MDN Off Thursday & Friday, July 9-10
MDN will take off Thursday and Friday, July 9 & 10, as a brief summer vacation to spend time with family. We will return to catch you up on all the latest on Monday, July 13.
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Antero Resources | Bradford County | CNX Resources | Energy Companies | EOG Resources | EQT Corp | Expand Energy | Greene County (PA) | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Tuscarawas County | Tyler County | Washington County | Weekly Permits | West Virginia | Westmoreland County
28 New Shale Well Permits Reported for PA-OH-WV Jun 29 – Jul 5
The Marcellus/Utica region received 28 new drilling permits last week, June 29 – July 5, down 3 from two weeks ago. Last week, Pennsylvania issued 18 new permits. Ohio issued 4 new permits. And, West Virginia issued 6 new permits. The drillers who received new permits included: Antero Resources (6), CNX Resources (10), EOG Resources (4), EQT (1), Expand Energy (3), and Range Resources (4). Read More “28 New Shale Well Permits Reported for PA-OH-WV Jun 29 – Jul 5” -
Ohio Earned $314M (So Far) From Leasing State Lands for Fracking
Ohio’s program to lease state-owned land for fracking beneath it (never on top) has been an astonishing success. Ohio has earned $314 million from leasing roughly 22,000 acres of state parks and wildlife areas for fracking. Most came from signing bonuses: $62 million for 6,200 acres under Salt Fork State Park and $238 million for Jockey Hollow and Egypt Valley wildlife areas. Royalties have also begun flowing—Infinity Natural Resources has paid $11.3 million from Salt Fork production since October 2025. Read More “Ohio Earned $314M (So Far) From Leasing State Lands for Fracking” -
Northeastern States Position Themselves for Data Center Growth
Northeastern states outside established data center hubs are positioning for major growth that could reshape regional natural gas demand. Surprisingly, blue state Maryland is emerging as a secondary data center hub, supported by large hyperscale projects, new gas-fired generation, and transmission upgrades. Delaware is constrained by coastal regulation, while Massachusetts, Connecticut, and even the Communist state of Rhode Island are seeing proposals (although there is stiff opposition in all of those states). Maine is weighing large-load rules as a mill conversion advances, and New Hampshire and Vermont remain limited. Read More “Northeastern States Position Themselves for Data Center Growth” -
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Chesterfield County | Dominion Energy | Electrical Generation | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Virginia
CBF Supports Antis in Lawsuit to Block Dominion Va. Peaker Plants
Over the years, we have chronicled the far-left Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s (CBF) lawfare against fracking, gas-fired power plants, and pipelines (see our stories here). So it comes as no surprise that CBF is once again attacking a gas-related project in Virginia, Dominion Energy’s $1.47 billion natural gas plant in Chesterfield County. In February, the far-left Southern Environmental Law Center, representing three radical nonprofits, appealed the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s (SCC) approval of the Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center (see Radical Groups File Lawsuit to Block Dominion Va. Peaker Plants). CBF has just filed a “friend of the court” brief supporting the SCC’s lawfare against the project. Read More “CBF Supports Antis in Lawsuit to Block Dominion Va. Peaker Plants” -
EIA July STEO: Projected NatGas Spot Price Up a Tad for 2026, 2027
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) issued its latest monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) yesterday. Using the official EIA dartboard, the STEO is the agency’s monthly best estimate of where energy prices and production will go over the next 12 months. There was a revision to the agency’s prediction about the spot price (at the Henry Hub) for natural gas in 2026 and 2027. Last month, the EIA predicted 2026 would end up with an average HH price of $3.60/MMBtu and 2027 would see an average of $3.46/MMBtu. Yesterday, the EIA revised both numbers up by a few pennies. The agency sees an average price of $3.67 this year, up seven cents from last month, and $3.49 in 2027, up three pennies. Read More “EIA July STEO: Projected NatGas Spot Price Up a Tad for 2026, 2027” -
