Extends

Hunt Oil Co.’s unsolicited bid to purchase all of the issued andoutstanding shares of Berkley Petroleum Corp. for C$10 per sharewas received as expected by Berkley shareholders, with theDallas-based company extending an olive branch by saying it wouldlengthen the time period for its offer to be reviewed.

Hunt Oil Co.’s unsolicited bid to purchase all of the issued andoutstanding shares of Berkley Petroleum Corp. for C$10 per sharewas received as expected by Berkley shareholders this week, withthe Dallas-based company extending an olive branch by saying itwould lengthen the time period for its offer to be reviewed.

With little fanfare from the lame-duck Clinton administration,FERC Chairman James J. Hoecker received a recess appointment lastMonday from the White House that effectively would extend his termon the Commission until the Senate adjourns next year. It alsore-designated him as chairman.

With little fanfare from the lame-duck Clinton administration, FERC Chairman James J. Hoecker received a recess appointment last Monday from the White House that effectively would extend his term on the Commission until the Senate adjourns next year. It also re-designated him as chairman.

Making himself a domestic energy diplomat moving betweenmeetings in Washington, DC, and the West, Energy Secretary BillRichardson last week supported the need for a western regionalwholesale power price cap as he extended for another week hisearlier emergency order requiring generators and marketers to makepower available to the continuing tight California market to avoidthe threat of rolling blackouts. The order, which was first issuedon Dec. 14, expired Tuesday at midnight. The new order will remainin effect until Dec. 27, unless modified.

Energy Secretary Bill Richardson has extended for another weekhis earlier emergency order requiring generators and marketers tomake power available to the California market to avoid the threatof rolling blackouts. The order, which was first issued on Dec. 14,expired Tuesday at midnight (Pacific time). The new order willremain in effect until Dec. 27, unless modified.

Because its initial open season period of Oct. 5 through Dec. 5included the Thanksgiving holidays, Dominion is extending thedeadline to Dec. 19 for its previously announced GreenbrierPipeline project in order to continue to gauge customer interest.

Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) continues to movethrough the recontracting process like a hot knife through butter.Since Kinder Morgan took over NGPL parent KN Energy last year, theinterstate pipeline subsidiary has signed multiple agreements andcontract extensions for gas transportation and storage with itsmajor shippers in the Midwest, including another deal announcedlast week with Northern Indiana Public Service (NIPSCO).

Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) continues to movethrough the recontracting process like a hot knife through butter.Since Kinder Morgan took over NGPL parent KN Energy last year, theinterstate pipeline subsidiary has signed multiple agreements andcontract extensions for gas transportation and storage with itsmajor shippers in the Midwest, including another deal announcedyesterday with Northern Indiana Public Service (NIPSCO).