Referring

Referring to El Paso Natural Gas as “perhaps the most dysfunctional pipeline system in the U.S.,” a group of natural gas producers and marketers has called on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to conclude “all major, pending regulatory matters” related to the Texas-to-California pipeline system on “the most expedited basis possible.”

Referring to its shipper advisory issued Thursday (see Daily GPI, Nov. 4), Northwest announced Monday a customer-specific Declared Overrun Entitlement Period. It applies to “individual customers with markets north of the Kemmerer [WY] Compressor who take more than 10% of their scheduled quantities for the day prior to the day a customer-specific entitlement is imposed.” The entitlements will begin as early as Tuesday (Nov. 5) and continue to apply until further notice, Northwest said. It added that over the last 10 days customers had overscheduled Kemmerer Station by about 260,000 dekatherms.

Referring to herself as both a “conservationist and aconservative,” Interior Secretary nominee Gale Norton walked atightrope last week in an effort to persuade her Senate Republicanand Democratic inquisitors that, despite the heated controversysurrounding her nomination, she is the best choice for the job.

Referring to herself as both a “conservationist and aconservative,” Interior Secretary nominee Gale Norton walked a finetightrope yesterday in an effort to persuade her Senate Republicanand Democratic inquisitors that, despite the controversysurrounding her nomination, she is the best choice for the job.

“It’s been a fun market recently if you like roller-coasters.” AGulf Coast marketer was referring to Thursday pricing that onceagain started significantly lower but later moved higher to settlenear the top end of daily ranges. Softening continued at mostpoints but was very mild compared to the larger drops earlier thisweek. A majority of the declines were about a nickel or less, and afew scattered points even turned in flat performances.

“I’ll be out of a job if they keep this up,” said a Westerntrader Wednesday, referring to the lack of volatility in yetanother in a long string of flat cash market performances. He didmanage to find sort of a silver lining: “I can’t make a good or abad deal in this market.”