Winter was retaining a tougher post-season grip on severalregions’ weather than expected Tuesday, and the result waswidespread price rises that ranged from flat to barely higher atthe PG&E citygate and Rockies, to about a quarter at someNortheast and Pacific Northwest points. A sharply higher Aprilfutures contract also lent some support to cash on its penultimateday of trading, sources said.

Major variations from the overall market were the day’s biggestgain of about half a dollar at the Southern California border, andfalling numbers for Malin and CIG.

“This cold weather seems to be surprising a lot of people withits staying power,” according to a Northeast trader. As the weekbegan, some had expected a warm-up around midweek, but it nowappears that may not happen until Friday, he said. Besides theNortheast, unseasonably cold temperatures were expected to lingerat least another day or so in the Midwest and Southeast. Only theWest is experiencing weather closer to spring than to winter.

The screen’s climb to an eventual daily gain of just under 30cents was carrying cash quotes upward with it toward deadline, aRockies trader said.

El Paso is now only about 200 MMcf/d shy of regaining full 1.1Bcf/d capacity on its South Mainline, after returning Line 1103downstream of Keystone Station partially to service followingunplanned maintenance (see Transportation Notes). Capacity throughPecos River Station, near where a line explosion last August killed12 people, was raised to 900 MMcf/d Tuesday.

April bidweek activity remained predictably subdued, as traderswaited for a triple treat today: The April Nymex settlement, AGA’sstorage report as withdrawal season draws near an end, and thelatest mid-range weather forecasts.

Deliveries to SoCal Gas at the California border are lookingespecially strong for April, a marketer said. He reported borderbasis, which had been quoted at plus $5.00 last week, in the plus$5.00-6.50 range Monday and Tuesday. In addition, his company isseeing border index premiums of up to 50 cents, the marketer said.

A Northeast trader quoted April basis (all plus) at 35 cents forCNG, 22 cents for TCO, 45 cents for Texas Eastern M-3, 48 cents forTransco Zone 6 (NYC) and 45 cents for Transco Zone 6 (non-NYC).

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