America

Nicor Inc. has signed on as an equal partner in the plannedHorizon Pipeline with Kinder Morgan Inc.’s Natural Gas PipelineCompany of America (NGPL), the companies said. The partners alsosubmitted Horizon’s application to FERC this week.

Kinder Morgan’s Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL)moved a step closer to fulfilling its year-and-a-half-old promiseto FERC yesterday, with the announcement that Akili, an e-businesscompany, has moved into an application and development phase of theonline capacity auction project for the pipeline system. The targetcompletion date of the auction application is mid-March, Akilisaid.

The stepped-up merger frenzy of gas pipeline companies has takenits toll on the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America(INGAA), which announced Friday it was downsizing its staff inresponse to its loss of members and dues.

The stepped-up merger frenzy of gas pipeline companies has takenits toll on the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America(INGAA), which announced Friday it was downsizing its staff inresponse to its loss of members and dues.

After giving Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America (NGPL) asecond bite at the apple, FERC last week said the pipeline hadsufficiently defended a proposed tariff revision that would allowit to hold its shippers liable for damages resulting fromlower-quality gas entering its system.

Enron North America has closed on the purchase of ColumbiaEnergy Services, the remainder of Columbia Energy Group’swholesale marketing and trading division, for $38.3 million.

Kinder Morgan’s Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL)has convinced another of its long-time customers to re-up, signingthree and five year contracts with Peoples Gas, Light and Coke andNorth Shore Gas — subsidiaries of Peoples Energy —for morethan 200,000 MMBtu/d of firm transportation, plus storage. Thecompany also is pursuing a new agreement with Peoples for anadditional 9.3 Bcf of storage and various FT deals for up to159,000 MMBtu/d.

The Independent Petroleum Association of America came outstrongly against a tax proposal presented earlier this week byDemocratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley that would do awaywith several loopholes currently benefiting oil and gas producers.

Kinder Morgan’s Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL)has convinced another of its long-time customers to re-up, signingthree and five year contracts with Peoples Gas, Light and Coke andNorth Shore Gas — subsidiaries of Peoples Energy — for morethan 200,000 MMBtu/d of firm transportation, plus storage. Thecompany also is pursuing a new agreement with Peoples for anadditional 9.3 Bcf of storage and various FT deals for up to159,000 MMBtu/d.