WASHINGTON NATURAL GAS CO (PRED)
8-K, 1994-05-03
NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION
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                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         Washington, D. C.  20549


                             ________________



                                 FORM 8-K



                              CURRENT REPORT



                  Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                      Securities Exchange Act of 1934



                        Date of Report May 2, 1994


                                                                    I.R.S.
Commission                                                         Employer
   File                                          State of       Identification
  Number              Registrant               Incorporation        Number    


001-11227     Washington Energy Company           Washington       91-1005304
001-11271     Washington Natural Gas Company      Washington       91-1005303



                 815 Mercer Street, Seattle, Washington 98111
             (Address of Registrant's principal executive offices)
      Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (206) 622-6767


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                                  PAGE 2

Item 5.  Other Events

On May 2, 1994, Washington Energy Company made the following press release:
               
WASHINGTON ENERGY ANNOUNCES SECOND-QUARTER RESULTS;
CABOT OIL & GAS MERGER EXPECTED TO CLOSE TODAY

     SEATTLE -- Washington Energy Company's second-quarter
results bear out the company's earlier announcement that it
expected significantly reduced earnings this year, Chairman,
Chief Executive Officer and President William P. Vititoe said
today. 

     The company reported today that second-quarter earnings per
share of common stock decreased 52 percent, compared to the same
quarter a year ago.  The decline was primarily due to the effects
of warm winter weather and a reduced profit margin upon its
natural gas utility, lower income from the newly-formed
merchandising subsidiary and a loss from pipeline demand charges
and brokerage activities at its oil and gas exploration and
production subsidiary.

     For the three months ending March 31, 1994, earnings on
common stock were $7.4 million, and earnings per share were 32
cents, compared to $15.5 million, and 67 cents per share, during
the same period a year ago.

     Lower earnings reflect reduced rates that went into effect  
in October 1993 for the company's Washington Natural Gas
subsidiary.

     Also, weather during the quarter was approximately 7 percent
warmer than normal.  A combination of warmer temperatures and
shifting by some large-volume customers between classes and to
alternative fuels lowered gas sales volumes, which were down
approximately 4 percent.

     Partially offsetting the lower gas sales volumes were an
additional 21,600, or 5 percent more, customers served on average
during the quarter by Washington Natural Gas compared to a year
ago. The gas utility now serves more than 440,000 customers in
the central Puget Sound region of western Washington.

     As anticipated, earnings were also affected by lower income
from the company's retail merchandise and services operation as
the business is re-established in a new subsidiary, Washington
Energy Services.

     Operating income, before income taxes, of $366,000 during
the quarter for Washington Energy Resources, the oil and gas
exploration and production subsidiary, was down from $2.2 million
during the same period a year ago.  The decline was due primarily
to a loss of $1.6 million from pipeline demand charges and
brokerage activities.     

12-month results

     Income from continuing operations, after preferred
dividends, was 28 cents on a per-share basis for the 12 months
ended March 31, 1994, down 72 percent from the same period a year 
ago, primarily reflecting the impact of reduced profits for
Washington Natural Gas.<PAGE>
                                 PAGE 3

     By comparison, 12-month earnings on common from continuing
operations one year ago was 99 cents per share.
 
    After discontinued operations, the company reported a loss
in earnings on common of 19 cents a share, compared to earnings
of 87 cents a share, a year ago. 

     Vititoe noted that the loss reflects a charge of 47 cents
per share from the loss recorded during the year on operations
and divestiture of the Unisyn Biowaste Technology operation. 

Cabot Oil & Gas Merger Expected to Close

     In addition, Washington Energy announced it expects to close
today the merger of its oil and gas subsidiary, Washington Energy
Resources Company, with a subsidiary of Cabot Oil & Gas
Corporation.

     Washington Energy will receive 2,133,000 shares of Cabot Oil
& Gas common stock, 1,134,000 shares of 6% convertible preferred
stock of Cabot, stated at $50 value, and approximately $64
million in cash.  The value announced in a press release on 
Feb. 25, 1994, of $180 million, has been reduced by approximately
$23 million, to reflect a downward revision in reserves due to
lower production from newly drilled wells.  

     The purchase price is subject to further adjustment based on
performance of wells in a certain field over the next year.

     Washington Energy Company will retain certain marketing and
pipeline capacity assets.  As previously announced, the company 
plans to establish a reserve for losses due to pipeline capacity
charges and other costs related to the merger.

