Help

Atlanta Gas Light Co. (AGLC) launched a pilot program inQuitman, GA, to help the city develop and implement a structuredprocess to enhance its 33-mile gas operating system. Quitman, acity of approximately 5,300 in Brooks County near Valdosta insoutheast Georgia, is not served by AGLC. Service, during the testperiod, is scheduled to begin May 1. AGLC will provide operationsmaintenance support, corrosion control, development of a workmanagement plan, and gas accountability. AGLC also will develop andmanage a compliance inspection plan, including an initial corrosionevaluation. AGLC inspected Quitman’s operations in February.

California regulators Thursday approved a series of rateadjustments for Southern California Gas Co. and San Diego Gas andElectric Co. that help encourage future merchant natural gaspipeline and electric power plant projects as well as resulting ina $248 million gas utility net rate decrease. For SoCalGas thatequals $210 million in rate cuts, the bulk of the reduction ($158.9million) going to residential and small business customers.SDG&E’s gas rates drop a total of $37 million, $18 million ofwhich is for small, core customers.

kRoad Ventures LP made a significant investment in HoustonStreetExchange Inc. intended to help HoustonStreet bring online energycommodity trading to Europe.

Those who expected the swing cash market to use Mondayafternoon’s cash run-up and continued futures strength Tuesdaymorning as a springboard were not disappointed. Late-March quoteswere moving higher by double-digit amounts at nearly every point inall market areas, although few increases exceeded 10-12 centsexcept in the Rockies and Northeast.

In its effort to meet the challenge of building a pipeline offthe Florida coast, Buccaneer Pipeline project sponsors saidyesterday they signed Saipem Inc./European Marine Contractors Ltd.,a recognized leader in deepwater pipeline construction.

Analyzing and following industry “best practices” can helponshore gas producers reduce operating costs and achieve greateroperating efficiency. Two studies recently completed by Ziff EnergyGroup suggest producers in South Texas and the Midcontinent can dowell by turning to their peers for advice.

A glance at NiSource’s second quarter earnings tells a lot aboutwhy it’s looking to Columbia for help. While Columbia won praisefrom analysts for beating second quarter earnings expectations witha 15% jump in net income to $26.1 million, or 32 cents per share,it’s hostile suitor NiSource struggled and fell short of WallStreet expectations by $0.03/share, reporting a 22% drop in netincome to $22.9 million or $0.18/share, from $29.5, or $0.24/sharein 2Q98.

With prices looking up, Energy Search Inc. of Knoxville, TN,sought and will get a boost to help develop some of its oil and gasproperties. The company made a deal to accelerate development withSouthern Producer Services, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based SouthernEnergy Inc.

With prices looking up, Energy Search Inc. of Knoxville, TN,sought and will get a boost to help develop some of its oil and gasproperties. The company made a deal to accelerate development withSouthern Producer Services, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based SouthernEnergy Inc.