Sec. 18. Any entity that becomes a successor to an energy utility as the result of:
(1) any bankruptcy, reorganization, or other insolvency proceeding;
(2) any merger, sale, or transfer involving the energy utility; or
(3) the operation of law;
or for any other reason, shall perform and satisfy any obligations of the energy utility incurred under this chapter in the same manner and to the same extent as the energy utility would have been obligated to perform, including the obligation to pay to an assignee any funds collected by the energy utility in connection with the SNG property interest assigned to the assignee.