Supply

Washington attorney Katherine B. Edwards is among the candidatesbeing eyed by the Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA) to succeedformer President Nicholas J. Bush, who departed the trade grouplast month amid allegations that he defrauded it of more than $2.4million, sources say.

The Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA), which represents thenation’s major gas producers, last week placed its president,Nicholas J. Bush, on administrative leave without pay in the wakeof an investigation and a subsequent lawsuit. The suit accuses himof fraud and misappropriating more than $2.4 million from the groupsince the late 1980s. The D.C. Superior Court, where the suit wasfiled, has issued a temporary restraining order against Bush andhas continued the case until Feb. 26 [Docket No. 1028-99].

The investigation that led the Natural Gas Supply Association(NGSA), to accuse its president of misappropriating funds wassparked by a bill from the Internal Revenue Service, requiring aconsultant to pay taxes on income he never received for services henever provided to NGSA.

The Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA), which represents thenation’s major gas producers, earlier this week placed itspresident, Nicholas J. Bush, on administrative leave without pay inthe wake of an investigation and a subsequent civil lawsuitaccusing him of misappropriating more than $2 million from thegroup since the late 1980s. The D.C. Superior Court, where the suitwas filed, has issued a temporary restraining order against Bushand has continued the case until Feb. 26 [Docket No. 001028-99].

The tremendous supply potential of the Powder River Basin inMontana and Wyoming has attracted a new consortium of energycompanies with plans to build a large gas gathering system. CMSEnergy, Enron Capital &amp Trade Resources, Western Gas Resourcesand CIG Resources announced they have formed Fort Union GasGathering, L.L.C. to build a $43 million, 106-mile, 24-inchgathering header from Glenrock, WY, north to a point near Gillette,WY. A gas treating facility also will be installed at Glenrock.

Houston Industries Wholesale Energy Group, an affiliate ofHouston Lighting & Power, has signed a 10-year contract tosupply up to 50 Bcf to LGS Natural Gas, an affiliate of LouisianaGas Service Co., the largest distributor in the state.

A newly released Gas Research Institute study examining theshift in perceptions of the U.S. gas resource base, titled”Changing Perceptions Of Remaining U.S. Conventional GasResources,” discusses how the move — from the shortage mentalityof the 1970s to today’s view that gas is abundantly available –has resulted from an interplay of factors. Factors discussedinclude increased exploration success rates in frontier plays,improved gas well recoveries and continued reserve appreciationactivity in existing fields. GRI, with Energy and EnvironmentalAnalysis Inc. of Arlington, VA, developed the study.

Last week’s agreement by Semco Energy Gas Co. to a three-yeardeal with TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. for management of its gassupply gives TransCanada its largest asset management relationshipto date. Semco also will buy the majority of its gas supplies fromTransCanada for the three years of the agreement, which iseffective April 1, 1999.

Semco Energy Gas Co. signed of a three-year agreement withTransCanada PipeLines Ltd. for management of its gas supply. Thecompany also will buy the majority of its gas supplies fromTransCanada for the three years of the agreement, which iseffective April 1, 1999.