John

The board of directors of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) elected John W. Somerhalder II, president of El Paso Corp.’s Pipeline Group, as INGAA’s chairman of the board for 2002. Somerhalder succeeds Stanley C. Horton, chairman and CEO of Enron Transportation Services Co. INGAA completed its slate of officers by electing Cuba Wadlington Jr., president and CEO of Williams Gas Pipeline, as first vice chairman and Fred J. Fowler, president of the energy transmission group at Duke Energy Corp., as second vice chairman. Jerald V. Halvorsen was re-elected president of INGAA. The Natural Gas Council elected Stanley Horton as chairman for 2002 during its board meeting on Oct. 17.

Amerada Hess Corp. reported that John J. O’Connor has been appointed to the position of president, Worldwide Exploration and Production. The company said O’Connor also will be an executive vice president of Amerada Hess and a member of the board of directors. Prior to joining Amerada Hess, O’Connor was president, Worldwide Exploration and Production of Texaco Inc. Prior to joining Texaco in 1998, O’Connor was CEO and Director of BHP Petroleum in Melbourne, Australia, the oil and gas exploration division of the Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd., from 1994 to 1997. He also previously served in a wide variety of international management positions with Mobil Oil Corp. Amerada Hess’ $3.2 billion acquisition of Triton Energy Ltd. in August has “substantially expanded” its exploration and production business.

Three years after Michigan Gov. John Engler called a temporary moratorium on the practice of vertically drilling from shore to reach oil and gas deposits beneath the Great Lakes, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission has given its “overwhelming support” for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to approve procedures to resume leasing oil and gas property there. Since the 1970s, 13 oil and gas wells had been dug in the lakes, and seven are still in operation.

Three years after Michigan Gov. John Engler called a temporary moratorium on the practice of vertically drilling from shore to reach oil and gas deposits beneath the Great Lakes, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission has given its “overwhelming support” for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to approve procedures to resume leasing oil and gas property there. Since the 1970s, 13 oil and gas wells had been dug in the lakes, and seven are still in operation.

Reps. John Dingell (D-MI) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) are up in arms over the response of Vice-President Cheney’s office to a recent request by the lawmakers asking the General Accounting Office (GAO) to undertake an investigation of the White House energy task force in light of the secrecy that has surrounded the group’s meetings and participants.

Reps. John Dingell (D-MI) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) are up in arms over the response of Vice-President Cheney’s office to a recent request by the lawmakers asking the General Accounting Office (GAO) to undertake an investigation of the White House energy task force in light of the secrecy that has surrounded the group’s meetings and participants.

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) is asking Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber to consider a proposal that would result in the state purchasing Portland General Electric from Enron. In a letter recently sent to Kitzhaber, DeFazio also proposes that Oregon issue bonds to purchase Portland General’s transmission assets.

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) is asking Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber to consider a proposal that would result in the state purchasing Portland General Electric from Enron. In a letter sent to Kitzhaber at the end of last week, DeFazio also proposes that Oregon issue bonds to purchase Portland General’s transmission assets.

Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm and the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Roger Grimes, said last week their provinces are poised to play a major role in drawing up a new North American energy strategy. As exploration and production continues to grow, the leaders said they now are considering ways to transport the abundant oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids and oil sands petroleum south.