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A citizens group has reversed its call for a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in New Brunswick after the provincial government unveiled tougher regulations for the emerging Frederick Brook Shale.

In the story “EIA: Renewables Up, Gas Flat as Power Sources” (see Daily GPI, May 23), NGI incorrectly stated that the average price for natural gas used in power generation was $5.09/MMBtu a year ago. In fact, the average price paid for natural gas for power generation in February 2011 was $5.09/MMBtu, down 5.2% from the average price of $5.37/MMBtu paid in January 2011, and down 16% from the average price of $6.06/MMBtu paid in February 2010. NGI regrets the error.

Domestic shale gas will increasingly be developed by the majors, an energy industry financier told an audience in Pittsburgh on Monday.

The unfolding story of Lower 48 shale gas supply and the buildout of the nation’s natural gas pipeline grid have done a lot to beat down gas prices and minimize volatility. So much so that one academic suggests in a new paper that some utilities and their regulators are out of step with the latest in price-risk hedging strategies.

The unfolding story of Lower 48 shale gas supply and the buildout of the nation’s natural gas pipeline grid have done a lot to beat down gas prices and minimize volatility. So much so that one academic suggests in a new paper that some utilities and their regulators are out of step with the latest in price-risk hedging strategies.

The unfolding story of Lower 48 shale gas supply and the buildout of the nation’s natural gas pipeline grid have done a lot to beat down gas prices and minimize volatility. So much so that one academic suggests in a new paper that some utilities and their regulators are out of step with the latest in price-risk hedging strategies.

The story “Devon May Unveil ‘New Play Types’ This Year” (see Daily GPI, April 14) should have said that Devon Energy Corp. acquired its Barnett Shale leasehold in 2001 for $3.1 billion. NGI regrets the error.

Tennessee declared a force majeure event Friday for Station 214 (Carrolton, OH) after a “possible rupture” occurred nearby (see related story). No injuries were reported, and there was no interruption of customer service, said pipeline spokesman Robert Newberry. However, Tennessee anticipated limiting intraday flow increases for Friday’s gas day and restricting 100% secondary out of path (SOP) nominations and lower priority services going forward, with a possibility of restricting a pro-rata portion of secondary in path (SIP) nominations. “At this time the certainty of such restrictions [is] unknown due to the current investigation of the incident,” a bulletin board posting said.

In yet another side story to a toxic contamination and natural gas transmission pipeline saga that spans decades and inspired an Academy Award-winning motion picture, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) made local news just before the Thanksgiving holiday by offering to buy up to 100 properties in the town of Hinkley, CA, about 130 miles northeast of Los Angeles. That move comes in the wake of residents and the local board for state water regulators expressing new concerns about PG&E’s handling of ongoing toxic mitigation work corralling a 2.5-by-1-mile plume of groundwater tainted with hexavalent chromium, which was previously used by PG&E in its gas transmission pipeline operations in the Hinkley area (see Daily GPI, Nov. 16). A report in the Los Angeles Times quoted a utility spokesperson confirming that if residents in the plume zone want to sell, PG&E will be willing to buy the properties. Meanwhile, the regional water board is still investigating PG&E’s work in containing the plume and is considering options proposed by the utility. Tests have shown elevated — albeit not necessarily dangerous — levels of hexavalent chromium in domestic and agricultural water supplies. The utility and more than 600 residents reached a $333 million settlement in 1997.