Ultimate

Petrohawk Energy Corp., which drilled the highest-producing well to date in the Haynesville Shale, said Wednesday its estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) in the play has risen to 7.5 Bcfe/d. The estimate is based on performance data from its first 14 completed wells.

The operational start-up date of the deepwater Atlantis South field development in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) “remains under review,” but the ultimate costs for 44% stakeholder BHP Billiton Ltd. will be at least 50% higher, the company said Wednesday. The field, operated by majority stakeholder BP plc, had been expected to cost a total of $3.5 billion.

The operational start-up date of the deepwater Atlantis South field development in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) “remains under review,” but the ultimate costs for 44% stakeholder BHP Billiton Ltd. will be at least 50% higher, the company said Wednesday. The field, operated by majority stakeholder BP plc, had been expected to cost a total of $3.5 billion.

A project aspiring to grow up into the next oil sands breakthrough includes the ultimate in substitutes for natural gas — pure heat. As oil sands manager and chief financial officer of Petrobank Energy and Resources, Chris Bloomer makes the earth burn. “It’s aggressive in the reservoir,” he said in describing the new production method at an industry conference and trade fair in Fort McMurray, the oil sands boom city 500 miles northeast of the Canadian gas capital of Calgary.

Western Gas Resources Inc. of Denver said last week the Wyoming Public Service Commission (PSC) approved its application to transfer control (at the ultimate parent level) of Mountain Gas Transportation Inc. and MGTC Inc. from Western to Anadarko Petroleum Corp. This was the last remaining regulatory approval required prior to the closing of the merger of Western with a subsidiary of Anadarko (see NGI, June 26).

Western Gas Resources Inc. of Denver said Tuesday the Wyoming Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved its application to transfer control (at the ultimate parent level) of Mountain Gas Transportation Inc. and MGTC Inc. from Western to Anadarko Petroleum Corp. This was the last remaining regulatory approval required prior to the closing of the merger of Western with a subsidiary of Anadarko (see Daily GPI, June 26).

Estimates for the ultimate price tag of an ISO New England (ISO-NE) locational installed capacity (LICAP) proposal — which some have put in the neighborhood of $13 billion to $15 billion — became a central bone of contention between representatives from the New England grid operator and certain parties opposed to the LICAP plan at FERC-sponsored oral arguments last Tuesday.

Natural gas price volatility for ultimate consumers can be mitigated by distribution companies to some degree, but there is no way to totally mask the volatility engendered by short supplies for the next three to five years, according to an American Gas Association (AGA) paper issued last Thursday.

Natural gas price volatility for ultimate consumers can be mitigated by distribution companies to some degree, but there is no way to totally mask the volatility engendered by short supplies for the next three to five years, according to an American Gas Association (AGA) paper issued Thursday.