Interests

Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal, who has been quietly working to assuage landowners, environmental interests and the state’s lucrative coalbed methane (CBM) developers, said he wants to now encourage the state legislature to give agencies more flexibility to apply site-specific permitting. The state, already months behind in processing requests for the industry’s potential 51,000-well sprawl in the northeast Wyoming, has been further stymied by recent budget and staff cuts.

Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal, who has been quietly working to assuage landowners, environmental interests and the state’s lucrative coalbed methane (CBM) developers, said he wants to now encourage the state legislature to give agencies more flexibility to apply site-specific permitting. The state, already months behind in processing requests for the industry’s potential 51,000-well sprawl in the northeast Wyoming, has been further stymied by recent budget and staff cuts.

Questar Corp. reported last week that it has entered into an agreement to sell its interests in the TransColorado Pipeline to Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) and affiliates for $105.5 million. The agreement, which was effective Oct. 1, is subject to review under the Hart-Rodino-Scott Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976.

Questar Corp. reported Monday that it has entered into an agreement to sell its interests in the TransColorado Pipeline to Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) and affiliates for $105.5 million. The agreement, which was effective Oct. 1, is subject to review under the Hart-Rodino-Scott Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976.

With substantial interests in two privately-owned natural gas utilities that supply about one-third of the gas in Argentina, San Diego, CA-based Sempra Energy said last week that the South American nation’s current political and economic upheaval has had no adverse impact thus far on its energy infrastructure investments, but a spokesperson said the company was “obviously monitoring the situation closely.”

Stone Energy Corp. has announced that the acquisition of interests in eight producing oil and gas properties and related assets located in the Gulf of Mexico was completed on Dec. 31, 2001. The final aggregate purchase price, as previously announced, was $299.7 million and was financed with net proceeds from Stone’s recently completed offering of $200 million of 8.25% senior subordinated notes due 2011, and borrowings under its bank credit facility.

Stone Energy Corp. announced Wednesday that the acquisition of interests in eight producing oil and gas properties and related assets located in the Gulf of Mexico was completed on Dec. 31, 2001. The final aggregate purchase price, as previously announced, was $299.7 million and was financed with net proceeds from Stone’s recently completed offering of $200 million of 8.25% senior subordinated notes due 2011, and borrowings under its bank credit facility.

With substantial interests in two privately-owned natural gas utilities that supply about one-third of the gas in Argentina, San Diego, CA-based Sempra Energy said Monday the South American nation’s current political and economic upheaval has had no adverse impact thus far on its energy infrastructure investments, but a spokesperson said the company was “obviously monitoring the situation closely.”

Mariner Energy Inc. said Wednesday that it has sold its interests in the Aconcagua Field and the Canyon Express Pipeline System for $51 million to Nippon Oil Exploration USA Ltd. and Pioneer Natural Resources Co. The Aconcagua field (Mississippi Canyon 305) is one of three deepwater natural gas fields being jointly developed as a result of the Canyon Express Pipeline System and is located 150 miles southeast of New Orleans. Mariner said closing is scheduled to occur today, subject to satisfactory completion of customary due diligence. Houston-based Mariner Energy is an oil and gas exploration company with principal operations in the Gulf of Mexico and along the U.S. Gulf Coast. The company is majority owned by an affiliate of Enron North America and has been an active explorer in the Gulf Coast area since the mid-1980s and has successfully grown its production and reserve base through the drill bit.