Driving

North American exploration and production in 2000 will be nearlyall about gas and all about independents, with spending plans ofthe majors largely forsaking this country for opportunitiesoverseas. That’s one finding of Lehman Brothers, which from Nov. 6to Dec. 10 surveyed 320 companies in what it calls “the mostextensive study of oil company spending plans that has ever beendone.”

If convergence is what’s driving the energy industry, thenNiSource Chairman Gary Neale could be a good candidate to pilot theAmerican Gas Association into the new millennium. Neale is theAGA’s new chairman, but he’s also chairman of National ElectricityReliability Council, is on the board of directors of EdisonElectric Institute and spends his spare time attempting a hostiletakeover of Columbia Energy Group.

With the amount of capital driving today’s energy companies,Statoil Energy recently announced it is searching for a partner tobolster its resource base. A spokesman for the Virginia-basedenergy marketer said the process is moving quickly and the companyhopes to find a partner by the end of the year.

With the amount of capital driving today’s energy companies,Statoil Energy recently announced it is searching for a partner tobolster its resource base. A spokesman for the Virginia-basedenergy marketer said the process is moving quickly and the companyhopes to have found a partner by the end of the year.

Customers looking for services tailored to their specific needsare driving pipelines to seek lighter-handed regulation includingthe ability to negotiate and deliver those services on the spot-without lengthy FERC proceedings, according to Interstate NaturalGas Assoc. (INGAA) chairman John Riordan.

Customers looking for services tailored to their specific needsare driving pipelines to seek lighter-handed regulation, includingthe ability to negotiate and deliver those services on thespot-without lengthy FERC proceedings,according to InterstateNatural Gas Assoc. (INGAA) chairman John Riordan.