Lands

Continuing the expansion beyond its core utility operations,FirstEnergy Corp. made a splash in the unregulated sector yesterdaywhen its energy services marketing arm, FirstEnergy Services,announced a management and supply deal with Republic TechnologiesInternational, Inc. (RTI), one of the largest producers of specialbar-quality steel products in the U.S. The deal, which is thelargest service agreement FirstEnergy has ever signed, couldproduce more than $1 billion in commodity and energy service salesover the span of the five-year contract.

With the $2.2 billion Duke Energy will get for the sale ofPanhandle Eastern and Trunkline pipelines burning a hole in itspocket, the company’s field services division has agreed to buy thegas gathering, processing, fractionation and natural gas liquids(NGL) pipeline business of Union Pacific Resources (known asUPFuels) and UPR’s gas and NGL marketing activities for $1.35billion.

Environmental activist Anne Marie Mueser has accusedCommissioner Curt Hebert Jr. of potentially compromising hisimpartiality in a case involving Southern Natural Gas Co.’s (Sonat) northern Alabama project – a proceeding that is scheduled forrehearing at FERC’s bi-monthly meeting today. She thinks Hebertshould consider recusing himself from the case.

Williams’ field services unit has agreed to process 300 MMcf/dof gas for Exxon Company USA at its gas liquids extraction plant tobe built near Coden, AL. The deal is the largest processingcontract to date for the field services unit. The NGL extractionplant is expected to be in service by the first quarter of nextyear and will have 600 MMcf/d of inlet capacity. The Exxon gasrepresents dedicated production from multiple leases in the MobileBay area. Remaining plant capacity will be filled through theexpansion of the Transco Mobile Bay Lateral as well as other gasproduction currently flowing on the existing Transco pipeline. Aspokeswoman said the company expects to sign five or six morecontracts to handle gas at the new plant, which is expandable up toat least 900 MMcf/d.