Miles

FERC yesterday gave the go-ahead for Equitrans L.P. to acquireall but 26 miles of a 121-mile gas pipeline from Three RiversPipeline Co., a subsidiary of Equitable Resources Inc. Equitranswill purchase the facilities for their net book value of $4.2million.

Producers and utilities last week registered strong protests toTrunkline Gas Co.’s proposal to spin down 720 miles of its 26-inchdiameter natural gas mainline to an affiliate, saying that whilethis action may be in the pipeline’s best interest it’s not “in thepublic interest.”

Forcenergy Inc. reported a blowout yesterday on an exploratorywell at West Cameron Block 317, located 65 miles south of LakeCharles, LA, in the Gulf of Mexico. The blowout occurred duringcompletion operations, but it has not ignited. All personnel havebeen safely evacuated from the Marine Drilling Rig No. 4.Forcenergy has notified all of the proper governmental authoritiesand is cooperating fully with each respective agency.

Tennessee reported Wednesday the discovery of a small leak nearMain Line Valve 46 on the 100 Line #1 about 15 miles southwest ofWest Monroe, LA. Repairs are expected to take two days, duringwhich meters upstream of Station 47 (West Monroe) may berestricted, Tennessee said.

Until a major sell-off came Friday, it appeared that priceswould realize fairly substantial week-to-week increases, thankslargely to double-digit gains that started the week off lastMonday. But Friday declines that constituted almost a mirror-imagereversal of Monday’s upticks left most points flat to just a fewcents above week-earlier levels. Northern California (Malin andPG&E citygate) showed the most strength, rising almost a dimeabove the previous Friday.

Columbia Gas Transmission said it opened a data room to provideinformation on 545 miles of small-diameter gas gathering pipelines,called the CHEWP system, and the Holbrook Storage Field, which has1.5 Bcf of total capacity in northern West Virginia andsouthwestern Pennsylvania. Anyone interested in the assets shouldmake an appointment to visit the data room in Charleston, WVA, bycalling (304) 357-2282.

Exxon Company U.S.A. will buy a coastal processing facility 25miles west of Santa Barbara from a Southern California Gas affiliate for an undisclosed amount, it was announced last week.The plant processes 60 MMcf/d of offshore California natural gasproduced by Exxon’s Platform Honda.

Exxon Company U.S.A. will buy a coastal processing facility 25miles west of Santa Barbara from a Southern California Gas affiliate for an undisclosed amount, it was announced last week.The plant processes 60 MMcf/d of offshore California natural gasproduced by Exxon’s Platform Honda.

Hurricane Georges took aim at the Gulf of Mexico Friday afterpassing the southern tip of Florida, and producers and pipelineswere responding. The pace of platform evacuations and productionshut-ins accelerated rapidly following tentative starts in theMobile Bay area Thursday. Evacuation reports extended as far westas the West Cameron area off southwest Louisiana. As of late Fridayafternoon a hurricane watch was in effect from Morgan City, LA, toSt. Marks, FL.