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00386         TOP STORIES     Natural Gas Drilling Activity Slacks Off in O=
klahoma  By Russell Ray, Tulsa World, Okla., Oct. 20 Idle drilling rigs are=
 piling up in the yards of contractors everywhere, leaving the workers who =
manned them jobless and vexed.     Missouri Agency Advises Rejection of Gas=
 Utility's Effort to Recoup Payments  By Repps Hudson, St. Louis Post-Dispa=
tch, Oct. 20 The staff of the Missouri Public Service Commission recommende=
d Friday that the regulatory panel reject an unusual proposal by the state'=
s largest natural-gas utilities to include their delinquent bills in all cu=
stomers' winter rates.     Northwest Lines Up $2B Loan Package For Portland=
 Acquisition  Oct. 21 (Power Finance & Risk) Portland, Ore.-based Northwest=
 Natural Gas is in the process of arranging three corporate facilities, one=
 for $1.65 billion and two for $450 million, which it will use to help fund=
 its $2.1 billion acquisition of Portland General Electric from Enron. Spec=
ial Offer from this Publisher!       Energy Security      Companies, Govern=
ments May Pass New Security Costs on to Consumers  By Carolyn Shapiro, Dail=
y Press, Newport News, Va., Oct. 18 Heightened security measures at airport=
s, power plants and shopping malls in the wake of domestic terrorist attack=
s aim to make consumers safer.      California Crisis      State Sees Lower=
 Cost for DWR Contracts; Renegotiations Not a Priority  Oct. 21 (California=
 Energy Markets) After sending highly mixed signals about possible contract=
 renegotiations, Governor Gray Davis' representatives on Friday downplayed =
the issue to instead emphasize that the cost impacts of Department of Water=
 Resources contracts are lower because of reduced natural gas prices. Speci=
al Offer from this Publisher!           ADVERTISEMENT    Representatives fr=
om the Bush Administration, Congress, FERC, NRC, and state PUCs will come t=
o Wall Street at the Energy Investor Policy and Regulation Conference, Dece=
mber 3-4, 2001, New York City, to outline the future direction of energy po=
licy and regulation. Details for this important event available at http://w=
ww.infocastinc.com/energyinvestor.htm          National Energy Policy      =
Attacks make energy bill key - U.S. energy chief  WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reute=
rs) The Sept. 11 attacks on the United States have amplified the need for a=
n energy security bill that decreases American dependence on foreign oil, U=
.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said in an interview to be broadcast o=
n Saturday.      Legislation/Regulation      FERC upholds Calif. natgas rep=
orting order  WASHINGTON, Oct 18 (Reuters) The Federal Energy Regulatory Co=
mmission said Thursday it would hold the line on an earlier ruling that ena=
cts strict reporting requirements for companies that buy and sell natural g=
as in California.      FERC plans natgas pipeline capacity nomination chang=
es  WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) Natural gas pipelines and customers have u=
ntil Nov. 19 to offer suggestions on a plan by federal energy regulators th=
at would allow shippers to recall released capacity and renominate the capa=
city.      Public Utilities Commission of the State of California v. El Pas=
o Natural Gas Company, El Paso Merchant Energy-Gas, L.P. and El Paso Mercha=
nt Energy Company  Oct. 22 (Btu Watch) The Chief Judge issued an initial de=
cision that found El Paso Corporation and its affiliates in clear violation=
 of Standards of Conduct F and G. Special Offer from this Publisher!       =
Gas Pricing/Hubs      U.S. spot gas slips for weekend, NYMEX up sharply  NE=
W YORK, Oct 19 (Reuters) U.S. spot natural gas prices for the weekend mostl=
y lost ground despite a sharp NYMEX rally, pressured by light loads and fai=
rly mild weather forecasts into next week, industry sources said.      Cana=
da spot natgas mixed, Alberta follows NYMEX up  NEW YORK, Oct 19 (Reuters) =
Canadian spot natural gas prices were mixed Friday with Alberta spot prices=
 chasing NYMEX futures higher and export values moving lower behind weaker =
U.S. spot gas, industry sources said.      NYMEX Hub gas ends up sharply on=
 cold winter forecast  NEW YORK, Oct 19 (Reuters) NYMEX Hub gas ended sharp=
ly higher Friday in moderate trade, driven by some pre-weekend short coveri=
ng and long-term weather forecasts this week calling for a colder-than-norm=
al winter, sources said.      Gas Supply/Demand      California confirms in=
terest in Bolivian natural gas  Oct 21, 2001 - Efe California confirmed it =
was interested in acquiring Bolivian natural gas to solve its severe energy=
 crisis, the Bolivian Economic Development Ministry said.      Futures     =
 Nov Futures Hits 8-Week High on Short-Covering, Weather Outlooks  Oct. 19 =
(Btu's Daily Gas Wire) November natural gas futures settled up 19.5 cents a=
t $2.681 after breaking resistance at Wednesday's $2.69 high to hit a fresh=
