Traveling

Following years of record commodity prices and profits, the oil and natural gas industry is now traveling a bumpy road. The U.S. economy is weaker, climate change is on the agenda, access to reserves is tighter, output is lower and the workforce is smaller. For a smoother ride, energy executives Tuesday urged their peers to invest in technology, build on efficiency measures and begin partnering with stakeholders around the world.

The western leg of the Rockies Express pipeline (REX-West) was poised to start interim service Jan. 1, 2008, or shortly thereafter with Rockies gas traveling as far east as the ANR Pipeline delivery point, according to a Dec. 20 construction update from the company. TransColorado Gas Transmission’s Blanco to Meeker expansion feeding into REX also will be starting up Jan. 1.

A unit of Williams is answering the call to move Rockies gas supply traveling on the Rockies Express pipeline from that system’s terminus in Ohio into lucrative eastern U.S. gas markets.

The electric industry is traveling down the highway ofrestructuring like a car whose every cylinder is misfiring. Thatmay sound pessimistic to some, but at least one industry watchersees much unevenness in how generation, transmission andlegislation are evolving and predicts a lot of uncertainty down theroad.