Dutch

A joint bid by Apache Corp. and Royal Dutch/Shell Group’s Overseas Holdings to buy New Zealand-based Fletcher Challenge Energy Ltd. is still alive despite an initial rejection by the Commerce Commission of New Zealand, which holds ultimate sway over the country’s mergers.

Chevron, the Royal Dutch/Shell Group and Schlumberger havebecome equal partners in a new Houston-based company, OpenSpiritCorp., which will offer a standardized software infrastructure forthe energy industry. The initial framework was funded by OpenSpiritAlliance, a three-year-old collaboration of exploration andproduction companies and software vendors that studies ways tobetter develop, deliver and use E&P applications. OpenSpiritCorp.’s vendor-neutral and platform-independent applicationframework is expected to be available before the end of the year.Neil Buckley, former president of U.S. operations for Merak, adivision of GeoQuest, will serve as CEO. More information isavailable at www.openspirit.com.

The Royal Dutch/Shell Group is planning to integrate itsworldwide trading activities under one banner in order to takeadvantage of energy trading opportunities. ‘Shell Trading’ will actas a singular worldwide network of Shell’s trading activities.

The Royal Dutch/Shell Group is planning to integrate itsworldwide trading activities under one banner in order to takeadvantage of energy trading opportunities. ‘Shell Trading’ will actas a singular worldwide network of Shell’s trading activities.

Globalization hit the paper energy market yesterday with the bidby the U.S. investment subsidiary of a Dutch banking firm forMerrill Lynch’s energy futures, options and commodities business,and the takeover of Natsource LLC, a leading U.S. broker of naturalgas and electricity, by a London wholesale money broker.

El Paso will take the Dutch Flat #1 turbine down for maintenanceDec. 20-22, reducing Havasu Crossover capacity by 40 MMcf/d.