Headed

High natural gas prices, performance issues and higher thanexpected maintenance costs, a general economic slowdown and severalother key factors will combine to create a “near-term meltdown inthe gas turbine market,” according to a report by WEFA, Inc.

High natural gas prices, performance issues and higher thanexpected maintenance costs, a general economic slowdown and severalother key factors will combine to create a “near-term meltdown inthe gas turbine market,” according to a report by WEFA, Inc.

Cash prices were already headed downward Monday in the greatmajority of cases, but that’s nothing like the beating they’reexpected to take today after futures went into a free-fall, losingmore than 40 cents in the July contract.

Despite stronger cash prices and the surprise formation of a newtropical system in the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend, natural gasfutures prices tumbled lower yesterday as traders continued toliquidate long positions. The October contract was the hardest hit,slipping 8.9 cents to finish at $2.519. With many Nymex localsobserving the Jewish Holiday Yom Kippur, estimated volume was heldto an extremely light 53,174 contracts.

Gathering and storage assets of Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) andKansas Gas Service (KGS) are headed for deregulation, much to thechagrin of the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office. The move evengives pause to one of the three commissioners on the OklahomaCorporation Commission (OCC).

Just one week after the break-up of the KN/Sempra merger overpoor financials, KN Energy has started action on an intense assetdivestment strategy. The Colorado-based company sold $51 millionworth of various Gulf of Mexico (GOM) assets last week, includinginterests in HIOS, U-TOS and Stingray, to Leviathan Gas Pipelinewhich is controlled by El Paso Energy. The transaction closed June30.

Just one week after the break-up of the KN/Sempra merger overpoor financials, KN Energy has started action on an intense assetdivestment strategy. The Colorado-based company sold $51 millionworth of various Gulf of Mexico (GOM) assets last week, includinginterests in HIOS, U-TOS and Stingray, to Leviathan Gas Pipelinewhich is controlled by El Paso Energy. The transaction closed June30.

After failing, so far, in its attempt to woo Southwest Gas away from Oneok, Southern Union Co. headed east to announce a friendly $500 million acquisition of distributor Pennsylvania Enterprises Inc. (PEI). With the purchase Southern Union will make its first entry into power marketing.

TNP Enterprises, the parent company of Texas-New Mexico PowerCo. (TNMP), was bought by a group of investors headed by WilliamCatacosinos, the former CEO of Long Island Lighting Co., for $1billion, including assumed debt, the parties announced last week.The deal, which TNP said was the first leveraged buyout of anelectric utility, is expected to close in six to nine months.