Document:

<PAGE>   1

                                                                   Exhibit 10.1

                            EQUITABLE RESOURCES, INC.

                      DIRECTORS' DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

                   AMENDED AND RESTATED AS OF DECEMBER 6, 2000

<PAGE>   2

                                    ARTICLE I

1.1 PURPOSE OF PLAN.

This Equitable Resources, Inc. Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan (the
"PLAN") hereby is created to provide an opportunity for the members of the Board
of Directors of Equitable Resources, Inc. (the "BOARD") to defer payment of all
or a portion of the fees to which they are entitled as compensation for their
services as members of the Board. The Plan also shall provide for an award of
Phantom Stock to certain members of the Board. In addition, Plan Participants
shall be entitled to direct the Company to transfer to this Plan directors' fees
previously deferred under the 1980 Board of Directors' Deferred Compensation
Plan as in effect prior to May 26, 1999 (the "PRIOR PLAN"). The Plan originally
was effective as of May 26, 1999, and supersedes all prior deferred compensation
and retirement plan arrangements established or maintained for the benefit of
non-employee members of the Board. The Plan was amended and restated as of May
16, 2000, to reflect a change in the benefits committee structure of the
Company. The Plan was further amended and restated as of December 6, 2000 to
provide for increased flexibility in directing investment in available
investment options, and to modify vesting of Phantom Stock.

                                   ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS

When used in this Plan and initially capitalized, the following words and
phrases shall have the meanings indicated:

                                       2
<PAGE>   3

2.1 "ACCOUNT" means the total of a Participant's Deferral Account, Phantom Stock
Account and Transferred Amounts Account under the Plan.

2.2 "BENEFICIARY" means the person or persons designated or deemed to be
designated by the Participant pursuant to Section 7.1 of the Plan to receive
benefits payable under the Plan in the event of the Participant's death.

2.3 "CHANGE IN CONTROL" means any of the following events:

         (a)      The sale or other disposition by the Company of all or
                  substantially all of its assets to a single purchaser or to a
                  group of purchasers, other than to a corporation with respect
                  to which, following such sale or disposition, more than eighty
                  percent (80%) of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of
                  common stock and the combined voting power of the then
                  outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in
                  the election of the Board of Directors is then owned
                  beneficially, directly or indirectly, by all or substantially
                  all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial
                  owners, respectively, of the outstanding Company common stock
                  and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting
                  securities immediately prior to such sale or disposition in
                  substantially the same proportion as their ownership of the
                  outstanding Company common stock and voting power immediately
                  prior to such sale or disposition.

         (b)      The acquisition in one or more transactions by any person or
                  group, directly or indirectly, of beneficial ownership of
                  twenty percent (20%) or more of the outstanding shares of
                  Company common stock or the combined voting power of the then
                  outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote
                  generally in the election of the Board; provided, however,
                  that any acquisition by (x) the Company or any of its

                                       3
<PAGE>   4

                  subsidiaries, or any employee benefit plan (or related trust)
                  sponsored or maintained by the Company or any of its
                  subsidiaries or (y) any person that is eligible, pursuant to
                  Rule 13d-1(b) under the Exchange Act (as such rule is in
                  effect as of November 1, 1995) to file a statement on Schedule
                  13G with respect to its beneficial ownership of Company common
                  stock and other voting securities whether or not such person
                  shall have filed a statement on Schedule 13G, unless such
                  person shall have filed a statement on Schedule 13D with
                  respect to beneficial ownership of fifteen percent (15%) or
                  more of the Company's voting securities, shall not constitute
                  a Change of Control;

         (c)      The Company's termination of its business and liquidation of
                  its assets;

         (d)      The reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company
                  into or with another person or entity, by which
                  reorganization, merger or consolidation the persons who hold
                  one hundred percent (100%) of the voting securities of the
                  Company prior to such reorganization, merger or consolidation
                  receive or continue to hold less than sixty percent (60%) of
                  the outstanding voting shares of the new or continuing
                  corporation; or

         (e)      If, during any two-year period, less than a majority of the
                  members of the Board are persons who were either (i) nominated
                  or recommended for election by at least two-thirds vote of the
                  persons who were members of the Board or Nominating Committee
                  of the Board at the beginning of the period, or (ii) elected
                  by at least two-thirds vote of the persons who were members of
                  the Board at the beginning of the period.

2.4 "CODE" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

                                       4
<PAGE>   5

2.5 "COMMITTEE" means the Compensation Committee of the Board.

2.6 "COMPANY" means Equitable Resources, Inc. and any successor thereto.

2.7 "DEFERRAL ACCOUNT" means the recordkeeping account established on the books
and records of the Company to record a Participant's deferral amounts under
Section 5.1 of the Plan, plus or minus any investment gain or loss allocable
thereto under Section 5.4 of the Plan.

2.8 "DIRECTORS' FEES" means the fees that are paid by the Company to members of
the Board as compensation for services performed by them as members of the
Board.

2.9 "ENROLLMENT FORM" means the agreement to participate and related elections
filed by a Participant pursuant to Section 5.1 of the Plan, in the form
prescribed by the Committee, directing the Company to reduce the amount of
Directors' Fees otherwise currently payable to the Participant and credit such
amount to the Participant's Deferral Account hereunder.

2.10 "HARDSHIP WITHDRAWAL" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4 of
the Plan.

2.11 "IN-SERVICE DISTRIBUTION" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.3
of the Plan.

2.12 "INVESTMENT OPTIONS" means the investment options described in Appendix A
to the Plan into which a Participant may direct all or part of his or her
Deferral Account and/or Transferred Amounts Account pursuant to Section 5.2 of
the Plan.

2.13 "INVESTMENT RETURN RATE" means:

         (a)      In the case of an Investment Option named in Exhibit A of a
                  fixed income nature, the interest deemed to be credited as
                  determined in accordance with the procedures applicable to the
                  same investment option provided under the Equitable Resources,
                  Inc. Employee Savings Plan, originally adopted September 1,
                  1985, as amended ("EQUITABLE 401(k) PLAN");

                                       5
<PAGE>   6

         (b)      In the case of a Investment Option named in Exhibit A of an
                  equity investment nature, the increase or decrease in deemed
                  value and any dividends deemed to be credited as determined in
                  accordance with the procedures applicable to the same
                  investment option provided under the Equitable 401(k) Plan; or

         (c)      In the case of the Equitable Resources Common Stock Fund, the
                  increase or decrease in the deemed value, and the reinvestment
                  in the Equitable Resources Common Stock Fund of any dividends
                  deemed to be credited, as determined in accordance with the
                  procedures applicable to investments in the Equitable
                  Resources Common Stock Fund under the Equitable 401(k) Plan.

2.14 "IRREVOCABLE TRUST" means a grantor trust that MAY be established prior to
the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Company to assist the Company in
fulfilling its obligations under this Plan but which SHALL be established by the
Company in the event of a Change in Control of the Company. All amounts held in
such Irrevocable Trust shall remain subject to the claims of the general
creditors of the Company and Participants in this Plan shall have no greater
rights to any amounts held in any such Irrevocable Trust than any other
unsecured general creditor of the Company.

2.15 "PARTICIPANT" means any non-employee member of the Board who (i) receives
an award of Phantom Stock pursuant to Section 4.1 of the Plan, (ii) who elects
to participate in the Plan for purposes of deferring his or her Directors' Fees
by filing an Enrollment Form with the Committee pursuant to Section 5.1 of the
Plan, and/or (iii) who elects to transfer amounts previously deferred under the
Prior Plan to this Plan by filing a Transfer of Existing Account Credits, or
other form supplied by and/or acceptable to the Committee, pursuant to Section
5.2 of the Plan.

