Waiting

After waiting three days for Republicans to come to the mark-up, Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee last Thursday voted out climate change legislation (S. 1733) without any amendments or debate — a move that could greatly limit the chance for passage if it reaches the Senate floor (see NGI, Nov. 2).

Waiting until early afternoon Thursday, Southern California Gas declared a high-linepack OFO for Friday, saying it will assess Buy-Back charges in accordance with its tariffs to customers who deliver into its system more than 110% of their actual gas usage on the OFO day.

Royal Dutch Shell plc will not include oil and natural gas reserves estimates in its 2007 annual results Thursday, waiting instead to release the numbers in its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 20-F annual report, the company said.

Still unable to enjoy some early holiday cheer, a second Oregon liquefied natural gas (LNG) project was left waiting Thursday, but with some positive expectations it will clear another local hurdle in its permitting processes before Christmas. The Jordan Cove Energy Project LP at Coos Bay hopes to wrap up a second key local permit by Wednesday, its project manager told NGI late Thursday.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) granted early termination of the waiting period under antitrust law for Black Hills’ acquisition of Aquila’s electric generation and distribution properties in Colorado and its gas distribution properties in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. The FTC did the same for the proposed merger of Aquila’s Missouri-based electric utility with a subsidiary of Great Plains Energy Inc., the parent of Kansas City Power & Light.

Aquila Inc. and Great Plains Energy Inc. Friday filed required notifications for antitrust clearance for their proposed merger, saying the 30-day initial waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act will expire on Aug. 27.

After waiting for 30 years, the pro-industry faction in Canada’s Northwest Territories refuses to let rising costs and prolonged regulatory dueling freeze the hopes for an arctic natural gas production and pipeline development.

After waiting for 30 years, the pro-industry faction in Canada’s Northwest Territories refuses to let rising costs and prolonged regulatory dueling freeze the hopes for an arctic natural gas production and pipeline development.

Now that IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) has made its move for the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), traders in energy and plenty of other commodities are waiting to see how the rivalry for the venerable CBOT will play out between Internet-age upstart ICE and the more august Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). The latest merger news is yet more evidence of consolidation and globalization among the commodity exchanges.