production

North American exploration and production in 2000 will be nearlyall about gas and all about independents, with spending plans ofthe majors largely forsaking this country for opportunitiesoverseas. That’s one finding of Lehman Brothers, which from Nov. 6to Dec. 10 surveyed 320 companies in what it calls “the mostextensive study of oil company spending plans that has ever beendone.”

According to a survey completed last month, most exploration andproduction companies expect steadily rising U.S. oil and gas demandand continued strong prices will lead to increased capital spendingnext year. That’s one finding of Arthur Andersen’s 12th annual U.S.Oil & Gas Industry Outlook Survey.

Most exploration and production companies expect steadily risingU.S. oil and gas demand and continued strong prices will lead toincreased capital spending next year, according to ArthurAndersen’s 12th annual U.S. Oil & Gas Industry Outlook Survey.Survey results were released Tuesday at Andersen’s 20th annualEnergy Symposium in Houston. The survey polled executives of 89companies.

While nearly all the production-area points held steady withchanges of no more than a penny or two in both directions, it wasdelivered prices in the Northeast, Midwest and California that gavethe cash market a taste of volatility Thursday. Northeast citygatesrepeated as the day’s big losers with declines from about 35-38cents (Transco Zone 6-NYC and Texas Eastern M-3) to more than 50cents (Iroquois Zone 2 and Algonquin citygate) as the regionexperiences a very slow warming trend from its early-week chill.Ranges were very large as prices fell steadily while tradingproceeded, one source said.

Markets in Atlantic Canada and New England won’t be getting anextra gas supply source as soon as previously expected. Maritimes& Northeast Pipeline LLC informed FERC this week that both530/360 MMcf/d Canadian/US pipeline project (Phase II) and theSable Offshore Energy Project (SOEP), which will be the source ofsupply for the pipeline, will not be in service on schedule.

The federal government will begin accepting royalty-in-kind(RIK) for some Gulf of Mexico gas production beginning Dec. 1 inwhat will be the Minerals Management Service’s (MMS) third ongoingRIK pilot.

The Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service(MMS) is beginning its third royalty-in-kind (RIK) pilot, puttingit in the business of selling Gulf of Mexico (GOM) gas productionit accepts in place of cash royalties. The pilot is intended totest a different approach to RIK, using a competitive auction tomove up to 260 MMBtu/d initially.

Amoco Production and Amoco Energy Trading have wasted no time inpetitioning the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to review FERC’srecent decision upholding Dynegy Marketing and Trade’s 1.3 Bcf/dcontract with El Paso Natural Gas.

MCN Energy followed through as planned on the previously announcedsales of its Midcontinent/Gulf Coast exploration and production(E&P) properties and subsidiaries. Undisclosed privately heldcompanies paid about $105 million for the assets, which are primarilylocated in Texas and Oklahoma. Proceeds from the sales will helpstrengthen MCN’s balance sheet by reducing its debt. At year-end 1998,these Midcontinent/Gulf Coast assets represented 144 Bcfe of reserves,or 12% of the 1.2 Tcfe of proved reserves on MCN’s books. About 80% ofthe reserves sold were gas. MCN announced earlier in August that,consistent with its new regional, operating strategy, the company willretain its natural gas producing properties in Michigan (see Daily GPIAug. 3). Negotiations continue on theremaining Appalachian E&P package.