Purchase

Fresh off its purchase of Sonat Inc., El Paso Energy Corp.re-entered the consolidation game by announcing plans to merge withCoastal Corp. in a $16 billion deal. The potential union wouldcreate a pipeline empire capable of serving almost all of the majormarkets in the country. The companies expect the transaction,accounted for as a pooling of interests, to be completed by thefourth quarter of this year.

Fresh off its purchase of Sonat Inc., El Paso Energy Corp.re-entered the consolidation game by merging with Coastal Corp. ina $16 billion deal announced Tuesday. The potential union wouldcreate a pipeline empire capable of serving almost all of the majormarkets in the country. The companies expect the transaction,accounted for as a pooling of interest, to be completed by thefourth quarter of this year.

Enron North America has closed on the purchase of ColumbiaEnergy Services, the remainder of Columbia Energy Group’swholesale marketing and trading division, for $38.3 million.

Denver-based Western Gas Resources Inc. made a purchase and saleagreement with EXCO Resources Inc. to sell its 69% interest in theBlack Lake Unit, including the Black Lake processing and treatingfacilities in Louisiana. The sales price of $7.8 million is subjectto adjustment. Western expects to realize a pre-tax loss of about$6.5 million this quarter. This deal is expected to close by Jan.7.

GE Power Systems expanded its turbine manufacturing force withyesterday’s announced purchase of Weatherford Global CompressionServices’ Gemini division. Financial terms of the acquisition werenot disclosed.

Shareholders of MCN Energy Group and DTE Energy bothoverwhelmingly voted in favor of their two companies’ mergeryesterday. DTE proposed to purchase MCN last October (see DailyGPI, Oct. 6). The deal still needs Security and ExchangeCommission, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and FERC approval. Thecompanies expect the merger to close in mid-2000.

DPL Inc. of Dayton, OH, agreed to sell its retail gasdistribution business to Indiana Energy Inc. of Indianapolis, ID,for $425 million in an all-cash sale to be accounted for as apurchase.

Barrett Resources Corp. announced a purchase and sale agreementto acquire additional working interests in Piceance Basin gasproperties in western Colorado and all the outstanding interest inthe related gas gathering system for $72 million last week.Although the company said multiple sellers were involved, it wouldnot divulge who those sellers were. Closing on the propertypurchases is expected to occur on Dec. 16. Acquisition of thegathering system is subject to regulatory approval, which isexpected in January 2000.

Barrett Resources Corp. announced a purchase and sale agreementto acquire additional working interests in Piceance Basin gasproperties in western Colorado and all the outstanding interest inthe related gas gathering system for $72 million. Although thecompany said multiple sellers were involved, it would not divulgewho those sellers were. Closing on the property purchases isexpected to occur on Dec. 16. Acquisition of the gathering systemis subject to regulatory approval, which is expected in January2000.