Meeting

In a draft order at FERC’s regular meeting Wednesday, the Commission issued a certificate for Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas to add six new compressor stations to its pipeline system to increase firm transportation capacity between the Cheyenne Hub in Wells County, CO, and its Huntsman storage field in Cheyenne County, NB.

In a draft order at FERC’s regular meeting Wednesday, the Commission issued a certificate for Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas to add six new compressor stations to its pipeline system to increase firm transportation capacity between the Cheyenne Hub in Wells County, CO, and its Huntsman storage field in Cheyenne County, NB.

In a draft order at FERC’s regular meeting Wednesday, the Commission issued a certificate for Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas to add six new compressor stations to its pipeline system to increase firm transportation capacity between the Cheyenne Hub in Wells County, CO, and its Huntsman storage field in Cheyenne County, NB.

On the eve of its annual shareholder meeting Tuesday in Newport Beach, CA, Sempra Energy’s General Counsel John Light announced he is retiring effective June 30 as the executive vice president/general counsel for the San Diego-based utility holding company. Light, 62, was a long-time partner in the Los Angeles office of Latham & Watkins for 31 years before accepting the general counsel’s position at the newly formed Sempra Energy in mid-1998. He plans to return to Latham & Watkins’s LA office. Light directed the legal affairs of the newly merged holding companies, Pacific Enterprises and Enova for Southern California Gas Co. and San Diego Gas and Electric Co., respectively, and helped Sempra’s current diversified strategy that includes various merchant operations, in addition to two the state’s major private-sector utilities. Sempra CEO Stephen Baum said Light’s role was “integral in Sempra’s growth and success.”

Arthur L. Smith, CEO of the venerable energy research firm John S. Herold Inc., offered a prayer for the new year to oil and gas executives meeting in Houston last week: “Lord,” he pleaded, “let 2003 be boring.”

FERC at last week’s meeting dismissed a complaint filed by the National Association of Gas Consumers (NAGC) against “all sellers of natural gas in the United States of America in interstate commerce,” which asked FERC to set a benchmark price for natural gas of $2.74/MMBtu and allow any sales above that level to be subject to complaints and refunds as unjust and unreasonable.

Lawmakers meeting last Thursday to craft a comprehensive energy bill reached a compromise related to pipeline integrity inspections under which facilities with the highest risk factors will be given priority for completing inspections within a five-year period.

Lawmakers meeting on Thursday to craft a comprehensive energy bill reached a compromise related to pipeline integrity inspections under which facilities with the highest risk factors will be given priority for completing inspections within a five-year period.

Following its end of third quarter 2002 board meeting, Piedmont Natural Gas Co. said it has narrowed the company’s earnings loss from the similar period a year ago. The Charlotte, NC-based natural gas distributor posted a net income loss of $9 million ($0.27 per share) for the quarter ended July 31, compared with a net income loss of $16.8 million ($0.52 per share) for the year-ago period.