After

After tapping on the brakes a few times Wednesday, theresurgence in November prices had its foot back on the acceleratorThursday. While not quite pedal-to-the-metal as in Tuesday’s gainsthat often hit 30 cents or more, double-digit increases againdominated the cash market.

Nine months after acquiring MidCon Corp., KN Energy citedimprovements in all areas of operations and reported a markedincrease in earnings for the first three quarters of 1998.

Indiana regulators and FERC are weighing a potentiallygroundbreaking case that, in the end after court review, couldaward “complementary jurisdiction” to both states and the federalgovernment in instances where interstate pipelines are seeking tobypass local distribution companies (LDCs) in order to directlyserve end-use customers.

After posting modest gains last Thursday, the futures marketagain succumbed to selling pressure Friday as traders tried to pushthe December contract below support at $2.25. But, $2.265 was asfar as the contract could plumb and the prompt month was left tosettle for the week at $2.275. Sources pointed to bearishfundamentals and weak, last-day prices as reasons for the decline.

After a tempest of trading activity during the first three daysof the week, the futures market settled down Thursday to trademostly sideways amid light volume. Moderate trade-buying below the$2.32 level was the most notable feature of the day. But that wasenough for December to post an up-day-marked by higher highs andhigher lows-to start off its tenure as prompt month. The contractsettled at $2.348, a 2.4 cent gain for the session.

Indiana regulators and FERC are weighing a potentiallygroundbreaking case that, in the end after court review, could give”complementary jurisdiction” to both states and the federalgovernment in instances where interstate pipelines are seeking tobypass local distribution companies (LDCs) in order to directlyserve end-use customers.

After gapping lower at the open for the second day in a row,natural gas futures continued to free-fall in lackluster holidaytrading Monday. Weak cash market pricing and a quicklydeteriorating technical picture were cited as reasons for the10.2-cent decline in the November contract. By settling at $2.089,November has dropped over 30 cents in the last three tradingsessions.

Hurricane Georges took aim at the Gulf of Mexico Friday afterpassing the southern tip of Florida, and producers and pipelineswere responding. The pace of platform evacuations and productionshut-ins accelerated rapidly following tentative starts in theMobile Bay area Thursday. Evacuation reports extended as far westas the West Cameron area off southwest Louisiana. As of late Fridayafternoon a hurricane watch was in effect from Morgan City, LA, toSt. Marks, FL.

After three months operating as MarketSpan Corp., the companyformed by the merger of Brooklyn Union Gas parent KeySpan Energyand Long Island Lighting and Power, has decided to change its nameto KeySpan Energy. CEO Robert B. Catell said the decision was madebecause of KeySpan’s superior name recognition in its serviceterritory. The company will trade on the New York Stock Exchangeunder the symbol KSE.