Mexican

Construction of the Willcox Lateral to the Mexican border was about 75% complete as of the beginning of May, El Paso Natural Gas said in a status update on the project. Work on the line began in April, and final state and federal regulatory permitting is in progress, El Paso said.

Construction of the Willcox Lateral to the Mexican border was about 75% complete as of the beginning of May, El Paso Natural Gas said in a status update on the project. Work on the line began in April, and final state and federal regulatory permitting is in progress, El Paso said.

Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham met with Mexican EnergySecretary Enesto Martens and Canadian Energy Minister Ralph Goodalein Mexico City last week to establish a North American EnergyWorking Group to develop a comprehensive energy strategy for thecontinent.

In a move expected to appease the country’s ailing industrialsector, the Mexican government has agreed to sell natural gas todomestic industry at a fixed price of $4/MMBtu for the next threeyears. Some of the largest companies in Mexico, includingsteelmaker Hylsamex, have been forced to temporarily shut downfacilities and lay off workers because of natural gas prices.

El Paso Merchant Energy Co. made its first foray into providingfuel to Mexico when it signed a 25-year gas supply contract withFuerza y Energia De Hermosillo SA, a subsidiary of Spain’s UnionFenosa Group, to serve Mexico’s Hermosillo power plant. El Pasowill supply up to 43 MMcf/d to the 225 MW combined cycle powerplant. The plant is expected to begin testing in early 2001 andbegin commercial operation summer 2001.

El Paso Merchant Energy Co. made its first foray into providingfuel to Mexico when it signed a 25-year gas supply contract withFuerza y Energia De Hermosillo SA, a subsidiary of Spain’s UnionFenosa Group, to serve Mexico’s Hermosillo power plant. El Pasowill supply up to 43 MMcf/d to the 225 MW combined cycle powerplant. The plant is expected to begin testing in early 2001 andbegin commercial operation summer 2001.

TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. of Calgary, Alberta, completedEnerg¡a Mayakan, a $266 million, 435-mile gas pipeline in Mexico’sYucatan peninsula. The pipeline is expected to go into commercialoperation by the end of September.

Midcoast Energy Resources said Midcoast del Bajio has beenawarded a permit by the Mexican Energy Regulatory Commission tobuild a 59-mile, 16-inch diameter gas pipeline in the Bajio regionin the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico. The line will runfrom an interconnection with a Pemex near Valtierrilla to Leon andwill provide gas transportation services to parts of central Mexicothat currently do not have access to gas. Midcoast del Bajio willhold an open season from July 16 to July 26 for firm transportationcapacity on the proposed pipeline. And a series of informationalmeetings will be held jointly with Pemex to answer questions frompotential transportation customers and other interested parties.The meetings will be held on June 24 in Irapuato, Guanajuato at theHotel Parador del Rio and on June 25 in Leon, Guanajuato at theFiesta Americana Hotel.

Sempra Energy International is in the running for its third gasproject in Mexico with its bid to build distribution infrastructureto serve the cities of Torreon, Gomez, Palacio, Ciudad Lerdo, andDurango with the La Laguna-Durango system. Mexico’s EnergyRegulatory Commission (CRE) will announce the winning bidder nolater than May 20.