Earlier

Denver-based Western Gas Resources earlier this week exercisedits long-standing option to buy 170 miles of proprietary gaspipelines in the Sacramento Basin and promptly sold the network oftwo- and 10-inch-diameter pipes to California-based merchant powerplant developer Calpine Corp. No dollar figures on the deals willbe released, and both companies are expected to make formalannouncements later this week or early next week, according toWestern Gas and Calpine.

Questar filed a motion at FERC earlier this week requestingauthority to construct, own and operate facilities that coulddeliver up to 250 MMcf/d into the Kern River system near Elberta,UT.

The blizzard that blanketed the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastearlier this week forced the cancellation of a major meeting thatwas called to consider whether the Gas Industry Standards Board(GISB) should expand its reach to develop national standards forthe retail gas market, as well as for the retail and wholesalepower markets.

Joining a short list of other states, New Jersey opened upentirely to gas supplier choice earlier last week. At a specialmeeting on Jan. 10, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approved ofeach of the state’s four main gas utilities’ unbundling plans. Thelegislation calling for this deregulation was enacted lastFebruary.

Joining a short list of other states, New Jersey opened upentirely to gas supplier choice earlier this week. At a specialmeeting on Jan. 10, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approved ofeach of the state’s four main gas utilities’ unbundling plans. Thelegislation calling for this deregulation was enacted lastFebruary.

The Independent Petroleum Association of America came outstrongly against a tax proposal presented earlier this week byDemocratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley that would do awaywith several loopholes currently benefiting oil and gas producers.

The Independent Petroleum Association of America came outstrongly against a proposal presented earlier this week byDemocratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley that would do awaywith several tax loopholes currently benefiting oil and gasproducers.

The announcement earlier this week by Peoples Energy and CoastalCorp.’s ANR Pipeline that they were teaming up to build a 130-milepipeline into the Wisconsin market has left at least one sponsor ofthe competing Guardian Pipeline project scratching his head.

With signs that the touch of winter experienced earlier thisweek in the Northeast was already starting to subside, nearly allof the cash market ranged from flat to about a dime lowerWednesday. Most production area and Midwest citygate points fell bya nickel or less. The declines of a dime or more tended to clusterin the Northeast.