Announces

Southern Co. Chairman Allen Franklin announced Monday the selection of C. Philip Saunders as President and CEO of the newly formed Southern Co. Gas, which will spearhead the acquisition of the Georgia customers currently being served by The New Power Co., ensuring a smooth transition for those customers to Southern Co. Gas.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. said Monday that it has successfully completed and begun sales from a natural gas discovery at its Cat Creek 1-19 well in the Comanche Lodge Prospect in the Greater Mayfield area of the Deep Anadarko Basin. Located in western Oklahoma, the well has produced 17 MMcfe/d over a 24-hour period beginning last Sunday.

Southern Co. Chairman Allen Franklin announced Monday the selection of C. Philip Saunders as President and CEO of the newly formed Southern Co. Gas, which will spearhead the acquisition of the Georgia customers currently being served by The New Power Co., ensuring a smooth transition for those customers to Southern Co. Gas.

A unit of Williams announced Wednesday that it is holding a binding open season through March 22 for shippers interested in firm natural gas transportation service in a proposed Alva to Southwest Missouri Expansion Project. If sufficient market support is obtained in the open season, Williams plans to seek approval for the expansion from FERC, with anticipated service to begin as early as the second quarter of 2003.

A unit of Williams announced Wednesday that it is holding a binding open season through March 22 for shippers interested in firm natural gas transportation service in a proposed Alva to Southwest Missouri Expansion Project. If sufficient market support is obtained in the open season, Williams plans to seek approval for the expansion from FERC, with anticipated service to begin as early as the second quarter of 2003.

Following a busy annual shareholder meeting last Wednesday, New Jersey Resources Corp. (NJR), parent company of New Jersey Natural Gas Co. (NJNG), reported higher fiscal 2002 first-quarter earnings of $1.10 per share, a 10% increase compared with last year; a three-for-two stock split and a 500,000 share increase in its share repurchase plan. The meeting also marked the 50th anniversary of NJNG.

Following a busy annual shareholder meeting Wednesday, New Jersey Resources Corp. (NJR), parent company of New Jersey Natural Gas Co. (NJNG), reported higher fiscal 2002 first-quarter earnings of $1.10 per share, a 10% increase compared with last year; a three-for-two stock split and a 500,000 share increase in its share repurchase plan. The meeting also marked the 50th anniversary of NJNG.

Abraxas Petroleum Corp. announced Wednesday that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Grey Wolf Exploration Inc., has entered into an agreement with Mirant Canada Energy Capital Ltd. for a C$150 million (US$96 million) project finance facility to fund Grey Wolf’s development and acquisition activities in Canada.

U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski of Alaska, a key energy lawmaker, announced last week that he plans to run for governor of the state next year.