Separate

Revenue decoupling, which seeks to separate a local distribution company’s (LDC) revenues from the volume of gas it distributes, is only available to gas utilities in nine states, but it’s gaining in popularity and is on the minds of many executives.

Even with the recent plunge in temperatures, three energy consultants in separate reports Tuesday said working gas levels in storage will likely finish the season at 1.7 Tcf or more. Barring production shut-ins from hurricanes and assuming normal weather patterns, one analyst said the storage glut could put downward pressure on gas prices through the rest of 2007.

Linn Energy LLC is spending $454 million in separate transactions to acquire a leasehold in the Texas Panhandle and to enrich its natural gas-heavy assets in the Appalachian Basin. The acquisitions together increase the limited partnership’s total proved reserves by 57%, with the addition of more than 355 Bcfe to its proved reserve base and an increase in production of more than 38 MMcfe/d.

Quieting recent suggestions that the company was going to separate its regulated and unregulated divisions in the wake of its failed merger with Exelon, Public Service Enterprise Group’s (PSEG) management said last week that the entire company continues to produce strong operational results and that the continued financial success will allow for “disciplined future growth” going forward.

Quieting recent suggestions that the company was going to separate its regulated and unregulated entities in the wake of its failed merger with Exelon, Public Service Enterprise Group’s (PSEG) management said Tuesday the whole company continues to produce strong operational results and that the continued financial success will allow for “disciplined future growth” going forward.

Completing a triple-play of sorts, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission Tuesday decided three separate issues for Spokane, WA-based Avista Utilities — a retail natural gas rate net decrease, a retail electric rate net increase, and a 20-year purchased power agreement for up to 11.99 MW as a qualifying facility (QF) project, but at rates less than the published QF tariff. The utility will pay $58.50/MWh, rather than the PUC’s $61.60/MWh rate for most QF contracts. Avista wanted to pay $49/MWh.

U.S. energy companies make the big bucks, and that in turn makes them a big target for lawsuits. The average U.S. energy company now has around 364 separate lawsuits pending in U.S. courts, and 59% faced at least one $20 million-plus lawsuit last year, law firm Fulbright & Jaworski reported in its third annual survey.

U.S. energy companies make the big bucks, and that in turn makes them a top target for lawsuits. The average U.S. energy company now has around 364 separate lawsuits pending in U.S. courts, and 59% faced at least one $20 million-plus lawsuit last year, according to a survey by law firm Fulbright & Jaworski.

A day after it made regulatory filings to spin off its sprawling gas transmission, storage and field services business, including Ontario utility Union Gas, as a separate company, Duke Energy on Friday named an executive team for the new corporation. It also announced the sale of a 49% stake in its massive real estate operations, Crescent Resources, to Morgan Stanley Real Estate for $1.4 billion after tax.