Facing

Facing higher natural gas costs, Unitil has filed an interim increase in its Cost of Gas Adjustment (CGA) factor with the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy (MDTE). If approved, a typical residential heating customer using 150 therms/month in the winter would see an increase of $11.06 or 5.4% over the current rates.

Former Enron Corp. Chairman Kenneth Lay is facing two separate criminal trials under a ruling made last week by a U.S. district judge in Houston. Under the rulings, Lay will be tried with former CEO Jeffrey Skilling and former chief accountant Rick Causey, and then will be tried for criminal charges related to his personal banking activities.

Former Enron Corp. Chairman Kenneth Lay is facing two separate criminal trials under a ruling made late Tuesday by a U.S. district judge in Houston. Under the rulings, Lay will be tried with former CEO Jeffrey Skilling and former chief accountant Rick Causey, and then will be tried for criminal charges related to his personal banking activities.

Deepwater field sizes have increased steadily but deepwater operating costs per unit are facing upward pressure as well, according to Ziff Energy’s fifth annual study on deepwater statistics. Ziff found that deepwater average unit operating costs did fall from 1997 to 1999. However since then average unit operating costs have remained nearly flat with a small increase between 2000 and 2003. For the 13 deepwater fields tracked in the latest study for 2003, all but three of the fields had increased unit costs even among fields with increased production volumes, Ziff said. For information about the study, contact Ziff at (888) 736-5780.

Indicative of the complexity and breadth of the supply contracts being contemplated for liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports in the United States, a “cartel-like” pricing structure is likely to emerge as definitive deals come together, a New York City-based energy attorney told an energy conference in Santa Fe, NM, last Thursday. He also predicted offshore terminals may be easier to finance and permit in some areas on the East and West Coasts.

Indicative of the complexity and breadth of the supply contracts being contemplated for liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports in the United States, a “cartel-like” pricing structure is likely to emerge as definitive deals come together, a New York City-based energy attorney told an energy conference in Santa Fe, NM, on Thursday. He also predicted offshore terminals may be easier to finance and permit in some areas on the East and West Coasts.

Regulatory uncertainty, system reliability and aging physical infrastructure are the three most critical issues facing the electric power industry, but they will be difficult to fix unless they are solved simultaneously, according to a new survey of utility company executives.

Northwest Natural Gas Co. is among pipeline operators nationwide who are facing rising costs this year for new pipeline integrity testing. Northwest said Monday that it reached an agreement with the staff of the Public Utility Commission of Oregon (OPUC) over $5 million in additional charges in 2004 and the $5-15 million per year in charges over the next nine years for new pipeline integrity testing and related pipeline safety activities.

Facing an ongoing battle with Alberta regulators over the impact of its gas production on oilsands recovery, Paramount Energy Trust continued to expand its operations outside Alberta Wednesday with a C$148 million purchase of Cavell Energy Corp. The deal increases Paramount’s daily natural gas production by 21% to 110 MMcfe/d, is accretive to cash flow and expands the company’s operations into Saskatchewan.