Present

Moderating late-February weather forecasts in some regions, the prior-day fall of 21.4 cents by March futures and the ever-present comfort level of ample storage inventories combined to drive cast prices lower across the board Friday. The usual weekend drop of industrial load was an additional bearish factor.

Natural gas forecasters at the California Energy Commission (CEC) continued Monday to present a 2009 outlook that is short on demand growth and long on increased domestic supplies. A month after talking about decreased industrial gas demand last year, the estimates have gone down further from 2.2% to 2.4% as a projected drop, the CEC analysts told NGI.

Natural gas forecasters at the California Energy Commission (CEC) continued Monday to present a 2009 outlook that is short on demand growth and long on increased domestic supplies. A month after talking about decreased industrial gas demand last year, the estimates have gone down further from 2.2% to 2.4% as a projected drop, the CEC analysts told NGI.

A drop in conventional industry spending in anticipation of a new royalty plan, rising costs and the strong Canadian dollar all present challenges to Alberta’s natural gas business, according to Houston-based Ziff Energy Group.

A drop in conventional industry spending in anticipation of a new royalty plan, rising costs and the strong Canadian dollar all present challenges to Alberta’s natural gas business, according to Houston-based Ziff Energy Group.

Infrastructure investment needs and a changing energy mix in the Pacific Northwest present challenges and opportunities for players throughout the West, and CFOs from two major West Coast players — Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) — told Wall Street early this month their utilities are actively engaged in newly proposed projects in the region.

The Oklahoma Energy Index (OEI) is on the rise after having leveled off and taking a bit of a breather in recent months. May saw a new record for the index, which was launched in 1995.

As part of “energy week,” a House subcommittee has scheduled a hearing Wednesday to examine the effects of high natural gas prices on small businesses and present an overview of the gas supply picture.

There’s no better time than the present to plan a pipeline or storage expansion project, and despite having a dozen or so projects already in the works, Kinder Morgan said Friday more are on the way. Kinder Morgan Pipelines President Scott E. Parker told a GasMart audience in Denver that Clarington, OH, the current terminus of the proposed $4.4 billion Rockies Express pipeline, probably will end up being an intermediate point with extensions to Oakford, PA, and then possibly Leidy, PA.