Suffering

Suffering from a shortage of natural gas supply to meet the country’s growing industrial demand, Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission said Tuesday it has awarded Spain’s Repsol YPF a $15 billion contract to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Peru to a planned new Pacific coast terminal in Manzanillo in the Mexican state of Colima.

While Massachusetts manufacturers have been converting their facilities to burn natural gas at the behest of public policy leaders, they are suffering from a gas supply shortage due to the failure of public policy to embrace new sources of gas, according to the Massachusetts Chemistry & Technology Alliance Inc.

While Massachusetts manufacturers have been converting their facilities to burn natural gas at the behest of public policy leaders, they are suffering from a gas supply shortage due to the failure of public policy to embrace new sources of gas, according to the Massachusetts Chemistry & Technology Alliance Inc.

After suffering numerous outages at some generation plants in the past, Rapid City, SD-based Black Hills Corp. enjoyed a 96% availability rate among its electric generation plants and increased its energy trading profits during the second quarter, executives said Friday. Black Hills released greatly improved quarterly financial results on Thursday.

After suffering numerous outages at some generation plants in the past, Rapid City, SD-based Black Hills Corp. enjoyed a 96% availability rate among its electric generation plants and increased its energy trading profits during the second quarter, executives said Friday. Black Hills released greatly improved quarterly financial results on Thursday.

Two transactions announced last week suggest that the midstream sector is not suffering from a shortage of capital — or of those who see an opportunity to make a buck gathering, processing and marketing gas production.

Two transactions announced Tuesday suggest that the midstream sector is not suffering from a shortage of capital — or of those who see an opportunity to make a buck gathering, processing and marketing gas production.

With April expiration occurring during the week and traders suffering from a little spring fever as temperatures moved higher, May natural gas futures ventured lower Friday on low-volume trading. After putting in a $7.120 low on the day, the prompt month rebounded a little to settle at $7.210, down 27.7 cents for the day and 24.7 cents lower than the contract’s close in the previous week.

Apache Corp., while suffering from hurricane losses in the Gulf of Mexico, nevertheless reported a 56% rise in 2005 earnings to $2.6 billion or $7.84 per diluted common share, compared to $5.03 per share, or $1.7 billion, in 2004. The company credited the increased earnings to record-high oil and natural gas prices.