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      HOME  | GAS NEWS  | EVENTS  | JOBS  | BUSINESS CENTERS  | DIRECTORIES  | DATA CENTER    MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2001  	


 	   THIS ISSUE BROUGHT TO YOU BY       Competitive Intelligence now available. Identify potential suitors, those who threaten your position across the value chain or those who demonstrate best practices with Company Profile Reports from Datamonitor. These reports are the definitive intelligence resource on 106 top companies in the energy industry. Reports include: specific business background, history, locations and subsidiaries, products, services and key employees. View the list of Datamonitor's Company Profiles. http://www.energycentral.com/sections/research/default.cfm?cpane=23003&rpublisher=11408&rtype=all         TOP STORIES     More downside seen ahead for U.S. gas prices  By Joseph Silha, NEW YORK, Nov. 16 (Reuters) U.S. natural gas prices extended a steep, year-long downhill dive this week, hit hard by sagging demand and bulging supplies that not even the approach of winter is likely to halt, industry analysts say.     FERC meets on LNG plant restart security  WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (Reuters) - Federal energy market regulators met on Friday with state and local officials to discuss national security concerns connected with restarting a liquefied natural gas plant near the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant in southern Maryland.     Indigent Gas Fund Plan in Georgia Faces Money Woes  By Matthew C. Quinn, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Nov. 16 Gov. Roy Barnes' proposal to erect a safety net for tens of thousands of consumers who can't pay their natural gas bills landed at the Public Service Commission Thursday like a pricey restaurant check.     Missouri Gas Energy Sues over New State Rules on Customer Reconnection  By Steve Everly, The Kansas City Star, Mo., Nov. 17 Missouri Gas Energy has sued to stop state regulators from relaxing rules that allow consumers who haven't paid their gas bill to be reconnected.      Energy Security      Terror fears could force U.S. gas offshore-experts  LONDON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Fears that terrorists could use gas tankers as floating missiles against U.S. cities, just as they did with airliners on September 11, could force the United States to move its gas import terminals offshore.      Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures      Trade, bank buyers circle Enron's Wessex Water-reports  LONDON, Nov 17 (Reuters) Both financial and trade buyers are considering bids for Wessex Water, the UK utility owned by crisis-hit U.S. energy group Enron, weekend press reports said.      E.ON gets German govt backing on taking majority interest in Ruhrgas - report   FRANKFURT, Nov 16, 2001 (AFX-Europe via COMTEX) -- E.ON AG can count on extensive German government support for its aim to acquire the majority shareholding in Ruhrgas AG, Berliner Zeitung newspaper said, citing sources.          ADVERTISEMENT    Gain the competitive intelligence you need to make informed business decisions. Energy Central's Operating Plant Experience Code (OPEC) is a must for all aspects of analyzing nuclear power plant performance. Identify causes of poor performance, compare lost generation trends, and set performance criteria! Free trial - visit http://www.energycentral.com/sections/databases/OPEC          Gas Pricing/Hubs      U.S. spot gas prices dive 15 pct, pressured by temps  SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 16 (Reuters) U.S. spot natural gas prices were pummeled again Friday as a lack of strong and sustainable heating demand in many parts of the nation sent weekend quotes skidding, market sources said.      Canadian spot natgas plummets again on warm weather  NEW YORK, Nov 16 (Reuters) Spot natural gas prices in Canada plummeted Friday, dropping for the seventh day in a row on continued warm weather, limited demand, and packed storage, industry sources said.      NYMEX Hub gas ends up on pre-weekend short covering  NEW YORK, Nov 16 (Reuters) NYMEX Hub gas mostly ended higher Friday despite a sinking cash and mild weekend forecasts, lifted by some short covering ahead of the weekend, industry sources said.      