Warmer

Based on forecasts of warmer weather in Wisconsin and its projection of nominated receipts at the Marshfield, WI interconnect with Viking, ANR withdrew Thursday the Marshfield OFO that had been in effect since Tuesday (see Daily GPI, Dec. 21).

Northwest began running a 96-hour test on the Snohomish (WA)Compressor Station’s Unit No. 1 Friday. The test, along with warmerweather and reduced weekend damand, did not allow Northwest toreceive the full 1,097,000 dekatherms of total supply at theSumas/Sipi throughput point. The pipeline capped Sumas/Sipi volumesat 1,000,000 dekatherms Sunday and raised that to 1,050,000dekatherms for Monday’s gas day. No constraint is scheduled todayas the work was expected to end Monday evening.

Shrinking demand due to warmer weather throughout the countryconspired with a 6.1-cent drop on the Nymex futures contractThursday to put an end to a small and short-lived boost from arelatively bullish storage report. Friday’s cash prices retreatedan average of 3-4 cents in most areas, erasing the small gains fromThursday’s trading, and bringing cash back to the level it hoveredaround most of the week.

Concerned that a threshold number of Atlanta Gas Light (AGL)customers in certain warmer regions of Georgia may not switch toalternative suppliers by the next winter heating season, theGeorgia Public Service Commission is taking action to changeGeorgia’s gas competition law, SB 216, to get AGL out of themerchant function possibly by next fall.

Northwest continued Tuesday to ban any on-system balancing,warning that regional temperatures are getting warmer and linepack”is very high.” Shippers were asked to refrain from banking gas onthe system in order to avoid a potential entitlement.