Natural Gas Week articles from June 2004

Natural Gas Week archives from June 2004

Natural gas weekly spot prices.
June 7, 2004... NATURAL GAS WEEKLY SPOT PRICES Flow Dates: 6/2-6/7 Price Point $/MMBtu Chg. High Low Avg. Avg. Jun. Daily Daily Bid Vol. ...

White Rose Field development could give CNG a foothold.
June 7, 2004... A preliminary proposal to develop gas reserves in the huge but remote White Rose Field offshore Atlantic Canada could launch compressed natural gas (CNG) technology into the mainstream. Husky Energy said last week it has started a program...

Center offers virtual reality world for geologists, drillers.
June 7, 2004... In the future, a geologist will be able to walk through a virtual reality display of geological formations looking for possible oil and natural gas plays miles underwater or in the Rocky Mountains or for that matter, anywhere on the planet. ...

Nymex gas futures track crude in technically driven market.
June 7, 2004... Calling the direction of natural gas prices in the current technically driven market boils down to an exercise both simple and futile--simple because gas is tracking crude oil, yet there is no telling where crude prices are headed. This is...

Range poised to step up pace of Appalachian Basin drilling.
June 7, 2004... Range Resources of Fort Worth, Texas, is poised to step up the pace of its gas drilling in the Appalachian Basin after agreeing to buy the 50% of Great Lakes Energy Partners it does not already own in a deal worth $290 million. The deal...

Intrastate weekly spot prices.
June 7, 2004... INTRASTATE WEEKLY SPOT PRICES Price Point $/MMBtu Chg. High Low Avg. Avg. May Daily Daily Avg. Vol. Deals ...

Bandwagonesque.(Late News)
June 7, 2004... Bandwagonesque. Amerada Hess announced forming joint venture with an affiliation of Poten & Partners to be known as Hess LNG. Based at Amerada Hess' headquarters in New York, new entity will pursue investments in liquefied natural gas (LNG)...

High court.(Late News)
June 7, 2004... High court. Two Colorado cities have filed suit against natural gas supplier Kinder Morgan over allegations the company overcharged customers for more than 20 years. The suit says Kinder Morgan did not compensate customers for the effects of...

Northeast infrastructure may find that smaller is better.
June 7, 2004... The US Northeast has some big problems when it comes to meeting its energy needs. Cursed by geography and geology, the area needs massive amounts of infrastructure in place to provide for its heat and power. However, the region's dense...

Prices and differentials for major hubs and selected city gates.
June 7, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: PRICES AND DIFFERENTIALS FOR MAJOR HUBS AND SELECTED CITY GATES June 7, 2004 US$/MMBtu, Volume-Weighted

Alberta gas production to be flat in 2004.
June 7, 2004... Despite record drilling, natural gas production in Alberta will likely be flat this year and production may have peaked in 2001. That was the conclusion reached by the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) in its annual report on...

Independents question reports of underused federal leases.
June 7, 2004... An energy industry group in Washington D.C. has said they would like more information about a published report released this week that indicated almost 75% of oil and gas leases on federal lands were not producing. In the report, a...

Local foes biggest LNG hurdle.
June 7, 2004... Federal regulators last month issued a key approval for the Freeport LNG project, a move government officials say demonstrates that regulators are moving quickly to approve applications for liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities in the US. ...

Industry fears national gas quality standards for pipelines.
June 7, 2004... As imported liquefied natural gas takes on a larger proportion of total US gas consumption, some gas industry players fear a push to create national gas quality standards by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The key issue...

Natural gas futures.
June 7, 2004... NATURAL GAS FUTURES Trading Dates: June 1 - June 4, 2004 NEW YORK MERCANTILE EXCHANGE (NYMEX) (HENRY HUB) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Last Volume Last Volume Last Volume ...

North American weekly gas storage.
June 7, 2004... NORTH AMERICAN WEEKLY GAS STORAGE (Billion Cubic Feet) Region May 28 May 21 Weekly Year Yr. 5-year 5-year Week Week Change Ago Ago Average Change US East 772...

Fuel supply fundamentals heat up in Canada.(Current)
June 7, 2004... The role natural gas will play this summer in Alberta, a winter-peaking province, and Ontario, which sees about the same peak in winter and summer, depends on how the various fundamentals play out. Alberta, virtually isolated with only one...

CPUC to vote on new power supplies.(Current)
June 7, 2004... The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will give a thumbs up or down on Wednesday for a proposal that includes adding new generation supplies--something the state will likely need more of by 2005-06. Following the 2000-01 energy...

