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Continuing super-low oil prices have driven two of the largestoil companies in the world into a friendly merger, with Exxonacquiring Mobil for $77.2 billion in stock, making the deal therichest corporate takeover ever. Exxon Mobil Corp. will be thelargest corporation in the world based on the two companies’combined revenue of $203 billion last year.

As most players expected for Thursday’s cash market, gas pricestumbled across the board amid moderating temperatures throughoutmajor markets nationwide. Cash prices fell about a dime on averageat most trading points.

Yet another example of gas-power convergence shows up in NGI’sranking of the top gas and power marketers based on third quartervolumes. Three of the top five marketers of each commodity and sixof the top 10 appear on both lists.

Ultramar Diamond Shamrock and Phillips Petroleum signed a letterof intent to combine all of the operating assets of UltramarDiamond Shamrock and the North American refining, marketing, andtransportation (RM&T) operations of Phillips into a jointventure company named Diamond 66. The deal will not affect Phillipsnatural gas activities, a spokeswoman said.

Washington Water Power (WWP) and CheckFree plan to makeInternet-based electronic bill paying an option for WWP’s 350,000residential electric and gas customers. By using CheckFree’s E-Billservice, customers will be able to receive full-color WashingtonWater Power bills at no charge — complete with graphics, logos andfull billing detail — through the World Wide Web. Once they haveenrolled, customers can view and pay their Washington Water Powerbills on line. Washington Water Power, whose primary service areacovers eastern Washington, north Idaho, and central Oregon, plansto rollout CheckFree E-Bill in mid-November.

The screen’s drop Tuesday didn’t make much of an impression onthe cash market, which was flat at the majority of points. TheMidcontinent tended to be a little weaker than the average asMidwest citygates were down by almost a nickel after a cold fronthad cooled off the region considerably.

Amoco Corp. and Spain’s Repsol SA have made a proposal thatwould provide a guaranteed market for gas from Trinidad and Tobago,enabling the country to become one of the world’s top suppliers ofliquefied natural gas (LNG).

Canadian natural-gas producers have opened up their wallets toshow they mean to make the Sable Offshore Energy Project (SOEP)live up to its billing as a “seed” development that will sprout agrowing new branch of the industry on the East Coast.

Cash prices tended to make modest gains Thursday, with most ofthe strength concentrated at Texas points where significant airconditioning load is developing. Houston’s heat index shot up to102 degrees in the afternoon, said a local source. That caused ShipChannel numbers to rise a little over a nickel to the $2.20 area.Waha prices also benefited from the statewide heat and also roseslightly more than a nickel into the low $2.12s. However, late Wahaprices were tailing off slightly, a marketer said. The Texasheat-related upticks carried over into the Permian and San JuanBasins in a domino effect, another trader said.