Releasing

The Interior Department is “very close” to releasing rules governing the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) of oil and natural gas wells located on public lands, Secretary Sally Jewell said Tuesday in her first appearance before Congress.

In releasing another 3,000 pages of data Monday on the San Bruno, CA, natural gas pipeline rupture and explosion last year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it would make a report and final decision on the probable cause when the board meets Aug. 30 in Washington, DC.

With the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) last week releasing a forecast calling for above-average temperatures across most of the country this winter, one might expect that natural gas and electricity demand will decrease, taking prices along for the ride.

With its plans to explore for oil and natural gas in the Beaufort Sea offshore Alaska scuttled by a court fight, an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell plc has begun releasing contract workers and may disband its offshore fleet.

With its plans to explore for oil and natural gas in the Beaufort Sea offshore Alaska for now scuttled by a court fight, an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell plc has begun releasing contract workers and may disband its offshore fleet, the company said.

In releasing preliminary third-quarter results, Rapid City, SD-based Black Hills Corp. late Friday reported a lot of red ink and financial complications resulting in three separate one-time negative write-downs collectively totaling a loss of $1.22/share for the quarter. The biggest charges taken were for impairment of the company’s merchant power plant in Las Vegas, which is losing money due to the extremely high wholesale natural gas prices, resulting in a $50.3 million, or 99 cent/share, charge against earnings.

FERC last Wednesday held off on releasing a much-anticipated final transmission pricing policy statement in order to further explore and flesh out issues related to passive ownership and independence.

Within days of a Democratic senator releasing her hold on a Republican FERC nominee, the Senate on Friday voted to confirm two new commissioners to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In addition, there were unconfirmed reports the White House may re-nominate sitting Commissioner William Massey to another five-year term. If so, it would be the first time since the summer of 2001 that all five seats on the Commission were filled.

Within days of a Democratic senator releasing her hold on a Republican FERC nominee, the Senate on Friday voted to confirm two new commissioners to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In addition, there were unconfirmed reports the White House may re-nominate sitting Commissioner William Massey to another five-year term. If so, it would be the first time since the summer of 2001 that all five seats on the Commission were filled.