A European court ruled former Russian oil company Yukos’ shareholders are entitled to $50 billion because the Russian government illegally expropriated assets and orchestrated the firm’s demise. Collecting the money, however, will be no easy task. “It is the tribunal’s view that Yukos was the object of a series of politically-motivated attacks by the Russian… Keep reading →
Here’s an interesting look at the continuing trend of big banks unwinding their trading operations amid increased regulatory oversight and proprietary trading prohibitions. Many of the big players have left the space that’s increasingly being filled by new entrants like major trading houses. ‘“Today’s markets are ‘boring,’ said Thomas Thees, a former head of North… Keep reading →
US natural gas in storage could reach a symbolic low this week. Extreme cold throughout the country is sending heating demand soaring, which is sucking gas from storage at record levels. “Natural gas in underground storage hasn’t dropped below 1 tcf since 2003, but the latest EIA report showed inventories on February 14th at 1.4 tcf and… Keep reading →
The recent memoranda of understanding (“MOUs”) entered between the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (”CFTC”) made significant progress towards alleviating the long-time tension between the two agencies. On January 2, 2014, the FERC and the CFTC signed two MOUs on jurisdiction (“Jurisdiction MOU”) and information sharing (“Information Sharing MOU”)… Keep reading →
Many Americans lack knowledge on key energy issues, which could be problematic when they vote later this year for congressional representatives who will shape the country’s energy policies. “What is the solution to this ongoing problem of voters not having sufficient energy knowledge? It is information. Women and men need to understand both sides of the… Keep reading →
GE CEO Jeff Immelt said the company is researching technology that could use carbon dioxide instead of water for hydraulic fracturing operations. GE is reportedly putting an additional $10 billion through 2020 into its “ecoimagination” budget, which focuses on energy solutions including high efficiency natural gas turbines, “CNG In a Box,” wind turbine manufacture and… Keep reading →
High vapor pressures can increase the flammability of crude oil and Bakken grades were determined to have higher pressures than several other common international grades refined in the US, which raises rail transport safety questions. “Given the recent derailments and subsequent reaction of the Bakken crude in those incidents, not enough is known about this… Keep reading →
The secondary laws needed to enact Mexico’s historic constitutional changes that break state oil company Pemex’ 75-year monopoly on oil & gas development will reportedly be released mid-March. Additional laws covering royalties and taxes, however, will not be finalized until September. [Reuters] The Nymex natural gas futures contract for March delivery closed at $6.149 per… Keep reading →
A group of Stanford University researchers published the results of a methane leakage study on February 14 in Science that found volumes of the potent greenhouse gas released from US oil & natural gas development and infrastructure exceeds EPA estimates. “According to the new research, all told, the U.S. leaks about 14 million metric tons… Keep reading →
Although yesterday’s EIA Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report recorded a smaller draw than analysts expected – 262 Bcf declined from storage, but expectations were around 271 Bcf – and the March NYMEX gas futures contract decreased in price as a result, storage remains historically low and the need to replenish it during injection season could… Keep reading →
