Considering

Responding to rumors that the Canadian government was considering the sale of its C$2 billion stake in Petro-Canada to have more cash on hand to boost federal spending on the economy and security, Canadian Natural Resources Minister Ralph Goodale said Friday that the government might sell the stake when “the time was right,” but offered no other details.

Columbia Gas Transmission is considering an expansion of its system from its Broad Run, WV receipt point to Market Area 27 near Cumberland, MD, and is holding an open season through Aug. 31 to assess interest.

Eastern markets held up relatively strongly for the weekend considering the lower-demand flow period and a continuation of weak weather fundamentals. Most points in the East ranged from flat to just a few pennies down Friday, and a few scattered ones achieved small gains. The West stayed with its earlier trend of mostly larger declines, led by an OFO-related plunge for border-SoCalGas.

The complete lack of demand and flood of supply on the market last week left many considering a return to historical price levels, particularly in the Rockies on Friday where prices dropped to near $1. The $5-$6 dollar crash in prices at the Southern California border into SoCalGas last week including a $2 tumble on Friday and the recent declines in western power prices were enough to prompt California Governor Gray Davis to declare the “war” on energy prices officially “won.”

To assess the impact of future gas supply interruptions, the Energy Information Administration is considering the use of mandatory surveys after using emergency surveys in the past that followed volatile swings in supplies and prices. EIA surveyed gas and distillate energy markets last winter in an emergency survey to gauge the impact on prices during fuel switching.

Williams Cos. CEO Cuba Wadlington Jr. said last week that his company is committing itself to build a pipeline to deliver natural gas from the North Slope to markets in Alaska, Canada and the Lower 48 and announced a feasibility study has begun that will look at new petrochemical investments in Alaska, which could finance the pipeline.

To prevent an explosion like the one that killed 12 people who were camping near Carlsbad last August, the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission is expected to approve a study to review the condition of all the state’s natural gas pipelines, which could be completed before the end of this year.

To prevent an explosion like the one that killed 12 people whowere camping near Carlsbad last August, the New Mexico PublicRegulation Commission is expected to approve a study to review thecondition of all the state’s natural gas pipelines, which could becompleted before the end of this year.

Mississippi River Transmission (MRT) is considering constructionof a new pipeline lateral from Horseshoe Lake, in Madison County,IL, to a connection with Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America inClinton County, IL. The new line would be designed to provide firmtransportation capacity of 230,000 Dth/d.