Began

More favorable operating conditions allowed Texas Eastern to cancelMonday the OFO for its M-3 market zone that began a week earlier (seeDaily GPI, Jan. 19). All M-3 OperationalBalancing Agreements that were suspended are back in effect, Tetcosaid, and storage nominations may be restored to pre-OFOlevels. However, a restriction on IT gas sourced upstream of M-3 anddelivered there is still in effect. Due-shipper imbalance gas may betaken in all zones again, Tetco said, as long as it is scheduledproperly and taken evenly through the rest of January. Downstreamaffiliate Algonquin similarly canceled Monday the Critical SystemWarning it had posted Jan. 17 (see Daily GPI, Jan. 19), but left in place restrictions onmainline forward hauls for Authorized Overrun gas, interruptibleservices and due-shipper makeup gas.

The bloom was off the Northeast price rose Friday as weekendcitygate quotes began plunging back to earth. The non-Northeastmarket ranged from flat to a little more than a nickel higher.

Northern Natural Gas extended a System Underrun Limitationcaused by high linepack at least through Saturday’s gas day. TheSUL began Friday (see Daily GPI, Nov. 11).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) began thecertification process for the Coastal Corp.’s Gulfstream NaturalGas project, a pipeline from Mobile, AL, across the Gulf of Mexicoand the state of Florida. And in related news, Williams re-filedit’s application for the competing Buccaneer Gas Pipeline. Aprevious Williams filing was rejected without prejudice forinsufficient environmental information.

Patricia K. Swanke has been named vice president, operations,for The Dayton Power and Light Co., effective immediately. Swankebegan her career at DP&L in 1990 and has held variouspositions, most recently as managing director of gas and electrictransmission and distribution operations.

Frontier Energy, a subsidiary of Sempra Energy, beganconstruction of a distribution system in Warren County, NC, wherefirst-time gas service is expected to play a significant role inthe county’s economic revitalization, the company said. The WarrenCounty pipeline is part of a $55 million distribution system beingbuilt by Frontier to serve residents and businesses in sevennorthwestern North Carolina counties.

The war of words over the controversial Southwest GasCorp.-Oneok Inc. union escalated last week. It began with ChairmanCarl J. Kunasek of the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) firingoff letters to the two merger partners asking them to agree to letSouthern Union (SU), the unsuccessful suitor for Southwest Gas,intervene in the ACC proceedings involving the proposed merger.Both Southwest Gas and Oneok not only objected to the chairman’srequest, but also challenged Southern Union to prove “once and forall” its allegations that ACC officials – at the request of Oneok -illegally influenced Southwest’s choice of merger partner.

Sonat declared a force majeure in connection with maintenancethat began Monday at its No.2 delivery point into East TennesseeNatural Gas and will last for about three weeks. No nominationswill be scheduled at the point during this project, Sonat said.

Duke Energy’s Algonquin Gas Transmission announced an openseason for its proposed HubLine Pipeline last week. Algonquin beganreceiving offers for capacity on the 600,000 Dth/d HubLine, whichwill connect Algonquin to the proposed Maritimes & Northeastpipeline, on July 20. It will conclude Aug. 12. Service is expectedto commence in 2002 and nominations for services starting atdifferent periods will be accepted and evaluated. If this openseason is deemed successful, Duke will file the project at FERCbefore the end of this year.