Torn

The cash market wavered on either side of flat Tuesday, seemingly torn between forecasts of colder temperatures in such key market areas as the Midwest and South versus the previous day’s prompt-month futures break below $5 for the first time since December combined with ample storage inventories remaining as the final month of the traditional withdrawal season nears.

Citing concerns about a planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment from terrorist-torn Yemen to Boston Harbor in February, a Boston Globe editorial Tuesday chided natural gas industry and public officials for not coming up with a “safer alternative” to the Distrigas of Massachusetts import terminal in Everett, MA (see Daily GPI, Jan. 5).

After retreating from war-torn Sudan earlier in the week by selling its stake in Sudan’s major oil project to India’s national oil company for C$1.2 billion ($760 million), Canada’s No. 2 producer, Talisman Energy, said Friday it is buying the assets of Fairman Drilling Co., FDC Venture 15 LP, East Resources Inc. and ABARTA Oil & Gas Co. Inc. for US$58.6 million. The purchase is being made through Talisman subsidiary Fortuna Energy Inc.