Climbing

Wholesale gas and power sales still appear to be climbingsharply for most major marketers as Enron, Duke Energy and Reliantall posted significant increases in both commodities in thirdquarter. Southern Energy reported that while its third quarterNorth American electricity sales declined from last year’s thirdquarter level, its gas sales enjoyed a sizable increase.

Wholesale gas and power sales still appear to be climbingsharply for most major marketers as Enron and Duke Energy bothposted significant increases in both commodities in third quarter.Southern Energy reported that while its third quarter NorthAmerican electricity sales declined from last year’s third quarterlevel, its gas sales enjoyed a sizable increase.

Cash prices continued to leap higher Tuesday even though futurestraders decided it was time for major retrenchment. Gains were indouble digits at almost all points, but tended to range from littlemore than a dime on Rockies pipes and in El Paso’s Permian and SanJuan Basin pools to around 50 cents or more in capacity-constrainedCalifornia.

Cash numbers remained in their early-March climbing modeThursday, with advances of about a nickel to more than a dimeclosely mirroring those of the day before. However, a majordifference on Thursday was that western upticks tended to besmallest. The larger increases were mostly in eastern markets.

Coastal Corp. hit pay dirt in the third quarter with highernatural gas production and prices and increased returns frompipeline operations, “the direct result of Coastal’s success inexecuting its integrated North American natural gas strategy,”according to Chairman David A. Arledge.

Cash prices continued climbing by another nickel or more at mostpoints Wednesday, but traders sensed the market might have peakedfor the first week of the May aftermarket. They cited late dealsbeing done several cents below the early-morning highs. And the AGAstorage report of 34 Bcf in injections last week, although it cametoo late to affect Wednesday’s cash business, was regarded by manyas contributing to a more bearish mood. One source characterizedthe figure as “kind of middle of the road” (because it met theexpectations of many) but leaning slightly to the bearish side. Heand others noted the drop in Access futures prices after the reportcame out.

Cash prices kept climbing higher Tuesday, though not at thedazzling rate of Monday’s run-up. New gains of 20-40 cents at manypoints were still pretty impressive, though.

It wasn’t long ago that producers bemoaned sky-high offshore rigday rates and said a turnaround in climbing rates was needed toprevent harm to the industry. Well, that turnaround seems to beunderway.

May cash prices made a stab at climbing a little higherWednesday, and indeed, one trader said he was “still struggling” tobuy Sonat gas with offers in the low $2.30s. But other sources,while agreeing there was an early push for higher prices, said thenumbers were starting to soften again in the afternoon. “Everybodywent to lunch and then things fell apart,” as a marketer put it.