Executives

Attempting to distance itself from other California utility companies, executives with San Diego-based Sempra Energy, which owns the state’s third largest utility, instead zeroed in Thursday on its 8-10% expected growth, and explained to analysts how they hope to derive more than half of the company’s total income from business units outside the state — with a special focus on Northern Mexico — by 2004. Included in its plans for Mexico is a $500 million LNG terminal it expects to build with CMS Energy in Baja California.

Enron Corp. promoted two of the Houston company’s wholesale services veterans last week to join CEO Kenneth L. Lay in the Office of the Chairman, which sets company strategy. Greg Whalley, 39, and Mark Frevert, 46, moved to the top floor last Tuesday. Whalley, who assumes the president and COO spot, had been president and COO of Enron Wholesale Services, while Frevert, now vice chairman, had been chairman and CEO of that division. Enron Wholesale accounted for the bulk of the company’s second quarter revenue this year. All three, said Lay, will help guide the company.

Oklahoma Natural Gas Co. executives fired back at criticism that they did not serve customers well in last winter’s heating season, charging that the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s review of ONG’s gas purchasing practices was incomplete and did not comply with the commission’s rules. Hearings this week are looking into charges that ONG was “imprudent” in buying winter gas supplies, causing customers to be overcharged.

Rig operators are doing better than ever, said Houston-based Global Marine Inc. executives last week. Global Marine said dayrates for offshore oil and gas drilling rigs will shoot past the 1997-98 levels, based partly on energy proposals from the Bush Administration and because of increased drilling in international markets. Other operators also are benefiting: Tulsa-based Unit Corp. said its drilling demand in the Gulf Coast region has jumped 26% in just six months.

Executives of companies looking to increase the use of small electric generation units known as microturbines last week sought to promote some of the nascent technology’s benefits, including a minimal amount of maintenance and the ability to make use of heat-generated energy that would otherwise go to waste.

Executives with NiSource Inc. can start breathing easier now as it appears that their company’s hard-fought and much-delayed merger with Columbia Energy Group last November (see NGI, Nov. 6, 2000) is beginning to show its benefits. CEO Gary L. Neale told shareholders at NiSource’s annual meeting last Wednesday that the merger remains on track to add to the company’s earnings in 2001.

Executives with NiSource Inc. can start breathing easier now as it appears that their company’s hard-fought and much-delayed merger with Columbia Energy Group last November (see Daily GPI, Nov. 1, 2000) is beginning to show its benefits. CEO Gary L. Neale told shareholders at NiSource’s annual meeting on Wednesday that the merger remains on track to add to the company’s earnings in 2001.

Executives with companies looking to increase the use of small electric generation units known as microturbines yesterday sought to promote some of the nascent technology’s benefits, including a minimal amount of maintenance and the ability to make use of heat-generated energy that would otherwise go to waste.

Need a reason to embrace the future of the power industry? Howabout 10 reasons? Several U.S. utility executives last week offeredtheir upbeat take on the power generation and natural gas outlookfor the next five years, with El Paso Energy, Reliant Energy,Dynegy Inc. and Williams Energy Services giving a birds-eye view ofwhat’s ahead during a forum at PowerMart 2000 in Houston.