Challenging

Mexican legislators challenging the multiple service contracts (MSC) enacted by Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) two years ago appear to have lost court battles to prevent foreign investment through this type of contract in the country’s natural gas resources. Pemex said Sunday two of the four demands have been resolved in its favor, and two more favorable rulings are expected.

FERC on Monday adopted a policy statement that provides interim guidance, pending a future rulemaking, to companies that are challenging federal or state decisions involving interstate natural gas pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in federal appeals court. The guidance primarily applies to existing cases.

Natural gas customers in the Southeast and the East Coast generally face “a very challenging dynamic,” in the wake of hurricane Katrina. “We have all our eggs in the Gulf Coast basket,” said AGL Resources CEO Paula Rosput Reynolds, who suggested Georgia has another coast with potential.

With the passage of the omnibus energy bill last month, Congress “in effect visciated the lawsuit” brought by California regulators challenging FERC’s jurisdiction over the siting of liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, FERC Chairman Joseph Kelliher said Wednesday.

While a federal district judge was dismissing the appeal of two dissenting state regulators challenging the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. bankruptcy settlement, the utility filed last week for some $1.29 billion in Chapter 11 costs and fees for attorneys, consultants, investment bankers and accountants. This is the final accounting for the biggest utility bankruptcy in U.S. history, settling some $13 billion in claims.

ExxonMobil last week filed an appeal with the Alabama Supreme Court challenging a $3.5 billion punitive damage award concerning royalties the state argues it is owed by the oil major for offshore natural gas leases.

ExxonMobil on Tuesday filed an appeal with the Alabama Supreme Court challenging a $3.5 billion punitive damage award concerning royalties the state argues it is owed by the oil major for offshore natural gas leases.

While supplier choice is catching on across the land, Edinburg,TX, Pop. 29,885, is suing its local distribution company forproviding transportation-only service to large end-users.

Challenging the rules governing the elected, five-member New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, one of its charter commissioners is trying to get on the ballot for a third term. Currently the 1998 law forming the commission restricts commissioners to two four-year terms. The state attorney general’s office is conducting an investigation to see if a third term is in the cards for Jerome Block.