Producer

Calpine Corp., Texas’ largest independent power producer,announced plans last week to build, own and operate an 800 MWnatural gas-fired cogeneration power plant at Bayer Corp.’schemical facility in Baytown, TX. Permitting for the $335 millionfacility is under way, the company said. The plant is expected tobegin commercial operation in late 2001.

Calpine Corp., Texas’ largest independent power producer,announced yesterday plans to build, own and operate an 800 MWnatural gas-fired cogeneration power plant at Bayer Corp.’schemical facility in Baytown, TX. Permitting for the $335 millionfacility is under way, the company said. The plant is expected tobegin commercial operation in late 2001.

An executive with Conoco Inc. last week accused interstatepipelines of intentionally burying information that customers needto determine whether pipes are exceeding their authorized rates ofreturn (RORs), which he strongly suspects is the case.

An executive with Conoco Inc. this week accused interstatepipelines of intentionally burying information that customers needto determine whether pipes are exceeding their authorized rates ofreturn on equity (RORs), which he strongly suspects is the case.

Costilla Energy Inc., a Texas-based producer with assets inSouth Texas and the Permian Basin, reported last week it has filedfor Chapter 11 with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Midland, TX. Thecompany said despite this setback, its oil and gas operations willcontinue without interruption. The company did not return phonecalls by press time.

Coho Energy Inc., a Dallas-based independent oil and gasproducer focused on exploitation of underdeveloped oil propertiesin Oklahoma and Mississippi, announced it has filed a petition forChapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Dallas’ Federal BankruptcyCourt. The decision to seek protection was taken by Coho andcertain subsidiaries because the resolution of a restructuringcannot be completed without the protection and assistance of thebankruptcy court, the company said. Timing of the bankruptcy filingwas imposed by several factors including the repayment accelerationof the Company’s $240 million debt by its bank creditors lastThursday (See Daily GPI, Aug. 20), the inability of the banks andthe bondholders (the two large creditor groups) to reach asatisfactory agreement with each other, and the potential for oneof the bondholder’s being granted a summary judgment in its lawsuitagainst Coho for full payment of principal and past due interest.Coho said it is continuing to discuss a solution to its capitalneeds with the banks, the bondholders and other potentialinvestors. The company expects to file a plan of reorganizationwith the bankruptcy court in the near future.

President Clinton last week signed a bill into law thatestablishes a multi-million dollar federal loan-guarantee programto help independent oil and natural gas producers recover from theeffects of depressed crude oil prices. The measure was passed bythe House earlier this month, and approved by the Senate in June.

President Clinton signed into law this week a bill thatestablishes a multimillion dollar federal loan-guarantee program tohelp independent oil and natural gas producers recover from theeffects of depressed crude oil prices. The measure was passed bythe House earlier this month, and approved by the Senate in June.

The House of Representatives last week approved legislation toestablish a multi-million federal loan-guarantee program to helpindependent oil and natural gas producers recover from the effectsof depressed crude oil prices. The measure, which was approved bythe Senate in June, is now headed to President Clinton for hissignature.