Effort

In an effort to deal with the serious decontracting problem onits pipeline system caused by the addition of Northern Border’sChicago expansion and the Alliance Pipeline project, TransCanadasaid last week it is strongly considering filing an applicationwith the National Energy Board this month to increase itsinterruptible and short-term firm transportation rates, somethingthe pipeline’s shippers almost certainly will oppose.

In less than two months, BP Amoco Canada succeeded in unloadingall of its crude oil producing properties in Canada in an effort tolower costs and focus on natural gas, gas liquids andpetrochemicals. The company said last week it signed agreements tosell its heavy oil operations to Canadian Natural Resources andPenn West Petroleum for C$1.6 billion.

In less than two months, BP Amoco Canada has succeeded inunloading all of its crude oil producing properties in Canada in aneffort to lower costs and focus on natural gas, gas liquids andpetrochemicals. The company sold the high-cost heavy oil operationsto Canadian Natural Resources and Penn West Petroleum for C$1.6billion. The assets include five major fields, which currentlyproduce a total of 54,300 b/d of oil and liquids and 75 MMcf/d ofgas. About 250 employees will be affected by the sale, but many areexpected to sign on with the two buyers, said Dan Kane, spokesmanfor BP Amoco Canada.

Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania filed its restructuring plan withthe Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission Monday in an effort toexpand its supplier choice program statewide. As part of theNatural Gas Choice and Competition Act passed by the PennsylvaniaGeneral Assembly June 17, each gas utility is required to submit arestructuring plan to the PUC by Nov. 1.

In an effort to build a larger customer base, cut costs and offer a wider variety of commodities and services, Indiana Energy, parent of Indiana Gas, announced plans to merge with Sigcorp, the holding company for Southern Indiana Gas and Electric (Sigeco). The merger of equals will create a new $1.9 billion holding company called Vectren Corp.

In an effort grow its natural gas asset portfolio, Aquila Energy, UtiliCorp’s energy services subsidiary, recently formed a gas asset acquisition arm called Natural Gas Partners. The new entity was created to purchase storage facilities, pipelines and other properties as well as enter alliances, management deals and partnerships. The unit, which has not yet reached its full work force, is based in Kansas City, MO.

In an effort to diversify its energy services, Aquila Energy,Utilicorp’s energy services subsidiary, recently formed a gas assetacquisition arm called Natural Gas Partners. The new entity willpurchase storage facilities, pipelines and other properties as wellas enter alliances, management deals and partnerships. The unit,which has not yet reached its full work force, is based in KansasCity, MO.

While it continues to tangle with Oneok in an effort to acquireSouthwest Gas, Southern Union Co. agreed to merge with PennsylvaniaEnterprises Inc. (PEI). PEI’s Pennsylvania-based operations willbecome the fourth major autonomous division of Southern Union,complementing its Texas, Missouri and Florida operations.

In an effort to improve its power market monitoring capabilitiesin light of the price spikes and market disruptions that occurredlast summer, FERC last week changed the reporting requirements forthe 500-600 licensed power marketers.