noLNG

Natural Gas Glut Overwhelms Speculators, Defies Rally (Update2)

Nov. 30 (Bloomberg) -- When Qatar’s biggest natural gas shipment to the U.S. arrived this month, it signaled to Barclays Capital Inc. and PFC Energy that this year’s worst performing commodity investment won’t recover in 2010.

Murwab, a Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker, carried the first shipment to the U.S. from the Persian Gulf nation since June 2008. Its cargo, enough to heat about 9 million homes for a day, added to the largest gas inventories for this time of year since at least 1994, Energy Department data show.

Full story: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aiUK2YSomg7s&pos=14

Fisheries service outlines LNG flaws

Agency cites more than 150 gaps in information needed to do final review of Bradwood project

By CASSANDRA PROFITA
The Daily Astorian

The National Marine Fisheries Service has outlined more than 150 gaps in the information it needs to do one of the final reviews of the Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas project.

In a 35-page letter to energy regulators at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which conditionally approved a license for the Bradwood project last year, NMFS said some of the data the agency requested more than two years ago still hasn't been delivered, and key questions remain unanswered.
Full story: http://www.dailyastorian.info/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398&ArticleID=65936

See no evil (Editorial)

Roberts claims ignorance of push polling while her owners pay the bill
"It's deja vu all over again," said Yogi Berra. And  that's what we have in the Patricia Roberts recall election. As Joe Gamm reported Friday, Clatsop County District 3 voters received calls from "pollsters" last week. 

But the "pollsters" were not seeking information. They were spreading misinformation as part of an intentionally damaging campaign ploy, asserting that Roberts' opponents were "anarchists." In other words, it was a push poll. And if that sounds familiar, it's what went down several weeks ago in the Ann Samuelson recall election.

 There is no denying that the push polling is under way. But Commissioner Patricia Roberts claims to know nothing about who is doing it. Given what we know about the funding of Ann Samuelson's expensive recall campaign, Roberts is probably telling the truth. The push polling is likely being run by Pac/West of Portland, a political consulting firm that offers "polling" on its menu of capabilities.

Pac/West's involvement in the Samuelson recall election was described in Editor's Notebook last Friday. By funneling money from a so-called 527 organization into Roberts' defense, Pac/West gives Roberts what the spin doctors call "deniability." She can claim that she knows nothing about this dirty trick that's being executed in her behalf.

This push polling is a measure of two things. It tells us how much Texans (meaning Northern StarLLC) will do to save its reliable LNG puppet on the Clatsop County Commission. And that tells us the extent to which Roberts is bought and paid for with LNG money.

For the Texans behind NorthernStar LLC, this is all about money. Big money. It's not about Clatsop County's prosperity. It certainly isn't about Columbia River salmon runs. It is about the return NorthernStar will make on their investment when they flip the LNG terminal after it is built.

The long-term message to Clatsop County voters is: Don't be naive. Anyone who doubts these Texans intend to control our county politics absolutely - by buying our commissioners - isn't paying attention.

Thank you to the Editorial staff of The Daily Astorian for getting out the message of the poison and divisive

tactics by NorthernStar LNG and their henchmen. (blogger)

Columbia River salmon judge presses for resolution

Monday, November 23, 2009 1:18 PM PST

By Tim Fought
The Associated Press

PORTLAND — A federal judge in Portland says he wants an end soon to 15 years of litigation over imperiled salmon and dams in the Columbia River system.

Judge James Redden told lawyers Monday during a hearing expected to last much of the day that “with a little work” a plan is in sight that he could approve.

He said the question is whether the government’s river and dam management plan can set aside more water for fish recovery without breaching dams.

Redden spoke approvingly of the Obama administration’s recent additions to the 2008 plan. A key player in those additions, Oregonian Jane Lubchenco, was in the courtroom as an observer in her role as leader of the federal agency in charge of marine fisheries.

Editor's Notebook:

Samuelson's cost-per-vote spending was very high for a county our size
The 527 organizations are active in presidential and Senate campaigns, but very seldom in county elections

By STEVE FORRESTER The Daily Astorian

The most egregious lie in the Ann Samuelson recall election was the allegation that Samuelson's detractors were brought in from outside Clatsop County. On the contrary, analysis of spending in the race indicates that the anti-Samuelson money was local while a healthy share of the pro-Samuelson money came from outside Clatsop County.

Full story: http://www.dailyastorian.info/main.asp?SectionID=23&SubSectionID=783&ArticleID=65849

LNG exports seen as doubtful cure to U.S. natgas glut

By Joseph Silha - Analysis

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States could be on the road to a long-term oversupply of natural gas, but major exports in the form of super-cooled liquefied gas -- commonplace in the Middle East -- do not appear to be a cure.

Growth in U.S. gas supplies is likely to outstrip demand for most of the next decade, primarily because of the boom in shale production, pressuring prices

Full story: http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersComService_3_MOLT/idUSTRE5AI4UD20091119

Oregon LNG clears two hurdles

Court sides with company in Port suit; governor denies request for investigation

By CASSANDRA PROFITA
The Daily Astorian

Liquefied natural gas developer Oregon LNG advanced on two fronts this week in its battle to secure the 92-acre lease on Warrenton's Skipanon Peninsula.

On Tuesday, a federal magistrate sided with the company in its lawsuit against the Port of Astoria. On Wednesday, the governor's office announced that it would not investigate accusations of wrongdoing in the company's 2004 lease deal.
Full story:  http://www.dailyastorian.info/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=395&ArticleID=65780

BG can divert LNG from US in gas glut

Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:55pm GMT

By Daniel Fineren

LONDON (Reuters) - Equatorial Guinea is now happy for BG Group, the sole buyer of its liquefied natural gas, to sell the fuel where it can after target market the United States lost its appetite, its deputy energy minister said on Wednesday.

BG Group irked the government earlier this year by selling some shipments of the super-cooled gas to Asia after saying it planned to send most of it to the United States.

Full story: http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE5AH0QA20091118

U.S. magistrate rules Port violated sublease

Port to challenge ruling

By CASSANDRA PROFITA
The Daily Astorian

U.S. Magistrate Judge John Jelderks has ruled in favor of Oregon LNG in the company's lawsuit against the Port of Astoria.

According to findings filed Tuesday, Jelderks agreed the Port has violated its sublease with the company in failing to renew the underlying state land lease on Warrenton's Skipanon Peninsula.

If the ruling stands, the Port could be required to renew its controversial state land lease for a 30-year term.
Full story: http://www.dailyastorian.info/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=65764&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398

Protecting the River

The LNG Debate, 

P r o t e c t i n g  t h e  r i v e r

A coalition of tribes, citizens, interest groups, and states are working to protect the

Columbia River estuary from the potential threat posed by a proposed liquefied

natural gas terminal near Bradwood, Oregon.

Full story on pages 10 thru 12: http://www.critfc.org/text/wana_w09.pdf