Pickens in Talks to Buy Natural-Gas Stations

Dallas oilman Boone Pickens is betting on natural gas again, this time by investing in refueling stations. The former chairman of Mesa Inc. has formed a company, Pickens Fuel Corp., to buy about 30 stations from Pacific Enterprises’ Southern California Gas Co. unit. Terms of the possible transaction were not disclosed. Pacific Enterprises must sell 39 stations in all and is in talks with several unidentified buyers, a spokeswoman said, adding that a sale could be announced in February.