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Total combined natural gas purchase and sales volumes were 123,868 TBtu (Bcf) in 2012, a 0.7% decline compared with 124,752 TBtu in 2011, according to an analysis by Natural Gas Intelligence (NGI) of 2012 Form 552 buyer and seller filings with FERC.

The Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA) expects there to be only “slightly upward pressure” on natural gas prices this summer compared to the summer of 2012 due to an anticipated drop in coal-to-gas switching by power generators and cooler temperatures early this summer.

The Safety and Enforcement Division of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) last week recommended $2.25 billion in penalties against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) for three cases arising from the Sept. 9, 2010, pipeline rupture in San Bruno, CA. If the recommendation is adopted, it would the largest ever levied by a state or federal regulator.

A marginal increase in natural gas sales by BP plc and significant increases by Tenaska, Chevron and J.Aron & Co. were overshadowed by declines at ConocoPhillips, Shell Energy NA and Macquarie, resulting in a 5% (7.53 Bcf/d) overall decline in gas sales transactions in 1Q2013 compared with 1Q2012, according to NGI’s 1Q2013 Top North American Gas Marketers Ranking.

ExxonMobil Corp. on Friday launched a workforce training initiative to enable the Greater Houston area’s community colleges to prepare students for high-paying jobs in the re-emerging petrochemical manufacturing industry along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Physical natural gas values fell an average of approximately 8 cents Thursday for Friday delivery as the retreat was in full swing prior to the release of Energy Information Administration (EIA) storage data.

The Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA) expects there to be only “slightly upward pressure” on natural gas prices this summer compared to the summer of 2012 due to an anticipated drop in coal-to-gas switching by power generators and cooler temperatures early this summer.

The race to bring natural gas to Maine’s Kennebec Valley continues, with Summit Natural Gas of Maine announcing Tuesday that it has begun the build-out of its $350 million transmission and distribution system into the area.

Global exploration and production (E&P) spending is forecast to hit a record $678 billion in 2013, 10% higher than in 2012 and up more than 300 basis points from planned spending six months ago, according to Barclays Capital.