Turns

With Senate action on its Stop Excessive Speculation bill (S3268) apparently stalled, attention this week turns to a House version of legislation to extend the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) role in monitoring futures markets, which may make it to the House floor before the Congress leaves for its August recess. After two days of rhetoric, the Senate Friday failed to muster the votes necessary to close debate.

Aboriginal and environmental protesters have learned for the second time this winter that they have lost their old power to freeze natural gas development out of northern Canada.

British Columbia, formerly notorious for erecting rigid regulatory barriers inspired by environmental critics, is now vowing to keep its promise to make its gas-rich northeastern corner more accessible. The BC Oil and Gas Commission is inaugurating a new era of “performance-based” regulation this fall, initially with liberalized procedures for pipeline projects.

British Columbia, formerly notorious for erecting rigid regulatory barriers inspired by environmental critics, is now vowing to keep its promise to make its gas-rich northeastern corner more accessible. The BC Oil and Gas Commission is inaugurating a new era of “performance-based” regulation this fall, initially with liberalized procedures for pipeline projects.

British Columbia, formerly notorious for erecting rigid regulatory barriers inspired by environmental critics, is now vowing to keep its promise to make its gas-rich northeastern corner more accessible. The BC Oil and Gas Commission is inaugurating a new era of “performance-based” regulation this fall, initially with liberalized procedures for pipeline projects.

Amid diminishing concerns about Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley, the natural gas futures market shuffled lower Wednesday, quickly rescinding nearly all of the gains notched over the previous two trading sessions. The September contract was the biggest loser, dropping 17.7 cents to close at $5.614. By comparison, the out-months fared much better, enabling the five-month winter strip (November-March) to sustain only a modest, 6-cent decline to $6.684.

The chairman of Royal Dutch/Shell Group said Thursday that the London-based major wants to contribute some of its technology efforts toward sustainable development, because energy needs by 2050 “could be two to three times more than today.”

The Bush administration has turned a deaf ear to Sen. Jeff Bingaman’s (D-NM) recommendations on how the president can use his existing authority to cut high-flying natural gas prices and bolster supply.

The Bush administration has turned a deaf ear to Sen. Jeff Bingaman’s (D-NM) recommendations on how the president can use his existing authority to cut high-flying natural gas prices and bolster supply.