Cost

Liquidity at the citygates has become a problem for industrial buyers with the disappearance of large trading companies, and the middleman buyer for Ford Motor, General Electric and DaimlerChyrsler, among others, is going back to the field for his supplies.

Williams’ affiliates Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line and Williams Field Services (WFS) manipulated the cost of gathering services by wielding their “collective market power” over the interstate gas transportation path through the spun-down North Padre Island (NPI) facilities and Transco’s IT-feeder system, according to an initial decision issued by Administrative Law Judge Lawrence Brenner.

First quarter earnings growth in Dominion Resources Inc.’s energy production unit helped to offset losses from lower power demand, the company reported last week, with operating earnings of $322 million ($1.20 a share) compared to $298 million ($1.20) for the same period of 2001. Dominion acknowledged earlier this month that gas hedges and the mild winter would cut into its earnings expectations, which Wall Street analysts had pegged a cent higher.

The National Energy Board (NEB) has postponed the commencement of its RH-4-2001 TransCanada PipeLines Cost of Capital public hearing until Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2002. The hearing, which is expected to be long and contentious, had been slated to start Tuesday, Feb. 19. The NEB said it had decided on the postponement after considering the circumstances and arguments of the parties on a request for postponement from the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

Despite the volatility the natural gas market has experienced over the last few weeks, Anadarko CEO Robert J. Allison, Jr. assured attendees at the tenth annual John S. Herold Pacesetters Energy Conference in Greenwich, CT, that his company has not made any major changes in its business plan. He added that just like they always do, “gas markets will self-correct.”

Following through on a cost-cutting initiative begun in 1999 under another CEO, Calgary-based TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. on Friday said it has reached an agreement to sell some of its natural gas marketing and trading operations to BP Gas & Power. Included in the sale is CanStates Gas Marketing, a contract to manage gas supply assets for SEMCO Energy Gas Co., and the marketing and trading operations in its Omaha, NE office. Financial details were not disclosed.

Following through on a cost-cutting initiative begun in 1999 under another CEO, Calgary-based TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. on Friday said it has reached an agreement to sell some of its natural gas marketing and trading operations to BP Gas & Power. Included in the sale is CanStates Gas Marketing, a contract to manage gas supply assets for SEMCO Energy Gas Co., and the marketing and trading operations in its Omaha, NE office. Financial details were not disclosed.

Acknowledging that development of an Alaska natural gas pipeline will cost too much for the state to carry alone, Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles is proposing federal legislation mandating the Alaska Highway route and is calling for federal tax incentives to enable companies to bring North Slope gas to market. However, the move, say critics, could threaten development of a gas line.

Like most California governors over the past 40 or more years, Gray Davis came to office 28 months ago hoping to build a national reputation. Four months into his third year, most observers would agree he has accomplished that goal. But at what price?