IGU World LNG Report 2026: Global LNG Hit Record 437 Mt in 2025
The International Gas Union’s 2026 World LNG Report shows global LNG trade hit a record high of 436.98 million tonnes (Mt) in 2025, up 6.3%—the strongest growth since 2022—driven by a 25.3 Mt surge in North American exports and Europe’s return as the key balancing market. Canada and Mauritania–Senegal became first-time exporters. Investment in new supply reached a six-year high. The LNG fleet grew 8.4% to 804 vessels, with 301 newbuilds on order, keeping freight rates depressed, while bunkering infrastructure expanded. Despite disruptions from the Gulf conflict that damaged infrastructure and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the IGU says LNG’s long-term demand outlook through 2035 remains intact. Read More “IGU World LNG Report 2026: Global LNG Hit Record 437 Mt in 2025” -
MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Wed, Jul 8, 2026
NATIONAL: U.S. natural gas futures settle with little change; Fed’s Williams stays optimistic as energy prices fall; US oil execs turn to Trump to topple Europe’s climate rules; The heat is political; INTERNATIONAL: Oil jumps after ship strikes spur US to revoke Iran sales waiver; Trump says ceasefire with Iran is over; LNG made up 45 percent of EU gas imports in 2025; Europe’s crisis is energy poverty, not a heat wave. Read More “MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Wed, Jul 8, 2026” -
Toby Rice: NatGas Will Surpass Petroleum as U.S.’s #1 Fuel by 2030
In a recent interview with Bloomberg, EQT CEO Toby Rice declared that natural gas is poised to surpass petroleum as America’s top energy source by 2030, ending oil’s 75-year dominance that began in 1950 when it overtook coal. In 2025, gas accounted for 36% of U.S. energy consumption, compared with petroleum’s 37%, with Rice predicting a crossover within a couple of years. The shale revolution’s cheap gas has displaced coal in power generation, fueled economic electrification, and complemented intermittent renewables, while flat gasoline demand — partly due to EVs — has stalled oil consumption. The EIA projects gas demand growing 3.4% through 2027 versus 0.6% for petroleum, and booming LNG exports add further momentum. Read More “Toby Rice: NatGas Will Surpass Petroleum as U.S.’s #1 Fuel by 2030” -
How Devon Energy’s “Three Waves of AI” is Transforming the Company
Following its May merger with Coterra Energy, Devon Energy is positioning AI as central to integration efforts while targeting $1 billion in annual pre-tax synergies by the end of 2027. The combined company—valued at over $60 billion with 1.6 million boe/d production—is concentrated in the Delaware Basin (70% of oil output), recently bolstered by a $2.6 billion New Mexico acreage acquisition, and includes Coterra’s 190,000-acre Marcellus position, which reportedly drew an $8 billion offer. Read More “How Devon Energy’s “Three Waves of AI” is Transforming the Company” -
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Schoharie County | Susquehanna County | Williams
DOE Sec. Wright Says Constitution Pipeline Project a “No-Brainer”
The Trump administration and its officials continue to aggressively push the Williams 125-mile Constitution Pipeline project, which would stretch from the prolific shale gas fields of Susquehanna County, PA, into and through New York State, to Schoharie County, NY, to move Marcellus gas into New York State and New England. In June, Trump EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin visited Binghamton to advocate for reviving the long-stalled project (see EPA Admin. Zeldin Stops in Binghamton to Push for Constitution Pipe). Last Thursday morning (July 2nd), Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright appeared on the Fox Business program Mornings with Maria (Bartiromo) to discuss the current state of energy here at home and around the world (including the Iran war). It was a question that Bartiromo posed to Wright near the end of the interview that piqued our interest. Read More “DOE Sec. Wright Says Constitution Pipeline Project a “No-Brainer”” -
How AI Data Centers Lost the PR War; Dems Swear Off Using AI
