Totaling

California energy consumers are facing proposed rate hikes totaling more than $5 billion this year, and the state utility consumer unit is using its $28 million operations to play its part as the state-sanctioned consumer watchdog. In its 2010 annual accounting to the state legislature, the Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) claimed to save energy ratepayers more than $5 billion, or $190 for every dollar allocated for its operations.

A trio of Bayer AG-owned sites in West Virginia totaling about 1,480 acres would be ideal locations for thermal crackers to process ethane from the state’s Marcellus Shale area, the company said.

North America led the global upstream merger and acquisition (M&A) marketplace in 3Q2010 with 100 transactions totaling $18.1 billion, or 41% of the $43.8 billion in a total of 154 trades worldwide, according to a tally by PLS Inc. in conjunction with its international partner, Derrick Petroleum Services.

North America led the global upstream merger and acquisition (M&A) marketplace in 3Q2010 with 100 transactions totaling $18.1 billion, or 41% of the $43.8 billion in a total of 154 trades worldwide, according to a tally by PLS Inc. in conjunction with its international partner, Derrick Petroleum Services.

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday awarded two grants totaling almost $800,000 to increase the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel.

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday awarded two grants totaling almost $800,000 to increase the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel.

California’s major private-sector utilities won a victory of sorts from regulators Thursday, getting partial incentive rewards, totaling $82 million, for their energy efficiency programs. The four investor-owned utilities (IOU) had solicited more from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which denied part of the joint request.

FERC late Thursday assessed civil penalties totaling $7.3 million in approving settlements of two separate enforcement matters involving BP Energy Co. and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. subsidiary MGTC Inc. The penalties against BP coincided with a sweeping action by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Department of Justice, also on Thursday.

After totaling more than $420 million in natural gas asset acquisitions last week, Houston-based Eagle Rock Energy Partners LP. had a little change in luck Monday as the company announced that its senior vice president and CFO Richard W. FitzGerald suffered a serious accident while on vacation.