Here is a CNN video in which Ditlev Engel, CEO of Vestas (world’s leading supplier of wind power) presents a convincing case on how the use of wind power is going to grow at the expense of fossil fuels. Carbon emission regulations will give wind power a significant boost.

Researchers have argued for a long time about some natural gas being generated in the mantle without any organic material being present. Experimental studies now show that natural gas can be produced at mantle temperature/pressure conditions without organics.

The 11th annual Unconventional Gas Conference will be begin on Wednesday November 18th at the Telus Convention Center in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. More details from the Canadian Society for Unconventional Gas.

All of the recent gas shale activity has been responsible for much of the 35% increase in natural gas reserves reported by the Potential Gas Committee. An article in the New York Times provides details on where these new reserves came from and how they might impact prices, uses and markets.

Here is a video that shows a day on the job with Omar, a field engineer trainee at Schlumberger. He takes you out to a hydraulic fracturing job where they fracture a deep formation and inject 150,000 pounds of bauxite proppant into the well.

An article in the Oil and Gas Journal reports that Cabot Oil and Gas Corporation is producing 39 MMcfd of gas from seven horizontal and 20 vertical wells drilled into the Marcellus Shale of northeastern Pennsylvania.

An article in Buffalo Business First says that the economic impact of just 300 Marcellus Shale gas wells is well over $1 billion and will yield $32 million in state tax revenue.

In 1969 an underground nuclear blast was tested as a well stimulation method at a Colorado site known as “Project Rulison”. Today drilling is not allowed near the site but some want access to the gas. Is it contaminated? More at Forbes.com.

An article at the New York Times website reports that Exxon Mobil is investing $600 million in a venture intended to produce renewable energy from algae. More at the New York Times.

Last month a bill was introduced in the House that calls for Federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing. Colorado Governor, Bill Ritter believes that the bill is uninformed and that comprehensive studies should be done before regulations are established. More at the Oil and Gas Journal.

The State of New York issued three permits to Gastem, Inc., to drill vertical wells into the Utica Shale. More information at the Energy Business Review.

Should horizontal wells change the methods for how royalties on natural gas production should be allocated? They can now drain gas directly from properties over a mile away. Article at CNBC.com.

Senate Bill 1408 and House Bill 1835 are new bills introduced to encourage the use of natural gas in vehicles. T. Boone Pickens comments in this video.

Colorado Governor, Bill Ritter, says that natural gas is a “vital part of the New Energy Economy”. He also comments on several issues related to natural gas such as tax credits for gas vehicles, regulation of hydraulic fracturing and the potential future of the fuel. More at BizJounrals.com.

Could a shortage of skilled welders or other types of workers hamper the development of oil and gas projects in the United States? These welders must produce flawless welds – sometimes under difficult field conditions. More at the New York Times.