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Canadian natural gas exporters have wasted no time in takingadvantage of their new power to shop around for markets as a resultof expanded pipelines.

For the second time this fall, Canada’s National Energy Boardserved notice it will not halt gas pipeline projects to awaitresolutions of age-old Indian grievances but it did issue a pleafor both sides in a dispute to make peace for the good of allconcerned. The signal arrived in an approval of a second Maritimesspur, called the Saint John Lateral, off the new Maritimes &Northeast pipeline. The $62 million lateral is designed to servedomestic customers in New Brunswick along its route to New Englandfrom the Sable Offshore Energy Project.

Things are looking up at Mitchell Energy & Development Corp.at a time when the company is up for potential sale. Mitchellreported third quarter net earnings of $29.5 million versus a lossof $3.7 million in the prior-year period. The current quarter’sresults included a $5 million ($3.1 million after-tax) reversal ofprevious litigation provisions. Excluding the reversal, earningsincreased $30 million compared with the prior-year period,primarily due to significantly higher energy prices and loweroperating expenses. These positive factors were partially offset bythe adverse impact of natural gas and natural gas liquidsproduction curtailments in early August associated with a six-dayshutdown of the Bridgeport gas processing plant for maintenance andequipment upgrades.

Things are looking up at Mitchell Energy & Development Corp.at a time when the company is up for potential sale. Mitchellreported third quarter net earnings of $29.5 million versus a lossof $3.7 million in the prior-year period. The current quarter’sresults included a $5 million ($3.1 million after-tax) reversal ofprevious litigation provisions. Excluding the reversal, earningsincreased $30 million compared with the prior-year period,primarily due to significantly higher energy prices and loweroperating expenses. These positive factors were partially offset bythe adverse impact of natural gas and natural gas liquidsproduction curtailments in early August associated with a six-dayshutdown of the Bridgeport gas processing plant for maintenance andequipment upgrades.

By the time you read this, El Paso Energy will be putting thefinishing touches on its merger with Sonat Inc., creating thelargest natural gas pipeline in North America in terms of miles andthroughput.

By the time you read this El Paso Energy will be putting thefinishing touches on its merger with Sonat Inc., creating thelargest natural gas pipeline in North America in terms of miles andthroughput.

After etching out a wide, 20-cent trading range Monday andTuesday, natural gas futures traded sideways yesterday in a rare,low volume and low volatility trading session. Little in the way offresh news was seen to nudge prices in either direction, leavingthe November contract to slip 2.9-cents to $2.978 in pre-AGA profittaking. Estimated volume was an extremely-light 53,060 contracts.

Fresh competition has emerged for TransCanada PipeLines Ltd.’sNova gas-gathering grid in Alberta – this time from its neighbor tothe east in Saskatchewan.

Fresh competition has emerged for TransCanada PipeLines Ltd.’sNova gas-gathering grid in Alberta — this time from its neighborto the east in Saskatchewan.