Today

The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) isexpected to file a comprehensive plan today asking FERC to exertlighter handed regulation over all pipeline facilities in the Gulfof Mexico.

Constraints will be minor today at the Opal (WY) processingplant as Williams Field Services begins testing and maintenance.But at least half of the plant’s current 540 MMcf/d activity willbe off the market Tuesday as the plant is shut down for 12 hours.Reductions June 17-24 will be about 75 MMcf/d.

Enron’s announcement last week that it will be terminating itsresidential power marketing efforts in several states should be awake up call for the gas industry as well, where the pace of changetoward retail competition has been a disappointment for manyobservers.

California’s retail electric market kicks off in the earlymorning hours today (March 31) with the state-chartered wholesalespot market, the power exchange (PX), processing a market-clearingprice and generation schedules for another newly created statepublic benefits organization, the independent system operator(ISO), that will run the state transmission grid.

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) today received approval from theWashington State Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) tomake natural gas available for the first time to portions ofKittitas County.

Reacting to frigid weather spreading into the Southeast, Sonatis implementing an Operational Flow Order Type 3 effective todayfor four groups: Birmingham Group, South Main Zone 2, South MainZone 3 and Brunswick Line. The OFO will be extended Wednesday tothe East of Wrens and Savannah Line groups. Due to compressorproblems, Sonat said, the level of interruptible service in the twoSouth Main zones will be less than normal in limitation periods. Inaddition, an OFO Type 22 notice to become effective Wednesday forseven groups was issued by Sonat affiliate South Georgia NaturalGas.

The April Nymex contract slipped 1.3 cents to $2.228 onWednesday, as the near month contract continues to be hounded bytight trading ranges. April could move no higher than $2.245 and nolower than $2.210 yesterday.