DULLES, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 28, 2000--(NGI)---The
explosion and shut-down of a 48-year old natural gas mainline
in the New Mexico desert a week ago that killed 12 people,
has driven gas prices in the already-stressed California
market to more than $6 per MMBtu and offered a wake-up call
for regulators charged with oversight of the nation's pipelines,
according to a special report by Natural Gas Intelligence.

. ..

OPS made clear there would be no gas flowing until it had
closely examined testing results and approved a return to
service.

. ..

The accident has drawn the intense scrutiny of regulators on
the nation's largest natural gas pipeline operator. El Paso
Energy operates 40,000 miles of pipe. OPS already has said
it wants the company to submit a plan for examination and
testing of its entire 10,000-mile southwestern pipeline run by
its El Paso Natural Gas subsidiary.

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-- spider (spider0@usa.net), August 28, 2000