                                       6
<PAGE>   7

2.16 "PHANTOM STOCK" means those shares of the common stock of the Company: (a)
conditionally awarded to certain members of the Board in the amounts described
in Appendix B to the Plan, (b) which are subject to forfeiture in accordance
with Section 6.1, (c) which are contributed to the Irrevocable Trust by the
Company to assist it in satisfying its potential obligations under this Plan,
and (d) which will be distributed to eligible Plan Participants satisfying all
the conditions of this Plan.

2.17 "PHANTOM STOCK ACCOUNT" means the recordkeeping account established on the
books and records of the Company to record the number of shares Phantom Stock
allocated to a Participant under the Plan.

2.18 "PHANTOM STOCK AGREEMENT" means the agreement filed by a Participant
pursuant to Section 4.1 of the Plan in the form prescribed by the Committee
directing the Company to convert the Participant's benefit under the Equitable
Resources, Inc. Directors' Defined Benefit Plan (the "DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN")
into Phantom Stock under this Plan and relinquishing all rights to any benefits
under such Defined Benefit Plan.

2.19 "PLAN" means this Equitable Resources, Inc. Directors' Deferred
Compensation Plan, as amended from time to time.

2.20 "PLAN YEAR" means a twelve-month period commencing January 1 and ending the
following December 31.

2.21 "PRIOR PLAN" means the 1980 Board of Director's Deferred Compensation Plan
as in effect prior to May 26, 1999, under which members of the Board were
permitted to defer payment of all or a portion of the fees to which they were
entitled as compensation for their services as members of the Board.

2.22 "TRANSFERRED AMOUNTS ACCOUNT" means the recordkeeping account established
on behalf of a Participant to account for those amounts previously deferred
under the Prior Plan

                                       7
<PAGE>   8

which were transferred to this Plan by filing a Transfer of Existing Account
Credits, or other form supplied by and/or acceptable to the Committee, pursuant
to Section 5.2 of the Plan.

2.23 "TRANSFER OF EXISTING ACCOUNT CREDITS" means the form filed with the
Committee by a Participant directing the Committee to transfer amounts
previously deferred under the Prior Plan to this Plan.

2.24 "VALUATION DATE" means the last day of each calendar quarter and any other
date determined by the Committee or specified herein.

2.25 "YEAR OF SERVICE" means the twelve (12) month period beginning on the first
day an individual is a member of the Board, and each twelve (12) month period
thereafter.

                                   ARTICLE III

ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

3.1 ELIGIBILITY FOR PHANTOM STOCK ACCOUNT.

Eligibility to participate in the Plan for purposes of the Phantom Stock Account
under Article IV of the Plan is limited to those non-employee members of the
Board designated by the Committee and listed on Exhibit B to the Plan. An
eligible Board member shall commence participation in the Plan for purposes of
the Phantom Stock Account as of May 26, 1999.

3.2 ELIGIBILITY FOR DEFERRAL ACCOUNT.

Eligibility to participate in the Plan for purposes of deferring Directors' Fees
under Section 5.1 of the Plan is limited to non-employee members of the Board.
An eligible Board member shall commence participation in the Plan for purposes
of deferring Directors' Fees as of the first day of the month following the
receipt of his or her Enrollment Form by the Committee.

                                       8
<PAGE>   9

3.3 ELIGIBILITY FOR TRANSFERRED AMOUNTS ACCOUNT.

Eligibility to elect to transfer Transferred Amounts to this Plan is limited to
those non-employee members of the Board who were participants in the Prior Plan
and who had accounts in the Prior Plan as of May 25, 1999, representing fees for
their prior service as members of the Board which were previously deferred
pursuant to the terms of the Prior Plan. An eligible Board member not otherwise
participating pursuant to Sections 3.1 or 3.2 of the Plan shall become a
Participant in the Plan and have a Transferred Amounts Account established on
his or her behalf as of the effective date of any transfer of Transferred
Amounts to this Plan.

3.4 INELIGIBLE PARTICIPANT.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Plan to the contrary, if the
Committee determines that the participation in the Plan by any Board member will
jeopardize the status of the Plan as exempt from the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), or regulations thereunder, the
Committee may, in its sole discretion, determine that such Participant shall
cease to be eligible to participate in the Plan. As soon as administratively
feasible following such determination, the Company shall make a lump sum
payment, in cash and/or shares of Company common stock, as applicable, to the
Participant equal to the value of his or her Account as of the most recent
Valuation Date, less any income or employment tax withholding required under
applicable law. Upon such payment, no benefit shall thereafter be payable under
this Plan either to the Participant or any Beneficiary of the Participant, and
all of the Participant's elections as to the time and manner of payment of his
or her Account shall be deemed canceled.

                                       9
<PAGE>   10

                                   ARTICLE IV

PHANTOM STOCK ACCOUNT

4.1 PHANTOM STOCK AWARD.

As of May 26, 1999, the Phantom Stock Account of a Participant eligible for an
award of Phantom Stock pursuant to Section 3.1 of the Plan shall be credited
with an award of Phantom Stock in the number of shares specified in Exhibit B to
the Plan. The Company shall contribute shares of Company common stock to the
Irrevocable Trust in an amount equal to the aggregate number of shares of
Phantom Stock credited to all Phantom Stock Accounts under the Plan. Any such
contributions to an Irrevocable Trust and related investments shall be solely to
assist the Company in satisfying its obligations under this Plan and no
Participant shall have any right, title or interest whatsoever in any such
contributions or investments.

4.2 VALUATION OF PHANTOM STOCK ACCOUNT; DEEMED REINVESTMENT OF DIVIDENDS

As of each Valuation Date, the value of a Participant's Phantom Stock Account
shall equal (i) the value of the number of shares of Phantom Stock credited to
such account as of the last Valuation Date, plus (ii) the value of the number of
shares of Phantom Stock deemed to have been credited to such account as a result
of the deemed reinvestment of any dividends deemed to have been paid on such
Phantom Stock since the last Valuation Date. Any dividends paid on the common
stock of the Company shall be deemed to be paid on the Phantom Stock under the
Plan in an equal amount; provided, however, that to the extent they are paid in
a form other than additional shares of the common stock of the Company, they
shall be deemed to be immediately reinvested in such number of shares of the
common stock of the Company as are represented by the aggregate amount of the
dividends divided by the value of one share of the common stock of the Company
on the date the dividend is paid.

                                       10
<PAGE>   11

For purposes of this Plan, the "value" of a share of Phantom Stock shall be
deemed to equal the closing price of a share of Company common stock as listed
on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") on any date of reference. In the event
that the date of reference is a date on which the NYSE is not open for business,
the value of a share of Phantom Stock shall equal the average of the closing
prices on the dates immediately preceding and following the date of reference
during which the NYSE was open for business. Notwithstanding anything in this
Plan to the contrary, the Company may adopt alternate procedures for determining
the value of Phantom Stock in the event Company common stock ceases to be traded
on the NYSE or to reflect the occurrence of a Conversion Event described in
Section 4.3.

For purposes of determining the value of the Phantom Stock credited to a
Participant's Phantom Stock Account as of any time of reference, each share of
Phantom Stock shall be deemed equivalent in value to one share of the
outstanding shares of common stock of the Company. For purposes of valuing a
Participant's Phantom Stock Account upon the termination of his or her
membership on the Board, the Valuation Date shall be the business day coincident
with or immediately preceding the termination of the Participant's Board
membership.

