Layoffs

Since the sale of $9 billion in assets, massive layoffs throughout the company and a debt burden that shook it to its knees, Williams is on the mend, reporting Thursday that it not only beat Wall Street’s earnings forecast, but also raised its full-year 2004 guidance on near-record margins in its natural gas liquids (NGL) processing business.

Last week Amerada Hess Corp. shook up its operations to improve its bottom line by selling 26 of its Gulf of Mexico shelf properties to Anadarko Petroleum Corp., transferring ownership of North Sea properties to EnCana Corp. and laying off of about 30% of its workforce.

Amerada Hess Corp. on Monday sold 26 of its Gulf of Mexico shelf properties to Anadarko Petroleum Corp., transferred ownership of North Sea properties to EnCana Corp. and announced the lay off of about 30% of its workforce in a shakeup to reduce costs and improve its bottom line.

Dynegy Inc.’s new chairman and interim CEO told employees in a company memo Friday morning to expect more jobs to soon be cut. In Houston, rumors had been circulating for days, after the administrator of the company’s human resources department resigned (see Daily GPI, Sept. 27).

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) agreed to a $3 million settlement with Dynegy Inc. Tuesday, settling the first of its far-reaching investigations of energy merchants’ “round-trip” transactions. It also completed its scrutiny of a Dynegy off-balance sheet transaction.

After halting its fourth quarter dividend and requestingemergency help from the state for gas purchases last week, PacificGas & Electric Co. revealed that it also will lay off 325employees immediately and another 675 over the next several monthsto save $180 million.

After suspending payment of its fourth quarter dividend of 30cents/share and requesting emergency assistance from the state forbuying natural gas on Wednesday, Pacific Gas & Electric Co.said Thursday it will immediately lay off 325 employees and cutcustomer services to save $180 million. The utility unit ofPG&E Corp. plans to cut another 675 jobs if its cash situationdoes not improve over the next few months, Pacific Gas and ElectricPresident Gordon Smith said in a memo sent to employees onThursday.