Projections

Industrial demand for natural gas is off about 6% from this time last year, a contributing factor to the continuing decline in gas prices, according to Energy and Environmental Analysis (EEA), an Arlington, VA-based consulting firm.

In light of natural gas storage injections far outpacing last year’s schedule, a sluggish economy and lost demand only trickling back to market, energy analysts from UBS Warburg, Salomon Smith Barney (SSB), Lehman Brothers and ABN-AMRO have taken another look at their respective companies’ 2001 gas price forecasts.

If projections that overall demand for oil, natural gas and electricity will jump by 21% over the next decade are on target, U.S. energy prices could come close to tripling in just 10 years based on current supply levels, according to an analysis issued recently by Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Susan Collins (R-ME).

If projections that overall demand for oil, natural gas and electricity will jump by 21% over the next decade are on target, U.S. energy prices could come close to tripling in just 10 years based on current supply levels, according to an analysis issued last week by Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Susan Collins (R-ME).

Record high spot prices, cold weather and bullish supply anddemand projections prompted Lehman Brothers to raise by about 20%its Henry Hub spot gas price forecast for both 2001 and 2002.

The chairman of the gas demand task force of the NationalPetroleum Council (NPC) said last week his projections of a 30 Tcfmarket by 2010 in the December NPC study on natural gas “might havegrossly underestimated inherent demand.” The growth of gas firedpower generation has caught everyone by surprise and could have theunexpected effect of causing net gas withdrawals from storageduring the summertime as early as next year, said Matthew R.Simmons, president of Simmons & Company International.

The chairman of the gas demand task force of the NationalPetroleum Council (NPC) said yesterday his projections of a 30 Tcfmarket by 2010 in the December NPC study on natural gas “might havegrossly underestimated inherent demand.” The growth of gas firedpower generation has caught everyone by surprise and could have theunexpected effect of causing net gas withdrawals from storageduring the summertime as early as next year, said Matthew R.Simmons, president of Simmons & Company International.

In the midst of bullish earnings projections for the secondquarter in early July, San Diego-based Sempra Energy’s new boss,CEO Steve Baum, has been busy outlining his vision for employeesand the financial community. In a nutshell, it calls for emphasison growing a nationwide energy retail operation, de-emphasizingregulated utility operations and accelerating the change tocompetitive energy markets nationwide. It also may includeunloading start-up LDCs.

In the midst of bullish earnings projections for the secondquarter in early July, San Diego-based Sempra Energy’s new boss,CEO Steve Baum, has been busy outlining his vision for employeesand the financial community. In a nutshell, it calls for emphasison growing a nationwide energy retail operation, de-emphasizingregulated utility operations and accelerating the change tocompetitive energy markets nationwide. It also may includeunloading start-up LDCs.