4.3 ADJUSTMENT AND SUBSTITUTION OF PHANTOM STOCK

In the event of: (a) a stock split (or reverse stock split) with respect to the
common stock of the Company; (b) the conversion of the common stock of the
Company into another form of security or debt instrument of the Company; (c) the
reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company into or with another
person or entity; or (d) any other action which would alter the number of,
and/or shareholder rights of, holders of outstanding shares of the common stock
of the Company (collectively, a "CONVERSION EVENT"), then, notwithstanding the
fact that Plan Participants have no rights to the shares of Company common stock
represented by their Phantom Stock Account nor to the shares of such Company
common stock contributed by the Company to the Irrevocable Trust, the number of
shares of Phantom Stock then allocated to a

                                       11
<PAGE>   12

Participant's Phantom Stock Account shall be deemed to be converted, to the
extent possible, to reflect any such Conversion Event to the same extent as the
shares of holders of outstanding shares of Company common stock would have been
converted upon the occurrence of the Conversion Event. On and after any such
Conversion Event, this Plan shall be applied, mutatis mutandis, as if the
Participant's Phantom Stock Account was comprised of the cash, securities, notes
or other instruments into which the outstanding shares of Company common stock
was converted. Following the occurrence of a Conversion Event, the Board is
authorized to amend the Plan as it, in its sole discretion, determines to be
necessary or appropriate to address any administrative or operational details
presented by the Conversion Event which are not addressed in the Plan.

4.4 SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS.

Except as specifically provided herein, an award of Phantom Stock under the Plan
shall not entitle a Participant to voting rights or any other rights of a
shareholder of the Company.

4.5 STATEMENT OF PHANTOM STOCK ACCOUNT.

As soon as administratively feasible following the last day of each calendar
quarter, the Committee shall provide to each eligible Participant a statement of
the value of his or her Phantom Stock Account as of the most recent Valuation
Date.

                                    ARTICLE V

DEFERRAL ACCOUNT; TRANSFERRED AMOUNTS ACCOUNT

5.1 DEFERRAL OF DIRECTORS' FEES.

Any non-employee member of the Board may elect to defer a specified percentage
of his or her Directors' Fees under the Plan by submitting to the Committee a
written Enrollment Form. Such election shall be effective with respect to
Directors' Fees paid for services performed by such

                                       12
<PAGE>   13

Participant beginning the first day of the month following the receipt by the
Committee of the Participant's Enrollment Form and shall remain in effect until
withdrawn by the Participant by written notice to the Committee in accordance
with uniform rules established by the Committee; provided that a Participant who
withdraws his or her Enrollment Form during a Plan Year may not then file
another Enrollment Form with the Committee with respect to the same Plan Year.
The withdrawal by a Participant of his or her Enrollment Form shall be effective
with respect to Directors' Fees payable on or after the first day of the month
following the receipt of such notice by the Committee.

5.2 OPTION TO ESTABLISH A TRANSFERRED AMOUNTS ACCOUNT

Any non-employee member of the Board may elect to have amounts previously
deferred under the Prior Plan transferred to this Plan by filing with the
Committee a Transfer of Existing Account Credits, or other form supplied by
and/or acceptable to the Committee. Such election may be made at any time;
provided, however, that any such election must represent the transfer to this
Plan of the eligible non-employee Board member's entire account under the Prior
Plan. Upon receipt of any such election, the Committee shall cause a Transferred
Amounts Account to be established for the Participant under this Plan
documenting the amount initially transferred. Except to the extent necessary to
comply with any applicable law or regulation, in the event that a Participant
electing to transfer a Transferred Amount from the Prior Plan previously elected
(or subsequently elects) to defer Director's Fees under the Plan by filing with
the Committee a written Enrollment Form, a separate Transferred Amounts Account
will not be maintained after the initial transfer to the Plan and all
Transferred Amounts shall be commingled with and invested and reinvested in the
same manner as a Participant's Deferral Account hereunder.

5.3 INVESTMENT DIRECTION.

A Participant may direct that amounts deferred pursuant to his or her Enrollment
Form (and/or, as the context so requires, amounts deferred under the Prior Plan
which are transferred to this

                                       13
<PAGE>   14

Plan in accordance with an election made pursuant to Section 5.2) be deemed to
be invested in one or more of the Investment Options listed in Exhibit A to the
Plan (a "New Money Election") and credited with shares or units in each such
Investment Option in the same manner as equivalent contributions would be
invested under the same Investment Options available under the Equitable 401(k)
Plan. Except as otherwise provided with respect to directions to invest in the
Equitable Resources Common Stock Fund ("Company Stock Fund"), a Participant may
direct that amounts previously credited to his or her Deferred Account and/or
Transferred Amount Account and deemed invested in the available Investment
Options be transferred between and among the then available Investment Options
(a "Reallocation Election").

Special rules apply to directions to invest in the Company Stock Fund. No
restrictions are placed on New Money Elections. Accordingly, a Participant may
make a New Money Election to invest in the Company Stock Fund or to cease future
investments in such Fund in the same manner as any other Investment Option.
Reallocation Elections, however, may NOT direct that amounts previously credited
to a Participant's Deferred Account and/or Transferred Amount Account and which
were directed to be invested in the Company Stock Fund be transferred OUT of
such Fund and into another Investment Option.

Reallocation Elections INTO the Company Stock Fund are permitted. Accordingly,
no restrictions apply to Reallocation Elections directing that amounts
previously credited to a Participant's Deferred Account and/or Transferred
Amount Account and which were directed to be invested in an Investment Option
OTHER THAN the Company Stock Fund be transferred out of such other Investment
Option and into the Company Stock Fund.

Except as otherwise provided with respect to the Company common stock,
regardless of whether the investment direction is a New Money Election or a
Reallocation Election, a Participant's Deferral Account and/or Transferred
Amount Account shall only be deemed to be invested in such Investment Options
for purposes of crediting investment gain or loss under Section 5.5 of

                                       14
<PAGE>   15

the Plan and the Company shall not be required to actually invest, on behalf of
any Participant, in any Investment Option listed on Exhibit A to the Plan.
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Company may, but shall not be
required to, elect to make contributions to an Irrevocable Trust in an amount
equal to the amounts deferred by Participants and actually invest such
contributions in the Investment Options elected by a particular Participant;
provided, however, that the Company shall contribute shares of Company common
stock to the Irrevocable Trust in an amount equal to the aggregate number of
shares of Company common stock represented by Participant investment directions
to the Company Stock Fund. Any such contributions to an Irrevocable Trust and
related investments shall be solely to assist the Company in satisfying its
obligations under this Plan and no Participant shall have any right, title or
interest whatsoever in any such contributions or investments.

All investment elections shall be made by written notice to the Committee in
accordance with uniform procedures established by the Committee; provided,
however, that investment directions to an Investment Option must be in multiples
of whole percents (1%) or whole dollars ($1.00). Any such investment election
shall be effective as of the Valuation Date immediately following the date on
which the written notice is received and shall remain in effect until changed by
the Participant. In the event that a Participant fails to direct the investment
of his or her account, the Committee shall direct such Participant's Deferral
Account and/or Transferred Amounts Account to an Investment Option named in
Exhibit A of a fixed income nature.

5.4 NO RIGHT TO INVESTMENT OPTIONS.

Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Investment Options
offered under the Plan may be changed or eliminated at any time in the sole
discretion of the Benefits Investment Committee of the Company. Prior to the
change or elimination of any Investment Option under the Plan, the Committee
shall provide written notice to each Participant with respect to whom a Deferral
Account and/or Transferred Amount Account is maintained under the Plan and any

                                       15
<PAGE>   16

Participant who has directed any part of his or her Deferral Account and/or
Transferred Amount Account to such Investment Option shall be permitted to
redirect such portion of his or her Deferral Account and/or Transferred Amount
Account to another Investment Option offered under the Plan.

