A host of state regulators, industry executives and analysts, and association representatives are scheduled to appear at FERC’s annual “State of Natural Gas” conference Wednesday to explore the status of Gulf Coast energy facilities in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as well as other pipeline infrastructure-related issues.

Due to speak are officials and representatives from Enbridge Offshore Pipelines, Duke Energy Transmission, KeySpan Energy, ENSTOR, El Paso Corp., Kinder Morgan, AIG Highstar, the Natural Gas Supply Association, Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, the American Gas Association, Process Gas Consumers Group, Electric Power Supply Association, Ohio Public Utilities Commission, Standard & Poor’s, Wachovia, Navigant Consulting Inc., Haddington Ventures LLC and LECG LLC.

The conference, which will start at 9 a.m. (EDT) and run until 1:30 p.m., will be divided into three panels: 1) Katrina, Rita and the winter beyond; 2) the state of the pipeline industry; and 3) the future of the pipeline industry. It will be held at FERC’s headquarters in Washington, DC.

“The conference will focus on issues related to the development of natural gas pipeline infrastructure, including changes that impact development, regulatory impediments, financial risks and suggestions for regulatory improvement,” FERC said.

The Commission also wants to examine “the state of Gulf Coast facilities following Hurricane Katrina [and Rita], and what steps may need to be taken to restore or upgrade pipeline infrastructure in that region.”

This marks FERC’s third annual “State of Natural Gas” conference, with the two previous sessions focusing on storage and the findings and recommendations made by the National Petroleum Council in a high-profile report that was released in September 2003.

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