Natural Gas Cash Crashes on Low Demand, Oversupply of Gas  Nov. 16 (Btu's Daily Gas Wire) The natural gas spot market plunged by 30 to 40 cents throughout much of the country as rather low weekend demand, combined with mild weather throughout much of the U.S. and Canada and ample gas supplies sent weekend deals spiraling lower, said traders. Special Offer from this Publisher!       Drilling/Exploration      Supreme Court Deals Setback to Energy-Drilling Plan in Montana  By Bill McAllister, The Denver Post, Nov. 15 The U.S. Supreme Court dealt the Bush administration a setback in its plan to open more public lands in the Rocky Mountain West to oil and gas exploration.      Futures      Natural gas weaker as long liquidation continues to weigh; weak fundamentals   Nov 16, 2001 (TradeSignals via COMTEX) -- Natural gas futures extended downside negativity in Thursday's session as long liquidation continues to weigh on trade.      Nymex Natural Gas Review: Lifted by Technical Bounce  Nov 16, 2001 - FWN Financial News Natural gas futures finished higher today, getting a lift on a technical bounce and perhaps also continuing to react some to activity taking place in the petroleum energy futures, sources said.      LNG      For National Security Reasons, FERC Considers Revising Cove Point LNG LP's Authority Regarding LNG Operations  Nov. 19 (Btu Watch) Earlier this year, Cove Point LNG Limited Partnership (Cove Point) requested permission to provide LNG tanker services on a firm and interruptible basis and under proposed new Rate Schedules LTD-1 and LTD-2 to BP Energy Company, Shell NA LNG, Inc., and El Paso Merchant Energy, L.P. Special Offer from this Publisher!       Pipelines      Energy firms re-group on Alaska natgas pipeline  WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Major gas transmission companies have agreed to reconstitute a partnership to carry natural gas from Alaska to markets in Canada and the lower 48 U.S. states, Alaskan Sen. Frank Murkowski announced on Thursday.      NEW AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE SET TO DELIVER GAS IN LATE 2003   PERTH, Nov 16, 2001 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) -- Origin Energy managing director Grant King said today that Australia's SEA gas pipeline between Victoria and Adelaide was on time and on budget, and would deliver gas in late 2003.      EU study of Caspian area oil, gas pipelines compares routes, costs  Nov 17 - Oil & Gas Journal Under auspices of the European Union, two studies of pipeline transportation out of Caspian Sea producing areas have concluded that such systems are technically, economically, and environmentally feasible but depend critically on route selection.      Comprehensive Rules Unlikely for Rural Pipelines  Nov 18, 2001 - Cox News Service Dennis Holubec raises cotton and cows on 3,500 acres in the West Texas oil patch. Drought and low commodity prices have forced him to shave costs, so he's been installing underground pipes and hoses that deliver irrigation water to the roots of cotton plants, eliminating evaporation losses from traditional sprinkling.      Rates    For more information on rate tariffs visit Gas Rate Tariffs   [IMAGE]    New Jersey Natural Gas Expects 12-Percent Decrease in Rate for Customers  By David P. Willis, Asbury Park Press, N.J., Nov. 16 New Jersey Natural Gas Co. customers will see rates drop 12 percent by Jan. 1 as the company takes advantage of a drop in wholesale natural gas prices, a spokeswoman said yesterday.      Lexington Reduces Its Gas Rates Again; The Reduction Could Mean A $10 Saving In December's Bills.  Nov 15 - Greensboro News Record The City Council has lowered its natural gas rate, which will mean homeowners will be paying less to heat their houses this month.      Rigs      Baker Hughes-U.S. rig count down 17, Canada down 2  NEW YORK, Nov 16 (Reuters) The number of rigs searching for oil and gas in the United States fell by 17 to 993 during the week ending Nov. 16, according to oil services firm Baker Hughes.      General      Energy Price Drop of 6.3 Percent in October Affects Other Parts of Economy  By L.M. Sixel, Houston Chronicle, Nov. 17 Energy prices fell 6.3 percent during October, the biggest drop in 15 years, which pushed overall consumer prices down 0.3 of a percentage point, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.      