June

About 1 Bcf/d of NOVA capacity will be cut from May 31 to June9 as part of the system is inspected for stress corrosion crackingwhile tie-ins and other maintenance are performed. NOVA will take100 miles of 36-inch line between the Miekle River and Knightcompressor stations in northwest Alberta out of service during thattime. NOVA normally moves a total of about 11.8 Bcf/d, a spokesmansaid.

As sources had expected, the prolonged decline of the Junefutures contract throughout Tuesday’s trading made its influencefelt in softer cash prices Wednesday. But cash losses weredecidedly modest, with nearly all points registering drops of only2-4 cents. Futures offered only a tiny downtick of less than apenny as further guidance Wednesday.

Williams yesterday said it is holding an open season throughJune 1 for annual firm service to be created by Transco’s SundanceExpansion Project. The expansion is intended to serve growing powergeneration, residential and commercial gas markets in thesoutheastern United States and is proposed to be in service byApril 2002. Sundance would expand the Transco system from Station65 in Louisiana to Station 165 in Virginia.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) has delayed the startdate for retail gas unbundling in the state from Oct. 1, 1999 toJune 1, 2001. Retail unbundling affects gas utilities serving morethan 25,000 customers. The commission order delaying unbundlingalso allows groups wanting to propose competitive purchase programsat earlier dates to submit their proposals for commissionconsideration.

Don D. Jordan, chairman and CEO of Reliant Energy, will besucceeded by R. Steve Letbetter as CEO June 1. Jordan will remainchairman of the board until Dec. 31, 2000.

Devon Energy Corp. and Canadian-based Northstar Energy Corp.completed their merger, which was announced June 29. Devon isissuing about 16.1 million common equivalent shares to theNorthstar shareholders. In addition, Devon is assuming US$312million in existing Northstar debt. Northstar shareholders arereceiving 0.235 exchangeable shares for each Northstar share. Witha total capitalization of $1.9 billion, the merged company DevonEnergy Corp. is one of the top 15 U.S.-based independent oil andgas producers. The company is balanced with 54% of its provedreserves in the United States and 46% in Canada and has totalproved reserves of about 300 million Boe.

Devon Energy Corp. and Canadian-based Northstar Energy Corp.completed their merger, which was announced June 29 (see NGI July6, 1998). Devon is issuing about 16.1 million common equivalentshares to the Northstar shareholders. In addition, Devon isassuming US$312 million in existing Northstar debt.

Arthur L. Smith resigned as chairman and CEO of Torch EnergyAdvisors Inc. effective immediately. Smith joined the Houston-basedcompany June 1, 1998 from John S. Herold Inc. Torch PresidentKenneth E. White Jr. said the board of employee-owned Torch andSmith “concluded that their operational and strategic differenceswould best be resolved by going in separate directions.” Torchintends to focus on providing outsourcing services and capital tothe upstream oil and gas industry. Smith plans to focus his effortson personal energy investments in North America, the company said.Torch founder J.P. Bryan became senior managing director.

Cash was king for most of the month of June; oftentimes tradingat a premium to the Nymex futures contract. But that seems like adistant memory as cash prices shrugged off some of the season’shottest temperatures to slip, for the second day in a row, by up to5 cents almost across the board. While some traders expressedsurprise at the weakness, others said this is a sign the Nymexscreen is regaining control of market direction.