Wringing

With prices languishing at their lowest levels in a decade, there’s been lots of hand wringing among supporters of natural gas-focused independents as they drop dry gas rigs or shift to more liquids-rich plays. But don’t expect to see any of those types of worry lines on the top guns of ExxonMobil Corp., the biggest gas producer in the United States.

There was no shortage of hand-wringing and news mediaannouncements in the West in the wake of recent electricity pricespikes and multi-million-dollar estimated consequences fromCalifornia’s relative modest round of rolling brownouts in andaround the San Francisco Bay Area. The big question — particularin California — is whether new solutions will come fromregulators, lawmakers or the market.

There was no shortage of hand-wringing and news mediaannouncements in the West in the wake of recent electricity pricespikes and multi-million-dollar estimated consequences fromCalifornia’s relatively modest round of rolling brownouts aroundthe San Francisco Bay Area. The big question — particular inCalifornia — is whether new solutions will come from regulators,lawmakers or the market.

Gas producers must be wringing their hands in glee as futuresprices topped $4.50/MMBtu on Friday, but some of their customersclearly are a little less than overjoyed. High gas prices areforcing some fertilizer producers to consider shutting down theirplants and selling their feedstock on the open market just to makeends meet.

Gas producers must be wringing their hands in glee as futuresprices top $4.45/MMBtu, but some of their customers clearly are alittle less than overjoyed. High gas prices are forcing somefertilizer producers to consider shutting down their plants andselling their feedstock on the open market just to make ends meet.