Argentine natural-gas utility Metrogas SA (METR.BA) filed for bankruptcy protection while Texas-based Trico Marine Services Inc. (TRMA),

Two companies were added to the default list of Standard & Poor's Ratings Service the past week, moving the year-to-date total to 41. Argentine natural-gas utility Metrogas SA (METR.BA) filed for bankruptcy protection while Texas-based Trico Marine Services Inc. (TRMA), o pay down debt. So far this year, Chapter 11 filings and missed interest or principal payments are responsible for 11 defawhich provides a wide range of marine-support services to the oil and gas industry, missed an interest payment. Defaults remain at a significantly slowed pace from last year, when they totaled 265--the highest number since S&P started keeping track in 1981. This year's decline comes as the economy has shown improvement and companies continue to tap stock and bond markets for capital tults apiece. So-called distressed-debt exchanges account for 13. -By Nathan Becker, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2855; nathan.becker@dowjones.com; Click here to go to Dow Jones NewsPlus, a web front page of today's most important business and market news, analysis and commentary: http://www.djnewsplus.com/nae/al?rnd=onFASm%2FbgfZnBI0h0pWzNw%3D%3D. You can use this link on the day this article is published and the following day. (END) Dow Jones Newswires 06-25-10 1006ET Copyright (c) 2010 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 10:06 062510