Thursday

President Obama’s nominee for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sailed through her confirmation hearing Thursday, fielding softball questions from Democrats. The issues raised by Republicans were more pointed, but not by much.

Six energy prognosticators over the past week have raised their outlooks for domestic natural gas prices this year, with one indicating that $4.50/MMBtu this summer is “on the table” based on a colder-than-expected end to winter and slowing production in major onshore basins.

California regulators on Thursday without discussion approved changes for Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) regarding natural gas producers in the state accessing its pipeline system and, separately, a deal in which SoCalGas provides compressed natural gas (CNG) services to a major bus fleet operator.

Development of oil and natural gas in the Eagle Ford Shale added more than $61 billion in total economic impact during 2012, according to a study by the Center for Community and Business Research in The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Institute for Economic Development.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Thursday voted to move President Obama’s nomination of Sally Jewell for Interior secretary to the Senate floor.

Attorneys for energy companies and landowners looking to advance shale development in New York State said proceedings in state appellate court last Thursday went well and they expect to hear rulings on two key cases in six to eight weeks, or by mid-May.

Sempra Energy’s San Diego Gas and Electric Co. (SDG&E) was directed by state regulators Thursday to develop more locally based electricity generation, including some natural gas-fired plants and repowering. SDG&E now seeks to have nearly 300 MW of additional power under contract by 2018.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Thursday voted to move President Obama’s nomination of Sally Jewell for Interior secretary to the Senate floor.

BP plc on Thursday completed a landmark transaction with Russian oil giant OAO Rosneft, which gives the London-based major a 20% stake in what now is the world’s largest publicly traded oil company.