Trying

Nervous time returned to Pacific Gas & Electric’s naturalgas operations Tuesday, as it was trying desperately to get morethan two dozen mostly reluctant suppliers to sign contractextensions of up to 90 days using a new state regulatory-backedsecuritization of the utility’s retail gas revenues to assurefuture payments to the suppliers.

New York Assemblyman Robin L. Schimminger is trying to convincethe state to open an investigation into the bankruptcy of IroquoisEnergy Management LLC, which left approximately 19,000 residentialnatural gas customers with an estimated $1.8 million out-of-pocketloss due to non-refunded pre-payments.

New York Assemblyman Robin L. Schimminger is trying to convincethe state to open an investigation into the bankruptcy of IroquoisEnergy Management LLC, which left approximately 19,000 residentialnatural gas customers with an estimated $1.8 million out-of-pocketloss due to non-refunded pre-payments.

While the sheer number of pending and projected natural gaspipeline projects may be staggering, that’s not what sets themapart from projects that preceded them. Rather, the distinguishingfactor is that they’re coming at a time when the “complexity andvolume” of environmental issues and the level of landowneranti-project sentiment have reached unparalleled heights, says atop FERC official.

Commodity prices are up, and the financial performance of anumber of energy companies is on the rise. The question being askedthis week in Houston is why are Wall Streeters treating energycompany stocks like ugly stepchildren?

Marketers are making a last-ditch attempt at establishing abeachhead for fair and open competition in the retail energy marketin Massachusetts. They lost a battle earlier this year whenregulators voted to allow utilities to assign portions of upstreamgas transportation and storage capacity to customers who wereseeking alternative suppliers. Marketers now hope they can persuaderegulators to establish a set of minimum standards for utilitytransportation service, not only for the retail customer, but alsofor the new utility customer, i.e., the retail marketer, as well.

Marketers are making a last-ditch attempt at establishing abeachhead for fair and open competition in the retail energy marketin Massachusetts. They lost a battle earlier this year whenregulators voted to allow utilities to assign portions of upstreamgas transportation and storage capacity to customers who wereseeking alternative suppliers. Marketers now hope they can persuaderegulators to establish a set of minimum standards for utilitytransportation service, not only for the retail customer, but alsofor the new utility customer, i.e., the retail marketer, as well.

Sixty U.S. gas pipelines are still trying to figure out whathappened to 106 Bcf of gas last year. The methane simply vanishedinto thin air at a cost of more than $200 million, according to asurvey of FERC Form 2 data by GRI. The GRI research shows that onaverage, each of those interstate pipes lost about 4.8 MMcf/d.

Sixty U.S. gas pipelines are still trying to figure out whathappened to 106 Bcf of gas last year. The methane simply vanishedinto thin air at a cost of more than $200 million, according to asurvey of FERC Form 2 data by GRI. The GRI research shows that onaverage, each of those interstate pipes lost about 4.8 MMcf/d.