Launches

Tulsa-based Williams on Monday launched uE, a cross-commodity price index for both spot and future energy prices, as a companion to its web-based EnergyNewsLive.com. Similar to the Dow Jones for equity markets, the Williams uE will offer an equivalent benchmark for the overall price of energy, measuring the price average of eight individual commodities: electricity, natural gas, unleaded gasoline, heating oil, ethane, propane, residual fuel and jet fuel.

CMS Energy Corp. said last week that its CMS Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Co. subsidiary has kicked off a month-long open season to determine interest in firm, high-deliverability natural gas storage service in the pipeline’s Midwest market area.

CMS Energy Corp. said Tuesday morning that its CMS Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Co. subsidiary has kicked off a month-long open season to determine interest in firm, high-deliverability natural gas storage service in the pipeline’s Midwest market area.

More than four months after the project was first announced, Williams’ Transco Pipeline is holding a binding open season through Sept. 7 for shippers interested in year-round firm transportation service on the company’s proposed South Virginia Line (SVL) expansion project. The open season was launched Aug. 20 after the company gauged preliminary interest in April, and coincidentally three days after Gulf South Pipeline announced an open season for up to 1 Bcf/d of new service in the eastern Carolinas (see NGI, Aug. 20).

More than four months after the project was first announced, Williams’ Transco Pipeline said on Monday it is holding a binding open season from Aug. 20 to Sept. 7 for shippers interested in year-round firm transportation service on the company’s proposed South Virginia Line (SVL) expansion project. The open season was launched after the company gauged preliminary interest in April (see Daily GPI, April 9), and three days after Gulf South Pipeline announced an open season for up to 1 Bcf/d of new service in the eastern Carolinas (see Daily GPI, Aug. 20).

FERC Chairman Curt Hebert signaled last week that the Commission plans to keep a watchful eye on moves by California regulators and other government officials to improve the natural gas and power infrastructure within the state, reviewing progress or lack thereof at every regular meeting of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

FERC Chairman Curt Hebert indicated yesterday that the Commission plans to keep a watchful eye on steps by California regulators and other government officials to improve the natural gas and power infrastructure within the state, reviewing progress or lack thereof at every regular meeting of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

In a shift that allows energy businesses to customize their online trading, Altra Energy Technologies Inc. has partnered with a California e-business provider to give customers the ability to set up private trading exchanges online. Altra’s alliance with @TheMoment of San Mateo, CA will give companies more control over their online trading floors, allowing them to set up direct sales online, through forward auction and live bid/ask exchange applications.

El Paso Corp. officially launched its friendly C$347 million ($228 million) bid for Calgary’s Velvet Exploration Ltd. on Thursday, which, when completed, would give the Houston-based producer about 172 Bcfe more in net reserves, 59% natural gas, in the highly sought after Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. The acquisition was announced earlier this month (see Daily GPI, June 15).