Announced Action(s) for April 4, 1997

The Federal Trade Commission today announced the following actions.

Commission action regarding applications for approval: Following a public comment period, the Commission has ruled on an application for approval of a transaction from the following:

• The Commission has granted an application from Silicon Graphics, Inc., of Mountain View, California, to approve a software porting agreement between Alias/Wavefront (a division of Silicon Graphics) and IBM, of Armonk, New York. The agreement is required under a 1995 consent order settling FTC charges that Silicon Graphics’ acquisition of Alias Research, Inc. and Wavefront Technologies, Inc. violated federal antitrust laws. With the porting agreement, IBM will have a computer system capable of running entertainment graphics currently run only on Silicon Graphics’ computer system. The porting agreement requirement is one of several provisions in the order, which is intended to help restore competition for software and hardware involved in producing computer-based graphics for the entertainment industry. (See June 9, 1995 news release for more details about this case; Docket No. C-3626; Commission vote to approve the porting agreement was 3-1, with Commissioner Mary L. Azcuenaga dissenting and Commissioner Roscoe B. Starek, III, recused.) Staff contact is Daniel Ducore, 202-326- 2526.

Consent agreements given final approval: Following a public comment period, the Commission has made final a consent agreement with the following entity. The Commission action makes the consent order binding on the respondent.

• The settlement with Phillips Petroleum Company, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, settles charges that its acquisition of gas-gathering assets from ANR Pipeline Company, of Detroit, Michigan, would violate antitrust laws by substantially reducing competition for natural gas gathering services in areas of six Oklahoma counties -- Harper, Beaver, Major, Woods, Ellis and Woodward. The order requires Phillips to divest seven parts of pipeline systems, consisting of approximately 160 miles of pipeline, belonging to ANR and Phillips in the Anadarko Basin area, and to maintain the assets in their current condition and to provide customers under contract with ANR with gathering services at existing terms and conditions pending divestiture. The order also requires Phillips, for 10 years, to notify the FTC before acquiring during any 18-month period more than five miles of gas gathering pipelines in specified areas of the Oklahoma counties. (See Dec. 30, 1996 news release for more details regarding this case; Docket No. C-3728; Commission vote on March 28 to issue the order as final was 5-0.) Staff contact is George S. Cary, 202-326-3741.

Copies of the documents referenced above are available from the FTC’s web site at www.ftc.gov and also from its Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsyl vania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-326-2222; TTY for the hearing im paired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710.