Cuts

Flows to some customers of distributor Cascade Natural Gas weredisrupted Saturday when Northwest Pipeline’s 22-inch mainlineruptured near Pendleton, OR.

Unocal Corp. said Monday it expects 1999 capital spending tototal between $1 billion and $1.1 billion, down from the estimated$1.7 billion in capital expenditures this year. The lower spendingreflects Unocal’s narrowed focus on core oil and gas explorationand production in response to lower commodity prices.

Amerada Hess Corp. announced it will be chopping capitalexpenditures by $900 million next year from the $1.45 billion spentthis year. It also plans to reduce its exploration and productionwork force by 400 positions, a 20% reduction in the U.S. and theU.K., resulting in $18 million in annual savings after taxes.

Nuevo Energy Co. agreed to sell its East Texas gas assets for$190.6 million to an affiliate of Samson Resources Co. The EastTexas assets accounted for about 275 Bcfe of Nuevo’s Jan. 1 provedreserves. The properties are long-lived reserves located mainly inthe Oak Hill Field and interests in the Carthage, SE Carthage andChapel Hill fields, as well as small interests and royaltyinterests in additional East Texas fields.

The New York State Public Service Commission approved a rateplan yesterday for National Fuel Gas Distribution that will cut itsresidential and commercial rates by $20.4 million in two phasesover the next two years. Not only will customers enjoy lower rates,but the company will have to attain specific service qualitytargets for its customers or face penalties, said PSC ChairmanMaureen O. Helmer.

In a move to cut debt and costs by reducing its propertyinventory, Dallas-based Pioneer Natural Resources agreed to sellcertain oil and gas properties to Costilla Energy Inc. for $410million. The transaction will be effective Oct. 1 and is expectedto close by year-end. Despite the recent volatility in oil and gasprices, the company said the price falls within its expectations.

Taking its name and direction from its unregulated subsidiary,Washington Water Power announced Monday it will be cutting itsdividend by 61% and putting the money saved into growing allaspects of its business. The aim is to grow “a bigger and strongercompany” and the second priority is speed, the company’s newchairman and CEO Tom Matthews said.