Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Tue, May 1, 2012

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

‘Fracking’ rally aims at political cash trail
Buffalo News
Advocates for a ban on hydraulic fracturing staged a demonstration Monday in downtown Buffalo targeting some local politicians and National Fuel Gas Co.

How Will MLPs Fare With Weaker NGL Prices?
Seeking Alpha
One of the most important trends underway in North American energy markets has been the shift of drilling activity to fields rich in oil and natural gas liquids from plays that primarily produce natural gas.

Introducing Energy Transfer Partners
CSP
With its purchase of Sunoco Inc., Energy Transfer Partners LP immediately becomes one of the largest convenience store retailers in the country when it assumes Sunoco’s 4,900 retail locations.

Erie region’s National Fuel customers to see 4.1 percent price cut
Erie Times News
An abundant supply of natural gas, thanks to Marcellus Shale production and the warmer winter, has driven down costs again.

The ConocoPhillips refinery in Marcus Hook, Pa., was sold to Delta Air Lines today
Delaware Online
Delta Air Lines Inc. announced today it would buy the idled ConocoPhillips refinery in suburban Trainer as part of a $150 million deal that it hopes will cut its jet fuel bill by $300 million a year.

Energy Transfer Partners Could Face A Bidding War For Sunoco
Forbes.com
On a Monday packed with merger action, Sunoco and Energy Transfer Partners announced a merger agreement under which ETP would pay $5.3 billion for the crude oil logistics, retail, and pipeline company. While the deal is set to close in the third or fourth quarter, analysts at Citi suggest a higher bid for Sunoco could spark a bidding war that would be detrimental to ETP’s interests.

Anti-fracking group adds claims to surveillance suit
Post-gazette.com
Opponents of hydraulic fracturing in Luzerne County can add defamation and conspiracy claims to their suit against the private surveillance company the government allegedly hired to watch them, a federal judge has ruled.

Anadarko gets second location road use agreement
Coshocton Tribune
While counties surrounding Coshocton have horizontal hydraulic fracturing drilling activity, Anadarko Energy and Petroleum Co., with the county’s only horizontal permitted well, hasn’t started a test drill in Linton Township yet, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.