    Vititoe noted that because the company is required to
provide deferred taxes of over $20 million and will provide
reserves for contingencies of over $15 million, net of tax, as a
result of the merger and related transactions, the company
expects to record a loss of $25 to $30 million for these items
during the third quarter, ending June 30, 1994.
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                                              PAGE 4

Washington Energy Company                                                      
                                                 
SUMMARY INCOME STATEMENT AND OTHER FINANCIAL DATA                              
                                                   
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)                               
                                                   
<F>                                                             <C>         
<C>            <C>          <C>      
                                                                        3
Months Ended             12 Months Ended                 
                                                                         
March 31 (1)                March 31                     
                                                               
_______________________     ________________________            
                                                                    1994       
 1993           1994         1993                  
Washington Energy Company                                       __________  
__________     __________   __________                
                                                                               
                                                   
Operating Revenues                                                             
                                                   
  Utility sales of gas                                          $ 139,440    $
132,505      $ 387,814    $ 326,768                 
  Merchandise and other                                            12,021      
20,976         66,509       76,704                 
  Oil and natural gas production                                    8,163      
 7,415         31,926       23,603                 
    Total operating revenues                                    $ 159,624    $
160,896      $ 486,249    $ 427,075                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Operating income                                                $  16,886    $ 
24,186      $  42,795    $  53,602                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Income from continuing operations                               $   7,446    $ 
16,190      $   7,307    $  21,162                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Discontinued operations, net of income taxes                                   
                                                   
  Loss from operations                                                         
  (627)        (1,230)      (2,580)                
  Loss on disposal                                                             
               (9,818)                             
                                                                               
                                                   
Net income (loss)                                               $   7,446    $ 
15,563      $  (3,741)   $  18,582                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Preferred dividends                                                            
    26             58          104                 
Preferred redemption                                                           
                  673                              
                                                                               
                                                   
Earnings (loss) on common stock                                 $   7,446    $ 
15,537      $  (4,472)   $  18,478                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Earnings (loss) per common share                                     $.32      
  $.67          ($.19)        $.87                 
Dividends per common share                                           $.25      
  $.35          $1.20        $1.40                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Average common shares outstanding in thousands                     23,443      
23,037         23,283       21,277                 
Book value per share                                                           
               $13.95       $15.34                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Capitalization and Short-Term Debt                                             
                                                   
  Common                                                                       
            $ 328,006    $ 354,486                 
  Preferred                                                                    
               60,000       27,348                 
  Long-term debt                                                               
              333,260      276,540                 
  Commercial paper and notes payable                                           
              126,642      129,290                 
    Total capitalization and short-term debt                                   
            $ 847,908    $ 787,664                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Net plant                                                                      
            $ 905,684    $ 816,464                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Operating Income (Loss) by Business Segment                                    
                                                   
 Before Income Taxes                                                           
                                                   
  Natural gas distribution                                      $  20,735    $ 
26,751      $  42,572    $  46,148                 
  Retail merchandise and services                                    (721)     
 3,405          2,952        8,780                 
  Oil and natural gas                                                 366      
 2,161          3,862        6,927                 
  Other                                                              (754)     
   (67)        (3,732)        (757)              
    Total                                                       $  19,626    $ 
32,250      $  45,654    $  61,098                 
                                                                               
                                                   
                                                                               
                                                   
(1) Results for the quarter are not indicative of what can be expected for a
full year of operations because operating revenues    
       and earnings are greatly affected by variations in weather conditions.  
                                                   
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                                              PAGE 5
                                                                               
                                                   
Washington Energy Company                                                      
                                                  
SUMMARY INCOME STATEMENT AND OTHER FINANCIAL DATA (Continued)                  
                                                   
(Dollars in thousands)                                                         
                                                  
                                                                         
March 31 (1)                March 31                    
                                                                    1994       
 1993           1994         1993                  
Washington Natural Gas Company                                  __________  
__________     __________   __________                
                                                                               
                                                   
Operating Revenues                                                             
                                                   
  Firm                                                          $ 123,513    $
116,630      $ 332,038    $ 285,741                 
  Interruptible                                                    15,927      
15,875         55,776       41,027                 
  Rentals and other                                                 2,381      
 1,900          8,564        7,613                 
    Total operating revenues                                    $ 141,821    $
134,405      $ 396,378    $ 334,381                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Gross utility margin - gas revenues less gas purchases          $  56,949    $ 
61,872      $ 172,373    $ 164,498                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Net income                                                      $   9,171    $ 
15,394      $  11,128    $  18,433                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Utility gas sales (000's of therms)                                            
                                                   
