Average

Environmental groups had more than an average level of access to key officials on the energy task force while the Bush administration’s national energy policy was being developed last year, according to records maintained by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The records refute earlier claims by environmental and consumer groups that they were not consulted on the energy policy. The administration’s policy included a number of environmental and efficiency initiatives.

Record warmth and much below average storage withdrawals this winter have prompted Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America to file a request with FERC to increase the capacity of its Cook Mills storage field by 1.2 Bcf to 6.4 Bcf. The increase would be accomplished by raising the pressure of the field, which is located in Coles and Douglas counties, IL. No new facilities are planned, and NGPL said it does not intend to increase the deliverability of the field.

It’s been 18% warmer this heating season than the 10-year average and 26% warmer than last year and WSI Corp. is predicting more of the same for the major population centers along the East Coast and Florida as well as the Southwest, for the rest of the season. Cooler-than-normal weather is predicted in the Plains, Great Lakes states, Pacific Northwest and the coastal sections of California, said WSI, which issued an end-of-November update to its seasonal forecast.

While ONEOK’s energy marketing and trading and production units prospered in the second quarter, gathering and processing suffered as a result of lower processing spreads, cutting net income to $23.6 million or 20 cents per diluted share, compared to $27.2 million or 23 cents per diluted share for the same period a year ago.

Kerr-McGee Corp. said it replaced 255% of its 2000 worldwideproduction of 108 million boe at an average finding and developmentcost of $4.81/boe. Worldwide net additions of proved oil andnatural gas reserves totaled 275 million boe in 2000, resulting inyear-end 2000 reserves of nearly 1.1 billion boe. Additions in 2000include reserves associated with the greater Boomvang and Nansenareas in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico and the greater Leadon areain the U.K. sector of the North Sea, each of which are currentlyunder development. The additions do not include the company’sdiscoveries in Bohai Bay, China, or at the Gunnison field in thedeepwater gulf. “The results of our exploration program in 2000were outstanding and build on our achievements in 1999,” saidKerr-McGee chairman Luke R. Corbett. “Our expertise andtechnological advancements continue to drive our success inworldwide exploration efforts. This year, we will grow ourdeepwater exploration program, focusing on core areas in proven,high-potential trends throughout the world.” In 2001, Kerr-McGeehas budgeted $205 million for exploration expense to drillapproximately 25 to 30 exploratory wells, including 10 to 15deepwater wells.

Houston’s Apache Corp. remains in an acquiring mood, agreeing yesterday to buy Occidental Petroleum Corp.’s offshore oil and gas interests in the Gulf of Mexico for $385 million. The deal calls for Apache to pay Occidental $341 million for the properties this year, then pay $11 million a year for the next four years. Closing is expected by mid-August.

Duke Energy North America (DENA) will be firing up about 2,300MW of new merchant generation capacity this summer to capture someof the load growth and higher electric power prices in Texas, theMidwest and New England.

San Juan Basin prices could average close to $3.20/year by 2005,and other western points could see similar increases because of themajor supply shift that is expected to occur once the Allianceproject comes on line next year, Larry Larsen, a vice president atWilliams Gas Pipeline-West, said in a panel discussion this week atZiff Energy Group’s North American Gas Strategies conference inCalgary.

San Juan Basin prices could average close to $3.20/year by 2005,and other western points could see similar increases because of themajor supply shift that is expected to occur once the Allianceproject comes on line next year, Larry Larsen, a vice president atWilliams Gas Pipeline-West, said in a panel discussion this week atZiff Energy Group’s “North American Gas Strategies” conference inCalgary.