 near 8-week high for a nearby month at $2.72, as non-commercial buying sho=
t the contract 24.9 cents higher said market players. Special Offer from th=
is Publisher!       LNG      Officials to hold LNG emergency exercise  Oct =
19 - Boston Herald Public safety and Distrigas officials plan to run throug=
h a "table- top" exercise today to determine how well emergency crews could=
 handle a fire aboard a liquefied natural gas tanker heading into the compa=
ny's Everett terminal.      Pipelines      Gas Pipeline Remains Volatile Is=
sue for Sherwood, Ore.-Area Residents  By Emily Tsao, The Oregonian, Portla=
nd, Ore., Oct. 18 NW Natural's proposal to build a 62-mile natural gas pipe=
line through three counties has cleared another hurdle, and some residents =
are working to alter the pipeline's path.      USA continues to support Tur=
kmen gas pipeline  Oct 18 - BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union The United S=
tates continues to support the idea of building a Transcaspian gas pipeline=
 for delivering Turkmen gas to Turkey across the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan an=
d Georgia, Steven Mann, the special adviser for Caspian energy basin develo=
pment at the US Department of State, who has arrived in Asgabat, to attend =
the TIOGE-2001 international conference, told a news conference on Thursday=
 [18 October].      Legislators voice pros, cons of Great Lakes pipelines  =
Oct 20 - State Legislatures In the face of rising prices and consumer disco=
ntent, there's growing interest in drilling and piping natural gas from und=
er the Great Lakes to offset shortages across the country.      FARC attack=
 on gas pipeline kills 5  Oct 21, 2001 - Efe The bombing early Sunday of a =
gas pipeline near the Colombian city of Riohacha killed five people and inj=
ured 11 others, military spokesmen said.      Gazprom Hopes to Win Pipeline=
 Tender in China with Shell  Oct 21, 2001 - Itar-Tass News Agency Russia's =
Gazprom gas giant hopes to win the tender for building the West-East trans-=
Chinese gas pipeline, which leads to Big Shanghai area, and to take an acti=
ve part in the development of the gas system in China, Gazprom head Alexei =
Miller has told Itar-Tass.      Rates    For more information on rate tarif=
fs visit Gas Rate Tariffs   [IMAGE]    NYSEG Files Natural Gas Rate Changes=
 to Take Effect Late Next Year  BINGHAMTON, N.Y., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ NYSE=
G today filed with the Public Service Commission (PSC) proposed natural gas=
 rate changes to take effect when the company's current rate plan expires i=
n September 2002.      Major Natural-Gas Provider to Charlotte, N.C., Area =
Seeks Rate Decrease  By Ted Reed, The Charlotte Observer, N.C., Oct. 19 You=
 know that heat you just started using again? You can enjoy it more, becaus=
e it's going to cost about $200 less this season.      South Carolina Elect=
ric & Gas Has Plan to Cut Natural Gas Rates  By John P. McDermott, The Post=
 and Courier, Charleston, S.C., Oct. 18 Heating bills will be cooling off f=
or natural gas customers this winter.      Missouri Gas Energy Seeks State =
Permission to Cut Rate 31 Percent  By Steve Everly, The Kansas City Star, M=
o., Oct. 19 Missouri Gas Energy plans to reduce the price it charges for na=
tural gas by 31 percent, bringing the rate to its lowest point since July 2=
000.      Reduction in rates sought; Missouri Gas Energy wants to cut key f=
ee 31 percent  Oct 19 - The Kansas City Star Missouri Gas Energy plans to r=
educe the price it charges for natural gas by 31 percent, bringing the rate=
 to its lowest point since July 2000.      Lower bills for gas likely  Oct =
20 - Tulsa World Ample natural gas supplies and declining prices will likel=
y mean that Oklahoma Natural Gas Co. customers can expect significantly low=
er utility bills this winter, ONG said Thursday.      Rigs      Baker Hughe=
s-U.S. rig count down 41, Canada down eight  NEW YORK, Oct 19 (Reuters) The=
 number of rigs searching for oil and gas in the United States fell by 41 t=
o at 1,100 during the week ending Oct. 19, according to oil services firm B=
aker Hughes.      General      Utilities File Plan To Recoup Unpaid Bills  =
Oct 19 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch Four investor-owned utilities in Missouri,=
 including Laclede Gas Co., are asking the state Public Service Commission =
to let them include delinquent accounts from last winter's gas bills in win=
ter rates that take effect next month.      Deals/Contracts      Houston En=
ergy Conglomerate to Buy Norwegian Natural Gas  By Antonio Fins, South Flor=
ida Sun-Sentinel, Oct. 19 A Houston energy conglomerate planning to build a=
 second natural gas pipeline to Florida said Thursday it has signed contrac=
ts to purchase natural gas from Norway.      Russia, Turkmenistan in talks =
on big gas deal  Oct 20 - BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union Russia and Tur=
kmenistan are negotiating a deal on the delivery of 30bn cubic meters of Tu=
