Added

Natural gas futures were hit with another wave of selling earlyFriday as traders added to losses incurred during Thursday’s25-cent price slide. However after notching its lowest price inthree weeks at $2.87, the December contract worked its way higherto settle at $2.961, a 0.4-cent loss for the day.

FirstEnergy Corp. added 30,000 industrial, commercial andresidential customers in the Midwest through an acquisition of theretail natural gas business of Volunteer Energy LLC, a subsidiaryof Williams. The acquisition was filed with the Federal TradeCommission and the Department of Justice and the parties expect toclose later this month. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

FirstEnergy Corp. added 30,000 industrial, commercial andresidential customers in the Midwest through an acquisition of theretail natural gas business of Volunteer Energy LLC, a subsidiaryof Williams. The acquisition was filed with the Federal TradeCommission and the Department of Justice and the parties expect toclose later this month. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

About 20,000 Natrogas Inc. gas and propane customers in fourstates will be added to Northern States Power Co.’s (NSP) utilitybusiness pending regulatory approval of a merger announcedyesterday.

The American Gas Association has added its voice to those whowould protect the pocketbooks of current customers and requiresponsors of new pipeline construction to bear the risk of theprojects.

The American Gas Association has added its voice to those whowould protect the pocketbooks of current customers and requiresponsors of new pipeline construction to bear the risk of theprojects.

UtiliCorp United added another Missouri-based utility to its recent acquisitions last week, buying Empire District Electric Co. in a stock and cash transaction valued at $800 million, including assumption of debt. The purchase comes only two months after UtiliCorp bought St. Joseph Light &Power for $270 million (see NGI, March 8).

BP Amoco added another 3,000 to the heap of 7,000 job cutsalready announced in the wake of the merger of British Petroleumand Amoco and in the midst of depressed oil and gas prices. Thenewest job cuts will be worldwide, and it is not yet known how manywill be in the United States. Last week the company also announcedreplacement cost operating profit for 1998 of $6,437 million, off39% from $10,583 in 1997.

Duke Energy Trading and Marketing (DETM) added 1 Bcf/d of gassales and 14.07 million MWh of power sales to its marketingoperation with the purchase of NP Energy, which was at No. 20 inNGI’s power marketer ranking by volume in the third quarter. Themove pushes Duke up to No. 3 from No. 5 in gas marketing and to No.4 from the No. 7 spot in power based on third quarter volumes.