Size

While yesterday’s price weakness did not surprise many traders,the size of some of the declines exceeded expectations. Near recordhigh temperatures caused major drops in the Midcontinent, andforecasts of hot weather combined with a dropping futures screen toweaken the Northeast, Gulf Coast and western markets.

Williams’ exploration and production division increased the sizeof its gas reserve holdings by nearly 30% last week, buying 184Bcfe of proved reserves with 30 MMcf/d of production and 192,000undeveloped acres in the Rocky Mountain region from MCN Energy for$106 million. An additional 35 Bcfe of proved reserves in theRockies were sold by MCN to other unnamed buyers.

Williams’ exploration and production division increased the sizeof its gas reserve holdings by nearly 30% yesterday, buying 184Bcfe of proved reserves with 30 MMcf/d of production and 192,000undeveloped acres in the Rocky Mountain region from MCN Energy for$106 million. An additional 35 Bcfe of proved reserves in theRockies were sold by MCN to other unnamed buyers.

Because of the size of the power industry, electric companieswill own the gas industry within the next decade, according to anofficial of Engage Energy. Of the 300 LDCs and about 110investor-owned utilities remaining in the country, roughly 100 willbe remaining at the end of the next decade, said David Pruner ofEngage Energy in Houston. The top-50 IOUs will control almost 80%of the entire energy market, he said at the DOE-NARUC natural gasconference in Pittsburgh yesterday.

Despite $15 oil and the whopping $810 million federal CentralGulf of Mexico lease sale three weeks ago, oil and gas prospectorshad enough shekels remaining to make the Texas General Land Officesale April 7 the largest high bids sale in 22 years and the seventhlargest in the history of the 150-plus-year old agency.