[Looking for Diogenes]

There was a withholding of 696 MMcf/d. 696/7000 is 9.9%. I'd consder that significant in a very tight market. (The 210 MMcf/d that was witheld was just the portion due to running the pipeline below MAOP, other causes make up for the other 486 MMcf/d).

California officials said the firm's price manipulation cost consumers $3.7 billion.

I wonder how they arrived at that number.

[justrepublican]

I wonder what the nationwide figure would be.

"The body that passes government", (california) exponentially raised prices for us all in 2000.

[snopercod]

I wonder how they arrived at that number.

Me too. In another article [not posted] on the subject, it was estimated that El Paso trading division made "over one hundred million" dollars on this so-called "scam".

My guess is that California made up the $3 billion figure just like they did the $9 billion that the "energy pirates" owed them: because it sounded good in press releases.