GE Energy pays $260 million to purchase air quality company.(Current)
June 7, 2004... GE Energy has agreed to buy BHA Group Holdings for $260 million in cash to expand its environmental services business, GE said Tuesday. GE Energy said it will pay $38/share for BHA Group, a provider of air quality control products and...

Constellation seeks nuke relicense.(Current)
June 7, 2004... Constellation Energy Group filed an application with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a 20-year renewal of the operating licenses for units 1 and 2 at the Nine Mile Point nuclear station in Scriba, New York. The current 40-year...

APS to buy power plant from PPL.(Current)
June 7, 2004... Arizona Public Service said it agreed to buy a power plant located near Coolidge, Arizona, from PPL for about $190 million. The company said it expects the deal for the 450-MW Sundance Generating Station to close by Mar. 31, 2005. The...

Spot electricity trading.(Current)
June 7, 2004... SPOT ELECTRICITY TRADING Trading Dates: Jun 1-Jun 4, 2004 NEW YORK MERCANTILE EXCHANGE (NYMEX) (HENRY HUB) POINT Avg. Price Avg. Price Change Year Month This Week Last Week Ago Ago ...

Centrica acquires Bastrop Energy.(Current)
June 7, 2004... UK-Based Centrica said it completed its acquisition of Bastrop Energy Partners, owner of the Bastrop Energy Center in Texas, for $143 million in cash. The acquisition of the 540-MW, natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant is the first...

PSEG starts up Indiana plant.(Current)
June 7, 2004... Officials with PSEG Power said that its 1,096-MW Lawrenceburg (Indiana) Energy Project has started commercial operations. The plant is a natural gas-fired, combined cycle facility. With the addition of the Lawrenceburg Energy Project,...

Comparative fuel prices.(Current)
June 7, 2004... COMPARATIVE FUEL PRICES (Cash Market) June 7, 2004 APPALACHIA Appalachian Pool Ohio/Big Sandy River Coal Dlvd (Util) $51.25/ton $6.79/MMBtu $2.14/MMBtu EAST COAST ...

NGPL, Bay Gas call open seasons for pipeline, storage projects.(Regional Market Roundup)
June 7, 2004... The Bay Gas Storage Company announced the start of an open season for up to 5 Bcf of natural gas storage services to evaluate an expansion of its facility located 40 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on the McIntosh Dome and its pipeline...

Baker hughes rig count.(Regional Market Roundup)
June 7, 2004... BAKER HUGHES RIG COUNT Week Ended Jun. 4 Rotary Rigs Current Previous Year Week Week Ago Total US 1,168 1,169 1,054 Land ...

Gas price trends.(Regional Market Roundup)
June 7, 2004... GAS PRICE TRENDS ($/MMBtu) CALIFORNIA ROCKY NEW MTNS MEXICO South North Jun. 7, 2004 Inter (well) - - 5.44 5.57 Intra (well)...

Panel ends hearings that may lift B.C. offshore moratorium.(Canadian Markets)
June 7, 2004... Public hearings on ending a decades-long drilling moratorium off the coast of British Columbia have ended, but one Canadian energy official said it could be 2010 before any exploration is done. The three-person Priddle Panel has completed...

China mulls new LNG terminals to reduce power plant pollution.(World Roundup)
June 7, 2004... Chinese officials said this week the country may build up to nine liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in the next few years, including one near Beijing by 2008 when the city hosts the Olympic Games. The plants will be sited in three areas...

Canadian price report.(World Roundup)
June 7, 2004... CANADIAN PRICE REPORT ($U.S. per MMBtu/$Can per Gigajoule) BRITISH COLUMBIA ALBERTA Total Huntingdon/ Kingsgate/ Total ...

US gas production unlikely to rise despite boom in drilling.(World Roundup)
June 7, 2004... The US natural gas industry is in the midst of a drilling boom thanks to soaring commodity prices, but one with a very different face compared to the last drilling cycle that, according to one firm, is unlikely to raise gas deliverability in...

Gas, price report.(World Roundup)
June 7, 2004... GAS PRICE REPORT ($/MMBtu-Spot) June 7, 2004 Interstate Intrastate Delivered Delivered Wellhead Wellhead To To Utility ...

Natural gas weekly spot prices.
June 14, 2004... NATURAL GAS WEEKLY SPOT PRICES Flow Dates:6/8-6/14 Avg. Avg. Jun. Price Daily Daily Bid Point $/MMBtu Chg....

