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The gas market actually did pretty well last year considering itwas the warmest year on record, but it may take an ice age toreduce the surplus storage gas bequeathed to 1999. Spotdelivered-to-pipeline gas prices averaged $2.02/MMBtu in 1998, down41 cents, or 17%, from 1997. Some points faired better than othersand the West generally did better than the East. Canada actuallycame out ahead.

Texas Governor George W. Bush appointed Michael L. Williams ofArlington, TX, to the Railroad Commission of Texas. He will serveuntil the next General Election and until his successor is dulyelected and qualified. Williams is currently the general counsel ofthe Wilkins Group Inc., a systems integration telecommunicationsfirm in Richardson. He also represents private and public sectorclients in education and diversity matters through the GalileeGroup in Arlington.

The Canadian Gas Association’s 1998 demand forecast showsoverall domestic gas consumption increasing nearly 30% over thenext 12 years to 100.7 billion cubic meters in 2010. The industrialsector is expected to enjoy the strongest growth (up 38% over theforecast period), largely driven by increases in power generation.In 2010, the industrial sector will represent 63% of total end-usegas demand in Canada, with consumption pegged at 63 billion cubicmeters. This compares to 45.7 billion cubic meters in 1998.

The anticipated election of Rep. Robert Livingston (R-LA) as thenext speaker of the House of Representatives could be very good forthe natural gas and oil industries.

ARCO’s announcement last week that it will cut $500 million inexpenses and 900 jobs over the next two years was put inperspective yesterday when the company said third quarter earningsexcluding special items plummeted 81% to $61 million, or$0.19/share, compared to $313 million, or $0.96/share, in the thirdquarter of last year. Net income, including special items anddiscontinued operations, was $872 million, or $2.67 per dilutedshare, compared to $516 million, or $1.57/share in 3Q97.

Florida Gas Transmission may not be the only interstatetrunkline in Florida if Williams-Transco succeeds in its plan foran underwater pipeline from offshore Mobile Bay through the Gulf ofMexico to landfall near Tampa on Florida’s southwest coast.

In preparing to meet an anticipated 30-32 Tcf market in the next10-12 years, the gas industry should build only the amount ofpipeline capacity that’s needed when it’s needed – no more, noless, said an executive with ANR Pipeline.

International gas producers are sailing into a political stormas they pursue their next drilling target off the East Coast, theCanadian half of Georges Bank between Nova Scotia and New England.Three wholly-owned arms of senior U.S. gas suppliers — TexacoCanada, Chevron Canada and Amoco Canada — are out to persuadeCanadian federal and provincial authorities to let a moratorium onresource exploration on Georges expire.

International gas producers are sailing into a political stormas they pursue their next drilling target off the East Coast, theCanadian half of Georges Bank between Nova Scotia and New England. Three wholly-owned arms of senior U.S. gas suppliers – TexacoCanada, Chevron Canada and Amoco Canada – are out to persuadeCanadian federal and provincial authorities to let a moratorium onresource exploration on Georges expire.