Changed

Both Florida Gas Transmission and Pacific Gas & Electricextended low-linepack OFOs (see Daily GPI, Oct. 5)-FGT through Tuesday and PG&Ethrough today. Neither changed the OFO conditions. PG&E posts OFOsa day in advance, while FGT usually re-evaluates system conditionseach morning before deciding whether to declare one for that gas day.

NOVA returned to its normal +10/-10% tolerance range for dailyimbalances Friday after having changed the range to +2/-18%Wednesday. The two-day change was made in order to reduce linepackto target levels, which was necessary before proceeding withmaintenance on Schrader Creek Compressor Station, NOVA said.

Putting more emphasis its core business, Crystal Oil Co. changedits name recently to Crystal Gas Storage Inc. The company owns andoperates two natural gas storage facilities near Hattiesburg, MSand owns interests in other natural gas properties in Louisiana.

The faces in the top half of NGI’s ranking of the top 20 gasmarketers haven’t changed much but their volumes certainly have, insome cases showing substantial growth. And while only one companyjoined the top-10 for the first time in 1998, nearly every one ofthe biggest players saw its position change in the ranking.

The faces among the top half of Daily GPI’s ranking of the top20 gas marketers haven’t changed much but their volumes certainlyhave, in some cases showing substantial growth. And while only onecompany joins the top-10 for the first time, nearly every one ofthe biggest players saw its position change in the ranking. (Seepage 4)

FERC last week changed its tune and cleared the way for NorthernNatural Gas to acquire off-system, interruptible capacity fromthird-party pipelines. On rehearing of a July order, the Commissionfound that since Northern Natural sought the IT capacity to augmentits own operations, rather than for the purpose of re-marketing it,its request did not raise the concerns cited in a 1997 TexasEastern Transmission (Tetco) case.

FERC last week changed its tune and cleared the way for NorthernNatural Gas to acquire off-system, interruptible capacity fromthird-party pipelines. On rehearing of a July order, the Commissionfound that since Northern Natural sought the IT capacity to augmentits own operations, rather than for the purpose of re-marketing it,its request did not raise the concerns cited in a 1997 TexasEastern Transmission case. There, FERC feared that third-partypurchases could lead to preferential treatment for purchasingpipelines and could limit the capacity choices of other customerson third-party systems.

Essentially nothing had changed in the fundamental demandpicture Tuesday, and late-November cash prices responded with verylittle change themselves. Minuscule softness dominated at mostpoints, and the few declines rarely exceeded a nickel. Sources indiverse regions continued to report unseasonably mild temperatures.

CMS Energy Corp. changed the name of its oil and gas explorationand production business to CMS Oil and Gas Co. “Last year we movedto our headquarters in Houston, TX, and the original focus of ourbusiness has broadened from its origins in northern Michigan toinclude exploration and production projects around the world,” saidBradley W. Fischer, CEO of CMS Oil and Gas Co., formerly known asCMS NOMECO Oil & Gas Co.