Mountain

Bill Barrett Corp., an independent oil and natural gas exploration company set up by the founders of one of the most successful Rocky Mountain explorers, last week set a planned initial public offering (IPO) at 12 million shares for an estimated price of $20-23/share.

Bill Barrett Corp., an independent oil and natural gas exploration company set up by the founders of one of the most successful Rocky Mountain explorers, on Wednesday set a planned initial public offering (IPO) at 12 million shares for an estimated price of $20-23/share.

Newfield Exploration Co. has established a new Rocky Mountain focus with the completion of its $574 million acquisition of Inland Resources, a privately held Denver-based producer. The transaction gives Newfield an internally estimated 326 Bcfe of proved reserves and 439 Bcfe of probable reserves.

EnCana Corp. on Thursday unveiled a new 1.3 Bcf/d Rocky Mountain pipeline proposal, called Entrega Gas Pipeline Inc., that is expected to begin the regulatory process with a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the next few weeks. The proposed pipeline would bring gas from the Piceance Basin in northwestern Colorado to the Cheyenne gas trading hub in northeastern Colorado.

Tight financial markets, a lack of new gas demand, the power generation supply glut and state regulatory concerns have delayed or halted many of the proposed natural gas pipeline expansions announced in the past few years, but even with some high profile cutbacks, U.S. pipeline expansion overall has done “rather well,” according to a new report.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. late Tuesday sent an additional eight crews and support equipment/personnel to Southern California as the first help from Nevada and Arizona requested by the governor also arrived to help beleaguered local electric utility crews in trying to take both preventive and restorative steps.

Energy West Inc., a natural gas, propane and energy marketing company serving the Rocky Mountain states, said Monday that Edward Bernica has resigned as president and CEO and as a member of the board of directors and that John C. Allen has been named by the board to take over the positions on an interim basis. The changes will take effect immediately. Allen has been Energy West’s general counsel, vice president and secretary since 1992. “All of us at Energy West will move forward to work to strengthen our financial position and to provide a solid basis for our company to operate in the new environment facing energy companies,” Allen said. “We will continue to work to strengthen our business operations with particular emphasis on our core businesses in the regulated natural gas and propane distribution businesses. For now, we do not anticipate expanding our involvement in other areas outside of those core businesses.” Chairman G. Montgomery Mitchell said Allen is a leading candidate for assuming the CEO post on a permanent basis.

In the first public forum of the Rocky Mountain Energy Council (RMEC) on Wednesday, the Bush administration panel heard recommendations from industry, environmental and ranching groups on how to — or not to –streamline the permitting process to speed up drilling in the oil and gas-rich basins of the Rockies.

Williams sold a small package of Rocky Mountain region producing properties in the Denver-Julesberg (D-J) basin in northeastern Colorado to Bridgeport, WV-based Petroleum Development Corp. for $28 million. The D-J Basin properties were among those announced for sale earlier this year as part of Williams’ financial-strengthening plan.