Consulting firm R.J. Rudden Associates Inc. is conducting a survey of local distribution companies (LDCs) to determine the impact on their business of the demise of large marketing companies since the Enron bankruptcy.

Many large marketing companies have seen their credit ratings fall below investment grade and their cash from the marketing and trading business dry up, resulting in the collapse or self-inflicted shutdown of their business. Enron, Aquila, Dynegy and El Paso already have or soon will exit the merchant energy business. Others, such as AEP, Duke and Williams, have scaled down their business or plan to sell off portions of it. Meanwhile, their former customers have been left to do a significant amount of supply, risk and transportation management themselves.

With the current state of the marketing and trading sectors of the natural gas industry, a series of critical questions arise, R.J. Rudden said:

Rudden’s questionnaire titled “Gas Supply Survey” at www.rjrudden.com is one element of its research into the topic. Respondents will receive a copy of the results, which Rudden expects to be compiled by mid to late January 2003.

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