Columbia

British Columbia’s natural gas pipeline grid is seeking to raise its tolls by up to 19% and is urging regulators and the rest of the industry to tackle a lingering Canadian headache with potential to increase costs further. Westcoast Energy Inc., soon to be subsidiary of Duke Energy under a takeover transaction scheduled to close shortly, has applied to the National Energy Board for the raise in the new year.

Effective today until further notice, Columbia Gas is reducing non-firm capacity to zero on the KA-1 Line in Estill County, KY, due to mechanical problems at Station Camp Compressor. About 8,000-10,000 Dth/d at Appalachian meters located on KA-1 and the Delta Natural Gas and CNR pipelines is affected, a spokeswoman said.

Columbia Gulf said a heating value limit of 1,050 Btus per cubic foot on gas tendered to its system, initiated in January, will remain in effect at least until the end of September.

On-again, off-again wrangling with natives over land claims and resource development has erupted yet again in northeastern British Columbia, setting back one natural gas project but not noticeably slowing down the overall pace of producer expansion.

Columbia, SC-based SCANA Corp. has formed subsidiary SCG Pipeline Inc., which will concentrate on transporting natural gas in Georgia and South Carolina, transporting gas from interconnections with Southern Natural Gas and Southern LNG’s Elba Island liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal near Savannah, GA. SCG Pipeline also is now evaluating potential pipeline routes for an end point in Jasper County, SC, which is expected to begin commercial operations in November 2003.

Columbia, SC-based SCANA Corp. has formed subsidiary SCG Pipeline Inc., which will concentrate on transporting natural gas in Georgia and South Carolina, delivering gas from interconnections with Southern Natural Gas and Southern LNG’s Elba Island liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal near Savannah, GA. SCG Pipeline also is now evaluating potential pipeline routes for an end point in Jasper County, SC, which is expected to begin commercial operations in November 2003.

The NewPower Co. has been designated sole interim pooler for the Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) market by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) for a one-year term starting in July. The interim pooler is a safeguard against bankruptcies for the 1.3 million gas customers in AGL’s territory the state, which has seen several marketers fail since AGL exited the gas merchant business two years ago. NewPower won the position over several other suppliers, including Infinite Energy and Georgia Natural Gas, after meeting certain criteria of the Public Service Commission.

The addition of the prolific Ladyfern discovery in northeast British Columbia, which began flowing one month ago, has sent Alberta Energy Co. Ltd.’s natural gas production soaring, producing more than 150 MMcf/d, the company said Friday. AEC’s current gas production with Ladyfern now equals 1.5 Bcf/d, the highest for any Canadian producer, and 40% higher than the company’s average for all of 2000.

The addition of the prolific Ladyfern discovery in northeast British Columbia, which began flowing one month ago, has sent Alberta Energy Co. Ltd.’s natural gas production soaring, producing more than 150 MMcf/d, the company said Friday. AEC’s current gas production with Ladyfern now equals 1.5 Bcf/d, the highest for any Canadian producer, and 40% higher than the company’s average for all of 2000.