Houston’s Torch Energy Advisors Inc. announced Monday that itformed a wholly owned subsidiary, Torch Energy TM Inc. (TETM).Natural gas marketing, along with refined products, derivativesmarketing and specialty product transactions will now be handled byTETM. Torch and its subsidiaries provide extensive outsourcingservices, including financial and accounting services, oil and gasoperations, hydrocarbon marketing and property acquisitions anddivestitures. Contact Blake Beyer at (713) 756-1881 forinformation.

Bighorn Gas Gathering LLC has signed an agreement to provide gasgathering services for the coal bed methane operations of J.M.Huber Corp. in the Wyoming Powder River Basin. Bighorn, whosepartners are affiliates of CMS Energy, Northern Border Partners andEnron North America, will build a 56-mile, 20-inch extension of itsgathering system in Sheridan County. Huber is in the process ofcompleting 150 coal bed methane wells in the Prairie Dog prospectarea and expects to complete an additional 100 wells by the end ofthe year. The gathering system extension will cost $17.8 millionand should be in service by this winter.

In response to the growing demand for natural gas drilling, wellcompletion, and workover services, Key Energy Services hasannounced that it will undertake several new strategic projects ata cost of about $25 million. Key Energy believes the projects willsignificantly expand its ability to serve its customers in naturalgas markets where backlogged orders exist. Key Energy alsoannounced it will issue about 10 million shares of common stock togo along with the projects. Most of the proposed projects will befocused in the U.S., Canada, and Argentina.

Key plans to refurbish 50-60 deep gas workover/completion rigs,expand the number of drill and well refurbishment facilities, openat least two more employee training and safety centers, andreallocate equipment to higher demand and pricing level areas. Workwill begin in the fiscal year 2001, and will be completed by Dec.31, 2001.

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