Replacing

Treasury Department Deputy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman will move over to the Department of Energy, replacing Secretary Spencer Abraham, President Bush said Friday. While lacking an energy background, Bodman has been praised for his management abilities.

Treasury Department Deputy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman will move over to the Department of Energy, replacing Secretary Spencer Abraham, President Bush said Friday. While lacking an energy background, Bodman has been praised for his management abilities.

The California Public Utilities Commission Thursday tapped a veteran state civil service executive as its executive director replacing Bill Ahern who retired suddenly in June. The five-member panel named Steve Larson, currently the executive director at the California Energy Commission, to take on its chief operating officer role, effective July 15. With more than 35 years of state service in agencies and the state legislature, Larson is viewed as very knowledgeable about the workings of state government and the legislature. Prior to his energy commission position as that body’s CFO, Larson spent many years in the finance department and before that, 17 years as the chief consultant on the state Senate Budget Committee. Larson hold a bachelor’s degree in philosophy/psychology and a master’s in history — all from San Jose State University, and he served two years in the Peace Corps in Guyana. CPUC President Michael Peevey said Larson has an “impressive work history,” along with “proven leadership skills.” He expects Larson to help the CPUC set and meet its goals. Larson said he is very aware of the issues the CPUC is facing and is ready to put his experience to use at a new state assignment.

Noting that old maximum capacity through Bondad Station was 585 MMcf/d, El Paso said it is in the midst of replacing the station’s three turbines, one at a time, as part of the Bondad Expansion Project. “As the new turbines are placed into service, the base capacity of the station will increase,” it added. “The capacities stated below are based on engineering calculations, but may vary, depending on actual operating conditions.” Bondad 2A replacement was completed March 2. Replacement of Bondad 1A and Bondad B are set for March 8-19 and March 29-April 16 respectively, and the entire station will be down for annual Department of Transportation inspections March 30. Bondad Station capacity (in MMcf/d) will vary as follows: through March 7, 610; March 8-19, 545; March 20-29, 640; March 30, zero flow; and March 31-April 16, 640. After April 16 the expansion project’s targeted maximum capacity of 725 MMcf/d will be in effect.

At the outset, the only clear understanding of California’s prospective two-phase 2004 restructuring of its natural gas market is that nothing is clear.

Natural gas is slowly replacing crude oil as the fuel of choice around the globe, lifted not only by its clean-burning capabilities but by the amazing growth of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the emergence of gas-to-liquids (GTL), top energy producers said Wednesday at Cambridge Energy Research Associates’ CERAWeek in Houston.

Natural gas is slowly replacing crude oil as the fuel of choice around the globe, lifted not only by its clean-burning capabilities but by the amazing growth of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the emergence of gas-to-liquids (GTL), top energy producers said Wednesday at Cambridge Energy Research Associates’ CERAWeek in Houston.

The power industry is returning to more than just a “commodity business,” and long-term contracts, low-cost supplies and strategic plant locations are going to increasingly determine winners and losers in the industry, according to a Calpine Corp. senior executive who spoke last Wednesday at the three-day Lehman Brothers “CEO Energy/Power Conference” in New York City.

Coal is out; natural gas and windmills are in, according to recommendations by the Ontario government’s Select Committee on Alternative Fuel Sources, which called for a new provincial Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that will be among the most aggressive in North America.