A few of the energy related stories in the Houston Chronicle or on chron.com today and over the weekend : • Weak dollar has had strong grip on oil: The dollar goes down and oil goes up as interest rate cuts send investors to commodities. But last week, both switched directions slightly. • Homebuyers take [...]  More »

A few of the energy related stories in the Houston Chronicle or on chron.com : • Higher electric bills are on the way: A once-rosy outlook for Texas electricity customers has turned thorny as electric rates follow a surge in the price of natural gas, the fuel used by nearly half the state’s generators. • [...]  More »

A few of the energy related stories in the Houston Chronicle or on chron.com : • Drivers have had fill with premium gasoline: Luxury vehicle owners trying to use less or switch to cheaper grades. The price of premium-grade gasoline has been rising faster than you can say Mercedes-Benz. • KBR questioned over fatal accidents [...]  More »

Companies bid more than $3.7 billion for the right to drill for oil and gas in Eastern and Central parts of the Gulf of Mexico, topping the record $2.9 billion raised in a sale in October, according to the Minerals Management Service. BP’s Thunder Horse platform. This lease sale is another milestone in that it’s [...]  More »

We only mentioned this in passing in the print edition earlier this week, so it’s worth repeating via blog… Energy Transfer Partners, the Dallas-based firm the CFTC and FERC accused of trying to manipulate natural gas prices through the Houston Ship Channel has settled the claims for $10 million. Essentially Energy Transfer was accused of [...]  More »

A few of the energy related stories in the Houston Chronicle or on chron.com : • Mexico grapples with oil’s direction: The battle lines over the future of Mexico’s oil industry hardened Tuesday — the 70th anniversary of its nationalization. • Crude prices forcing airlines to scale back: Cost-cutting in the airline industry took center [...]  More »

“I cannot tell you how long this road shall be, but fear not the obstacles in your path, for fate has vouchsafed your reward.” Many assumed oil prices would have made a correction by now. Even legendary oil trader T. Boone Pickens said on CNBC last month that he was shorting oil. It was reported [...]  More »

A few of the energy related stories in the Houston Chronicle or on chron.com : • A big bonus in Bear buyout: One of the biggest prizes in JPMorgan Chase’s bargain-basement buyout of Bear Stearns has a Houston address. • Appeals court opens door for possible Enron broadband retrial: Three former Enron broadband unit executives [...]  More »

A few of the energy related stories in the Houston Chronicle or on chron.com : • Hofmeister handing over reins of Shell Oil Co.: John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Co., the U.S. arm of The Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Shell, is stepping down in accordance with a company policy of retirement of top executives at [...]  More »

Tilford Vik, Houston-area a retiree who has complained often to the PUC about electric bills.(Chronicle/Steve Campbell) The total number of consumer complaints about electric service in Texas dropped 7 percent in 2007 from a year earlier but the percentage of complaints that were confirmed violations of state rules was up, according to data compiled by [...]  More »

A few of the energy related stories in the Houston Chronicle or on chron.com : • Continental seeking cheaper fuel alternatives: Prices have gone sky high About this time next year, Continental Airlines could be using alternative fuel to offset the heavy toll it’s paying to fill its tanks. At least in one plane. • [...]  More »

Security guards at the South Texas Project nuclear power plant near Bay City will vote today on whether to change unions or go without representation. A security checkpoint at the South Texas Project (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan). The security force, which is employed by Wackenhut, has been represented by Security, Police, Fire Professionals of America in [...]  More »