Portion

Looking at first as if they would gain back a significant portion of their Monday losses ahead of expiration, January natural gas futures instead went on a late selling binge on Tuesday to settle at $6.213, up 5.3 cents. February futures increased 11.6 cents to close at $6.341.

A large portion of western Colorado’s natural gas-rich Roan Plateau would become available for energy leasing and drilling under the Bureau of Land Management’s just-released preferred alternative.

A large portion of western Colorado’s natural gas-rich Roan Plateau would become available for energy leasing and drilling under the Bureau of Land Management’s just-released preferred alternative.

A large portion of western Colorado’s natural gas-rich Roan Plateau would become available for energy leasing and drilling under the Bureau of Land Management’s just-released preferred alternative.

Northwest Pipeline said that a 111-mile portion of its idled 26-inch diameter line between Sumas and Washougal, WA, is back in service, providing an additional 131,000 Dth/d of much needed pipeline capacity along the I-5 corridor. The capacity increase will allow customers to transport more gas to markets in southern Washington, Oregon and California and to the Jackson Prairie storage field.

Toronto-based Enbridge Gas Distribution has received approval from the Ontario Energy Board to adjust the gas supply cost portion of its rates effective Thursday (July 1). The regulated gas utility said the impact of the charges would vary based on the amount of gas used and whether customers buy their natural gas from the utility or a gas marketer. Enbridge delivers gas to about 1.7 million customers in its franchise area. Of those customers, about 60% buy their gas supply from the utility, and the other 40% buy their gas supply directly from marketers. The utility’s gas supply charge, the actual cost of the gas without mark-up, will increase 16%. The new residential gas supply price will be C28.6 cents per cubic meter, up from C24.07 cents. For a typical residential customer who buys gas from the utility, this represents an annual increase of C$122, Enbridge said. Customers who buy their gas from a marketer will continue to pay the price specified in their contract with that marketer. Enbridge said its delivery charge for all customers — whether they buy from the utility or a marketer — also will increase “slightly,” attributable to higher costs for natural gas storage, which are included in the delivery charge. For a typical residential customer, the annual increase to the delivery charge will be approximately C$4.

Northwest Pipeline said that a 111-mile portion of its idled 26-inch diameter line between Sumas and Washougal, WA, is back in service, providing an additional 131,000 Dth/d of much needed pipeline capacity along the I-5 corridor. The capacity increase will allow customers to transport more gas to markets in southern Washington, Oregon and California and to the Jackson Prairie storage field.

The Missouri Public Service Commission approved a $3.4 million raise in annual revenues for a portion of Aquila Networks’ gas utility operations. Aquila originally had sought to increase revenues by $6.4 million but agreed in a settlement with PSC staff, the Office of the Public Counsel and other stakeholders, to reduce its request by $3 million.

El Paso Corp. has agreed to sell its 33.3% interest in a portion of its Australian pipeline holdings to Hastings Funds Management for $48 million. The assets include 1,180 miles of pipelines in South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter. It is part of El Paso’s plan to reduce debt, net of cash, to $15 billion by year-end 2005. To date, the company has announced or closed $3 billion of the $3.3-3.9 billion in sales targeted under the plan.