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Canadian producers expect their natural gas prices to rise by asmuch as 60% when the next heating season catches up with effects ofthe 1998-99 drilling slump.

Viking Gas Transmission got some good news last week when FERCapproved a looping expansion of its system that will make itpossible for existing customers between the northern Minnesotaborder and West-Central Wisconsin to receive up to 28,000 Dth/d ofadditional gas supplies by the end of the year.

Several Wisconsin utilities and gas producers have asked FERC toplay it cautious when reviewing ANR Pipeline’s application for asecond capacity expansion of its existing system through northernIllinois and southern Wisconsin markets.

It didn’t surprise any traders when the cash market was theteensiest bit softer Wednesday. What did prompt some expressions ofamazement was that prices held up as strongly as they did. Betweena falling futures screen and overall weaker demand fundamentals, itseemed that prices should have dropped at least a nickel or more,one source said. Instead, few points were down more than a coupleof pennies, and some registered flat showings. Northern NaturalGas, serving a market area with near-winter-like chill, evenmanaged small gains.

Castle Energy Corp. of Radnor, PA, will pick up about 27.5 Bcfeof proved reserves, about 55% gas, when it completes the purchaseof essentially all of AmBrit’s oil and gas properties for about $22million.

Several Wisconsin utilities and gas producers have asked FERC toplay it cautious when reviewing ANR Pipeline’s application for asecond capacity expansion of its existing system through northernIllinois and southern Wisconsin markets.

El Paso will will allow neither injections nor withdrawals whenit shuts in the Washington Ranch storage facility April 19-25 formaintenance. Saying the project will severely limit its flexibilityin controlling linepack, El Paso asked in advance for customercooperation in “balancing very closely” scheduled receipts anddeliveries.

The strong corrective rebound of the April contract seemed indanger of coming to an end yesterday morning when the contract setnew lows for the week at $1.835, but April held and quickly resumedits upward path in afternoon trade to post a new high at $1.930 andclose the day at $1.928/MMBtu.

ScottishPower and PacifiCorp jointly announced that their Dec.7, 1998 merger plan gained a large boost Tuesday when the FederalTrade Commission (FTC) waived the 30-day waiting period under theHart-Scott-Rodino antitrust law.