Winter

Alaska Republican Sen. Frank Murkowski vowed to amend the Senate energy bill before the end of winter to better ensure that his fellow Alaskans get a fair shake in any gas pipeline deal that comes out of the legislation. Murkowski said he wanted to include a ban to prevent producers from pursuing an “over-the-top” pipeline route, which would bypass most of the state by crossing the Beaufort Sea and then heading down the Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories to connect with the pipeline grid in Alberta.

The 14th consecutive annual export sales record and the 2000-01 winter price spike drove the value of Canadian natural gas exports to a stellar high in the last contract year. Revenues leaped 72% to C$28.5 billion (US$18.6 billion) during the 12 months that ended Oct. 31 from C$16.6 billion (US$11.2 billion) in the preceding contract year, by the National Energy Board’s count.

The 14th consecutive annual export sales record and the 2000-01 winter price spike drove the value of Canadian natural gas exports to a stellar high in the last contract year. Revenues leaped 72% to C$28.5 billion (US$18.6 billion) during the 12 months that ended Oct. 31 from C$16.6 billion (US$11.2 billion) in the preceding contract year, by the National Energy Board’s count.

When the reconstituted Alaskan Northwest Natural Gas Transportation Co. presents its proposal for a northern pipeline this winter, it will be one item in a master plan crafted by TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. to maintain and expand the Canadian role in the continental market.

When the reconstituted Alaskan Northwest Natural Gas Transportation Co. presents its proposal for a northern pipeline this winter, it will be one item in a master plan crafted by TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. to maintain and expand the Canadian role in the continental market.

California’s energy crisis and the record high gas prices last winter have stalled energy deregulation and competition in retail natural gas markets, according to the latest statistics from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). In contrast to predictions made one year ago by the American Gas Association (AGA) that nearly 50% of the residential gas customers in the nation were, or soon would be able to choose from competing retail suppliers, only about 27% are able to do so today and just 6% are actively participating, according to the EIA data.

California’s energy crisis and the record high gas prices last winter have stalled energy deregulation and competition in retail natural gas markets, according to the latest statistics from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). In contrast to predictions made one year ago by the American Gas Association (AGA) that nearly 50% of the residential gas customers in the nation were, or soon would be able to choose from competing retail suppliers, only about 27% are able to do so today and just 6% are actively participating, according to the EIA data.

Prior to Friday (the official first day of winter), the weekend market had looked like a toss-up, with forecasts of colder Christmas weather throughout the East and into the Southwest arrayed against the demand slump from extended business closures. Chalk one up for the bulls as the upcoming cold temperatures weighed a little more heavily on traders’ minds Friday, prompting them to send most points higher by small amounts.

The Energy Information Administration is preparing take over the American Gas Association’s (AGA) storage survey at the end of the winter. But it first must get clearance from the Office of Management and Budget for the reporting burden placed on storage companies, EIA’s survey methodology and the budget requirements for conducting the survey. It also has to arrange the staffing and resources and perform an operational test before it can get a green light.