5.5 CREDITING OF INVESTMENT RETURN.

Each Participant's Deferral Account and/or Transferred Amount Account shall be
credited with deemed investment gain or loss at the Investment Return Rate as of
each Valuation Date, based on the average daily balance of the Participant's
Deferral Account and/or Transferred Amount Account since the immediately
preceding Valuation Date, but after such Deferral Account and/or Transferred
Amount Account has been adjusted for any contributions or distributions to be
credited or deducted for such period. Until a Participant or his or her
Beneficiary receives his or her entire Deferral Account and/or Transferred
Amount Account, the unpaid balance thereof shall be credited with investment
gain or loss at the Investment Return Rate, as provided in this Section 5.5 of
the Plan.

5.6 VALUATION OF DEFERRAL ACCOUNT.

As of each Valuation Date, a Participant's Deferral Account and/or Transferred
Amount Account shall equal (i) the balance of the Participant's Deferral Account
and/or Transferred Amount Account as of the immediately preceding Valuation
Date, plus (ii) the Participant's deferred Directors' Fees since the immediately
preceding Valuation Date, plus or minus (iii) investment gain or loss credited
as of such Valuation Date pursuant to Section 5.5 of the Plan, and minus (iv)
the aggregate amount of distributions, if any, made from such Deferral Account
and/or Transferred Amount Account since the immediately preceding Valuation
Date. For purposes of valuing a Participant's Deferral Account and/or
Transferred Amount Account upon the termination of the Participant's membership
on the Board, the Valuation Date shall be the

                                       16
<PAGE>   17

business day coinciding with or immediately preceding the date of the
termination of the Participant's Board membership.

5.7 STATEMENT OF DEFERRAL ACCOUNT AND/OR TRANSFERRED AMOUNT ACCOUNT.

As soon as administratively feasible following the last day of each calendar
quarter, the Committee shall provide to each Participant a statement of the
value of his or her Deferral Account and/or Transferred Amount Account as of the
most recent Valuation Date.

                                   ARTICLE VI

PAYMENT OF BENEFITS

6.1 PAYMENT OF PHANTOM STOCK ACCOUNT.

As soon as administratively feasible following a Participant's termination of
membership on the Board for any reason, the Company shall distribute to the
Participant or, in the event of the Participant's death, to his Beneficiary,
the number of shares of Company common stock represented by the Participant's
Phantom Stock Account, as determined in accordance with Article IV of the Plan,
less any income tax withholding required under applicable law.

6.2 PAYMENT OF DEFERRAL AND/OR TRANSFERRED AMOUNTS ACCOUNT

As soon as administratively feasible following a Participant's termination
of membership on the Board and without regard to whether the Participant is
entitled to payment of his or her Phantom Stock Account, the Company shall
pay to the Participant or, in the event of the Participant's death, to his
Beneficiary, an amount equal to the value of the Participant's Deferral Account
and/or Transferred Amount Account, as determined in accordance with Article V of
the Plan, less any income tax withholding required under applicable law. Except
as otherwise provided in the following sentence, such payment shall be made in
cash in the form elected by the Participant pursuant to Section 6.5 of the Plan.
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, to the extent the

                                       17
<PAGE>   18

Participant had directed that any portion of his Deferral Account and/or
Transferred Amount Account be invested in the Company Stock Fund, the Company
shall distribute such portion in such number of shares of Equitable Resources
Common Stock as would be represented by an equal amount invested in the Company
Stock Fund under the Company 401(k) Plan.

6.3 IN-SERVICE DISTRIBUTION OF DEFERRAL AND/OR TRANSFERRED AMOUNTS ACCOUNT.

A Participant may make an irrevocable election to receive a distribution of all
or a specified dollar amount of his or her Deferral Account and/or Transferred
Amount Account on a date certain in the future prior to the termination of his
or her membership on the Board (an "IN-SERVICE DISTRIBUTION"); provided that
such In-Service Distribution shall be subject to any income tax withholding
required under applicable law. Such election must be made in writing at the time
the Participant first elects to participate in this Plan by filing an Enrollment
Form with the Committee.

For purposes of reducing a Participant's Deferral Account and/or Transferred
Amount Account and adjusting the balances in the various Investment Options in
which such reduced Deferral Account and/or Transferred Amount Account is deemed
to be invested to reflect such In-Service Distribution, amounts represented by
such In-Service Distribution shall be deemed to have been withdrawn first, on a
pro rata basis, from that portion of his Deferral Account and/or Transferred
Amounts Account deemed to be invested in Investment Options OTHER THAN the
Equitable Common Stock Fund (the "NON STOCK INVESTMENTS") and, second, to the
extent the In-Service Distribution cannot be fully satisfied by a deemed
withdrawal of the Non Stock Investments, from the portion deemed invested in the
Company Stock Fund.

Any such In-Service Distribution shall be made in one lump sum cash payment.
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, to the extent the Participant had
directed that any portion of his Deferral Account and/or Transferred Amount
Account be invested in the Company Stock Fund, the Company shall distribute such
portion in such number of shares of Equitable

                                       18
<PAGE>   19

Resources Common Stock as would be represented by an equal amount invested in
the Company Stock Fund under the Company 401(k) Plan.

6.4 HARDSHIP WITHDRAWAL FROM DEFERRAL AND/OR TRANSFERRED AMOUNTS ACCOUNT.

In the event that the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines upon the
written request of a Participant in accordance with uniform procedures
established by the Committee, that the Participant has suffered an unforeseeable
financial emergency, the Company may pay to the Participant in a lump sum as
soon as administratively feasible following such determination, an amount
necessary to meet the emergency, but not exceeding the aggregate balance of such
Participant's Deferral Account and/or Transferred Amount Account as of the date
of such payment (a "HARDSHIP WITHDRAWAL"). Any such Hardship Withdrawal shall be
subject to any income tax withholding required under applicable law.

For purposes of this Section 6.4, an "unforeseeable financial emergency" shall
mean an event that the Committee determines to give rise to an unexpected need
for cash arising from an illness, casualty loss, sudden financial reversal, or
other such unforeseeable occurrence. The amount of a Hardship Withdrawal may not
exceed the amount the Committee reasonably determines to be necessary to meet
such emergency needs (including taxes incurred by reason of a taxable
distribution).

The form of payment of the Hardship Withdrawal, the amount of the Participant's
Deferral Account and/or Transferred Amount Account otherwise payable, and the
amounts deemed credited to the Investment Options under the Plan; shall be paid,
reduced and adjusted to reflect the payment of the Hardship Withdrawal in the
same manner described in Section 6.3 applicable to In-Service Distributions.

                                       19
<PAGE>   20

6.5 FORM OF PAYMENT.

(a) In General. A Participant may elect to receive that portion of his or her
Account payable hereunder in one of the following forms:

         (i)      Annual payments of a fixed amount which shall amortize the
                  value of the Account over a period of five, ten, or fifteen
                  years (together, in the case of each annual payment, with
                  interest and dividends credited thereto after the payment
                  commencement date pursuant to Sections 4.2, 5.5 and 5.6 of the
                  Plan); or

         (ii)     A lump sum.

Such an election must be made in writing in accordance with uniform procedures
established by the Committee no later than the date that is one (1) year and one
(1) day prior to the date of the Participant's termination as a member of the
Board. In the event a Participant fails to make a distribution election within
the time period prescribed, his or her Account shall be distributed in the form
of a lump sum.

(b) Distribution of Company Common Stock. In the event the Company is required
to distribute some or all of a Participant's Account in shares of Equitable
Resources Common Stock in accordance with Plan Sections 6.1 and/or 6.2, the
aggregate amount of such shares shall be distributed in the same manner as the
Participant elected in subsection (a). To the extent the Participant elected an
installment form of payment, the number of shares of Equitable Common Stock to
be distributed in each installment shall be determined by multiplying (i) the
aggregate number of shares of Equitable Resources Common Stock deemed credited
to the Participant's Account as of the installment payment date by (ii) a
fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is the
number of unpaid installments, and by rounding the resulting number down to the
next whole number.

