Pass LNG Terminal and Pipeline Project, owned by ExxonMobil. The proposed facilities would consist of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal and interconnecting pipelines near Sabine Pass, TX, 10 miles south of Port Arthur; with a 1 Bcf/d capacity, expandable to 2 Bcf/d, targeted for late 2008. ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum have signed an agreement to supply 15.6 million tons a year of LNG (2 Bcf/d) to the United States from Qatar for 25 years. The proposed project joined the FERC pre-filing process in November 2003. The proposed facility mirrors another ExxonMobil proposal, the Vista del Sol project on the Texas coast near Corpus Christi, which entered the pre-filing process at FERC in January of this year (see Daily GPI, Nov. 21, 2003). The Commission’s notice earlier this week follows on a notice of environmental review and scoping issued by FERC in January. It offers a final opportunity for parties, including other government agencies to submit comments on the project’s environmental impact.

Natural gas utilities on the East and West Coasts are warning their customers that the high-flying wholesale gas prices are filtering down to the retail level and that they should expect hefty increases in the monthly bills during the third quarter.

U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals report they fully expect to be in compliance with the stepped-up maritime terrorist deterrence rules that are due to take effect in July, reducing the threat of disruptions to imports next summer.

U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals report they fully expect to be in compliance with the stiffer maritime terrorist deterrence rules that are due to take effect in July, reducing the threat of disruptions to imports next summer.

After an initial push higher failed to break above overhead resistance, natural gas futures tumbled lower Wednesday as traders balanced their positions ahead of the most anticipated storage report in nearly a year, which is set to be released on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. EST. Except for a pause near noon EST, the selling pressure was steady throughout the session, pressing the prompt month down to support near the $6.10 level. February closed at $6.15, down 14.1 cents for the session.

Seeking to stay ahead of eventual settlement developments in a state Superior Court in San Diego and at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, California’s state regulatory commission Thursday established a statewide regulatory proceeding to outline how to return in excess of $1 billion to private-sector natural gas and electric utility customers. The funds are what El Paso Natural Gas Corp. agreed to pay in a settlement resulting from various court and regulatory actions aimed at its alleged manipulation of wholesale gas prices at the California-Arizona border in 2000-2001.

Seeking to stay ahead of eventual settlement developments in a state Superior Court in San Diego and at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, California’s state regulatory commission Thursday established a statewide regulatory proceeding to outline how to return in excess of $1 billion to private-sector natural gas and electric utility customers. The funds are what El Paso Natural Gas Corp. agreed to pay in a settlement resulting from various court and regulatory actions aimed at its alleged manipulation of wholesale gas prices at the California-Arizona border in 2000-2001.