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This Wednesday’s FERC meeting promises to be a blockbuster. Forone, the Commission has placed the hotly contestedSupplyLink-Independence Pipeline-MarketLink projects on the agenda,essentially thumbing its nose at New Jersey Gov. Christine ToddWhitman’s request for at least a 60-day delay [CP97-319, CP97-315,CP98-540].

California regulators this week (Dec. 16) are slated to take acritical step in eventually opening the natural gas industry tomore competition when they decide whether to follow staffrecommendations and push for a natural gas consumer protection lawwhen the state legislature reconvenes next month. Staff at theCalifornia Public Utilities Commission are asking the five-memberregulatory body to adopt a proposed consumer protection bill thatwas outlined last August as part of a report to the statelegislature, which has openly expressed concerns about unbundlingnatural gas to the same degree as the state’s electric industrybecause of customer and public safety issues related to thedistribution and use of gas.

Despite continuing setbacks with Texas properties, PG&ECorp. officials this week expressed continued support for theirnational energy strategy, which when broken down is a largelyelectricity-based with key gas assets to enhance power assetvalues.

The announcement earlier this week by Peoples Energy and CoastalCorp.’s ANR Pipeline that they were teaming up to build a 130-milepipeline into the Wisconsin market has left at least one sponsor ofthe competing Guardian Pipeline project scratching his head.

Burlington Resources Inc. this week filed updated pro forma financial information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding its pending acquisition of Poco Petroleums Ltd. to include third quarter results of combined operations. Shareholders of Calgary-based Poco yesterday approved the C$2.6-billion takeover that would create North America’s fourth-largest gas producer.

Burlington Resources Inc. this week filed updated pro formafinancial information with the Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC) regarding its pending acquisition of Poco Petroleums Ltd. toinclude third quarter results of combined operations. Shareholdersof Calgary-based Poco yesterday approved the C$2.6-billion takeoverthat would create North America’s fourth-largest gas producer.

With the opening of expanded gas storage and deliverability thisweek at jointly-owned Jackson Prairie in southwest Washingtonstate, interstate pipelines like Williams Northwest are trying todevelop better services for electric generation plants, which areexpected to multiply significantly in the coming years.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. of Oklahoma City generated third-quarternet income of $18.1 million and cash flow from operations of $43.4million on 32.7 Bcfe of production. Average commodity pricesrealized during the quarter were $18.90/barrel of oil and $2.26/Mcfof gas for a gas equivalent price of $2.40/Mcfe.

Dynegy Inc. told FERC this week it’s becoming alarmed at thegrowing number of varying Y2K contingency plans being filed bypipelines. The Commission should agree to allow one set ofprocedures for the entire industry, Dynegy suggested. Otherwisethere could be a state of panic on New Year’s eve when shippershave to deal with multiple sets of Y2K emergency nominationprocedures.