Energy plug: The majors' shift to natural gas  Nov 15 - Monthly Energy Review Interest in natural gas has risen in recent years, stimulated by environmental concerns, price volatility, and deregulation of natural gas markets, and major U.S. energy companies have made it an increasingly important investment focus.      Lawmakers seek to close public utility records  Nov 15 - Florida Times Union When the Times-Union requested public records from the JEA this summer, it found an eye-opening story: Some homeowners had used millions of gallons of water to maintain their lawns while Jacksonville suffered from a drought.      Trading/Marketing      RWE's Trading unit to also trade energy in London   ESSEN, Germany, Nov 16, 2001 (AFX-UK via COMTEX) -- RWE AG said its Trading unit will trade energy in London in addition to oil, gas and coal.      Deals/Contracts      Natural Gas Contracts Are Beneficial To Companies: Pemex   MEXICO CITY, Nov 15, 2001 (Reforma/Corporate Mexico by Internet Securities, Inc. via COMTEX) -- Pemex Gas and Basic Petrochemicals Director Marcos Ramirez Silva said the company has no intention of canceling its contracts with industrial gas consumers to supply them with natural gas for three years at the fixed price of 4 dollars per million BTUs, reported Mexico City daily Reforma.      Legal      Energy Seller Plans to Buy Back Stock in Trading Operation Despite Lawsuits  By Steve Everly, The Kansas City Star, Mo., Nov. 16 UtiliCorp United Inc. is facing 10 lawsuits over its plans to reacquire all stock in Aquila Inc., but a top UtiliCorp executive said Thursday that the company was hearing little opposition and had no plans to change its offer.      Large pension funds weigh legal options over Enron  By Martha Slud, NEW YORK, Nov 16 (Reuters) Some big pension funds that invested in Enron Corp. said on Friday they are considering legal options in the wake of the energy giant's stock collapse and a regulatory probe of its dealings.      Wisconsin Agency's Counsel Comes Under Fire for Excluding Non-Lawyers  By Lee Hawkins Jr., Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nov. 16 State Senator Rod Moen and several business and consumer groups blasted the Public Service Commission's lawyer Monday for a legal opinion that non-lawyers should not be allowed to participate in rate cases and other formal agency proceedings.      People      Executive of Pittsburgh-Area Electricity Supplier Transfers Back to Virginia  By Frank Reeves, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Nov. 15 Dominion Resources Inc. said it planned to eliminate 19 -- or nearly a quarter -- of its senior managers by year's end and will transfer its top local manager back to its Richmond, Va., headquarters.      President of Western Resources Subsidiary in Kansas to Retire  The Wichita Eagle, Kan., Nov. 15 The president of KGE announced his retirement Wednesday, the same day that executives of Western Resources unveiled plans to merge KPL and KGE under a new name, Westar Energy.      Cal-PERS Will Block Old Enron Board from Joining New One  Nov. 18 (California Energy Markets) The California Public Employees Retirement System, which owns three million shares of the battered giant Enron, announced at the end of a closed-door meeting it will oppose the appointment of current Enron board members to the merged Enron-Dynegy company board. Special Offer from this Publisher!       Labor/Human Resources      Belgian Gas And Electricity Unions Accept Electrabel Offer  Nov 17, 2001 - FT World Media Abstracts via Comtex Belgian gas and electricity sector unions, respectively FEG and CGSLB, have accepted the terms of a protocol agreement on the status of employees at Electrabel.      Financial      Gazprom May Receive $200M Credit From Western Banks   Moscow, Russia, Nov 16, 2001 (RosBusinessConsulting via COMTEX) -- The Russian gas giant Gazprom has signed an agreement with a group of western banks about a long-term credit worth $200 million for five years.      Enron plans to sell off losing assets  Nov 16 - Tulsa World Enron Corp., the once-mighty energy trader, is dumping money-losing assets and focusing on its core wholesale power marketing business as it moves toward a merger with rival Dynegy Inc.      