Shine

Houston-based Noble Energy Inc., known for its success in the Gulf of Mexico deepwater, announced Thursday that it is acquiring Denver-based Patina Oil & Gas Corp., known for its success in the Rocky Mountains and Mid-Continent, in a $3.4 billion cash and stock deal. The combined company will have year-end 2003 proved reserves of 710 MMboe, weighted 63% to natural gas, with 55% of the total assets in the United States.

Houston-based Noble Energy Inc., known for its success in the Gulf of Mexico deepwater, announced Thursday that it is acquiring Denver-based Patina Oil & Gas Corp., known for its success in the Rocky Mountains and Mid-Continent, in a $3.4 billion cash and stock deal. The combined company will have year-end 2003 proved reserves of 710 MMboe, weighted 63% to natural gas, with 55% of the total assets in the United States.

The New York Mercantile Exchange Inc. (Nymex) reported its highest trading volume in its history in 2003 with the total of 139 million contracts, breaking the record of 134 million in 2002. But natural gas played a much smaller-than-expected role in that record-breaking performance.

The New York Mercantile Exchange Inc. (Nymex) reported its highest trading volume in its history in 2003 with the total of 139 million contracts, breaking the record of 134 million in 2002. But natural gas played a much smaller-than-expected role in that record-breaking performance.

Bucking the overall trend in Canada of little to no progress on the electric competition front, Alberta and Ontario earned high marks in a recently released report issued by the Center for the Advancement of Energy Markets (CAEM).

Bucking the overall trend in Canada of little to no progress on the electric competition front, Alberta and Ontario earned high marks in a recently released report issued by the Center for the Advancement of Energy Markets (CAEM).

The lights will shine in the city of Columbus, OH, for at leastthe next five years if CMS Energy Corp. has anything to say aboutit. CMS Marketing, Services and Trading (CMS-MST) reported lastweek that it has been awarded a long term contract to providewholesale electricity and other energy services to the city’s13,000 residential and commercial customers.

The lights will shine in the city of Columbus, OH, for at leastthe next five years if CMS Energy Corp. has anything to say aboutit. CMS Marketing, Services and Trading (CMS-MST) reportedyesterday that it has been awarded a long term contract to providewholesale electricity and other energy services to the city’s13,000 residential and commercial customers.

After suffering through a long period of low prices and thinmargins, exploration and production (E&P) companies appear tobe headed toward a period of success, a report published recentlyby Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown said. Strong gas prices, industryconsolidation and probable low storage levels are the main factorscontributing the report’s bullish conclusions.