Examines

Gas reserves grew substantially in 2000 partly because of declines in production, but also because of a turnaround in drilling, according to a new report by the American Gas Association. The AGA report shows that based on the behavior of 30 large reserve holders examined, total domestic gas reserve additions are expected to be 24 Tcf or greater for 2000. Because only 19.2 Tcf is estimated to have been produced, reserves for 2000 are expected to have grown from 164.7 Tcf to more than 170 Tcf — the highest level of reserves since 1987, AGA said. Additions to gas reserves exceeded domestic production by at least 26% in 2000.

A change in the timing and location of North Carolina’s powergeneration needs has forced Carolina Power & Light (CP&L)and Southern Natural Gas Co. to put a hold on their PalmettoInterstate Pipeline and consider other pipeline alternatives. Thecompanies said last week they have suspended ongoing routeselection and survey activities for Palmetto and are analyzing twocompeting pipeline projects.

A change in the timing and location of North Carolina’s powergeneration needs has forced Carolina Power & Light (CP&L)and Southern Natural Gas Co. to put a hold on their PalmettoInterstate Pipeline and consider other pipeline alternatives. Thecompanies said yesterday they have suspended ongoing routeselection and survey activities for Palmetto and are analyzing twocompeting pipeline projects.

Due to hundreds of customer complaints that Atlanta Gas Light(AGL) is over-billing, Georgia’s Public Service Commission (PSC)will vote on Jan. 5 to determine whether a hearing should be heldto examine re-regulating the state’s gas industry, the PSC toldNGI. If the commission decides a hearing is necessary, it will beheld Jan. 26 with a decision to come shortly thereafter.

Seeking a generic response to the restraints on competitionposed by pipelines’ bundling of production area costs into marketarea rates, FERC has asked parties in cases involving threepipelines delivering to the East Coast to respond to itstransportation rulemaking.

Seeking a generic response to the restraints on competitionposed by pipelines’ bundling of production area costs into marketarea rates, FERC has asked parties in cases involving threepipelines delivering to the East Coast to respond to itstransportation rulemaking.

Fearing that it might be growing dusty and staid, FERC earlierthis month kicked off a three-month, all-encompassing review of itsprocedures and processes “to try and keep current with the times,including a very changing energy marketplace that we regulate,”Chairman James Hoecker said.