Presence

Seneca Resources Corp., the exploration and production arm ofNational Fuel Gas (NFG), announced last week that it will buy TriLink Resources for C$340 million including debt. The parties hopeto conclude the deal by June 15.

In the most recent effort to expand its Internet presence, SouthernCompany is launching an online energy and cost management informationsystem, www.EnergyDirect.com. The site is the company’sfirst Internet offering created expressly for all business customers.

Moving ahead with plans to establish a strong presence in theCarolinas, Williams’ gas pipeline unit said yesterday it has filedan application with FERC to construct and operate the previouslyannounced Sundance expansion project.

An alliance with Canadian producer Canadian 88 Energy Corp. isgiving Duke Energy a greater presence in Canada and access to 100MMcf/d of gas production. Duke also will be optimizing Canadian 88gathering lines and about a dozen processing plants. Initially,Duke will be marketing about 100 MMcf/d of Canadian 88 production.

Gulf Midstream Services (GMS), a partnership between KeySpanEnergy Development Co. (KEDC) and Gulf Canada Resources, enlargedits Canadian midstream presence last week by announcing anagreement to buy Barrington Petroleum’s 38% interest in the PaddleRiver gas plant and related gas gathering systems. The $9 millionpurchase gives the partnership 76% interest in the only plant thatwill be directly connected to both the ATCO Pipeline system and theAlliance Pipeline. The Paddle River facilities are located 62 mileswest of Edmonton, AB. The plant is capable of processing up to 82MMcf/d of raw sour gas. With current throughput of about 42 MMcf/d,the plant’s unutilized capacity represents a significantopportunity, GMS said. “With increased industry activity in thearea and the Alliance Pipeline connection, we expect this plant tobe an attractive long-term investment for KEDC,” said GMS presidentJim Bertram.

Gulf Midstream Services (GMS), a partnership between KeySpanEnergy Development Co. (KEDC) and Gulf Canada Resources, enlargedits Canadian midstream presence yesterday by announcing anagreement to buy Barrington Petroleum’s 38% interest in the PaddleRiver gas plant and related gas gathering systems. The $9 millionpurchase gives the partnership 76% interest of the only plant thatwill be directly connected to both the ATCO Pipeline system and theAlliance Pipeline.

Duke Energy of Houston is growing its Canadian presence througha gas marketing and asset optimization deal with Calgary-basedCanadian 88 Energy Corp. Duke is making a strategic investment inthe producer and will have an alliance to market gas production andoptimize gathering lines and about a dozen processing plants.Initially, Duke will be marketing about 100 MMcf/d of Canadian 88production.

Amidst major merger rumors, Phillips Petroleum focused on itsown operations yesterday, as it announced a 50% acquisition ofYates Petroleum Co.’s coalbed methane acreage in Wyoming’s PowderRiver Basin. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Semco Energy Inc. of Port Huron, MI, broadened its presence inthe southern United States by acquiring two construction companiesand an engineering firm that provide services mainly to gas andtelecommunications companies.