Entering

Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc. (EEA) released a reportyesterday warning that the North American gas market is on coursefor entering the winter heating season with dangerously low storagelevels.

The March contract wandered off a small cliff yesterday whileentering its final week on the board, as spring fever apparentlyreached the Nymex gas pit. The March contract opened with a hugegap lower to $2.555 before cascading down a total of 11.8 cents forthe day and closing at $2.515, slightly above its $2.490 low. TheApril contract closed down 10.6 cents to $2.544, and May dropped 9cents to $2.564.

Signaling what could become a trend among large producers, Shellyesterday said it is stepping into the independent power generationbusiness with partner Bechtel Enterprises.

Shell Oil Tuesday announced its designs on the retail gas andpower marketplace and said its Shell Energy Services willparticipate in the unbundling of Georgia’s Atlanta Gas Lightsystem. The company plans to serve residential and commercialcustomers. Other states Shell will target for retail sales are notyet known, but Shell Energy Services President Alan M. Raymond saidthe company is interested in California’s deregulated electricitymarket as well as competitive markets in the Northeast. “We will beapplying to become marketers in those states where the deregulationallows us to function, and then we’ll be setting up shop to appealto those customers.”

A bidding war has erupted over British electric company TheEnergy Group with Texas Utilities formally entering the battleMonday with an offer of 810 pence (US$13.37) for each Energy Groupshare – 45 pence more than that of the initial bidder PacifiCorp.The Portland, OR firm was not to be out-penced, however, coming inwith a new offer of 820 pence. PacifiCorp said it has acquired45,987,079 EG shares, representing approximately 8.8% of theBritish Firm’s outstanding share capital.