Infrastructure of the Westcoast Transmission System, which delivers natural gas to the U.S. Pacific Northwest, is seen in a ranch meadow near Loon Lake, B.C., earlier this fall. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said recently there is an improved likelihood that the global natural gas supply will meet demand this winter.  |  Reuters/ Chris Helgren photo

Energy prices moderate for now, but future is uncertain

Natural gas prices look like they might be moderate this winter, a trend that should help keep nitrogen fertilizer prices more reasonable than they were last winter. Also, crude oil prices last week fell to the lowest levels since the summer on the expectation that demand will be soft in the coming months. More on […] Read more

Crude oil demand was running at a record high this summer, at about 103 million barrels per day, up a little more than three million over last year’s average level.  |  File photo

Oil prices expected to be higher in second half of the year

Most analysts expect stronger crude oil prices in the second half of this year but have mostly abandoned ideas that crude could reach US$100 per barrel by year end. Currently, crude prices are bouncing around, but North American diesel prices in recent weeks have risen sharply because of problems at American refineries. Global oil demand […] Read more