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In late action yesterday, the Senate approved former Coloradoattorney general Gale Norton to the cabinet position of Secretaryof the Interior, and tapped New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitmanto head up the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The Senate over the weekend confirmed by a voice vote SpencerAbraham, a former senator from Michigan, as the secretary of theDepartment of Energy (DOE).

President-elect George W. Bush, a former oil driller, signaledlast week that he plans to move energy issues to center stage whenhe arrives in Washington, focusing on oil and natural gasexploration and production and opening up more federal lands tocarry out these activities.

President-elect George W. Bush, a former oil driller, signaledlast week that he plans to move energy issues to center stage whenhe arrives in Washington, focusing on oil and natural gasexploration and production and opening up more federal lands tocarry out these activities.

Should the energy industry expect more mergers and acquisitions?Eric Mullins, a former Houston Oiler football player and nowmanaging director of Goldman Sachs, said he didn’t have to go outon “much of a limb” to answer that question. “Maybe I’ll just say’yes’ and sit down,” he told attendees of Arthur Andersen’s EnergySymposium in Houston last week..

Should the energy industry expect more mergers and acquisitions?Eric Mullins, a former Houston Oiler football player and nowmanaging director of Goldman Sachs, said he didn’t have to go outon “much of a limb” to answer that question. “Maybe I’ll just say’yes’ and sit down,” he told attendees of Arthur Andersen’s EnergySymposium in Houston yesterday.

Preparing to say farewell to the retail side of its business,Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) announced yesterday it will refund $34million to its former retail customers. The $26 per customer refundwill be issued by the 13 marketers in AGL’s service territoryduring the May/June billing cycle. It will be noted on customers’bills as a “GA PSC Ordered Credit,” which will be deducted from thetotal amount owed for service for the particular billing period.

The BP Amoco and Atlantic Richfield Co. (ARCO) merger isofficially complete. BP Amoco will deliver to former ARCO holders,for each share of common stock owned, 1.64 American depositaryshares (ADS) of BP Amoco. Alternatively, if properly elected, ARCOcommon stock holders can receive BP Amoco ordinary shares. Cashwill be paid for fractional share interests. BP Amoco ADSs trade onthe New York Stock Exchange and other North American exchangesunder the symbol BPA with one ADS representing six ordinary sharestraded on the London Stock Exchange. Existing BP Amoco ADR holdersand existing ARCO preference stock holders do not need to take anyaction with respect to this transaction.

The Southwest Gas merger soap opera took another turn recentlyas Oneok, the former merger partner of Southwest, announced it ispursuing lawsuits against the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC),the state of Arizona and specific members of the ACC staff fortheir roles in interfering with the merger. Oneok said it iswilling to settle its claims for $85 million.