Despite notching new annual volume records for the fifthconsecutive year since NGI started ranking gas marketers, the paceof volume growth in the gas and power marketing businesses hasshown some signs of decline.
Records
Articles from Records
Records and Futures Fall as Temperatures Push 80 Degrees
Under heavy pressure from near record-setting high temperatures,the natural gas market caved in yesterday as traders continued toliquidate long positions. After opening at $2.80 the Decembercontract was hit with a Microsoft-like drop, breaking through keysupport levels at $2.74 and $2.70, to finish off 21.9 cents at$2.665.
Industry Briefs
Altra Energy Technologies said it set new records for physicallydelivered natural gas and natural gas swaps for the thirdconsecutive month in a row on Aug. 31. On that day, 146 Bcf ofdelivered gas and 135 Bcf of swaps were traded. The previous highwas 132 Bcf for natural gas and 133 Bcf for swaps. David Hanson,Altra’s vice president of gas marketing said greater liquidity andefficiency in the system played a part in increasing transactionintensity.
Regulators Advised to Assess GA Unbundling
Georgia broke all records in unbundling 95% or 900,000 customersfrom Atlanta Gas Light’s merchant service in just nine months. Nowit’s up to the policy-makers “to justify the amounts of savings,determining if consumers are really better off,” AGL PresidentPaula Rosput told state regulators Tuesday.
Regulators Advised to Assess GA Unbundling
Georgia broke all records in unbundling 95% or 900,000 customersfrom Atlanta Gas Light’s merchant service in just nine months. Nowit’s up to the policy-makers “to justify the amounts of savings,determining if consumers are really better off,” AGL PresidentPaula Rosput told state regulators Tuesday.
Buy the Forecast; Sell the Weather. Never Worked Better
Even as temperatures were shattering records throughout much ofthe Northeast,sending electricity prices spiking near $1000/MWhTuesday, natural gas futures were hit with a wave of selling tokick off the week. Speculative fund traders, who have been longpositions for almost three months now, were prominent sellersearly. But trade and local selling was not far behind, sending theAugust contract to its lowest level since the middle of April. Theprompt month finished down 9.6 cents at $2.191, after carving out a$2.16 bottom. Estimated volume was a robust 124,967.
Eureka! Exxon Gas Well Breaks Gulf Record
Exxon blew away previous production test records for gas wellsin the entire Gulf of Mexico with a well in Mobile Bay about 2.5miles offshore south of Dauphin Island. The well tested at 126MMcf/d. The previous record in Alabama state waters was 91 MMcf/dand the record for the Outer Continental Shelf is 113 MMcf/d.
Eureka! Exxon Hits Record Gas Well in AL
Exxon has blown away previous production test records for gaswells in the Gulf of Mexico and the state of Alabama. The companyannounced yesterday that it tested a well in Mobile Bay about 2.5miles offshore south of Dauphin Island at 126 MMcf/d. The previousrecord in Alabama state waters was 91 MMcf/d. The well also testedat a higher open flow rate than any well in the federal OuterContinental Shelf area of the Gulf. The OCS record was 113 MMcf/d.
CNG Sets New Reserve Additions Record
Consolidated Natural Gas Co. (CNG) set records for both reserveadditions and production for 1998. Reserve additions in explorationand production totaled 413 Bcfe through additions, revisions, andpurchases, topping the company record of 368 Bcfe set in 1985.Included are 39 Bcf of reserves bought from The Peoples Natural GasCo., a CNG distribution company, late in 1998.
Prices Fall Despite Frigid Weather
Records for low temperatures were being set Tuesday from theMidwest into the Southeast, but it would have been difficult todiscern that from the broad-based retreat in cash prices. Tradersnoted a falling futures screen and factored in a warming trend thatwas expected to begin in the Midwest as early as Tuesday, then sentcash numbers down by a nickel or more at almost every point.