Record

Unregulated natural gas and power marketing businesses, including power generation, reported record earnings of $9.3 billion in 2000, up more than 80% from the $5.1 billion posted in 1999, far out-distancing earnings growth in the regulated natural gas and electric distribution segment, according to Energy Performance Review (EPR).

Unregulated natural gas and power marketing businesses, including power generation, reported record earnings of $9.3 billion in 2000, up more than 80% from the $5.1 billion posted in 1999, far out-distancing earnings growth in the regulated natural gas and electric distribution segment, according to Energy Performance Review (EPR).

Chevron Corp. and proposed merger partner Texaco Inc. Friday scheduled special shareholder meetings for October 9, with a record date of August 20, to vote on their previously announced merger (see NGI, Oct. 23, 2000). The date of the meetings, as well as other merger-related information — including a new New York Stock Exchange ticker symbol, CVX — were contained in a filing by Chevron made Friday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The new company would be called ChevronTexaco.

Amid a stunningly bullish one-two combination of a tropical depression and a record low storage refill for the month of August, natural gas futures soared higher to test one-month highs yesterday as traders covered shorts initiated on recent moves below the $3.00 mark. The September contract rode the buying wave for a 37.4-cent advance, breaking through several levels of resistance on its way to a $3.468 closing price.

With the prospect for record supplies in storage and an added almost 400 MMcf/d capacity increase in the south, California’s natural gas prospects are distinctly upbeat this summer, compared with a year ago, according to the California Energy Commission’s chief natural gas expert watching the industry in the West.

With the record levels of rig activity finally realizing an increase in natural gas supply, it is possible if the trend continues to see “a prolonged period of ‘weak’ natural gas prices” in the $2-3 range, according to Thomas Driscoll of Lehman Brothers. Supply growth, the current natural gas storage overhang, and weak demand could also lead to “lackluster” exploration and production share-price performance, the analyst warned.

With the record levels of rig activity finally realizing an increase in natural gas supply, it is possible if the trend continues to see “a prolonged period of ‘weak’ natural gas prices” in the $2-3 range, according to Thomas Driscoll of Lehman Brothers. Supply growth, the current natural gas storage overhang, and weak demand could also lead to “lackluster” exploration and production share-price performance, the analyst warned.

With the prospect for record supplies in storage and an added almost 400 MMcf/d capacity increase in the south, California’s natural gas prospects are distinctly upbeat this summer, compared with a year ago, according to the California Energy Commission’s chief natural gas expert watching the industry in the West.

Having so far withstood record hydro-electric shortages and previously skyrocketing energy prices, Puget Sound Energy nevertheless is dissatisfied, asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to modify its mid-June western wholesale power price mitigation measures that the Bellevue, WA-based combination utility holding company claims are too focused on California.