Suggested

Natural gas prices need to be “at least” $9/MMBtu to maintain current North American supply available to the United States, an energy analyst suggested last week.

Natural gas prices need to be “at least” $9/MMBtu to maintain current North American supply available to the United States, an energy analyst suggested Monday.

If Massachusetts is so dead set against siting the proposed Weaver’s Cove LNG terminal in its state, Rep. Charles W. Boustany Jr. (R-LA) suggested that the company consider relocating the controversial project to Louisiana.

FERC last week issued a certificate that paved the way for a new pipeline company, NGO Transmission Inc., to acquire 171 miles of existing pipe and storage facilities in central Ohio from a distribution affiliate, but there was a string attached. If it accepts the certificate, NGO Transmission, contrary to its wishes, would become an interstate gas pipeline subject to the agency’s open-access requirements.

Dynegy Inc. last week said it would “vigorously contest” allegations by a former executive that he was fired for refusing to manipulate the company’s profits and losses in the third quarter of 2000. Bradley Farnsworth, former controller, filed the lawsuit Friday, claiming COO Steve Bergstrom asked him to engage in illegal practices involving natural gas trades in the United Kingdom. The lawsuit does not allege that Dynegy actually manipulated the books, and apparently, Farnsworth does not know if Dynegy had done so.

FERC Commissioner Nora Brownell suggested last Thursday that FERC join forces with the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to determine what other data could be made available to the natural gas market on a regular basis to provide more transparency on prices.

FERC Commissioner Nora Brownell suggested Thursday that FERC join forces with the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to determine what other data could be made available to the natural gas market on a regular basis to provide more transparency on prices.

One trader suggested facetiously that the cash market should be arrested on vagrancy charges because it has no visible means of support. Prices continued to go up Wednesday, in most cases even more strongly than the day before, despite a dying tropical storm and further degradation of positive weather fundamentals. Most gains were in the teens, with most of those below a dime concentrated in the West.

In an open letter to the governor of California, Vincent Viola,the new chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange suggested thestate could solve its power price problems if it “promptly” turnedloose large customers and let them buy power for themselves,eliminated any monopoly, “be it the PX, Department of WaterResources, or the Independent System Operator,” and started usingfinancial instruments to protect consumers, rather than lock inlong-term, high-priced contracts.