Technically

Abandoned coal mines in Pennsylvania may be a technically viable source of water for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations, but economics and regulations ultimately could decide whether operators find the solution feasible, according to a recent report by the Rand Corp.

Days after visiting natural gas operations in the Marcellus Shale, Poland’s treasury minister said commercial shale gas production may begin in his country in 2014.

As their country dreams of becoming “the second Norway” of natural gas, scientists in Poland asked themselves whether hydraulic fracturing (fracking) stimulation of shale gas wells is safe for the environment. The answer: yes, if done according to “legal regulations.”

The amount of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas resources in Alaska’s Cook Inlet region is “significantly more” than what was thought 16 years ago, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

November natural gas futures retreated Friday as fund and managed account traders made technically based sales, momentarily taking some money off the table while awaiting a chance to reenter the market on the long side next week.

Energy stocks have undergone a “very sharp, technically driven correction” in the past couple of weeks, but there should be a strong move upward through the end of the year because of higher natural gas prices this winter and upward earnings guidance for 2006, Raymond James’ energy analysts predicted in a new report.

A new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessment estimates that there is about 37.5 Tcf of undiscovered but technically recoverable natural gas resources, 478 million bbl of natural gas liquids and 4 billion bbl of oil in the central part of the Alaska North Slope and the adjacent state offshore area.

A new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessment estimates that there is about 37.5 Tcf of undiscovered but technically recoverable natural gas resources, 478 million bbl of natural gas liquids and 4 billion bbl of oil in the central part of the Alaska North Slope and the adjacent state offshore area.

Updating its estimates for undiscovered technically recoverable resources (UTTR) underlying offshore waters on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), the Minerals Management Service (MMS) said last week that new exploration activities in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Scotian Basin offshore Canada have revealed that there is 12% more recoverable gas than estimated in 2000. The MMS now estimates that there are 76 billion barrels of oil and 406.1 Tcf of recoverable natural gas in federal offshore areas.