Long-awaited Natural-Gas report holds no surprises.

WASHINGTON. DC -- Conservation, demand flexibility, supply diversity, and infrastructure reliability were key policy recommendations of the National Petroleum Council's (NPC) 2003 Natural Gas Study, released September 25 amidst a flurry of statements from natural-gas interests. The study contains few surprises, but a new emphasis on renewables and conservation is notable in this and other recent studies.

Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham asked the council in March 2002 to advise him on what industry and the government could do to guarantee "adequate and reliable supplies" of natural gas into the 21st century. The NPC is a federal advisory committee to the Secretary of Energy.

Traditional North American producing areas will provide about 75% of long-term U.S. natural gas needs, the NPC concluded in its …