Board orders 835 gas wells shut in Alberta oil sands action.
June 14, 2004... The Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (AEUB) said last week it will close 835 natural gas wells deemed a threat to oil sands recovery in the Fort McMurray area of the province, and compensation to affected producers could be announced as soon...

Hackett plans huge asset sales to reposition Anadarko for growth.
June 14, 2004... Chief Executive Jim Hackett's long-awaited strategic plan for Anadarko Petroleum calls for $2.5 billion in sales of properties with high decline rates, with the aim of creating a company better able to sustain high single-digit annual growth...

Mild weather, sliding crude lead to pullback in gas prices.
June 14, 2004... Mild early June temperatures and sliding crude have taken some of the starch out of natural gas prices, but the outlook remains for a bullish summer, assuming hot weather materializes as widely forecasted. [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Nymex gas...

Petro-Canada buys into rockies as Marathon looks to get out.
June 14, 2004... Merger and acquisition activity targeting unconventional natural gas resources in the US Rockies shows no sign of abating, with Petro-Canada announcing its entry into the region and Marathon Oil offering up coalbed methane assets for sale. ...

Cove Point expansion.(Late news ...)
June 14, 2004... Cove Point expansion. Statoil has entered agreement with Dominion for access to liquefied natural gas (LNG) capacity in US market. Subject to approval by US regulators, deal expands Cove Point LNG terminal in Maryland. Deal gives Statoil access...

Bribery alleged.(Late news ...)
June 14, 2004... Bribery alleged. Security Exchange Commission is investigating French charges Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) paid $180 million in bribes to land Nigerian liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility during Vice President Dick...

New Sempra head.(Late news ...)
June 14, 2004... New Sempra head. Donald E. Felsinger has been elected president and chief operating officer of Sempra Energy. Also, Neal E. Schmale has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer. Stephen L. Baum will remain chairman and...

Pipeline acquired.(Late news ...)
June 14, 2004... Pipeline acquired. Atlas Pipeline Partners has acquired Spectrum Field Services and 1,900 miles of natural gas pipelines and natural gas processing facility in Velma, Oklahoma, for $140 million. Deal expected to close in July.

Price hike.(Late news ...)
June 14, 2004... Price hike. Quality Tubing, subsidiary of Varco International, has boosted price of coiled tubing by 9.1% because of world steel prices. New prices go into effect Jul. 1. Orders made before date will be at current prices.

Entergy-Koch sale continues trend of new merchant roles.
June 14, 2004... Entergy and Koch Industries announced last Tuesday the possible sale of their US and UK energy trading operation as part of an effort to "enhance the value of their joint venture." "In our opinion, the partnership may be looking to add a...

Intrastate weekly spot prices.
June 14, 2004... INTRASTATE WEEKLY SPOT PRICES Avg. Avg. Jun. Price Daily Daily Bid Point $/MMBtu Chg. High Low Vol. Deals Week ...

Calpine may sell proved gas reserves.
June 14, 2004... Calpine announced Thursday it is evaluating the potential sale of certain natural gas reserves in the US and in Alberta, Canada, to further improve liquidity and manage debt. In the company's 2003 annual report, Calpine said it owned over...

Prices and differentials for major hubs and selected city gates.
June 14, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] June 14, 2004 US$/MMBtu, Volume-Weighted SELECTED DAILY DIFFERENTIALS Differential 6/7 6/8 6/9 6/10 6/11 HH-NY +0.51 +0.66 +0.52 +0.34 +0.34 HH-Chicago -0.08 -0.09...

From Maine to Louisiana more LNG projects planned for US.
June 14, 2004... More energy companies are positioning themselves to site liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals at various points in the US. One such company, The Woodlands, Texas-based Excelerate, is looking to bring LNG into the demand-heavy New England...

BP to focus on core areas.
June 14, 2004... BP last week reaffirmed its policy of focusing on a small cadre of new profit centers, while accepting that its existing areas are either flat or in decline. In a presentation at a CSFB oil and gas conference in London, Ellis Armstrong, a...

House LNG bill would give FERC final say on terminal sites.
June 14, 2004... Despite the floundering of the current energy bill, House Republicans continue to take steps to address the higher cost of natural gas. The latest move, introduced by Rep. Lee Terry (R-Nebraska) last month, is an effort to solidify federal...

