Remember

If it’s difficult to remember the last time Devon Energy Corp. made a big acquisition in North America, most energy know-it-alls would be forgiven. The Oklahoma City-based super independent, then living high off the hog from its Barnett Shale winnings, in early 2003 paid $5.3 billion to buy Houston’s Ocean Energy Inc. (see Daily GPI, Feb. 25, 2003).

Gas producers know they have to spend money to make money, and Louisiana shale patch players are hoping their state’s lawmakers remember that maxim if a repeal of Louisiana’s horizontal well severance tax investment incentive comes up for their consideration.

Gas producers know they have to spend money to make money, and Louisiana shale patch players are hoping their state’s lawmakers remember that maxim if a repeal of Louisiana’s horizontal well severance tax investment incentive comes up for their consideration.

It might seem that the Eagle Ford and Marcellus shales are being developed at breakneck speed, but it’s important to remember that these are the early days in two resource plays that will be natural gas breadbaskets for the nation in the decades to come.

It might seem that the Eagle Ford and Marcellus shales are being developed at breakneck speed, but it’s important to remember that these are the early days in two resource plays that will be natural gas breadbaskets for the nation in the decades to come.

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) have urged U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to remember that BP plc’s Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico leaked a substantial amount of natural gas besides the millions of barrels of oil that got so much attention.

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) have urged U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to remember that BP plc’s Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico (see Daily GPI, Aug. 4) leaked a substantial amount of natural gas besides the millions of barrels of oil that got so much attention.

Remember January 2008 (see NGI, Jan. 9, 2008) when U.S. natural gas prices hovered at around $7-8/Mcf and the biggest threats to prices were the weather and rising liquefied natural gas imports? Memories can be fleeting. Now several energy analysts predict that prices will have a tough time rising above the $5-6 level — for the entire year.

Local distribution companies contending with tight gas supplies, volatile pricing and sometimes the threat of hurricane-related shut-ins do well to remember the virtues of diversity — specifically, diversity of supply, transportation and pricing strategies.