Announcements

Muscling in on recent announcements by much larger U.S. energy companies, Houston-based independent Cheniere Energy Inc. said last week that it is acquiring three land lease options in Texas to develop liquefied natural gas terminals along the Gulf Coast. Though no details about the locations were disclosed, Cheniere expects each terminal to initially process 200 Bcf/year and be operational within six years.

Muscling in on recent announcements by much larger U.S. energy companies, Houston-based independent Cheniere Energy Inc. announced Tuesday that it is acquiring three land lease options in Texas to develop liquefied natural gas terminals along the Gulf Coast. Though no details about the locations were disclosed, Cheniere expects each terminal to initially process 200 Bcf/year and be operational within six years.

Communications projects are high on the list of announcementsand pronouncements at a Houston energy conference this week, withcompany executives telling analysts that the Internet, bandwidthand telecommunications may surpass traditional energy earnings inthe next decade.

There was no shortage of hand-wringing and news mediaannouncements in the West in the wake of recent electricity pricespikes and multi-million-dollar estimated consequences fromCalifornia’s relative modest round of rolling brownouts in andaround the San Francisco Bay Area. The big question — particularin California — is whether new solutions will come fromregulators, lawmakers or the market.

There was no shortage of hand-wringing and news mediaannouncements in the West in the wake of recent electricity pricespikes and multi-million-dollar estimated consequences fromCalifornia’s relatively modest round of rolling brownouts aroundthe San Francisco Bay Area. The big question — particular inCalifornia — is whether new solutions will come from regulators,lawmakers or the market.

In separate announcements, Southern Company and PacifiCorptouted their readiness for the year 2000. Both said utilitysubsidiaries are testing systems by setting their clocks forward toreplicate conditions in a year 2000 environment. Generation,transmission and distribution systems are being tested by thecompanies.

In separate announcements, Southern Company and PacifiCorptouted their readiness for the year 2000. Both said utilitysubsidiaries are testing systems by setting their clocks forward toreplicate conditions in a year 2000 environment. Generation,transmission and distribution systems are being tested by thecompanies.

Announcements of new pipeline projects are booming despiterecently voiced concerns by pipeline executives that return onequity is not sufficient to justify new construction (see NGI, Feb.2). A recent NGI survey of projects announced over the last threeyears indicates more than 7 Bcf/d of new capacity has already beenconstructed in the U.S. and Canada, with nearly 21 Bcf/d ofcombined capacity additions approved or under consideration. Thisis in addition to projects canceled or put on hold indefinitely.