Energy

Amoco Production and Amoco Energy Trading have wasted no time inpetitioning the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to review FERC’srecent decision upholding Dynegy Marketing and Trade’s 1.3 Bcf/dcontract with El Paso Natural Gas.

Energy Secretary Bill Richardson has indicated he is “guardedlyoptimistic” about the status of the electric utility industry’spreparedness efforts to deal with computer-related glitches thatmay arise with the arrival of the new millennium.

Coral Energy affiliates have signed a deal to supply gas to andpurchase the power from the proposed 830 MW Tenaska GatewayGenerating Station in Rusk County, TX. Construction of the plant isscheduled to begin this summer and be completed in spring 2001. Aspart of the deal, Coral also has gained an equity position inTenaska Gateway Partners, which will build, own and operate thefacility. It is Omaha-based Tenasaka’s second power project in thelast two years. “Joining with Tenaska in the Gateway GeneratingStation supports Coral’s strategy to build a power generationplatform that complements our marketing and trading activities,”said Coral CEO Charlie Crisp. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Columbia Energy Group won a small victory last week when the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware denied NiSource’s motion for expedited discovery in its federal case against Columbia. Meanwhile, NiSource raised legal pressure with yet another suit filed in the state Chancery Court in Delaware. By increasing the legal pressure while pushing its $68/share tender offer to Columbia shareholders, NiSource believes it can force Columbia officials to the negotiating table.

The Senate last week confirmed Commissioner Curt Hebert Jr. to anew five-year term on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Histerm expires in June 2004.

Santa Fe Snyder, the resultant company from the recently approved Santa Fe Energy Resources and Snyder Oil Corp. merger, bought $210 million of interest in four Shell Exploration & Production Co. (SEPCo) Gulf of Mexico (GOM) assets. Closing is expected in August. Last week’s deal, which would give Santa Fe Snyder access to production from the Macaroni, Troika and Brutus deep-water fields as well as the Angus Complex, is expected to add 14.5 MMcf/d and 11,500 b/d of oil to the new company’s production results in 2000.

Marking its initial promotion to capture some of the residentialgas market in Georgia, Southeastern States Energy, Inc. (SSE)announced a partnership with PowerTrust.com, an Internet-basedpower services company, to offer customers the ability to sign withSSE through the PowerTrust.com web site. Although the GeorgiaPublic Service Commission (GPSC) will decide market share for thestate’s suppliers on Aug. 11, Beth Perry Sewell, president of SSE,said there is still time to be successful in the Georgia market.

Santa Fe Snyder, the resultant company from the recentlyapproved Santa Fe Energy Resources and Snyder Oil Corp. merger,bought $210 million of interest in four Shell Exploration &Production Co. (SEPCo) Gulf of Mexico (GOM) assets. Closing isexpected in August. Monday’s deal, which would give Santa Fe Snyderaccess to production from the Macaroni, Troika and Brutusdeep-water fields as well as the Angus Complex, is expected to add14.5 MMcf/d and 11,500 b/d of oil to the new company’s productionresults in 2000.

El Paso Energy’s Tennessee Gas Pipeline and Consolidated NaturalGas’ CNG Transmission jointly unveiled the Atlantic AllianceProject on Monday. If successful, this project will transport up to750,000 Dth/d from Chicago market center and the Niagara ImportPoint into eastern markets.