Initiative

Following through on a cost-cutting initiative begun in 1999 under another CEO, Calgary-based TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. on Friday said it has reached an agreement to sell some of its natural gas marketing and trading operations to BP Gas & Power. Included in the sale is CanStates Gas Marketing, a contract to manage gas supply assets for SEMCO Energy Gas Co., and the marketing and trading operations in its Omaha, NE office. Financial details were not disclosed.

A proposed initiative by FERC to collect an inordinate amount of price and volume information from transporters and sellers of natural gas into the California market is nothing more than a fishing expedition by the agency, marketers charge. The Commission proposed the reporting requirement last month in response to mounting pressure from Capitol Hill for regulatory action in the volatile gas market.

A proposed initiative by FERC to collect an inordinate amount of price and volume information from transporters and sellers of natural gas into the California market is nothing more than a fishing expedition by the agency, marketers charge. The Commission proposed the reporting requirement last month in response to mounting pressure from Capitol Hill for regulatory action in the volatile gas market.

The House Appropriations Committee, in a vote that split closely along party lines, last week rejected an amendment forwarded by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) that would have instituted cost-of-service rates for electricity sold at wholesale in the western region.

Questar Pipeline launched a major pipeline expansion initiative last week in conjunction with plans announced recently to move forward with the eastern portion of its Southern Trails Pipeline to California (see Daily GPI, April 10) and in response to strong demand for capacity on several other downstream pipelines, particularly Kern River. Questar also said it is moving forward with plans to build the Rocky Mountain region’s first high deliverability salt cavern storage operation, and will attempt to turn its existing pipeline system into a market hub.

Questar Pipeline launched a major pipeline expansion initiative Tuesday in conjunction with plans announced recently to move forward with the eastern portion of its Southern Trails Pipeline to California (see Daily GPI, April 10) and in response to strong demand for capacity on several other downstream pipelines, particularly Kern River. Questar also said it is moving forward with plans to build the Rocky Mountain region’s first high deliverability salt cavern storage operation, and will attempt to turn its existing pipeline system into a market hub.

Is the colossal game of financial chicken that has been a major part of the response to California’s lingering energy crisis finally going to play out as the backdrop to the latest initiatives by the governor and his regulatory leaders?

Canadian Superior Energy Inc. plans a major East Coast drillinginitiative offshore Nova Scotia on the company’s Marquis Prospectby September. The prospect is located about 12.5 miles northwest ofSable Island, and is analogous to PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd.’srecent 2 Tcf Abenaki Reef discovery there.

Any Department of Energy (DOE) initiative seeking to imposemandatory reliability standards in the electric industry would alsohave to tackle the issue of competition to be effective, theFederal Trade Commission (FTC) says.