President

Columbia Energy President and CEO Oliver G. “Rick” Richard IIIsays proposals for seasonal ratemaking and negotiated terms andconditions are the most important of the reform initiatives pendingbefore FERC, and deserve priority. Obtaining regulatory approvalfor both will be a “key initiative” of pipelines this year.

Senate Energy Committee Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK) onFriday asked President Clinton to delay swearing in Bill Richardsonto head the Department of Energy until the committee has had anopportunity to review allegations that he may have lied during hisconfirmation hearing about a job offer that was made to MonicaLewinsky.

“Earnings from market-based businesses are less predictable thanregulated earnings,” TransCanada PipeLines President George Watsonreminded stockholders Thursday in explaining how lowersecond-quarter earnings in marketing, gathering and processing haderased some pipeline gains.

The Alliance Pipeline project’s in-service date is expected tobe delayed by about one year, Alliance Pipeline President and CEODennis Cornelson announced yesterday. The massive Canadian gaspipeline project designed to bring 2.3 Bcf/d of supply to theChicago hub from supply basins in British Columbia and Albertalikely won’t start flowing gas until late in 2000 rather than inNovember 1999 because of continued regulatory delays in Canada. Theproject has come under a hail of protests from competitors inongoing hearings in front of Canada’s National Energy Board.

It’s been a quick five months since David Parker took over thehelm at the American Gas Association but he’s already shown awillingness to pick up the cost-cutting flag and run with it.Parker said yesterday in an interview with NGI he’s made acommitment to the AGA board to continue restructuring measures,including changes that will further cut costs and hold down dues.

Gordon Shearer, president of Cabot LNG Corp., said he knew if hewaited long enough, liquefied natural gas would have its day in themarketplace. That appears about to happen, at least in New England,where Cabot finds itself positioned to meet growing market demandwith LNG imported from thousands of miles away. At the CambridgeEnergy Research Associates 17th annual executive conference inHouston this week, Shearer enumerated factors growing New Englandgas demand and explained how LNG can economically meet some of thatdemand.