Introduced

Rep. Tony Hall (D-OH) has introduced legislation to create anatural gas reserve to help stabilize the market during times oflow supply and high prices. The proposed reserve would be modeledafter the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and the Northeast HomeHeating Oil reserve, the latter of which allows heating oilsupplies to be drawn down during times of tight supply.

Skipping Stone Inc., based in Houston, has introduced e-Complete,an e-commerce development service for the energy industry that allowscompanies to establish a strategy, design an e-commerce system basedupon the strategy and launch a Web site. CEO Peter Wiegand saide-Complete is available only from Skipping Stone, which is anindependent energy consulting firm. See the Web site atwww.skippingstone.com for more information.

Senate Energy Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK) last weekintroduced his National Energy Security Act of 2000, S. 2557, asan amendment to the Labor, Health and Human Services appropriationmeasure now before the Senate. He did so at the urging of MajorityLeader Trent Lott (R-MS), who supports the energy measure.

Senate Energy Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK) last weekintroduced his National Energy Security Act of 2000, S. 2557, asan amendment to the Labor, Health and Human Services appropriationmeasure now before the Senate. He did so at the urging of MajorityLeader Trent Lott (R-MS), who supports the energy measure.

In an attempt to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, Sen. KayBailey Hutchison (R-TX) introduced legislation yesterday that wouldoffer tax credits to domestic producers of marginal oil and naturalgas wells. Although the credits would not become effective untilthe prices of oil and gas fell significantly, they would providesecurity for marginal well producers facing market uncertainty.

The natural gas industry’s reaction to the retail electricitylegislation introduced last week by Senate Energy CommitteeChairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK) was sort of ho-hum.

The natural gas industry’s reaction to the retail electricitylegislation introduced last week by Senate Energy CommitteeChairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK) was sort of ho-hum.

CapacityCenter.com announced two new services and what it hopesis an improved, user-friendly interface yesterday.

Although the much-touted electricity restructuring billintroduced by Reps. Steve Largent (R-OK) and Edward Markey (D-MA)would slash the renewable portfolio mandate proposed by the Clintonadministration by more than half, natural gas producers stillaren’t quite satisfied.