Ultimately

More gas could ultimately flow sooner through Sempra Energy’s underutilized West Coast liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal following an announcement last Wednesday that Royal Dutch Shell and Russia’s Gazprom have signed a series of 20-year agreements in which both will be buying LNG supplies from the eastern Russia Sakhalin II production area. It gives the Russian behemoth its first major entry into the U.S. gas market.

FERC Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Bruce Birchman last Monday certified under seal a joint offer of settlement that, if ultimately approved by the agency, would resolve all charges that Energy Transfer Partners’ Oasis Pipeline LP and affiliates discriminated against nonaffiliated shippers and charged excessive rates in violation of Section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA).

FERC Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Bruce Birchman Monday certified under seal a joint offer of settlement that, if ultimately approved by the agency, would resolve all charges that Energy Transfer Partners’ Oasis Pipeline LP and affiliates discriminated against nonaffiliated shippers and charged excessive rates in violation of Section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA).

Economic declines, renewable energy and efficiency growth and ultimately greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions controls all are pushing down natural gas demand in the near term in California and further pushing back the need for liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, according to a California Energy Commission (CEC) gas staff analyst reporting last Monday to a joint meeting of the CEC and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

Economic declines, renewable energy and efficiency growth and ultimately greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions controls all are pushing down natural gas demand in the near term in California and further pushing back the need for liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, according to a California Energy Commission (CEC) gas staff analyst reporting Monday to a joint meeting of the CEC and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

The National Governors Association (NGA) hit the nation’s capital over the weekend with a decidedly green tint to their proceedings, and the western governors’ branch of the national association announced a new push for alternative energy development and more fuel efficiency. NGA’s winter meeting kicked off with its chairman, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, emphasizing an initiative he calls Securing a Clean Energy Future (SCEF).

After keeping natural gas options traders on pins and needles by teetering on either side of $8 during the session, February futures on Monday ultimately pushed to the upside, reaching a high of $8.100 before settling at $8.095, up 11.2 cents from Friday’s close.

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. is blaming Alberta’s new royalty regime for its decision to slash capital spending by one-third in 2008, which ultimately may result in a double-digit drop in forecasted natural gas production.

After settling above the key $8 level on Thursday, June natural gas futures on Friday managed to put in an impressive $8.230 high, but ultimately crashed lower to close out the week at $7.944, down 13.1 cents on the day. However, the close was 4.5 cents higher than the previous Friday’s close, confirming that the market is in fact inching higher.