Continuing

Continuing an arrangement first forged in 1981, Conoco announced a definitive agreement last week to manage DuPont’s gas supply needs. DuPont is one of the largest U.S. industrial gas consumers and Conoco’s largest supply customer. Neither the financial terms nor energy volumes were disclosed.

Continuing its run as one of the most successful customer choiceprograms in the country, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania said lastweek its interim restructuring filing was approved by thePennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC). The decision allowsall 382,000 of Columbia’s residential and small-commercialcustomers the right to choose a new supplier effective Nov. 1.

Florida Gas Transmission extended an Overage Alert Day noticeinto its third day Wednesday, continuing to cite high market-areademand. However, Pacific Gas & Electric is lifting itslow-linepack OFO today.

Continuing its strategy to be a heavy hitter in the Gulf Coast natural gas liquids market, Enterprise Products Partners LP of Houston last week acquired Tejas Natural Gas Liquids LLC from Shell Oil affiliate Tejas Energy LLC and signed a long-term gas processing agreement with Shell for its entire bounty of Gulf of Mexico gas production. The deal was announced in April.

Continuing its pile-up of large energy management deals, Enron Energy Services (EES) announced a 10-year, $1 billion energy outsourcing agreement with Owens Corning last week. Enron’s services will cover 20 of the glass and composite material manufacturer’s major facilities located throughout the United States. Management services began when the contract was announced.

Continuing its pile-up of large energy management deals, EnronEnergy Services (EES) announced a 10-year, $1 billion energyoutsourcing agreement with Owens Corning yesterday. Enron’sservices will cover 20 of the glass and composite materialmanufacturer’s major facilities located throughout the UnitedStates. Management services began when the contract was announced.

Cash prices rode the continuing tropical storm news and aninitially higher screen to further gains Wednesday, but there weresigns that the big run-up had just about run its course. Mostincreases in the East were between about a nickel and a dime. Whilethat range also held true in much of the West, northern Californiaonce again tended to outpace the general market with dime-or-moreupticks at Malin and the PG&E citygate.

Continuing the expansion beyond its core utility operations,FirstEnergy Corp. made a splash in the unregulated sector last weekwhen its energy services marketing arm, FirstEnergy Services,announced a management and supply deal with Republic TechnologiesInternational, Inc. (RTI), one of the largest producers of specialbar-quality steel products in the U.S. The deal, which is thelargest service agreement FirstEnergy has ever signed, couldproduce more than $1 billion in commodity and energy service salesover the span of the five-year contract.

For the third morning in a row natural gas futures gapped higherat the open before continuing upward as traders covered shortpositions in anticipation of Tropical Storm Bret becoming the firsthurricane in the 1999 Atlantic season. But after notching a $3.015high shortly after noon, the September contract was hit with a waveof profit-taking that delivered the spot month back down to settleat $2.938. Estimated volume was healthy, with 99,927 contractschanging hands.