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CIG said Friday an OFO begun Nov. 11 (see Daily GPI, Nov. 11) and regarding FT imbalances andand limitations on storage injections would remain in effect throughthe weekend. Based on the latest weather forecasts, CIG anticipatesbeing able to lift the OFO Tuesday. A new bulletin board posting todaywill update the OFO status.

Phillips subsidiary GPM Gas Corp. and a number of other NorthernNatural shippers are befuddled by a complex negotiated ratetransaction between Northern Natural and its affiliate Enron NorthAmerica Corp. that covers 295,000 MMBtu/d of firm transportationspace, or about one-third of Northern’s pipeline capacity. Thecontract was filed at FERC on Oct. 29 (Docket No. RP96-272).

FERC Chairman James Hoecker said yesterday the Commissionintends to proceed with a vote on the hotly contested MarketLinkexpansion next week despite New Jersey Gov. Christine ToddWhitman’s threat of a lawsuit if the project is approved.

Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America (NGPL) contends a FERCdecision that found a recent auction to be “unreasonable and undulypreferential” would “nullify” its negotiated-rate authority and”aggravate” its decontracting problems.

In an effort to achieve the best shareholder return among oilmajors from 2000 to 2004, Chevron Chairman Ken Derr andChairman-elect Dave O’Reilly told security analysts yesterday thecompany plans to increase worldwide oil and gas production at anannual growth rate of 4 to 4.5%.

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.

Average on-site energy consumption per household dropped by 27%between 1978 and 1997 while the number of U.S. households increasedby 33%, resulting in no change in total on-site residential energyconsumption over that 20-year period, according to a report fromthe Energy Information Administration (EIA). If the amount ofprimary energy required to generate and transmit the electricityconsumed by households is considered, then the decline inper-household energy consumption is only 16% because electricity’sshare of total household energy consumption increased between 1978and 1997.

Coral Energy’s Coral de Mexico LLC plans to build a 104-mile,24-inch gas pipeline from the King Ranch in South Texas, crossingthe Rio Grande River near McAllen, TX, and running south intoMexico in the direction of Arguelles. The FERC approved a bordercrossing and presidential permit for the project last week.

Indiana Energy, Inc. said yesterday that a special meeting ofcommon shareholders would be held on December 17 at its corporateheadquarters in Indianapolis, IN, to consider the previously announcedmerger with SIGCORP Inc. The merger would create a new $1.9 billionholding company called Vectren (see Daily GPI, June 15). Through its utility subsidiaries,Vectren will offer gas and electricity to more than 650,000 customersin adjoining service areas that cover nearly two-thirds ofIndiana. Vectren’s non-regulated subsidiaries will offerenergy-related products and services, including: energy marketing;performance contracting and coal mining; fiber-optic basedtelecommunications services; locating, trenching and meter readingservices; and materials management to customers throughout thesurrounding region. Under the merger agreement, Indiana Energyshareholders will receive one share of Vectren’s common stock for eachshare of Indiana Energy stock. SIGCORP shareholders will receive 1.333shares of Vectren’s common stock for each share of SIGCORP stock.