National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation sells or transports natural gas to more than 732,000 customers through a local distribution system located in western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. The company s assets are distributed among six business segments including exploration and production, pipeline and storage, utility and international energy markets. The Empire State Pipeline, a 157-mile natural gas transmission pipeline running from an interconnection with TransCanada Pipeline near Buffalo to Syracuse, N.Y., began operation in 1993. It provides intrastate natural gas transportation to major industrial companies, utilities and power producers in the western and central New York area. These utilities and power producers, in turn, supply more than one million customers with energy. In addition, Empire provides interstate transportation to several interstate pipelines in the same geographic area. National Fuel Resources is engaged in the marketing and brokerage of natural gas and electricity and the performance of energy management services for industrial, commercial, public authority and residential end-users throughout the northeast United States. Horizon Energy Development, Inc. engages in foreign energy projects through the investment of its indirect subsidiaries as the sole or substantial owner of various business entities.