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Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham has created an energy emergency task force within the Department of Energy (DOE) that will work in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to deal with blackouts and other energy emergencies this summer in California and elsewhere in the nation.

Record-breaking fourth quarter and year-end earnings havecreated more opportunities for U.S. independents this year, whichnow are flush with cash to ramp up North American exploration andproduction projects and many U.S.-based independents now areboosting capital spending in their E&P units to boost energyreserves, especially natural gas.

Record-breaking fourth quarter and year-end earnings havecreated more opportunities for U.S. independents this year, whichnow are flush with cash to ramp up North American exploration andproduction projects. Pioneer Natural Resources Co., Mitchell Energy& Development Corp. and Devon Energy Corp. set new earnings andproduction records in 2000, and are turning their attention andmoney to boost production.

The Pennsylvania Electric Association (PEA) and the PennsylvaniaGas Association (PGA) have agreed to reunite after 37 years ofseparation. The two will merge into the newly created EnergyAssociation of Pennsylvania. The governing bodies of bothassociations announced that Richard Bunn, who in the past hadserved as chairman of both groups, will be CEO while a searchcommittee looks for its new leader. John Marshall, chairman of PEAand president of Duquesne Light said the merger will allow bothindustries to “retain their strategic focus while enabling us tocombine resources and knowledge to produce a more efficient andeffective effort in representing the interests of our customers,shareholders and employees in the public policy arena.” PGAChairman John Sipics, president of PPL Gas Utilities said it “makessense because the two associations were pursuing similar objectivesand activities to meet the challenges faced by the regulated energydelivery business, including making the transition to competitiveretail markets.” PEA was established in 1908 and at that time gasutilities were members. In 1963, the gas utilities formed their ownassociation. Earlier this year the electric power generationcompanies spun off from PEA and joined with other major powerproducers in the state to form the Electric Power GenerationAssociation.

Entergy Corp. and The Shaw Group Inc. have created EntergyShaw LLCto provide management, engineering, procurement, construction andcommissioning services to build electric plants worldwide. The twosigned the letter of intent to form the new company in early June. Itwill be headquartered in Baton Rouge, LA (see Daily GPI, June 5). Entergy and Shaw each will own a50% interest in the new company and Jim Early, a Shaw senior vicepresident, has been appointed president. In the next few years, thecompany is expected to manage the construction of several powerprojects, with a total capital value of more than $6 billion. Theactual number of projects was not announced.

Interstate pipelines will want to be on the look-out for theresults of a model simulation of the New England pipelineinfrastructure that will analyze its potential to supply the”enormous” increase in the demand for natural gas by powergenerators in the region.

A report released last week by the newly named Gas TechnologyInstitute (created by the merger of GRI and the Institute of GasTechnology) predicts that technological advances will increase theeconomic lower-48 resource base by 250 Tcf and Canadian recoverableresources by 125 Tcf.

A report released yesterday by the newly named Gas TechnologyInstitute (created by the merger of GRI and the Institute of GasTechnology) predicts that technological advances will increase theeconomic lower-48 resource base by 250 Tcf and Canadian recoverableresources by 125 Tcf.

AmerenCIPS transferred $600 million in power generationfacilities (2,900 MW) to a newly created nonregulated Ameren Corp.subsidiary, AmerenEnergy Generating Co. The generation holdings ofthe new unit are expected to balloon to 5,400 MW and $1.7 billionin book value by 2005, the company said, noting it is in theprocess of building another 2,500 MW.