  Firm                                                            241,198     
247,785        640,541      600,472                 
  Interruptible                                                    70,551      
76,262        256,555      255,873                 
    Total sales of gas                                            311,749     
324,047        897,096      856,345                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Customers served (average)                                                     
                                                   
  Firm                                                            443,243     
421,631        433,023      410,677                 
  Interruptible                                                     1,107      
 1,107          1,051        1,065                 
    Total customers                                               444,350     
422,738        434,074      411,742                 
                                                                               
                                                   
Weather % colder (+) or warmer (-) than normal (in terms                       
                                                   
  of degree days)                                                    -6.6%     
   2.1%          -5.3%        -6.3%                
                                                                               
                                                   
Degree days                                                         1,803      
 1,981          4,514        4,475                 
                                                                               
                                                   
                                                                               
                                                   
                                                                               
                                                   
                                                                               
                                                   
                                                                               
                                                   
                                                                               
                                                   
                                                                               
                                                  
                                                                               
                               
                                                                               
                                                   
                                                                               
                                                   
                                                                               
                                                   
                                                                               
                                                   
                                                                               
                                                   
                                                                               
                                                   
(1) Results for the quarter are not indicative of what can be expected for a
full year of operations because operating revenues    
       and earnings are greatly affected by variations in weather conditions.  
                                                   

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                                              PAGE 6


Washington Energy Company                                                      
                                   
SUMMARY INCOME STATEMENT AND OTHER FINANCIAL DATA (Continued)                  
                                   
(In thousands, except price data)                                              
                                   
                                                                        3
Months Ended             12 Months Ended 
                                                                         
March 31                    March 31     
                                                               
_______________________     _______________________
                                                                    1994       
 1993           1994         1993  
Washington Energy Resources Company                             __________  
__________     __________   __________
                                                                               
                                   
Production Statistics                                                          
                                   
                                                                               
                                   
   Gas production                                                              
                                   
       Revenue                                                  $   7,386    $ 
 4,677      $  24,253    $  16,601 
       Mcf                                                          3,770      
 2,440         13,827        9,868 
       Price                                                        $1.96      
 $1.92          $1.75        $1.68 
                                                                               
                                   
   Oil production                                                              
                                   
       Revenue                                                  $   2,110    $ 
 1,691      $   7,570    $   7,257 
       Bbl                                                            153      
    92            475          387 
       Price                                                       $13.79      
$18.38         $15.94       $18.75 
                                                                               
                                   
   Plant products and other                                                    
                                   
       Revenue                                                  $     244    $ 
   694      $   2,092    $   2,641 
       Boe                                                             26      
    55            191          224 
       Price                                                        $9.38      
$12.62         $10.95       $11.79 
                                                                               
                                   
   Equivalent barrels production                                               
                                   
       Revenue                                                  $   9,740    $ 
 7,062      $  33,915    $  26,499 
       Boe                                                            809      
   555          2,971        2,257 
       Price                                                       $12.04      
$12.72         $11.42       $11.74 
                                                                               
                                   
Brokered income (loss) and other                                $  (1,577)   $ 
   353      $  (1,989)   $     811 
                                                                               
                                   
Total revenue, including sales to affiliate                     $   8,163    $ 
 7,415      $  31,926    $  27,310 
                                                                               
                                   
  Less sales to affiliate                                       $       0    $ 
     0      $       0    $   3,707 
                                                                               
                                   
Total Revenue                                                   $   8,163    $ 
 7,415      $  31,926    $  23,603 
                                                                               
                                   
                                                                               
                                   
                                                                               
                             
     
                                                                               
                             
     
                                                                               
                             
     
                                                                               
                             
     
                                                                               
                             
     
                                                                               
                             
     
                                                                               
                             
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Signatures

Pursuant to the Requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                         WASHINGTON ENERGY COMPANY


                         by /S/ James P. Torgerson
                         Senior Vice President - Finance,
                         Planning and Development and
                         Chief Financial Officer


                         WASHINGTON NATURAL GAS COMPANY


                         by /S/ James P. Torgerson
                         Senior Vice President - Finance,
                         Planning and Development and
                         Chief Financial Officer


May 2, 1994
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