Judge

U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon in Houston on Wednesday approved a $6.6 billion civil settlement by three banks that Enron Corp. shareholders had accused of helping to conceal the company’s financial problems. To date, financial institutions involved in deals with Enron before it collapsed have agreed to pay more than $7 billion to resolve shareholder lawsuits.

Major liquefied natural gas (LNG) suppliers have protested a crucial administrative law judge (ALJ) initial decision accepting restrictive interchangeability standards that were proposed by Florida Gas Transmission (FGT), saying it could limit the availability of Atlantic Basin LNG supplies to import terminals along the Gulf Coast.

A FERC administrative law judge’s (ALJ) initial decision earlier this month recommending a significantly lower return on equity (ROE) than was sought by Kern River Gas Transmission is a “troubling sign,” according to a major gas pipeline group, but it reminded companies that the Kern River ruling isn’t final and is subject to review by the full Commission.

The trial of Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay and former CEO Jeffrey Skilling is only three weeks old, but Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake attempted to speed things along. Defense attorneys last week played nearly eight hours of video and audio recordings of Enron webcasts and analysts conference calls in an attempt to show the jury “context.” However, when another tape was introduced as evidence Wednesday, Lake appeared to have heard enough.

As the trial for former Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay and CEO Jeffrey Skilling draws closer, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake signaled he plans to let the opposing parties put on their respective cases — without a lot of innuendo and gossip. The case, which is scheduled to begin Jan. 30, will exclude tapes from ex-Enron traders joking about stealing money from California grandmothers, and it will not include former CFO Andrew Fastow’s apparent penchant for viewing pornography on his company computer.

Over the objection of major producers and other parties, a FERC administrative law judge Tuesday concluded that Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America’s (NGPL) proposed hydrocarbon dew point (HDP) safe harbor of 15 degrees Fahrenheit is “just and reasonable.”

FERC has denied a request for rehearing and stay of a July order that, by affirming an administrative law judge (ALJ) ruling, opened the door for Tennessee Gas Pipeline to build an interconnect to the Columbia Gulf Transmission-operated portion of a transportation system along the coast of Louisiana that the two pipelines jointly maintain.

Pending approval by the five-member Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), a proposed decision by an administrative law judge (ALJ) could put about $160 back in the pockets of each of Peoples Gas’ customers. The ruling recommends that Peoples Gas refund customers $118.6 million for imprudent gas purchases and illegal profit sharing between Peoples’ parent company and an Enron affiliate in winter 2000-2001.

FERC on Monday affirmed an administrative law judge (ALJ) ruling that clears the way for Tennessee Gas Pipeline to build an interconnect to the Columbia Gulf Transmission-operated portion of a transportation system along the coast of Louisiana that the two pipelines jointly maintain and operate.