rkmen natural gas over a period of 10 years, Russian Deputy Foreign Ministe=
r and presidential envoy at Caspian Sea status talks Viktor Kalyuzhnyy anno=
unced in Asgabat.      Xinao lands largest natural gas supply contract  Oct=
 20 - South China Morning Post Growth Enterprise Market-listed Xinao Gas (H=
oldings) has landed its largest gas supply deal to date.      People      S=
emco Energy says CFO Coppola has left company  FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Oct=
 19 (Reuters) SEMCO Energy Inc., a distributor of natural gas, on Friday sa=
id its chief financial officer, Sebastian Coppola, left the company.      S=
enate Panel Considers DOE Fossil Energy Nominee  Oct 19, 2001 - E?Publishin=
g The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday will hear f=
rom Michael Smith, President Bush's nominee for assistant secretary for fos=
sil energy at the Energy Department.      Financial      Enron stock sustai=
ns further heavy losses  HOUSTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Enron Corp. stock sust=
ained further heavy losses on Friday as investor confidence in the former W=
all Street favorite was rocked by reports about the company's relationship =
with a limited partnership that was run until recently by Enron's chief fin=
ancial officer.      NewPower frees up cash with Enron revisions  NEW YORK,=
 Oct 19 (Reuters) National power marketer NewPower Holdings Inc. has freed =
up $40 million of cash by revising the financing provided by three Enron Co=
rp. subsidiaries, NewPower spokeswoman Gael Doar said on Friday.      Mutua=
l funds sell Enron on management concerns  By Judith Crosson (Reuters) DENV=
ER, Oct 19 (Reuters) Several mutual funds that once held large positions in=
 Enron Corp. have either liquidated or reduced their holdings, their confid=
ence undermined in the management and transparency of the once high-flying =
energy giant, fund managers said on Friday.      Plunging Gas Prices Force =
National Fuel to Write Down Value of Canadian Sites  Oct 21, 2001 - Buffalo=
 News National Fuel Gas Co., stung by plunging natural gas and oil prices, =
will reduce the value of its Canadian oil and gas producing properties in a=
 charge that will cut its fourth-quarter profits by $90 million to $110 mil=
lion.      Enron cuts shareholder equity by 1.2 bln usd due to partnership =
deal  Oct 18 - AFX Enron Corp said it has reduced its shareholder equity by=
 1.2 bln usd as the company decided to repurchase 55 mln of its shares that=
 it had issued as part of a series of complex transactions with an investme=
nt vehicle connected to its chief financial officer, Andrew Fastow, the Wal=
l Street Journal reported in its online edition.      Financial - Results  =
    Canadian energy profits drop with oil, gas prices  CALGARY, Alberta, Oc=
t 18 (Reuters) - Three major Canadian oil companies, Imperial Oil Ltd., Alb=
erta Energy Co. Ltd. and Nexen Inc., pumped out lower third-quarter profits=
 Thursday as slumping oil and gas prices weighed on their bottom lines and =
reduced their expectations.      Nicor posts quarterly profit vs. loss  NAP=
ERVILLE, Ill., Oct 18 (Reuters) Nicor Inc., parent of gas distribution util=
ity Northern Illinois Gas, on Thursday posted a third-quarter profit, compa=
red with a year-ago loss, and said full year earnings may be higher-than ex=
pected on strong performance in its non-utility units and gas distribution =
center.      International      Gazprom Won't Sign New Contracts on Gas Sup=
ply to Europe  Oct 19, 2001 - Itar-Tass News Agency Russia's Gazprom gas gi=
ant does not think it possible to sign new contracts on the gas supply to E=
uropean markets under current circumstances, first deputy head of the Gazpr=
om management Pyotr Rodionov said at the 6th conference of gas companies' c=
hiefs in Paris on Friday.      U.S. CEO Says Natural Gas Helps Apec Economy=
  Oct 19, 2001 - Xinhua News Agency Natural gas, the third fossil fuel alon=
g with the crude oil and coal, is in abundant supply and has tremendous pot=
ential to help the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies meet =
the energy supply shortage, a prominent U.S. businessman said here Saturday=
.      Turkish envoy: Blue Stream Project on track, Russian stand on PKK sa=
me  Oct 19 - BBC Monitoring European Nabi Sensoy, Turkey's ambassador in Mo=
scow, said on Thursday [18 October] that it was seen that there would not b=
e any problems in the construction of the natural gas pipeline beneath the =
sea within the scope of Blue Stream natural gas project.      Gas company p=
resses Georgia and Armenia over debts  Oct 20 - BBC Monitoring Former Sovie=
t Union The Itera international group of companies has started to gradually=
 reduce supplies of natural gas to Armenia and Georgia due to chronic non-p=
ayment for gas and debt owed by consumers, a source in the company's press =
service told Interfax.        If you are an Energy Central News Subscriber =
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