Company

TEPPCO Partners, L.P. has announced the completion of itsacquisition of the oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) pipelinesbusiness of Duke Energy Transport and Trading Company (DETTCO) fromthe parent, Duke Energy.

Columbia Electric Corp. and Westcoast Power Inc. are developinga 500 MW gas-fired generation plant in Pennsylvania. Each companywill own a 50% interest.

Tulsa-based Parker Drilling Company with worldwide drillingoperations, and Superior Energy Services, which provides servicesin the Gulf of Mexico, have announced a definitive agreement tomerge in a transaction valued at approximately $168 million.

Dynegy Inc. is the only gas-related company so far to publiclypropose an alternative to FERC’s notice of proposed rulemaking(NOPR) that seeks to institute industry-wide auctioning ofshort-term capacity in return for lifting the price cap on thatcapacity. “There’s nothing else that’s been made public,” saidPeter G. Esposito, vice president and regulatory counsel.

Along with disappointing 3Q earnings announced by The WilliamsCos. came an acknowledgement by management that the companycontinues to achieve disappointing results in several of itsbusinesses. With results reduced by energy market conditions and bypre-tax charges and write-downs of about $70 million, or 10cents/share, Williams reported unaudited net income of $32.1million, or 7 cents/share on a diluted basis, for the thirdquarter. This compares to unaudited restated net income of $13.7million, or 3 cents/share, for the same period of 1997, a quarterin which results were reduced by 17 cents/share for the cost ofdebt restructuring.

Along with disappointing 3Q earnings announced by Williams camean acknowledgment by management that the company continues toachieve disappointing results in several of its businesses. Withresults reduced by energy market conditions and by pre-tax chargesand write-downs of about $70 million, or 10 cents/share, Williamsreported unaudited net income of $32.1 million, or 7 cents/share ona diluted basis, for the third quarter. This compares to unauditedrestated net income of $13.7 million, or 3 cents/share, for thesame period of 1997, a quarter in which results were reduced by 17cents/share for the cost of debt restructuring.

Williams Chairman Keith E. Bailey said Tuesday the company’sunaudited third quarter financials, which are expected to bereleased today, will include $70 million, or 10 cents per share, inpre-tax charges and write-downs.

Cross Bay Pipeline Co., a limited liability company formed bysubsidiaries of Williams, Duke Energy and KeySpan Energy, announcedit is holding a 30-day open season from Oct. 15 to Nov. 13 todetermine market interest in 125,000 Dth/d of firm capacity to theNew York City metropolitan area.

Cross Bay Pipeline Co., a limited liability company formed bysubsidiaries of Williams, Duke Energy and KeySpan Energy, announcedit is holding a 30-day open season from Oct. 15 to Nov. 13 todetermine market interest in 125,000 Dth/d of firm capacity to theNew York City metropolitan area.