TRANSCO PARTNERSHIP <TXP> GAS RESERVES RISE
Transco Exploration Partners Ltd said
participation in 14 new discoveries increased its proved gas
reserves to 558.1 billion cubic feet in 1986, up from 541.5
billion cubic feet in the previous year.
    Proved reserves of liquids remained about the same at 25.1
mln barrels, the company said in the 1986 annual just released
by Transco Energy Co <E>, the majority owner of the Transco
Exploration partnership.
    Transco said that anticipated oil and gas prices during
1987 would continue to exert pressure on the profitability of
most energy companies.
    The Transco pipeline system reached permanent take-or-pay
settlements on about half its committed gas deliverability and
interim agreements for another 38 pct of its deliverability,
the annual report said. The company said it paid a total of
about 363 mln dlrs to producers through Februry one out of its
550 mln dlr reserve to settle the take-or-pay disputes.
    Transco said its gas pipeline delivered more than 1.2
trillion cubic feet last year and its marketing affiliate sold
an average of 1.6 billion cubic feet of gas per day.
    The company's exploration partnership received an average
price of 1.84 dlrs per mln cubic feet for gas sales during
1986, down from 3.04 dlrs in 1985.
    Sales of oil and condensate averaged 15.86 dlrs per barrel
last year, down from 27.41 dlrs per barrel in 1985.
 Reuter
