Over recent years, the natural gas industry has undergone significant restructuring in response to Federal deregulation initiatives. As a result, natural gas services are now purchased individually, as opposed to a bundled product, and the nation’s interstate pipeline companies are subject to open access, offering the promise of increased competition and reduced upward price pressure. Market players, including local distribution companies, pipeline transporters, major industrial consumers and state public utility commissions, continue to adapt to the changing economic landscape.