Research

While Sabine Pipe Line continues to lift its force majeure on a few more Henry Hub interconnects each day, Cambridge Energy Research Associates’ (CERA) Kenneth Yeasting, director of Eastern North American Energy, wonders if too much emphasis has been placed on the Erath, LA, pipeline hub as the benchmark pricing point for North American natural gas market.

A new research report from Goldman Sachs sent energy prices through the roof on Thursday by warning investors that the oil markets are entering into a “super-spike” period that could see crude prices as high as $105/bbl. In addition, the firm said Henry Hub natural gas prices could soar to $13/MMBtu by 2007.

Instead of focusing on Thursday morning’s natural gas storage report for the week ended March 25, energy traders were fixated on a new research report from Goldman Sachs predicting that the oil market has entered a “super-spike” period that could see prices surge as high as $105/bbl. The firm also said Henry Hub natural gas prices could soar to $13/MMBtu by 2007 (see related story).

A new research report from Goldman Sachs sent energy prices through the roof on Thursday by warning investors that the oil markets are entering into a “super-spike” period that could see crude prices as high as $105/bbl. In addition, the firm said Henry Hub natural gas prices could soar to $13/MMBtu by 2007.

Christine Tezak, an analyst with Stanford Washington Research Group, last Wednesday dropped her odds for multi-emissions legislation backed by the Bush Administration being enacted into law this year to roughly 1 in 10 after the measure (S. 131) deadlocked in the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on a bipartisan vote of 9 to 9.

A San Diego-based spokesperson for Sempra Energy Thursday qualified remarks the company’s top liquefied natural gas (LNG) executive made at the Cambridge Energy Research Associates’ CERAWeek conference in Houston a day earlier regarding the company’s possible pursuit of LNG supplies from Alaska. Sempra has no specific plans regarding Alaskan LNG, other than listing it as one of its possible future sources of gas in the post-2010 time frame, the spokesperson said.

A San Diego-based spokesperson for Sempra Energy Thursday qualified remarks the company’s top liquefied natural gas (LNG) executive made at the Cambridge Energy Research Associates’ CERAWeek conference in Houston a day earlier regarding the company’s possible pursuit of LNG supplies from Alaska. Sempra has no specific plans regarding Alaskan LNG, other than listing it as one of its possible future sources of gas in the post-2010 time frame, the spokesperson said.

Retiring U.S. Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-LA, will become president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America in Washington DC when he leaves the Congress at the end of the year. The 61-year old Tauzin served for several years as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee before stepping down early this year because of intestinal cancer. He announced at the time he would not seek reelection after serving 13 terms in the House. He has credited the advanced, expert medical treatment and surgery he received at Johns Hopkins with saving his life. His son, Billy Tauzin III, lost a runoff earlier this month to Democrat Charlie Melancon to succeed to the elder Tauzin’s the 3rd Congressional District seat.

A new study by Petroleum Research Atlantic Canada (PRAC) on five greenfield sites that have received or expanded natural gas service within the past 10 years reports that areas offering gas services are better able to retain industries that might otherwise relocate because of environmental standards and costs, and the communities become more competitive.