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Infrastructure investment needs and a changing energy mix in the Pacific Northwest present challenges and opportunities for players throughout the West, and CFOs from two major West Coast players — Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) — told Wall Street early this month their utilities are actively engaged in newly proposed projects in the region.

As expected, a combination of what some derided as “storm hype,” continuing heavy cooling load throughout the South and much of the West and prior-day futures support resulted in higher prices at virtually all points Wednesday. Only a quarter decline by Kern Delivery in the Arizona/Nevada market area averted across the board gains that included a $10-plus quote.

Prices fell by double digits (and in one case by more than a dollar) throughout the cash market Monday except in the Rockies. Traders continued to find below-normal cooling load for midsummer in most locations and Friday’s August futures descent grew even steeper Monday.

What was forecast to be a week of above-normal temperatures throughout most of the U.S. began Monday with warming trends in some areas as advertised, but not enough heat to keep prices from continuing to fall at most points. Friday’s 21.8-cent slide by July futures also had bearish implications for Monday’s cash market.

Forecasts of Tuesday highs in the 80s throughout most of the South and even hotter weather in the desert Southwest, along with the previous Friday’s 17.3-cent gain by June futures, paved the way for higher prices at nearly all points Monday. Still-robust storage injection demand and the return of industrial load from its weekend hiatus also contributed to Monday’s overall firmness.

Vowing to reduce her state’s carbon footprint, a refrain ringing throughout the West these days, Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire May 4 signed a new climate change law (SB 6001). The new statute sets enforceable limits on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from electric generation plants, and it is expected to boost the development of natural gas-fired and renewable energy generation. Power plant fuel restrictions kick in next summer.

Vowing to reduce her state’s carbon footprint, a refrain ringing throughout the West these days, Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire last Friday signed a new climate change law (SB 6001). The new statute sets enforceable limits on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from electric generation plants, and it is expected to boost the development of natural gas-fired and renewable energy generation.

Natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), which is expected to hit 8.3 Bcf/d this year, could surpass 9 Bcf/d in 2011 and remain above that level throughout much of the decade if activity in the deepwater continues at a strong pace, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) said in a report released last Tuesday.

Natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), which is likely to hit 8.3 Bcf/d this year, could surpass 9 Bcf/d in 2011 and remain above that level throughout much of the decade if activity in the deepwater continues at a strong pace, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) said in a report released Tuesday.