Coalbed methane may spread west nile.
June 14, 2004... Wyoming health officials are saying that coalbed methane production may be helping America's hunger for energy sources, but it apparently is helping spread West Nile virus through states besieged by drought for the past several years. The...

Independents pounce as majors loosen grip on some US assets.
June 14, 2004... A wave of transactions announced in May marks a significant transfer of mature US upstream assets from majors to independents, belatedly validating long-standing predictions that the majors would move to trim their North American holdings. ...

Natural gas futures.
June 14, 2004... NATURAL GAS FUTURES Trading Dates: June 7 - June 10, 2004 NEW YORK MERCANTILE EXCHANGE (NYMEX) (HENRY HUB) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Last Volume Last Volume Last Volume...

EIA: higher US gas production won't quell rise in prices.
June 14, 2004... Bucking the view of many analysts, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) is calling for US gas production to rise this year, though the increased supply won't necessarily translate into lower prices. In its June short-term outlook...

Pipeline capacity utilization.
June 14, 2004... PIPELINE CAPACITY UTILIZATION Pipeline Point Name Capacity May-04 Apr-04 Colorado Cheyenne 590,000 61% 52% Interstate Gas Columbia Gas Leach ...

Census Bureau finds gas heat is preferred fuel for new homes.
June 14, 2004... Despite continued rising prices, more new homes in the US are being heated with natural gas. The clean-burning fuel was the preferred source of home heating for seven out of every 10 single-family homes built in 2003, along with a majority...

North American weekly gas storage.
June 14, 2004... NORTH AMERICAN WEEKLY GAS STORAGE (Billion Cubic Feet) Jun. 4 May 28 Weekly Year Yr. Ago 5-year Region Week Week Change Ago Change Average US East 839 ...

Gas industry limits loose methane emissions.(E & P Update)
June 14, 2004... It's a success story few people outside the energy industry have heard about. It's a good bet most people in the industry haven't heard the news: Methane emissions related to the energy industry are now below 1990 levels. That was the news...

Transmission could be summer stumbling block.(CURRENT)
June 14, 2004... Inadequate power supplies bore the brunt of blame for California blackouts in the 2000-01 energy crisis; now scant transmission capacity could generate a repeat of blackouts this summer and beyond. In the near-term, the potential for...

States set deregulation course again.(CURRENT)
June 14, 2004... Electricity restructuring has maintained resilience against federal and state jurisdictional battles, the lack of competitive energy providers, and even the lack of consumer's willingness to leave incumbent utilities. In the late 1990s,...

California and FERC near deal on power grid board dispute.(CURRENT)
June 14, 2004... A long running dispute between California and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) over who appoints members of the state's power grid operator could be headed for a settlement, according to court documents filed last week. In...

CPUC approves Calpine contract.(CURRENT)
June 14, 2004... The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved a tolling agreement between Calpine and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) that provides for the delivery of up to 600 MW of capacity for 10 years, starting in 2008. The electricity...

Calpine's Riverside plant starts up.(CURRENT)
June 14, 2004... Calpine's 600-MW Riverside Energy Center in Beloit, Wisconsin, is now in commercial operation. The dual fuel combined-cycle power plant began delivery of 453 MW of contracted capacity to Alliant Energy on Jun. 1 and will deliver up to 75 MW of...

Con Edison spends on system upgrades.(CURRENT)
June 14, 2004... Consolidated Edison is spending $700 million this year to upgrade its electric distribution network and replace equipment destroyed during the Sep. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the New York-based company said last week. Con Edison said the...

Spot electricity trading.(CURRENT)
June 14, 2004... SPOT ELECTRICITY TRADING Trading Dates: June 7-June 11, 2004 NEW YORK MERCANTILE EXCHANGE (NYMEX) (HENRY HUB) Avg. Price Avg. Price This Last Year Month POINT ...

Comparative fuel prices.(CURRENT)
June 14, 2004... COMPARATIVE FUEL PRICES (Cash Market) June 14, 2004 APPALACHIA Appalachian Pool Ohio/Big Sandy River Coal Dlvd (Util) $49.50/ton $6.50/MMBtu $2.06/MMBtu EAST COAST New...

Cheyenne files application with FERC for new compressor station.(Regional Market Roundup)
June 14, 2004... Cheyenne Plains Gas Pipeline has filed papers with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for permission to build a $7.8 million mainline compression facility at the Cheyenne Hub in Weld County, Colorado. In making their application,...

