Fate

Daniel M. Adamson, director of the office of energy projects atthe Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, sent a letter to ColumbiaEnergy’s David Pentzein this week requesting a status report on the$650 million Millennium Pipeline project in light of all the recentcriticism from New York regulators and the impact of theColumbia-NiSource merger. The 442-mile project would bring about714 MMcf/d of gas from Canada under Lake Erie to the New Yorkmetropolitan area.

CMS Energy said yesterday it plans to hold an open season thatcould determine the fate of all or part of the Trunkline Pipeline.During the open season, which begins today and will end Dec. 15,the pipeline intends to determine how many customers are willing tosign long-term firm transportation agreements at full tariff ratesfor service beginning April 2000.

CMS Energy said last week it plans to hold an open season thatcould determine the fate of all or part of the Trunkline Pipeline.During the open season, which begins today and will end Dec. 15,the pipeline intends to determine how many customers are willing tosign long-term firm transportation agreements at full tariff ratesfor service beginning April 2000.

Even with favorable momentum at FERC Questar’s Southern TrailsPipeline won’t get very far without California regulatory help inremoving what it views as the main impediment to its locking upmulti-year deals with at least three large end-users who currentlyship gas on SoCalGas.

Even with favorable momentum at FERC (see NGI, Oct. 11), Questar’s Southern Trails Pipeline won’t get very far without California regulatory help in removing what it views as the main impediment to its locking up multi-year deals with at least three large end-users who currently ship gas on SoCalGas.

The fate of a $500 million federal loan guarantee program forsmall oil and gas producers and their suppliers (H.R. 1664), okayedby the Senate earlier this month, is still up in the air as themeasure heads for a U.S. House-Senate conference committee and avote in the House.

The fate of a $500 million federal loan guarantee program forsmall oil and gas producers and their suppliers (H.R. 1664), okayedby the Senate last week, is still up in the air as the measureheads for a U.S. House-Senate conference committee and a vote inthe House.

The fate of the Millennium, Independence, SupplyLink andMarketLink pipeline expansion projects, which together representabout 1.7 Bcf/d of new pipeline capacity directed at northeasternmarkets from the Midwest, have been scheduled for discussion onlyat FERC’s next regular meeting March 10. That move has sparked aconsiderable degree of speculation among FERC observers andpipeline representatives.

Amid the fiery criticism of FERC’s proposed auction mechanism,Mississippi River Transmission (MRT) is suffering a similar fate asits proposed tariff revisions for implementing auction procedureshave come under attack from marketers and producers.