Sharp

Going against sharp recent wholesale price declines, Portland, OR-based Northwest Natural Gas Co. filed with state regulators in Oregon and Washington Monday, seeking 14% and 20% rate increases, respectively. Because of the recent price drop, Northwest said the increases are “significantly below” the amounts projected last July.

The tight credit environment could prove to be bigger concern for natural gas drilling in 2009 than the sharp fall-off of gas prices over the past few months, Barclays Capital energy analysts said last week.

The tight credit environment could prove to be bigger concern for natural gas drilling in 2009 than the sharp fall-off of gas prices over the past few months, Barclays Capital energy analysts said Tuesday.

Even with the recent sharp price declines, U.S. natural gas prices should average around $10/MMBtu this year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) stated in its third annual Natural Gas Market Review. The review, which assessed projected changes in the global gas economy over the next five to seven years, studied 40 gas markets worldwide and found that rising demand for gas will enable liquefied natural gas (LNG) to further link markets on a global scale.

Even with the recent sharp price declines, U.S. natural gas prices should average around $10/MMBtu this year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) stated in its third annual Natural Gas Market Review. The review, which assessed projected changes in the global gas economy over the next five to seven years, studied 40 gas markets worldwide and found that rising demand for gas will enable liquefied natural gas (LNG) to further link markets on a global scale.

The Bush administration’s proposal to merge the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) came under sharp attack by CFTC officials and others last week.

The Bush administration’s proposal to cut states’ share of revenues from oil and natural gas production in fiscal year (FY) 2009 drew sharp objections from U.S. senators representing western states last Wednesday.

The Bush administration’s proposal to cut states’ share of revenues from oil and natural gas production in fiscal year (FY) 2009 drew sharp objections from U.S. senators representing western states Wednesday.

With more than 400 major oil and natural gas projects scheduled to ramp up over the next five years, the energy industry is facing a sharp “people deficit” of 10-15% as soon as 2010, according to an analysis by Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA).