Producer

A peak at some of the producer year-end results that have comein suggests that average daily domestic gas production could bedown by as much as 4% 1998 to 1999, although one industry watcherthinks that number seems a little high. “That blows my mind. That’sa huge drop,” said Ron Denhardt, energy services vice president forWEFA Inc.

Entergy Corp., a major New Orleans-based power producer andutility company, will keep its wallet open for the foreseeablefuture as it unveiled a five-year $9.8 billion capital investmentplan yesterday. The company said it will use the cash influx tofuel growth in power development and nuclear operations businesses,while also improving the performance of its utility operations.

Independent producer Forcenergy Inc. of Miami said itsbankruptcy reorganization plan was approved Oct. 22 by the UnitedStates Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Aconfirmation hearing is scheduled for Dec. 13. On Nov. 16 thebankruptcy court extended the time period for which only thecompany has the exclusive right to file a plan of reorganization.No other plan has been submitted or can be submitted during thecompany’s exclusivity period.

Beta Oil & Gas Inc. of Tulsa, OK, plans to acquire privateoil and gas producer Red River Energy Inc., also of Tulsa, for$23.5 — assuming about $7.6 million of existing debt and issuing2.25 million shares of Beta common stock. The deal is subject toapproval by Beta shareholders.

Beta Oil & Gas Inc. of Tulsa, OK, plans to acquire privateoil and gas producer Red River Energy Inc., also of Tulsa, for$23.5 – assuming about $7.6 million of existing debt and issuing2.25 million shares of Beta common stock. The deal is subject toapproval by Beta shareholders.

New York-based Sithe Energies, a privately held leadingindependent power producer, said it has hired Goldman, Sachs &Co. as an advisor in its previously announced intention to sell thecompany.

New York-based Sithe Energies, a privately held leadingindependent power producer, said it has hired Goldman, Sachs &Co. as an advisor in its previously announced intention to sell thecompany.

Prize Energy, a privately-held Dallas-based producer, increasedits core area production and reserve base yesterday by announcing adefinitive merger agreement with Vista Energy Resources. Thetransaction will create a mid-sized independent oil and gas companynamed Prize Energy Corp. with assets valued in excess of $450million. The merger is expected to be completed in the fourthquarter of this year.

Rio Bravo Energy, a joint venture between Tidelands Oil &Gas Corp., a Texas-based producer and Hudson SVD, a natural gasgathering and marketing company, announced the formation of SonoraPipeline yesterday. Sonora will own and operate a 53-mile gatheringsystem located in Dimmit and Zavala counties, TX. This line will beinterconnected with Rio Bravo’s Pena Creek Gathering System, whichservices the Chittim Gas Processing Plant recently acquired by RioBravo from Conoco. The plant is a propane refrigeration plant witha nominal capacity of 5 MMcf/d and a liquid fractionation train.The Pena Creek Gathering System which serves the Plant consists of15 miles of gathering and compression facilities.