Energy prices generally closed marginally lower Dec. 27 after recouping much of their morning losses on reports a special session of the US House of Representatives will be called Dec. 30 in a last-minute attempt to pass a fiscal budget and forestall automatic tax hikes and spending cuts that otherwise will take effect Jan. 1.

The US drilling rig count decreased by another 11 units during the week ended Dec. 28, with the total number of rotary rigs reaching 1,763, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

The regulatory activism for which Lisa P. Jackson long will be remembered hit full stride in her first year as administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Oil has started to flow through pipelines linking fields held by Beach Energy and its partners to the Moomba processing facility in South Australia.

Chevron Australia has made two more significant gas discoveries offshore Western Australia.