                                       20
<PAGE>   21

6.6 PAYMENTS TO BENEFICIARIES.

In the event of a Participant's death prior to the Participant's termination of
membership on the Board, the Participant's Beneficiary shall receive payment of
the Phantom Stock Account (if any), Participant's Deferral Account and/or
Transferred Amount Account as soon as administratively feasible following the
Participant's death in the form elected by the Participant pursuant to Section
6.5 of the Plan, less any income tax withholding required under applicable law.
If no such election was made by the Participant, the Participant's Beneficiary
shall receive payment of the Participant's Deferral Account and/or Transferred
Amount Account in the form of a lump sum. In the event of the Participant's
death after commencement of installment payments under the Plan, but prior to
receipt of his or her entire Account (including, by way of clarification, the
Participant's Phantom Stock Account, if any), the Participant's Beneficiary
shall receive the remaining installment payments at such times as such
installments would have been paid to the Participant until the Participant's
entire Account is paid.

6.7 SMALL BENEFIT.

In the event that the value of a Participant's Account is less than $5,000 as of
the Valuation Date immediately preceding the commencement of payment to the
Participant under the Plan, or the balance of the Participant's Account payable
to any Beneficiary is less than $5,000 as of the Valuation Date immediately
preceding the commencement of payment to the Participant's Beneficiary under the
Plan, the Committee may inform the Company and the Company, in its discretion,
may choose to pay the benefit in the form of a lump sum, notwithstanding any
provision of the Plan or an election of a Participant under Section 6.5 of the
Plan to the contrary.

                                       21
<PAGE>   22

                                   ARTICLE VII

BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION

7.1 BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION.

Each Participant shall have the sole right, at any time, to designate any person
or persons as his or her Beneficiary to whom payment may be made of any amounts
which may become payable in the event of his or her death prior to the complete
distribution to the Participant of his or her Account. Any Beneficiary
designation shall be made in writing in accordance with uniform procedures
established by the Committee. A Participant's most recent Beneficiary
designation shall supercede all prior Beneficiary designations. In the event a
Participant does not designate a Beneficiary under the Plan, any payments due
under the Plan shall be made first to the Participant's spouse; if no spouse,
then in equal amounts to the Participant's children; if no children, then to the
Participant's estate.

                                  ARTICLE VIII

ADMINISTRATION

8.1 COMMITTEE.

The Committee shall have sole discretion to: (i) designate non-employee
directors eligible to participate in the Plan; (ii) interpret the provisions of
the Plan; (iii) supervise the administration and operation of the Plan; and (iv)
adopt rules and procedures governing the Plan.

                                       22
<PAGE>   23

8.2 INVESTMENTS.

The Benefits Investment Committee of the Company shall have the sole discretion
to choose the Investment Options available under the Plan and to change or
eliminate such Investment Options, from time to time, as it deems appropriate.

8.3 AGENTS.

The Committee may delegate its administrative duties under the Plan to one or
more individuals, who may or may not be employees of the Company.

8.4 BINDING EFFECT OF DECISIONS.

Any decision or action of the Committee with respect to any question arising out
of or in connection with the eligibility, participation, administration,
interpretation, and application of the Plan shall be final and binding upon all
persons having any interest in the Plan.

8.5 INDEMNIFICATION OF COMMITTEES.

The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the members of the Committee and
the Benefits Investment Committee and their duly appointed agents under Section
8.3 against any and all claims, losses, damages, expenses, or liabilities
arising from any action or failure to act with respect to the Plan, except in
the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct by any such member or agent
of the Committee or Benefits Investment Committee.

                                       23
<PAGE>   24

                                   ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF PLAN

9.1 AMENDMENT.

The Company (or its delegate) may at any time, or from time to time, modify or
amend any or all of the provisions of the Plan. Where the action is to be taken
by the Company, it shall be accomplished by written action of the Board at a
meeting duly called at which a quorum is present and acting throughout. Where
the action is to be taken by a delegate of the Company, it shall be accomplished
pursuant to any procedures established in the instrument delegating the
authority. Regardless of whether the action is taken by the Company or its
delegate, no such modification or amendment shall have the effect of reducing
the value of any Participant's Account under the Plan as it existed as of the
day before the effective date of such modification or amendment, without such
Participant's prior written consent. Written notice of any modification or
amendment to the Plan shall be provided to each Participant under the Plan.

9.2 TERMINATION.

The Company, in its sole discretion, may terminate this Plan at any time and for
any reason whatsoever by written action of the Board at a meeting duly called at
which a quorum is present and acting throughout; provided that such termination
shall not have the effect of reducing the value of any Participant's Account
under the Plan as it existed on the day before the effective date of the
termination of the Plan without such Participant's prior written consent.
Notwithstanding any Participant election to the contrary, the Account of each
Participant under the Plan shall be paid as soon as administratively feasible
following the termination of the Plan. The Valuation Date for purposes of
determining the value of Participants' Accounts upon termination of the Plan
shall be the date prior to the date of the termination of the Plan.

                                       24
<PAGE>   25

                                    ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

10.1 FUNDING.

The Company's obligation to pay benefits under the Plan shall be merely an
unfunded and unsecured promise of the Company to pay money in the future. Except
as otherwise provided in Sections 4.1 and 5.3, prior to the occurrence of a
Change in Control, the Company, in its sole discretion, may elect to make
contributions to an Irrevocable Trust to assist the Company in satisfying all or
any portion of its obligations under the Plan. Regardless of whether the Company
elects to contribute to an Irrevocable Trust, Plan Participants, their
Beneficiaries, and their heirs, successors and assigns, shall have no secured
interest or right, title or claim in any property or assets of the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the occurrence of an event resulting in a
Change in Control, the Company shall make a contribution to an Irrevocable Trust
in an amount which, when added to the then value of any amounts previously
contributed to an Irrevocable Trust to assist the Company in satisfying all or
any portion of its obligations under the Plan, shall be sufficient to bring the
total value of assets held in the Irrevocable Trust to an amount not less than
the total value of all Participants' Accounts under the Plan as of the Valuation
Date immediately preceding the Change in Control; provided that any such funds
contributed to an Irrevocable Trust pursuant to this Section 10.1 shall remain
subject to the claims of the Company's general creditors and provided, further,
that such contribution shall reflect any Conversion Event described in Section
4.3 . Upon the occurrence of the Change in Control of the Company, all deferrals
to the Plan shall cease, any adjustments required by Section 4.3 shall be made
and the Company shall provide to the trustee of the Irrevocable Trust all Plan
records and other information necessary for the trustee to make payments to
Participants under the Plan in accordance with the terms of the Plan.

                                       25
<PAGE>   26

10.2 NONASSIGNABILITY.

No right or interest of a Participant or Beneficiary under the Plan may be
assigned, transferred, or subject to alienation, anticipation, sale, pledge,
encumbrance or other legal process or in any manner be liable for or subject to
the debts or liabilities of any such Participant or Beneficiary, or any other
person.

