After

After a convincing 7-cent gain to kick off the week, the futuresmarket forged higher yesterday morning amid continuedshort-covering mixed with some fresh buying activity. The Aprilcontract was bumping up against the March 12 high of $1.825 inmid-day trading, but in the afternoon the buying dried up, leavingonly sellers to determine the market direction. The resulting priceslide-7 cents in 45 minutes-send the prompt month spiraling lowerto finish at $1.754.

Semco Energy Inc. sold Semco Energy Services, its natural gasmarketing arm, to MCN Energy Group only weeks after announcingintentions to exit the gas marketing side of its business. Nofinancial terms of the deal were disclosed except that Semcoexpects to record a gain on the sale and the companies expect thetransaction to close by the end of March.

Columbia Energy Group is looking for a new executive to head itsColumbia Energy Services after the departure of CES President PaulFeldman. An announcement Friday said Feldman would be leaving topursue other opportunities. “Our CES operation has grownconsiderably over the last two years under Paul’s leadership,” saidColumbia Energy Group Chairman Oliver G. Richard III. “We thank himfor his contributions and wish him well.”

Public Service Co. of New Mexico (PNM) said it embarked on a$17.3 million stock repurchase plan last week after announcing theNew Mexico Supreme Court rejected a $112 million rate cut imposedby the state’s outgoing Public Utility Commission (PUC) late lastyear.

After an assault on its prized Wisconsin markets earlier thismonth by a formidable new rival pipeline project proposed by Wicor,Viking Gas and CMS Energy, ANR Pipeline came out shooting last weekwith a pledge to continue its annual expansions into the state. TheCoastal Corp. subsidiary said its “10-Cent Solution” program, whichhas yielded two expansion projects in the last eighteen months willcontinue to be the best option for gas shippers in the region. Thisyear’s open season started last week and will continue throughApril 30 for new firm transportation service starting Nov. 1, 2001.

After months of debate and compromise between regulators,marketers and LDCs, SB 601 was introduced to the Pennsylvanialegislature earlier this week, moving residential and smallcommercial gas customers one step closer to gas supply choice. Thenext step for the bill will come on March 23, when the SenateConsumer Protection committee will hold a hearing on the bill.

Public Service Co. of New Mexico (PNM) said it embarked on a$17.3 million stock repurchase plan Tuesday after announcing theNew Mexico Supreme Court rejected a $112 million rate cut imposedby the state’s outgoing Public Utility Commission (PUC) late lastyear.

Despite warming temperatures that already had begun the processof melting snows from Monday’s Nor’easter, the futures market wasable to arrest a further meltdown of its own Tuesday as buyers andsellers were evenly matched. In fact, Tuesday’s price action was soorderly, that not only did the market etch an inside day with highsand lows within Monday’s, but also posted an identical $1.717settlement price. And although some bulls were somewhat reluctantto claim the day as a victory, others viewed the market’s abilityto hold ground following the 25-cent price slide since lastWednesday as promising.

Fresh after receiving a boost from a hefty storage withdrawalWednesday afternoon, natural gas futures continued higher yesterdayin yet another tumultuous trading session. And for the second dayin a row locals were seen as the catalyst, using buy stops toorchestrate a gap higher opening. But overhead resistance at $1.77held and the market was left to ebb and flow within the 4-centtrading range, which was set in the first hour of trading. TheApril contract finished up 3.9 cents to $1.762.