Commit

Kenneth Lay, the founder and former chairman of Enron Corp., takes the spotlight in a Houston courtroom on Monday to answer charges that he conspired to commit securities and wire fraud in the three months before Enron declared bankruptcy in December 2001. Lay’s testimony comes just a few days after former CEO Jeffrey Skilling took his turn in the witness chair, maintaining his innocence on 28 criminal counts.

The former COO of Enron Broadband Services (EBS) pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Houston to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and securities fraud. Kevin Hannon agreed to forfeit $2.2 million and pay $1 million in civil fines, and he also agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in their ongoing case against former Enron Corp. executives.

The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) believes the federal government should be prepared to commit military troops and equipment to protect the nation’s critical natural gas pipeline facilities. In a letter responding to a request for security suggestions from Senate Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman, INGAA President Jerald Halvorsen urged greater restrictions on sensitive pipeline location information, better cooperation between government and industry on pipeline monitoring issues, and that oversight during this time of heightened security be placed under one federal umbrella agency, the new Office of Homeland Security set up by President Bush.

Canadian producers, inspired by optimism about continued growthin exports to the United States, have staked new claims on northernnatural gas drilling prospects and taken a step into Alaska. TenCalgary-based gas developers secured 2,950 square miles of resourcerights in the central Mackenzie Valley district of the NorthwestTerritories.

Canadian producers, inspired by optimism about continued growthin exports to the United States, have staked new claims on northernnatural gas drilling prospects and taken a step into Alaska. TenCalgary-based gas developers secured 2,950 square miles of resourcerights in the central Mackenzie Valley district of the NorthwestTerritories.