Signed

NGC Corp. and Texaco signed a memorandum of understandingyesterday to create a new joint venture company that will useexisting gas liquids pipelines to create a 290-mile, bi-directionalnatural gas liquids (NGL) transportation system, extending fromSorrento, LA, to Mont Belvieu, TX.

Connecticut Energy Corp. said subsidiary CNE Energy ServicesGroup signed a letter of intent with Conectiv to join a liquefiednatural gas (LNG) storage joint venture. This new business, to benamed Total Peaking Services (TPS), will use an existing 1.2 BcfLNG storage facility in Milford, CT. The venture has received FERCauthorization to provide open access storage; but is awaitingtariff approval, expected later this spring.

The major accord signed by Canadian gas industry stakeholders lastweek that virtually assures construction of the Alliance Pipelineproject (See GPI Daily, April 9) hasmade the fate of the competing 1.4 Bcf/d Viking Voyageur projectextremely doubtful. Voyageur sponsors TransCanada PipeLines andNorthern States Power were in meetings all day Monday and Tuesday andan announcement is expected later this week. One Voyageur officialsaid all options are possible, including shelving the 800-milepipeline project.

Chesapeake Energy of Oklahoma City has signed a unique agreementwith Gothic Energy Corp., Tulsa, which includes the right for fiveyears to develop 50% of Gothic’s current and subsequently acquiredundeveloped reserves. This includes 60 Bcfe of proved undevelopedreserves and a substantial amount of probable and possiblereserves.

NGC Corp. clearly believes renewable energy is the product ofthe future and has signed an agreement to supply power generatedfrom renewable sources to Green Mountain Energy Resources forretail power customers in California. NGC will supply wholesalepower for two of the three products Green Mountain is selling: itsWater Power blend and its 75% Renewable Power blend, according toTom Boucher, vice president of energy supply and businessdevelopment at Green Mountain. The wholesale power will come fromdifferent types of generating facilities in California and thewestern region, including small-scale hydro, geothermal, andbiomass facilities. A contractual chain will ensure that GreenMountain’s retail customers are purchasing power from a renewableor hydro source, said Doug Boccignone, director of marketing forNGC’s Electric Clearinghouse.

Independent Power Producer Cogentrix Energy has signed anagreement with Bechtel Enterprises Inc. to acquire Bechtel’sownership interests in 12 electric generating facilities, plus afractional share of Iroquois Pipeline. Most of the properties wereon the market as the result of PG&E Corp.’s acquisition lastfall of Bechtel’s interest in U.S. Generating Co. Regulatoryconstraints barred PG&E from acquiring certain of the USGenassets.

ONEOK Resources has signed a definitive agreement with OXY USAto purchase some of its natural gas and oil reserves including morethan 400 wells in Oklahoma and Kansas outside the Hugoton field forapproximately $135 million before adjustments. Net production isapproximately 30 MMcf/d and 400 b/d. The properties havelower-risk development potential for increased reserves. WhileONEOK’s previous reserve acquisitions have been concentrated inOklahoma, this purchase includes significant reserves in Kansaswhere ONEOK recently acquired Kansas Gas Service, an LDC servingtwo-thirds of the state. David Kyle, president and chief operatingofficer of ONEOK, Inc., said the acquisition will almost doubleONEOK’s oil and gas reserve base. The acquisition includes a gassweetening plant located in the Aledo Field in Oklahoma.

Chicago’s Citizens Utility Board (CUB) announced it has signed asettlement agreement with Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) thatobligates the utility to terminate its controversial marketingprogram, which was designed to give the utility’s affiliatecompanies an edge in the coming competitive energy market.

California State University (CSU) and the University ofCalifornia (UC) signed up with Enron Energy Services (EES) forpower to serve all 22 CSI campuses and all nine UC campuses andother facilities. The deal is the largest direct-access electricenergy contract in the country, Enron said. The two institutionsare projected to save more than $15 million over the next fouryears.