Natural gas

31 March 2008 -- Japan's jobless rate has risen for the first time in five months, and Chevron Corporation has discovered large offshore natural gas deposits in Vietnam. Naomi Martig in Hong Kong has more on these and other business stories from the region.

Japan's unemployment rate has risen for the first time in five months, partly because exports to the United States fell. Japanese officials say the jobless rate rose to 3.9 percent in February, up from the 3.8 percent recorded the previous month.

Analysts say the increase is not worrisome, but that it does indicate that companies are concerned about hiring workers as they deal with rising costs and slower U.S. consumer spending.    » read more »

Legislature to Convene in Juneau on June 3

March 28, 2008, Juneau, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today announced that AGIA findings will be presented to lawmakers the week of May 19. She also called the Legislature into a 30-day special session on June 3. The Executive Proclamation calls for legislators to review “any action taken by the commissioner of natural resources and the commissioner of revenue” under AGIA.    » read more »

March 18, 2008, Juneau, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today applauded the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission’s announcement that C. Michael “Mike” Smith has been selected as executive director. Smith will be responsible for providing advocacy, coordination, education and strategy to the IOGCC’s 30 member and eight associate states on key domestic energy issues.    » read more »

March 13, 2008 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today joined the members of her Long Island Sound Liquefied Natural Gas Task Force to publicly release their report condemning the proposed Broadwater project, which would place an enormous floating industrial platform in the New York waters of the Sound.    » read more »

March 12, 2008 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Task Force she created to monitor and evaluate the proposed Broadwater liquefied natural gas (LNG) platform in the Long Island Sound has given her its final report, which finds federal regulators failed utterly to protect public interests or to consider viable alternatives to the project.    » read more »

Agreement will not impact residential ratepayers

Mar 11, 2008 -- LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe announced today that he is contacting legislators to determine support for an agreed increase of the severance tax on natural gas in Arkansas. The agreement will create an ongoing roads program for Arkansas without increasing natural-gas rates for residential Arkansas customers. Discussions ended yesterday when representatives of the natural-gas industry agreed to Governor Beebe's proposal.

Terms of the agreement include:    » read more »

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Pointing to the area's importance to the quality of life of residents in Sweetwater County and all of Wyoming, Gov. Dave Freudenthal expressed significant concerns about a proposal to drill two exploratory natural gas wells south of Rock Springs.

In comments on the scoping of Devon Energy’s Baxter Natural Gas Exploratory Proposal in the Little Mountain area south of Rock Springs, the Governor expressed concerns about the project’s impact on recreation, critical wildlife habitat, sensitive species, existing land management plans and air and water quality.    » read more »

February 11, 2008, Juneau, Alaska – Alaska Governor Palin’s gasline team has scheduled a series of 16 public town hall meetings around the state February 18-28 to update Alaskans on the efforts that are being taken to advance a gasline under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA). The meetings are to provide information and encourage Alaskans to make their voices heard by submitting written comments before the March 6 public comment deadline.    » read more »

On Sunday, February 3, millions of Americans will be watching Super Bowl XLII, to see if the New England Patriots or the New York Giants will be crowned champions of the most recent football season. However, two days before the “Big Game”, another event will take place that could have a larger impact on the daily lives of Americans. On February 1, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will meet to discuss whether any change in production targets is warranted. Their decision could impact the price of gasoline this spring.    » read more »

January 29, 2008 -- Chicago - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is urging the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) to reject a controversial proposal from two natural gas utility companies that would impose surcharges on customers for the delivery of gas they do not use. The gas companies’ proposal would guarantee that the utilities would earn extra profits especially when customers use less gas.    » read more »

Order Applies to Santa Fe County and the Galisteo Basin

January 24, 2008 -- SANTA FE - New Mexico Governor Richardson today issued an Executive Order imposing a sixmonth moratorium on new oil and gas drilling in Santa Fe County and the Galisteo Basin.

The moratorium will allow more time for government agencies to gather information and formulate public policy to protect water aquifers, archeological and cultural resources, and wildlife in this ecologically fragile area.    » read more »

January 26, 2008, Juneau, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today responded to claims made by ConocoPhillips regarding the State’s rejection of the company’s natural gas pipeline proposal, which was submitted outside the AGIA process.

“AGIA sets forth a vehicle that delivers North Slope gas to market with certification and construction benchmarks, expansion provisions, tariff terms, and other protections the state, and the nation, need. It is unfortunate that ConocoPhillips elected not to participate in this sensible competitive process as did other fine companies.”    » read more »

The Cost of Coming in from the Cold

It’s the middle of January, and the temperatures outside remain chilling. It’s the time of year when many people, especially in the Northeast, are relying on heating oil to keep the inside temperatures toasty. However, this year, using heating oil has been a costly proposition.    » read more »

‘We Will Fight This Reckless Decision Every Step Of The Way’

January 11, 2007 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today utterly rejected the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s environmental impact study of the proposed Broadwater liquefied natural gas facility, saying FERC’s conclusion that the project would have little effect on the Long Island Sound is ludicrous. “We will challenge this absurd and indefensible agency decision in court,” Governor Rell said.    » read more »

Oregon Governor Kulongoski tells Federal Energy Regulatory Commission he doesn’t support statewide exclusion of LNG terminals, but the Bradwood Landing Draft EIS doesn’t meet state standards

December 18, 2007 -- Salem – Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski today sent his comments - with input from Oregon ’s natural resource agencies - to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in response to the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the Bradwood Landing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import terminal and its associated pipeline.    » read more »