Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Mar 28, 2013

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

Ohio

Retail charged by shale, but jobs on layaway
Lancaster Eagle Gazette
Shale development has resuscitated the sales tax in eastern Ohio, according to a new report, but it has yet to deliver on the promise of jobs.

Employment Growth Here Could Be Right Around the Corner
Motley Fool
There is an emerging economic boom in Ohio thanks to the Utica Shale. However, while the region is beginning to see increased economic activity, one thing is clearly lacking: a coinciding increase in hiring. That has many Ohioans wondering where all the promised jobs are going.

This Is One Incredible CEO
Motley Fool
This week, I’m going to step out of the public arena and highlight a truly exceptional (and reclusive) CEO in the private sector, Jeffrey Hildebrand of Hilcorp Energy.

Pennsylvania

Krancer Mentioned as Possible Pennsylvania Supreme Court Nominee
NGI’s Shale Daily
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is looking for a new secretary to lead the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), but in a strange twist the outgoing secretary, Michael Krancer, is reportedly on a short list of names to replace a state Supreme Court justice who resigned Monday after being convicted on corruption charges.

DCNR chief defends drilling royalties funding shift
Scranton Times-Tribune
The state’s top conservation official said Wednesday he has no problem with relying more on royalties from oil and gas drilling to support operations of the state’s parks and forests.

West Virginia

Landowners group educates residents on oil and gas
Tyler Star News
Located in the heart of one of the richest Marcellus oil and gas formations of the world, Middle Island Marcellus and Utica Mineral and Landowners Group are educating local residents while marketing land as potential sites for oil and gas companies.

National

Shell’s CEO says gas will lead way
Boston Globe
Peter Voser, chief executive of the global energy company Royal Dutch Shell, said Thursday that the United States and the world need to increase the use of solar panels, wind turbines, and other renewable energy-generating sources to meet the growing demand for power, but abundant natural gas supplies present the most straightforward way to a cleaner future.

Cheap Natural Gas Pumping New Life Into U.S. Factories
New Hampshire Public Radio
The millions of Americans who lost factory jobs over the past decade may find this hard to believe, but U.S. manufacturing is coming back to life. The chest compressions are applied by the pumping of cheap, domestic natural gas.

Quartz
US oil, metals and chemical giants are at each other’s throats over shale gas
Rarely do the world’s energy-related companies–oil, gas, coal, chemicals–directly attack one another: The spoils are so large, and the dangers of blowback so pernicious, that no one wants to risk blowing the party for themselves. But the battle to monetize the US shale revolution is different.

Natural gas futures look bright
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Natural gas futures settled above $4 per million British thermal units for the first time since 2011, promising some relief for producers that have suffered decade-low prices in the past year.

Focusing on Natural Gas Prices
The Epoch Times
According to natural gas experts, natural gas exploration will suffer in the long run, and once there are shortages, prices will rise again. (Article also covers American LNG exports.)

Chesapeake CEO Search Extends Beyond Deadline
Fox Business
Chesapeake Energy Corp’s search for a new chief executive to replace Aubrey McClendon is likely to extend beyond an April 1 deadline, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Will Fracking Lead to Mideast Peace?
Real Clear World
In the brilliant speech he delivered on March 21 during his trip to Israel and Palestine, US President Obama finally seemed willing to engage actively with the Middle East peace process.