A rare bipartisan backlash against AI data centers has emerged, with more than 70 state and local governments passing restrictions or moratoriums due to concerns about water use, electricity consumption, noise, and utility rate hikes. Critics span the political spectrum, from Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to conservatives like Pennsylvania State Treasurer (and Republican candidate for Governor) Stacy Garrity. Public relations experts blame the industry’s failure to build trust, communicate transparently, and engage communities early, comparing tech companies’ top-down approach to the tobacco industry’s playbook. The consequences are mounting: 25 data center projects were canceled in 2025 — quadruple 2024’s total — while roughly 99 of 770 planned projects face local opposition. Pennsylvania is at risk of forfeiting some $92 billion in private investments (see Pittsburgh Energy Event Truly Mind-Blowing, $92B+ Investments for PA). Read More “How AI Data Centers Lost the PR War; Dems Swear Off Using AI” -
DOE Offers $150M to Boost Shale Recovery, Produced Water Solutions
Curt Coccodrilli, DOE Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary The U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office announced up to $150 million in cost-shared federal funding to advance three priorities for the domestic oil and gas industry: enhanced recovery from unconventional reservoirs, where recovery rates often fall below 10%; advanced characterization of hydraulic fracture propagation, proppant behavior, and well diagnostics; and field-testing of produced water treatment technologies to reduce disposal and enable reuse. The initiative supports President Trump’s “Unleashing American Energy” executive order, aiming to lower energy costs and strengthen energy dominance. Produced water challenges span the Permian and Appalachian basins. Applications are due September 8, 2026. Read More “DOE Offers $150M to Boost Shale Recovery, Produced Water Solutions”
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Shell Annual LNG Outlook Predicts Demand to Soar 65% by 2050
Shell, which dropped “Royal Dutch” from its name after leaving the Netherlands in 2022 due to high taxes and overregulation, is one of the world’s supermajors (oil and gas driller). Shell is also one of (perhaps THE) largest producers and vendors of LNG, or liquefied natural gas, worldwide. The company has just released its tenth annual LNG Outlook 2026 (full copy below), which highlights key trends in 2025 and hauls out the crystal ball to predict where things are heading over the next 25 years. Shell’s annual LNG outlook says shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz from the Iran war—which shut in roughly one-fifth of global monthly LNG supply—could keep 2026 global LNG trade flat if flows normalize within three months, with growth resuming in 2027. Read More “Shell Annual LNG Outlook Predicts Demand to Soar 65% by 2050” -
MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Tue, Jul 7, 2026
MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Data center supporters and critics argue over future in Pittsburgh area; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Gas production climbs faster than oil in Permian; Virginia’s return to RGGI is another ratepayer rip-off in the making; NATIONAL: U.S. natural gas futures rise on summer demand; Study projects $1 trillion needed for U.S. energy infrastructure by 2052; INTERNATIONAL: Oil slides to fresh five-month low as oversupply signals mount; Russia oil price falls to pre-Iran war level in blow to Kremlin; Qatari LNG carrier struck in Hormuz, testing US talks; Washington’s plan to neutralize Iran’s Hormuz leverage; Securing the oil and gas resources of the future. Read More “MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Tue, Jul 7, 2026” -
Energy Companies | Energy Services | EQT Corp | Halliburton | Patterson-UTI | West Virginia | Wetzel County
EQT Sets New U.S. Onshore Record for Deepest & Longest Shale Well
EQT Corporation, the largest driller in the Marcellus/Utica (based on M-U production), recently achieved two records with the same Marcellus well. EQT drilled not only the “deepest” shale well in the continental U.S. (by “measured depth”), but also the longest horizontal shale well (by lateral length). EQT’s Longwell 9H well, located in Wetzel County, West Virginia (near the Pennsylvania border), eclipses a record set by Expand Energy in 2025 in Marshall County, WV. Read More “EQT Sets New U.S. Onshore Record for Deepest & Longest Shale Well”