10.3 LEGAL FEES AND EXPENSES.

It is the intent of the Company that no Participant be required to incur the
expenses associated with the enforcement of his or her rights under this Plan by
litigation or other legal action because the cost and expense thereof would
substantially detract from the benefits intended to be extended to the
Participant hereunder. Accordingly, if after a Change in Control it should
appear that the Company has failed to comply with any of its obligations under
this Plan, or in the event that the Company or any other person takes any action
to declare this Plan void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation
designed to deny, or to recover from, the Participant the benefits intended to
be provided to such Participant hereunder, the Company irrevocably authorizes
such Participant to retain counsel of his or her choice, at the expense of the
Company as hereafter provided, to represent such Participant in connection with
the initiation or defense of any litigation or other legal action, whether by or
against the Company or any director, officer, stockholder or other person
affiliated with the Company in any jurisdiction. The Company shall pay and be
solely responsible for any and all attorneys' and related fees and expenses
incurred by such Participant as a result of the Company's failure to perform
under this Plan or any provision thereof; or as a result of the Company or any
person contesting the validity or enforceability of this Plan or any provision
thereof.

                                       26
<PAGE>   27

10.4 CAPTIONS.

The captions contained herein are for convenience only and shall not control or
affect the meaning or construction hereof.

10.5 GOVERNING LAW.

The provisions of the Plan shall be construed and interpreted according to the
laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

10.6 SUCCESSORS.

The provisions of the Plan shall bind and inure to the benefit of the Company,
its affiliates, and their respective successors and assigns. The term successors
as used herein shall include any corporate or other business entity which shall,
whether by merger, consolidation, purchase or otherwise, acquire all or
substantially all of the business and assets of the Company or a participating
affiliate and successors of any such corporation or other business entity.

10.7 RIGHT TO CONTINUED SERVICE.

Nothing contained herein shall be construed to confer upon any Participant the
right to continue to serve as a member of the Board or in any other capacity.

Executed this 6th day of December, 2000.

Equitable Resources, Inc.

  /s/  GREGORY R. SPENCER
-----------------------------
By:  Gregory R. Spencer
Title:  Senior Vice President
        and Chief Administrative Officer

                                       27
<PAGE>   28

                                    EXHIBIT A

The following are the Investment Options that are used in determining the
Investment Return Rate under the Plan as of August 1, 2000.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Account Name
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equitable Resources Common Stock Fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Putnam International Growth Fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Putnam Voyager Fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Putnam Fund for Growth and Income
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The George Putnam Fund of Boston
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Putnam Income Fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Putnam OTC & Emerging Growth Fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Putnam Vista Fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PIMCO Total Return Fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Putnam Asset Allocation: Growth
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Putnam Asset Allocation: Balanced
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Putnam Asset Allocation: Conservative
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>   29
                                    EXHIBIT B

                              PHANTOM STOCK AWARDS

                                 (MAY 26, 1999)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Director                                   Phantom Stock Shares
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E. Lawrence Keyes, Jr.                                      6,108.73
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thomas A. McConomy                                          4,937.89
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Malcolm M. Prine                                            6,108.73
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Christiano, Ph.D.                                      1,883.53
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Donald I. Moritz                                            6,108.73
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
J. Michael Talbert                                          2,494.40
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
James E. Rohr                                               1,883.53
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phyllis A. Domm, Ed.D                                       1,883.53
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David S. Shapira                                            6,108.73
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guy W. Nichols                                              1,221.75
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------<PAGE>   1

                                                                   Exhibit 10.2

                            EQUITABLE RESOURCES, INC.
                         2001 SHORT-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

         EQUITABLE RESOURCES, INC. (the "Company") hereby establishes this
EQUITABLE RESOURCES, INC. 2001 SHORT-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN (the "Plan") as of this
1st day of January, 2001, in accordance with the terms provided herein.

         WHEREAS, the Company has maintained various incentive programs for the
benefit of its employees; and

         WHEREAS, the Company desires to consolidate the structure of the
incentive programs to a single, focused initiative which describes the goals of
the Company and the methodology for awarding incentive amounts under the
programs described within the Plan; and

         NOW, THEREFORE, the Company hereby adopts the terms of the Plan as
follows:

         Section 1. Incentive Program Purposes. The Company's main purposes in
providing the incentive programs described within the Plan (collectively, the
"Incentive Programs") are to maintain a competitive level of total cash
compensation and to align the interests of the Company's employees with those of
the Company's shareholders, customers, and with the strategic objectives of the
Company. By placing a portion of employee compensation at risk, the Company can
reward performance based on the overall performance of the Company, the business
segment and the individual contribution of each employee.

         Section 2. Effective Date. The effective date of this Plan is January
1, 2001. The Plan will remain in effect from year to year (each calendar year
shall be referred to herein as a "Plan Year") until formally amended or
terminated in writing by the Company's Chief Executive Officer.

         Section 3. Eligibility. Specific eligibility requirements for each
Incentive Program shall be proposed by the President of each business segment or
corporate officer, as applicable, and approved by the Company's Chief
Administrative Officer. Based upon such eligibility requirements, the Company's
Chief Administrative Officer or the Company's Director of Compensation and
Benefits, as applicable, may designate any eligible employee for participation
in the Plan in his or her complete and sole discretion. Eligible employees who
are designated to participate in an Incentive Program will be notified in
writing of their participation and given a Plan document for their reference.

         Section 4. Administration of the Plan. The Equitable Resources
Headquarters Short-Term Incentive Program (the "Headquarters Incentive
Program"), and any other Incentive Program that covers the officers of the
Company, shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors (the "Committee"). The Company's Director of Compensation and Benefits
shall administer all other Incentive Programs under the general direction of the
Company's Chief Administrative Officer. On an annual basis, the Committee must
review and approve (a) the Plan, (b) the Headquarters Incentive Program, and
other Incentive Programs covering officers of the Company, (c) the Incentive
Targets, as defined in Section 8 of the Plan, for officers of the Company, (d)
the methodology for determining the incentive pools, including the Financial
Measures and the Value Drivers, as defined in Section 7 of the Plan, and (e) the
projected payout under the Plan and under each Incentive Program. The Committee
must also review and approve all incentive payments under the Headquarters
Incentive Program and other Incentive Programs covering officers of the Company,
as well as any proposed amendments to the Plan throughout the Plan Year.

<PAGE>   2

         Section 5. Incentive Programs. The following Incentive Programs shall
be administered under the Plan:

         o   Equitable Resources Headquarters Short-Term Incentive Program;

         o   Equitable Utilities Short-Term Incentive Program;

         o   Equitable Production Short-Term Incentive Program; and

         o   NORESCO Short-Term Incentive Program.

         Section 6. Definitions. The following provides the definition of
certain Financial Measures, defined in Section 7 of the Plan, as may be used in
the Incentive Programs:

         (a)      Net Income After Tax. Net Income After Tax, if used in the
                  Headquarters Incentive Program, is calculated as follows:

                           TOTAL REVENUE OF THE COMPANY MINUS TOTAL EXPENSES OF
                           THE COMPANY FOR THE PLAN YEAR.

                  For purposes of the foregoing calculation, Total Revenue shall
                  mean revenue from continuing operations. Income from unusual
                  items, as determined by the Company's Chief Financial Officer,
                  will be excluded. Expenses shall include interest, taxes,
                  corporate overhead and the accrual charge for the Incentive
                  Program funding. Expenses from unusual items, as determined by
                  the Company's Chief Financial Officer, will be excluded. The
                  Company's Chief Financial Officer is responsible for
                  determining this Financial Measure under the general direction
                  of the Committee.

                  Net Income After Tax, if used in all other Incentive Programs,
                  is calculated as follows:

                           TOTAL REVENUE OF THE APPLICABLE BUSINESS SEGMENT
                           MINUS TOTAL EXPENSES OF THE APPLICABLE BUSINESS
                           SEGMENT FOR THE PLAN YEAR.

