Robert

The former CEO of Enterprise Products Partners LP is forming a new private midstream partnership with the backing of Kayne Anderson Energy Funds. Robert G. Phillips, who was president, CEO and a director of Enterprise Products Partners — one of the largest publicly traded midstream partnerships in the country — will head Crestwood Midstream Partners LLC. Phillips was chairman of the general partner of GulfTerra Energy Partners LP until September 2004 when the company merged with Enterprise; he resigned from Enterprise in May. Crestwood, to be based in Houston, will begin with a total equity commitment of $150 million from Kayne Anderson. Kayne Anderson Energy Funds manages $1.85 billion of capital for investment in the energy industry, and it invests private capital in high-growth midstream, exploration and production and oilfield services companies.

The former CEO of Enterprise Products Partners LP is forming a new private midstream partnership with the backing of Kayne Anderson Energy Funds.

Sen. John Warner (R-VA) offered an amendment Thursday that would allow Virginia to explore and drill for natural gas off of the state’s coastline, but Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) countered with a second-degree amendment that could block Virginia from moving forward. The measures are being considered as part of the broad energy bill (HR 56) being debated on the Senate floor, which had not been voted on as of press time Thursday.

As the downfall of Amaranth Advisors LLC continues to produce more questions than answers, Robert McCullough, manager of McCullough Research, said Tuesday that he believes Amaranth trader Brian Hunter quite possibly attempted to corner the natural gas market and that the “lack of federal oversight” of energy markets and hedge funds by FERC, the CFTC and the SEC helped him almost accomplish his goal.

Reaching outside the industry for someone with experience with troubled companies, Calpine Corp.’s board Monday named Robert P. May as the company’s new CEO and a member of the power plant operator’s board. May, 56, replaces Kenneth Derr, Calpine’s lead director and acting CEO for the past two weeks following the dismissal of the company’s founder/CEO and chief financial officer.

Robert J. Allison Jr., who joined Anadarko Petroleum Corp. 32 years ago and stepped into the chairman’s role 13 years later, will step down from his post Jan. 1, the company announced Thursday. As expected, CEO Jim Hackett will take over the additional role of chairman.

NiSource Inc. announced last week that effective July 1, current president Robert C. Skaggs Jr. will take over as CEO. Skaggs will succeed Gary L. Neale, who will retire in June but who will continue to serve as chairman.

NiSource Inc. announced Tuesday that effective July 1, current president Robert C. Skaggs Jr. will take over as CEO. Skaggs will succeed Gary L. Neale, who will retire in June but who will continue to serve as chairman.

Nymex President J. Robert “Bo” Collins has turned down a new contract with the exchange, possibly in response to a request to take a pay cut following a rumored disagreement with the board over a purchase offer by Boston-based equity firm Parthenon Capital LLC.