Financial - Results      The Times: Bg Given A Lift by High UK Gas Price  Nov 16, 2001 - FT World Media Abstracts via Comtex BG increased its operating profits for the third quarter by 20% to GBP202m, due primarily to a 22% rise in gas prices.      Energy firms buck the trend  Nov 16 - The Guardian Two leading British energy groups, BG and International Power, yesterday brushed aside sliding oil and power prices as they delivered higher profits and forecast earnings growth.      International      Eni sees growth through takeovers, exploration  MILAN, Nov 17 (Reuters) Italian oil and gas group Eni wants to expand its way into the heavyweight league by buying more companies and increasing its exploration activity, top managers were quoted as saying on Saturday.      Ukraine Approves Russian Gas Debt Deal   Moscow, Russia, Nov 16, 2001 (RosBusinessConsulting via COMTEX) -- Ukraine's parliament ratified on Thursday key agreements between Kiev and Moscow on restructuring debts for Russian natural gas supplies, opening the way for the government to start the repayments.      Gaz de France to Invest US$500mn in Gas Transport   Mexico, Nov 16, 2001 (BNamericas.com via COMTEX) -- France's state gas company Gaz de France will invest US$500mn in Mexico in the next five years in projects related to gas transportation, the company's president of Mexican operations Gerard Mallett said, newspaper El Economista reported.      Energy Dept, Mexico State Sign Gas Accord   Mexico, Nov 16, 2001 (BNamericas.com via COMTEX) -- Mexico's federal Energy Department head Ernesto Martens Rebolledo has signed a coordination agreement with Mexico state governor Arturo Montiel Rojas on the distribution, transport and storage of natural gas in Mexico state.      Private Industry Holds Back On Energy Investments   MEXICO CITY, Nov 16, 2001 (El Universal/Corporate Mexico by Internet Securities, Inc. via COMTEX) -- Private industry held back 15.683 billion pesos of investment in the Mexican energy sector this year, despite having agreed with Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) and the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) to make these investments, reported Mexico City daily el Universal.      French Government to Privatise Gas Transport Infrastructure  Nov 15, 2001 - FT World Media Abstracts via Comtex Having privatised the motorways, the French government is now turning its gaze to France's gas transport infrastructure.      Vattenfall Interested in Co-Operation with German Gas Supplier Vng  Nov 16, 2001 - FT World Media Abstracts via Comtex Verbundnetz Gas AG, Germany's second-largest gas supplier, would be affected if the conglomerate E.ON AG were to succeed in acquiring a majority stake in Ruhrgas, the country's largest gas supplier, as it is thought that Ruhrgas would have to reduce its stake in VNG from the current 36.84 per cent.      Half a billion dollars to be spent on upgrading Kazakh gas system  Nov 15 - BBC Monitoring Central Asia The Oil and Gas Transportation [OGT] company [Transport Nefti i Gaza] company has drawn up a programme whereby approximately 500m dollars will be invested in the development of the country's gas transportation system by 2005, OGT first deputy general director, Kairgeldy Kabyldin, told journalists in Almaty today.      Distribution/LDCs      CRE To Begin Tenders Of Gas Distribution In 2002   MEXICO CITY, Nov 16, 2001 (Reforma/Corporate Mexico by Internet Securities, Inc. via COMTEX) -- Beginning next year, the Energy Regulation Commission (CRE) will begin the second stage of tenders for natural gas distribution zones, reported Mexico City daily Reforma.      Fpl Expands Natural Gas Service  Nov 17 - Palm Beach Post FPL Energy Services, a subsidiary of Juno Beach-based FPL Group, has expanded natural gas service to businesses throughout Florida.        If you are an Energy Central News Subscriber and you have checked any news articles above, selecting the 'Get Articles' button below will deliver all of the checked articles in one page. This is a convenient way to get exactly the news you need - quickly!           NEED INFORMATION ON THE POWER INDUSTRY? ENERGY CENTRAL'S GOT IT!    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