Acquired

Western Resources of Topeka, KS, acquired a 40% interest innational direct marketer Paradigm Direct for $31.2 million. “Thisstrategic transaction provides an excellent opportunity to bridgeour customer bases. Over the past few years we set a course todramatically expand Western Resources’ national footprint. WithParadigm’s marketing expertise, we are positioned to increase theservices we provide these customers and do so efficiently,” saidDavid C. Wittig, Western Resources CEO.

Unitil Corp. of Hampton, NH, acquired a minority interest inNorth American Power Brokers Inc. for $3 million in cash, and haslicensed and will deploy North American Power’s Internet-basedtechnology for electricity and gas sales to retail consumers.

Unitil Corp. of Hampton, NH, acquired a minority interest inNorth American Power Brokers Inc. for $3 M in cash, and haslicensed and will deploy North American Power’s Internet-basedtechnology for electricity and gas energy sales to retailconsumers.

Fulton Cogeneration Associates, a limited partnership owned byCoastal Corp. subsidiaries, acquired the 79.6 MW Rensselaercogeneration plant near Albany, NY, and pertinent contracts fromLG&E Westmoreland Rensselaer, in which LG&E IndustrialSales Corp. and Westmoreland-Rensselaer LP are general partners.

Texas Utilities Co. subsidiary TU Integrated Solutions formed astrategic venture with ServiceMaster to own and operate an energymanagement business. The new venture has acquired all the assets ofServiceMaster Energy Management (SEM), currently a division ofServiceMaster, and will be owned 85% by Texas Utilities and 15% byServiceMaster. Texas Utilities will invest $46 million for itsshare of the venture.

Duke Energy International, LLC (DEI) acquired Broken HillProprietary Company Ltd.’s power business (BHP Power) for $315million. The purchase will establish DEI as an industrial energyfacility operator in the emerging competitive Australianelectricity market.

Williams Energy Services has acquired full ownership ofVolunteer Energy Corp., increasing its stake from 50%.

Samson Resources Co., of Tulsa has acquired a significant blockof producing oil and gas properties in Texas, Louisiana,Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. from Duer Wagner& Co. of Fort Worth. The purchase price was in excess of $40million. The properties are located in the same geographical areasas certain of Samson’s existing properties and include multipleopportunities for additional drilling and recompletions.

Remington Oil and Gas Corp. acquired interests in 10 Gulf ofMexico offshore blocks from Union Pacific Resources (UPR). Seven ofthe blocks are producing, one is anticipated to come on productionbefore year-end, and two are undeveloped. The blocks are on theoffshore Louisiana and Texas shelf in water depths less than 400feet. Interests vary from 5% to 100%, with all of the producingproperties being non-operated. The effective date of thetransaction is Sept. 1 with an anticipated closing prior toyear-end. Unaudited reserves for the blocks are about 7 BCFe with apurchase price of $7.65 million.