The cash market fell across the board Friday but was hardly amodel of consistency. Declines ranged from barely 2-3 cents atscattered points to more than 20 cents at a few western points;most were between a nickel and about a dime. Activity was describedas quiet.

Slumping weekend demand and a dearth of weather load were citedas the chief factors in Friday’s softness. Drops in energy futuresalso got some attention, although one trader thought that the huge$1.76 freefall in the October crude oil contract to less than$34/bbl, practically on the eve of the OPEC summit scheduled forSunday (Sept. 10), had more market impact than the gas screen did.

For a change, Texas Eastern M-3 was essentially at parity withTransco Zone 6-NYC, and a large aggregator averaged several centshigher at M-3 than at Zone 6. It was just a temporary marketaberration involving the variable transportation costs on TexasEastern, the aggregator said. There wasn’t much Northeast demand,he added, because “the weather is just too nice.”

The PG&E citygate was falling below $6 in late trading asoffers kept getting put out without attracting any bids, a marketersaid. However, there was a modest rally near deadline as a majorbuyer came out looking for gas, she said.

The Sumas/domestic spread on Northwest was widening again toabout 40 cents as Westcoast’s Pine River Plant experienced a secondday’s delay in returning to 75% capacity (230-240 MMcf/d) duringits annual turnaround. A spokesman said a startup of the acid gastreater was under way Friday afternoon and the plant was expectedto reach the 75% level that evening.

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