Baker hughes rig count.(Regional Market Roundup)
June 14, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BAKER HUGHES RIG COUNT Week Ended Jun. 11 Rotary Rigs Current Previous Year Week Week Ago Total US 1,187 1,168...

Gas price trends.(Regional Market Roundup)
June 14, 2004... GAS PRICE TRENDS ($/MMBtu) ROCKY NEW CALIFORNIA MTNS MEXICO South North Jun 14, 2004 Inter (well) - - 4.82 4.92 Intra...

Near-frontier rockies ventures reap rewards for Canadian majors.(Canadian Markets)
June 14, 2004... A group of major, Canadian integrated and super-independent producers who quietly initiated a migration toward the near-frontier regions in the Rocky Mountain Foothills along the Alberta-British Columbia border and northeastern British Columbia...

Enbridge files pipeline application.(Canadian Markets)
June 14, 2004... The state of Alaska has accepted an application from Canadian pipeline company Enbridge, which is seeking a stake in the proposed natural gas pipeline from Alaska's North Slope to the Yukon border. Enbridge represents the fifth entity trying to...

Canadian Superior moves against suits.(Canadian Markets)
June 14, 2004... In a move it said was needed to "aggressively deal with" as many as 13 lawsuits threatened against it, Canadian Superior Energy of Calgary, has retained the services of law firms in New York and Calgary. The company said legal challenges...

Canadian price report.(Canadian Markets)
June 14, 2004... CANADIAN PRICE REPORT ($U.S. per MMBtu/$Can per Gigajoule) BRITISH COLUMBIA Huntingdon/ Kingsgate/ Total Sumas ...

US LNG price should hike Asian-Pacific market.(World Perspective)
June 14, 2004... This interview with Peter de Wit, head of Shell Asia Gas and Power, first appeared in NGW's sister publication World Gas Intelligence. WGI: How might the US West Coast market affect LNG trade in Asia? Is LNG trade now sufficiently...

NGSA: rising demand, flat supply point to bullish summer.
June 14, 2004... An expanding economy, flat supplies and expectations for hotter weather should keep upward pressure on natural gas prices this summer, the Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA) said last week. NGSA's second annual summer outlook makes no...

Gas price report.
June 14, 2004... GAS PRICE REPORT ($/MMBtu-Spot) June 14, 2004 Interstate Intrastate Delivered Delivered Wellhead Wellhead To To Utility ...

Natural gas weekly spot prices.
June 21, 2004... NATURAL GAS WEEKLY SPOT PRICES Flow Dates: 6/15-6/21 Avg. Avg. Jun. Price Daily Daily Bid Point $/MMBtu Chg....

FERC OKs Freeport LNG terminal; wades into Ocean Express flap.
June 21, 2004... Federal regulators late last week approved a new Gulf Coast liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, the first since the December 2002 revamping of their LNG regulatory policies that first allowed proprietary terminals. The Federal Energy...

Symbiosis blossoms between Rockies producers, pipelines.
June 21, 2004... Gas producers in the US Rockies are collaborating more closely with gatherers and pipeline companies than has traditionally been the case in longer-established producing regions. In part this reflects the unconventional nature of the...

Gas prices surge on nuclear outages, rising cooling loads.
June 21, 2004... After trailing in the shadow of crude through the spring, natural gas markets are starting to flex some independent muscle with peak summer cooling loads fast approaching. Cash and futures prices surged last week on warming weather, ill-timed...

Atmos pays $1.9 billion for TXU, creating nation's largest LDC.
June 21, 2004... Two of Texas' oldest natural gas distribution companies are combining to form the largest local distribution company (LDC) not only in the state but in the country. Atmos Energy essentially will double its size with the acquisition of TXU...

Fields producing.(Late News)
June 21, 2004... Fields producing. Dallas-based Pioneer Natural Resources has begun production from its Tomahawk and Raptor fields in Gulf of Mexico, part of its broader Falcon Corridor development. Production from all four fields that make up the development...

Halliburton shakeup.(Late News)
June 21, 2004... Halliburton shakeup. Halliburton has named Cedric Burgher as vice president, treasurer, Paul Koeller as vice president, investor relations. Company has also cut ties with two consultants, including A. Jack Stanley, former chairman of...

Unit sold.(Late News)
June 21, 2004... Unit sold. TXU Corp. is selling consulting, asset management unit, Oncor Utility Solutions, to UMS Group. Terms of deal were not released. TXU said move allows it to focus on core businesses.