Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Mon, Apr 2, 2012

The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:

eCORP and STEP enter into MOU; will allow oil and gas field development in Southern Tier
Towanda Daily Review
eCORP International, LLC and Southern Tier Energy Partners, LLC (STEP) have announced that they have executed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop up to 135,000 acres of Marcellus Shale and to introduce environmentally compatible oil and gas field development technology in the Southern Tier of New York State.

Oil lease bonanza
Marietta Times
Many people are hoping for a financial windfall as a result of leasing the mineral rights on their property for Utica shale exploration.

Size not only factor in selection of law firm for shale work
Post-gazette.com
The seemingly overnight explosion of the Marcellus Shale play has attracted law firms of all sizes and practices from both inside and outside of Pennsylvania.

Environmental group looks beyond impact fee law
The Citizens’ Voice
As county officials face a looming April 16 deadline to levy a Marcellus Shale drilling fee on 2012 production, an environmental group is urging state officials to address a host of drilling issues that are not covered by the new state impact fee law.

NOVA prepares to reinvest
ICIS Chemical Business Americas
By the end of 2013, ethane from the Marcellus Shale gas field will start flowing through NOVA Chemicals ‘ cracker in Corunna, Canada, putting it in line to be the first to turn the basin’s natural gas liquids into petrochemicals.

Ohio shale jobs likely to be filled by outsiders, for now
Chillicothe Gazette
In a white-walled classroom, a dozen men sit around cafeteria-style tables as their instructor talks to them about the basics of shale gas drilling, popularly called fracking.

Marcellus drilling watchdog group strengthens its ranks
PittsburghLive.com
A Mountain Watershed Association community organizer has added about 15 people to her army of citizen watchdogs who will monitor Marcellus shale natural gas drilling operations.

Consumer Energy Alliance Mid-Atlantic Director Writes to Patch
Patch.com
In response to Marcellus Shale discussions on this website , the Baldwin-Whitehall Patch received the following email on March 27.

Engineering firm to open office in Steubenville
Weirton Daily Times
Houston-based Audubon Engineering is opening a field office in a 3,000-square-foot building in the heart of Steubenville, potentially creating as many as 20 jobs.

Gross gas production up in January, led by Marcellus, Colorado drilling
SNL Financial
Monthly data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration on March 29 showed domestic natural gas production in the Lower 48 rose 0.36 Bcf/d, or 0.5%, to 72.85 Bcf/d in January, up from a revised 72.49 Bcf/d in December 2011.

High Methane in Pennsylvania Water Deemed Safe by EPA
Bloomberg
Tests by the Environmental Protection Agency of water in Dimock, Pennsylvania , found elevated levels of methane consistent with leakage from gas drilling nearby, according to scientists who reviewed the data.