Spots

Hurricane disruptions in the third quarter reduced domestic natural gas production about 6% sequentially from the second quarter and about 6% compared to 3Q2004, but excluding the storm losses, the trendline in U.S. output for the next few years is flat, according to energy analysts with the Gerdes Group.

Within the larger context of expanded capacity and a newly unbundling transmission/storage system, Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. utility has identified potential future constraints on its intrastate transmission pipeline system in the Imperial and San Joaquin Valleys where power plants and large industrial customers operate. These areas are potentially tight only on a seasonal basis, such as the summer in Imperial and winter in the San Joaquin valley, according to SoCalGas’ Steve Watson, capacity planning manager, who spoke Tuesday at a GasMart/Power panel discussion in Reno.

Within the larger context of expanded capacity and a newly unbundling transmission/storage system, Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. utility has identified potential future constraints on its intrastate transmission pipeline system in the Imperial and San Joaquin Valleys where power plants and large industrial customers operate. These areas are potentially tight only on a seasonal basis, such as the summer in Imperial and winter in the San Joaquin valley, according to SoCalGas’ Steve Watson, capacity planning manager, who spoke Tuesday at a GasMart/Power panel discussion in Reno.

News that Amerada Hess would buy Dallas-based independent Triton Energy Ltd. was one of the few bright spots on the New York Stock Exchange last week, with Triton’s stock soaring nearly 50% following the announcement last Tuesday, opening at $14.57 and closing at $44.43. New York-based Amerada Hess, one of the East Coast’s largest gasoline retailers, said it will pay $3.2 billion in a cash deal that will position it as one of the largest global independent E&P companies. It also agreed to assume $500 million of Triton’s debt.

News that Amerada Hess would buy Dallas-based independent Triton Energy Ltd. was one of the few bright spots on the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday, with Triton’s stock soaring nearly 50% following the announcement, opening at $14.57 and closing at $44.43. New York-based Amerada Hess, one of the East Coast’s largest gasoline retailers, said it will pay $3.2 billion in a cash deal that will position it as one of the largest global independent E&P companies. It also agreed to assume $500 million of Triton’s debt.

The Senate approved the nominations of Texas regulator Patrick Henry Wood III and Pennsylvania regulator Nora Mead Brownell to the two vacant spots on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In interviews with NGI on Friday Brownell and Wood said they are eager to get to work tackling the energy crisis out West and helping the rest of the country do some advance planning to prevent the crisis from spreading.

The Senate approved the nominations of Texas regulator Patrick Henry Wood III and Pennsylvania regulator Nora Mead Brownell to the two vacant spots on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In interviews with NGI on Friday, Brownell and Wood said they are eager to get to work tackling the energy crisis out West and helping the rest of the country do some advance planning to prevent the crisis from spreading.

Natural gas pipeline capacity appears “adequate” to meet mostpeak-day demands as the nation heads into the 2000-2001 winterheating season, assuming the weather is normal. But there are someareas where capacity constraints and bottleneck problems could cropup – most notably in the Northeast region, according to a newreport by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The East Coast of Canada, now one of the hot spots for new oiland gas exploration and development in the world, could”definitely” be a part of the solution to New England’s energyneeds, Premiers John Hamm of Nova Scotia and Brian Tobin ofNewfoundland and Labrador told attendees at the Offshore TechnologyConference in Houston last week.