Reserved

The North American natural gas industry can deliver 30 Tcf ofgas annually by 2010, but it will take over $50 billion to do it,according to Coastal Chairman David Arledge.

Major improvements in well productivity from new technology andhigher success rates in gas drilling will help producers meetanticipated robust growth in U.S. gas demand over the next twodecades, according to a Gas Research Institute study.

The shorter, and some believe unrealistic, response timesimposed by FERC in its final rule to expedite resolution ofindustry disputes will place an inordinate burden on interstatepipelines and other regulated companies that are likely to betargets of customer complaints, pipelines and power utilitiescontend. In fact, some believe the accelerated response deadlinesunfairly weight the process in favor of the complaining parties.Even natural gas producers – who helped spearhead the drive forthe faster complaint process – expressed some concerns, albeit morelimited, about the compressed deadlines.

After rallying more than 15 cent from last weeks lows, naturalgas futures took a breather Wednesday, trading sideways within atight 4.5-cent range. The June contract settled unchanged for theday at $2.359.

Some of the “most pronounced” turnback activity for long-termfirm capacity can be expected this year and next, according to ananalysis of the pipeline transportation market issued by the EnergyInformation Administration (EIA) yesterday.

Major improvements in well productivity from new technology andhigher success rates in gas drilling will help producers meetanticipated robust growth in U.S. gas demand over the next twodecades, according to a Gas Research Institute study.

Regulations pertaining to the construction of new pipelineprojects took the spotlight at FERC last week, with the Commissionissuing a final rule aimed at updating and streamlining thecertificate process for new projects, while at the same timeproposing an initiative that would give landowners greaterparticipation in the process.

An attorney for the Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA)revealed Friday that the civil investigation into the allegedembezzlement activities of the group’s ousted president, NicholasJ. Bush, has spread to Canada.

Dynegy’s merchant power “leveraging” strategy, utilizinggeneration plants added over the last year, produced a whopper of afirst quarter. The company posted a 127% increase in net incomeafter special items to $28.1 million, or $0.17/share, from $12.3million, or $0.07/share in 1Q98. Recurring net income increased 20%to $22.3 million.