Rapid

The United States in 2010 continued to lead the world in natural gas production, boosted by massive shale deposits, according to the latest statistical review by BP plc.

Three of four Black Hills Corp. nonutility businesses posted red ink in the first quarter, the Rapid City, SD-based energy holding company reported Wednesday, with coal mining, energy marketing and oil/gas exploration and production (E&P) being the biggest drag. Black Hills’ multi-state utility operations contributed most of the profits for the quarter, which overall had adjusted net income of $23.3 million, or 59 cents/share, compared to $31.7 million, or 82 cents/share, for the same period last year.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is moving to 100% use of compressed natural gas (CNG) for its bus fleet and has awarded a $40 million contract to California-based Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to complete the transition.

Mainstream media coverage of natural gas development in the Marcellus Shale has turned negative, according to a recent study conducted by a Pennsylvania-based public relations firm in conjunction with a Marcellus online discussion forum.

While unconventional energy plays require more water than their conventional counterparts, it’s the rapid growth of those new plays that is shining a spotlight on how the oil and gas industries use water, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor told attendees at CERAWeek 2011 in Houston on March 9.

Rapid City, SD-based Black Hills Corp.’s utility, Black Hills Energy — Colorado Electric has filed with state regulators to build natural gas-fired generation unit in the state and close two of its coal-fired units in Pueblo, CO, in compliance with the Colorado Clean Air, Clean Jobs Act (HB 1365) passed last year. Black Hills asked the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for approval to build a third gas-fired unit at its Pueblo Airport Generation Station. The utility will then close its coal-fired W.N. Clark generating facility in the area. Black Hills already is building two gas-fired units at the airport site; all three are using General Electric LMS100 turbines.

While unconventional energy plays require more water than their conventional counterparts, it’s the rapid growth of those new plays that is shining a spotlight on how the oil and gas industries use water, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor told attendees at CERAWeek 2011 in Houston last week.

BP plc said Monday it would join ExxonMobil Corp., Chevron Corp., ConocoPhillips and Royal Dutch Shell plc to develop a rapid-response system to capture and contain oil and natural gas in the event of a deepwater well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

Characterizing the rapid rise of shale gas as a surprise to the entire industry, Sempra Energy’s top executive heading its liquefied natural gas (LNG) operations cautioned that the industry’s current game-changer needs to be viewed from both global and historical perspectives. Darcel Hulse, Sempra LNG CEO, told NGI that the whole shale gas story still needs to play out.