                  For purposes of the foregoing calculation, the same
                  methodology described above is used, except that the following
                  process shall apply for calculating the expenses associated
                  with business segment interest and taxes:

                  Pro forma financials below the business segment "Earnings
                  before Interest and Taxes" line will be used. For purposes of
                  calculating interest and taxes, the business segment's capital
                  structure, tax rate, and interest rate will be fixed at the
                  capital structure, tax rate and interest rate reflected in the
                  respective business segment's final business plan for such
                  Plan Year. Interest will be determined by multiplying 1) the
                  predetermined interest rate, by 2) the predetermined
                  percentage debt in the capital structure and 3) the 12-month
                  average actual total capital employed during the year. Taxes
                  will be determined by multiplying the predetermined effective
                  tax rate by the business segment's pre-tax income and then
                  deducting a predetermined amount of investment tax credit
                  amortization. This calculation will be completed by the
                  President of the respective business segment and submitted to
                  the Company's Chief Financial Officer for review and approval.
                  The Company's Chief Financial Officer will determine, for
                  purposes of the Plan, the final business segment Net Income
                  After Tax under the general direction of the Committee.

                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3

         (b)      Return on Total Capital. The Company's Return on Total Capital
                  is calculated as follows:

                    NET INCOME AFTER TAX + (INTEREST X (1 - EFFECTIVE TAX RATE))
                    ------------------------------------------------------------
                    (SHORT AND LONG TERM DEBT + PREFERRED STOCK + BOOK EQUITY)

                  For purposes of the foregoing calculation, all factors in the
                  denominator shall be calculated by determining each specific
                  factor at the end of each of the four quarters of the Plan
                  Year and at the end of December of the previous year. The
                  average of those five numbers shall be the value used for each
                  factor. The Company's Chief Financial Officer is responsible
                  for determining this Financial Measure under the general
                  direction of the Committee.

         (c)      Earnings per Share Growth Rate. The Company's Earnings per
                  Share Growth Rate is calculated as follows:

                      THE POSITIVE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE COMPANY'S EARNINGS PER
                      SHARE FOR THE PLAN YEAR AND THE YEAR IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING
                      THE PLAN YEAR, DIVIDED BY THE COMPANY'S EARNINGS PER SHARE
                      FOR THE YEAR IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE PLAN YEAR.

                  For purposes of the foregoing calculation, earnings per share
                  shall be as reported in the Company's published financial
                  statements for the subject year on a fully-diluted basis;
                  provided, however, that any changes in tax laws, the effects
                  of acquisitions and extraordinary items as defined by
                  generally accepted accounting principles, including
                  divestitures and Financial Accounting Standards Board
                  accounting changes, may be excluded in the discretion of the
                  Company's Chief Financial Officer under the general direction
                  of the Committee.

         (d)      Total Shareholder Return. The Company's Total Shareholder
                  Return ("TSR") is calculated as follows:

                                    (B + C) - A
                                     ----------
                                         A

                  For purposes of the foregoing calculation:

                  A is the average closing price of the Company's common stock
                  for the first ten trading days of the Plan Year.

                  B is the average closing price of the Company's common stock
                  for the last ten trading days of the Plan Year.

                  C is the dividends paid on the Company's common stock in the
                  Plan Year.

                  The Company's Chief Financial Officer is responsible for
                  determining this Financial Measure under the general direction
                  of the Committee.

         Section 7. Determination of Incentive Pools.

         (a)      All Incentive Programs provide for incentive payments that are
                  funded based on incentive pools. An incentive pool is created
                  for each Incentive Program. The base amount of each incentive
                  pool shall be determined by the extent to which one or more
                  specific and defined financial measures (the "Financial
                  Measures")

                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4

                  are achieved for the Plan Year. One or more additional,
                  defined operational measures ("Value Drivers") may affect the
                  determination of the business segment incentive pools, in the
                  discretion of the Company's Chief Executive Officer. The Value
                  Drivers for each of the business segment incentive pools are
                  attached hereto as Attachment A.

         (b)      The following chart provides the specific Financial Measures
                  for each of the Incentive Programs.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              INCENTIVE PROGRAM                      FINANCIAL MEASURES
                  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  <S>                                        <C>
                  Equitable Resources Headquarters           o  Return on Total Capital
                                                             o  Earnings per Share Growth Rate
                  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Equitable Utilities                        Net Income After Tax
                  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Equitable Production                       Net Income After Tax
                  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  NORESCO                                    Net Income After Tax
                  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

         (c)      Each incentive pool is determined based on the Financial
                  Measures listed above and, if applicable, the Value Drivers
                  listed on Attachment A. The base amount of each incentive pool
                  is determined by reference to the Financial Measures
                  applicable to the particular Incentive Program to which they
                  pertain. Attachment B to this Plan specifies the base amount
                  for each incentive pool, expressed as a multiple of the total
                  of all Incentive Targets, as defined in Section 8 of the Plan,
                  of those participants in each particular Incentive Program.
                  The Chief Executive Officer of the Company (the "CEO") may, in
                  his sole and absolute discretion, adjust the determination of
                  the base amount of any business segment incentive pool (i) by
                  any amount up to fifty (50%) percent based on the Value
                  Drivers applicable to the particular business segment
                  incentive pool and (ii) by any amount up to twenty-five
                  percent (25%) based on the impact of weather, the prices of
                  gas, oil and liquids, and/or any acquisitions or divestitures.
                  The Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion, adjust
                  the determination of the base amount of the Headquarters
                  Incentive Program by an amount of up to twenty-five percent
                  (25%) based on the impact of weather, the prices of gas, oil
                  and liquids, and/or any acquisitions or divestitures. Such
                  adjustments by the CEO or the Committee may be either positive
                  or negative.

         Section 8. Incentive Targets. Each participant under the Plan shall be
given an incentive target (an "Incentive Target") that shall be determined based
on market competitive levels. Incentive Targets for all corporate officers shall
be determined within 90 days of the commencement of each Plan Year and approved
by the Committee. All other Incentive Targets shall be determined within 90 days
of the commencement of each Plan Year by the Company's Director of Compensation
and Benefits, in consultation with the appropriate business segment President or
corporate officer, as applicable, and approved by the Company's Chief
Administrative Officer. Actual incentive awards payable ("Incentive Awards")
shall be based on the overall determination of the incentive pools and on
individual performance.

         Section 9. Performance Goals.

         (a)      Each participant shall have specific performance goals (the
                  "Performance Goals") determined for his or her position for
                  the subject Plan Year. These Performance

                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5

                  Goals must support the approved business plan of the Company,
                  affiliate or business unit, as applicable, and should identify
                  how the participant will support any specific Value Drivers
                  established.

         (b)      A copy of each participant's Performance Goals and objectives
                  shall be determined in writing, and kept on file with the
                  appropriate business segment Human Resources Department, by
                  February 28 of the Plan Year to which they relate.

         (c)      Following the determination of the incentive pools as
                  described in Section 7, an evaluation of each participant's
                  actual performance relative to his or her individual
                  Performance Goals for the Plan Year shall be completed.
                  Performance can be rated as Exceptional, Successful and Lower
                  Ten Percent. The definition of each rating is as follows:

                    Performance Level                 Performance Definition
                    -----------------                 -----------------------
                    Exceptional                       Performance consistently
                                                      exceeds established
                                                      expectations. Performance
                                                      at this level creates new
                                                      standards of performance.

                    Successful                        Performance meets and
                                                      often exceeds established
                                                      performance expectations.

                    Lower                             Ten Percent Performance is
                                                      not meeting expectations
                                                      in one or more of the
                                                      performance goals.
                                                      Performance at this level
                                                      is a serious problem and
                                                      will result in no
                                                      incentive payment.

Based on the evaluation of the employee's performance relative to his or her
Performance Goals, individual performance adjustments can be made by the
business segment President or appropriate corporate officer, as applicable,
ranging from elimination of the Incentive Target to 150% of the Incentive
Target. The Company's Chief Executive Officer must approve all individual
performance adjustments under the Plan and may make individual performance
adjustments in excess of 150%.

