Results

Rigel Energy, a medium-sized producer based in Calgary, got the desired results from its summer-long, self-advertising campaign last week in the form of a $C1.2 billion merger offer from Talisman Energy. Rigel’s board of directors said it will recommend acceptance of the offer to the company’s shareholders. Talisman is expected to mail its formal takeover bid offer on Sept. 2, and the offer will be open for acceptance for at least 21 days, Rigel said.

Rigel Energy, a medium-sized producer based in Calgary, got thedesired results from its summer-long, self-advertising campaignyesterday in the form of a $C1.2 billion merger offer from TalismanEnergy. Rigel’s board of directors said it will recommendacceptance of the offer to the company’s shareholders. Talisman isexpected to mail its formal takeover bid offer on Sept. 2, and theoffer will be open for acceptance for at least 21 days, Rigel said.

While AGL Resources reported markedly improved results for itsthird fiscal quarter ended June 30, the company said returns werehurt by costs due to the rapid pace at which Atlanta Gas LightCustomers have chosen alternate suppliers.

Avista Energy had a difficult second quarter, bringing in abouthalf the net income ($8.5 million) it posted in the second quarterof last year ($15.6 million), mainly because of an $11.6 millionnet loss in its marketing and trading division and costs associatedwith expanding its non-regulated businesses. But CEO T. M. Matthewssaid he’s comfortable that earnings this year will fall within therange of securities analysts’ current estimates, which are between$1.25 and $1.35 per share. He also predicted the company is in forsome significant changes ahead.

Cash prices turned in mixed results Wednesday, with easternpoints mostly eking out small gains while the West tended to beflat to off as much as 3 cents in the Rockies and at the two mainNorthern California price points.

Monday’s spot trading yielded a hodgepodge of results, with hotweather in both the East and West being the primary market force.Despite an appeal for electricity conservation in New England asregional power utilities strained to meet demand, gas prices thereshowed little change. But a western heat wave had quotes rangingfrom flat to more than a nickel higher.

Barrett Resources was one of the few independent producers ableto emerge from the first quarter with an increase in earningscompared to last year and it achieved the growth through gastrading operations. Revenues from Barrett’s trading division soared136% to $176 million in 1Q99 from 1Q98 and the division reported agross profit of $15.1 million compared to $4.9 million for theprior year first quarter. First quarter trading volumes increased156% to 96 Bcf, or about 1.07 Bcf/d. Barrett reported net income of$7.7 million, or 24 cents per diluted share, compared to $6.2million, or 19 cents per diluted share, for 1Q98.

Normalizing weather caused cash prices at most points to drop afew cents to nearly a dime yesterday with the Chicago pointsaccruing the largest losses, but the downturn failed to abatemarketers’ optimism, which was buoyed by a new six- to 10-dayforecast calling for below-normal temperatures for a large portionof the nation.

Columbia Energy Group barely overcame warmer than normaltemperatures, weak gas prices and higher marketing costs during thefirst quarter to post a 2% increase in earnings. The companyreported first quarter 1999 earnings of $150.4 million, or $1.81per share, up from $147.5 million or $1.77 per share in 1Q98.