Field

Vastar Resources had a far better year in the field than it didin the commodity marketplace, reporting first-quarter 1999 netincome of $19 million, down from $48 million during the firstquarter of 1998. However, Vastar achieved a 24% increase inproduction and continued exploratory success, and is predictingbetter times ahead.

El Paso said Friday its Waha (TX) GE turbine is off-line againdue to a failed coupling on the field gas compressor. If expeditedtemporary repairs over the weekend prove successful, the pipelinesaid, the unit is expected to return to service around Wednesday.Otherwise, a new coupling will be available around April 6; anothershutdown would be required for its installation. The IMLWAHA pointis limited to 65 MMcf/d during the outage.

El Paso’s Waha GE will be down for emergency maintenance at 6p.m. today through Thursday, March 25, for field gas compressorbearing replacement.

Alberta Energy Company (AEC) announced plans to expand thestorage capacity managed by its AECO-C storage hub in Alberta by 10Bcf through a conversion of a depleted field at Peace River Arch innorthwestern Alberta to a commercial storage facility. Thedevelopment will add 100 MMcf/d of injection and withdrawalcapability and has the potential for a further expansion, AEC said.

PG&ampE Gas Transmission-Texas has announced a reorganization ofits business into four major lines: field services, transmissionand storage services, gas marketing and supply, and natural gasliquids (NGL) marketing and development.

Constraints will be minor today at the Opal (WY) processingplant as Williams Field Services begins testing and maintenance.But at least half of the plant’s current 540 MMcf/d activity willbe off the market Tuesday as the plant is shut down for 12 hours.Reductions June 17-24 will be about 75 MMcf/d.