         Section 10. Distributing the Incentive Pool. Incentive Awards may be
earned based on the determination of the incentive pools and individual
performance as follows:

         (1)      The incentive pool is determined as described in Section 7. If
                  the Financial Measures for the incentive pool are not
                  achieved, the process to calculate Incentive Awards for the
                  related Incentive Program is terminated.

         (2)      The performance of each employee is reviewed by the business
                  segment President or appropriate corporate officer, as
                  applicable, and the individual performance adjustment
                  described in Section 9, if any, is applied as appropriate to
                  the employee's original Incentive Target.

         (3)      The Incentive Targets for each employee within an incentive
                  pool, after giving effect to the individual performance
                  adjustments described in Section 9, are totaled. Each
                  employee's adjusted Incentive Target is then calculated as a
                  percent of the total adjusted Incentive Targets for all
                  employees within the incentive pool.

                                      -5-
<PAGE>   6

         (4)      The percent assigned to each employee in step 3 is multiplied
                  by the total incentive pool generated, resulting in the amount
                  of the employee's actual Incentive Award payable.

         (5)      Additional amounts, if any, are distributed in the Company's
                  discretion.

Except as provided in Sections 11 and 14 of the Plan, the amount of the
Incentive Awards payable, as calculated in Step 4, above, shall be paid in cash
to participants as promptly as practicable following the end of a Plan Year and
after the determination of the incentive pools and the achievement of the
Performance Goals. A participant shall have no vested interest or other rights
to any Incentive Award hereunder prior to its actual payment.

         Section 11. Incentive Pool Calculation and Distribution for Selected
Employees.

         (a)      Employees who directly report to the CEO and are Presidents of
                  the Company's business segments will have eighty percent (80%)
                  of their Incentive Award tied to the performance of the
                  Headquarters Incentive Program incentive pool and twenty
                  percent (20%) of their Incentive Award tied to the performance
                  of their specific business segment incentive pool. Employees
                  who directly report to Presidents of the Company's business
                  segments will have twenty percent (20%) of their Incentive
                  Award tied to the performance of the Headquarters Incentive
                  Program incentive pool and eighty percent (80%) of their
                  Incentive Award tied to the performance of the appropriate
                  business segment incentive pool.

         (b)      Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, employees who
                  directly report to the CEO will be required to defer twenty
                  percent (20%) of their Incentive Award into the Company's
                  common stock fund under and pursuant to the Company's Deferred
                  Compensation Plan. Except as otherwise determined by the
                  Committee, employees who directly report to executives who
                  report directly to the CEO will be required to defer ten
                  percent (10%) of their Incentive Award into the Company's
                  common stock fund under and pursuant to the Company's
                  Deferred Compensation Plan.

         Section 12. Impact on Benefit Plan. Payments under the Plan shall not
be considered as earnings for purposes of the Company's qualified retirement
plans or any such retirement or benefit plan unless specifically provided for
and defined under such plans.

         Section 13. Tax Consequences. It is intended that nothing in the Plan
shall change the tax consequences of the Plans under Federal or State law and
specifically shall not cause the participants in the Incentive Programs to be
taxed currently under the Constructive Receipt or Economic Benefit Doctrines and
as expressed in Sections 451 and 83 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.

         Section 14. Change of Status. In making decisions regarding employees'
participation in the Plan, the Company's Chief Administrative Officer or
Director of Compensation and Benefits, as applicable, may consider any factors
that he or she may consider relevant. The following guidelines are provided as
general information regarding employee status changes upon the occurrence of the
events described below, provided that the recommendation to include an employee
in the Plan must originate from the business segment President or appropriate
corporate officer, as applicable:

         (a)      New Hire, Transfer, Promotion. A newly hired employee will
                  participate in the Plan Year following the year in which they
                  are hired, unless otherwise specified in their employment
                  offer. An employee who is promoted or transferred during

                                      -6-
<PAGE>   7
                  the Plan Year to a position qualifying for participation may
                  be recommended for a pro rata Incentive Award based on the
                  level of participation in his or her previous program and the
                  percentage of the Plan Year the employee is in the
                  participating position. This includes employees who leave
                  positions that qualify for incentive payments in other Company
                  business segments. These potential payments shall be
                  considered when determining the employee's Incentive Target
                  and Incentive Award under this Plan.

         (b)      Demotion. No Incentive Award shall be paid to an employee who
                  has been demoted during the Plan Year because of performance.
                  If the demotion is due to an organizational change, a pro rata
                  Incentive Award may be made, provided the employee otherwise
                  qualifies for payment of an Incentive Award.

         (c)      Termination. No Incentive Award shall be paid to any employee
                  whose services are terminated prior to payment of an Incentive
                  Award for reasons of misconduct, failure to perform, or other
                  cause. If the termination is due to reasons such as
                  reorganization, and not due to the fault of the employee, the
                  employee may be considered for a pro rata Incentive Award,
                  provided the employee otherwise qualifies for payment of an
                  Incentive Award.

         (d)      Resignation. No Incentive Award shall be paid to an employee
                  who resigns for any reason, including retirement, before
                  Incentive Awards are paid; provided, however, if the employee
                  has voluntarily terminated his or her employment with the
                  Company's consent, the employee may be considered for a pro
                  rata Incentive Award, provided the employee otherwise
                  qualifies for payment of an Incentive Award.

         (e)      Death and Disability. An employee whose status as an active
                  employee is changed prior to payment of an Incentive Award for
                  any reason other than the reasons cited above may be
                  considered for a pro rata Incentive Award, provided the
                  employee otherwise qualifies for payment of an Incentive
                  Award. In the event that an Incentive Award is paid on behalf
                  of an employee who has terminated employment by reason of
                  death, any such payments or other amounts due shall be paid to
                  the employee's estate.

Nothing in the Plan, in any Program or in any Incentive Target or Incentive
Award shall confer any right on any employee to continue in the employ of the
Company.

         Section 15. Dispute Resolution. The following is the exclusive
procedure to be followed by all participants in resolving disputes arising from
participation in and payments made under the Plan. All disputes relative to a
given Plan Year must be presented to the Chief Administrative Officer of the
Company within thirty (30) days following the payment date of the Incentive
Award for that Plan Year, or the participant's right to dispute a payment will
be irrevocably waived. Once the Chief Administrative Officer has been notified
of a dispute, he or she will assemble a Compensation Review Committee (the
"CRC") to review the issue. The CRC will consist of the following: the Chief
Administrative Officer, the manager of the employee with the dispute, the
President of the business segment, and a peer chosen by the employee with the
dispute. The employee with the concern will be given an opportunity to present
his or her issues to the CRC. A decision will be rendered by the CRC within ten
(10) business days of the meeting. The Chief Administrative Officer will be
responsible for preparing a written version of the decision. This decision may
be appealed to the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
Appealed decisions will be reviewed by the President and Chief Executive Officer
with information requested from the appropriate parties as he or she may

                                      -7-
<PAGE>   8

determine in his or her sole discretion. The decision made by the President and
Chief Executive Officer regarding the matter is final and binding on all Plan
participants.

         Section 16. Amendment or Termination of this Plan. The Company shall
have the right to amend or terminate the Plan at any time by written action
approved by the Committee, provided that any amendment or termination shall not
affect any amounts deferred into the Company's Deferred Compensation Plan and
that no employee or participant shall have any vested right to payment of any
Incentive Award hereunder prior to its payment. The Company shall notify
affected employees in writing of any amendment or Plan termination.

                                      -8-

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00025-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00025-of-00352.parquet"}]]