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GreenHunter Out of Bankruptcy, Merges with Fountain Quail Disposal

Kirk Trosclair
Kirk Trosclair

In December we reported the sad news that Magnum Hunter Resources (MHR) finally had to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection (see Sad Day: Magnum Hunter Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy). MHR has a variety of subsidiary companies. One of those companies, GreenHunter Resources (water and wastewater) also succumbed and filed for bankruptcy in March (see Another Sad Day: GreenHunter Resources Files for Bankruptcy). “Restructuring” as it’s called, was completed for GreenHunter in May and the company emerged from bankruptcy under the ownership of a private equity firm. GreenHunter has shed its name and merged with/taken on a new name: Fountain Quail Disposal. The CEO of Fountain Quail is the former Executive Vice President and COO of GreenHunter, Kirk Trosclair. So Trosclair survived the bankruptcy process, unlike his former boss Gary Evans (see Magnum Hunter Emerges from Bankruptcy with CEO Gary Evans Gone). Here’s what we know about GreenHunter becoming Fountain Quail Disposal…
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Friendsville, Maryland Pulls the Trigger, Commits Fracking Suicide

FriendsvilleBoom. The trigger was pulled and the depressed mental patient–in this case the Friendsville Town Council, has committed fracking suicide. MDN told you in March that the unfriendly people of Friendsville, Maryland were contemplating fracking suicide (see Friendsville, Maryland Votes to Commit Fracking Suicide). There was still hope that in the end Friendsville could be talked out of an enormously stupid, life-altering action. No more. On Tuesday the Town Council voted 5-1 to approve a permanent ban. You may recall there currently is no fracking in the entire state (see Maryland’s Pusillanimous Gov Allows Frack Moratorium to Become Law). Recently, however, the Maryland Dept. of the Environment (MDE) held a series of three public hearings to elicit feedback on fracking rules with an eye toward releasing them soon (see Anti Circus/Freak Show in W Maryland – Complete with Animals). Perhaps that’s what pushed the unfriendly folks in Friendsville to pull the trigger…
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Rover, Leach XPress Pipelines Become BFFs to Fix FERC Objection

BFFThis is how it works with adults, those who wear “big boy pants.” A few weeks ago the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) told Energy Transfer that their Rover pipeline, a $3.7 billion, 711-mile Marcellus/Utica natural gas pipeline that will run from PA, WV and eastern OH through OH into Michigan and eventually into Canada, and Columbia Pipeline that their Leach XPress pipeline, running from Marshall County, WV through Ohio to Leach, KY, that a small section where the pipelines cross must be reworked or it’s a “no go” for both projects (see FERC Tells Rover, Leach XPress Pipes to Redesign Routes in SE OH). Faced with the prospect of not getting an approval, both companies got together in a conference room and figured out how to work together–fast. Both companies have just filed a detailed plan with FERC that says the two pipelines will co-locate their pipelines in the same trench for a 13-mile span in Monroe County, OH to avoid the problems outlined by FERC…
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Marcellus Gas has Major Impact on Canadian NatGas Imports/Exports

CERIThe Canadian Energy Research Institute (CERI) recently released the “Canadian Natural Gas Market Review” (full copy of the 159-page report embedded below). The study looks at the future of Canada’s natural gas upstream (i.e. drilling) industry, taking into consideration the history of the industry, changing market dynamics due to the advancements in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technology, the recent drop in oil and natural gas prices, and policy developments (i.e. government interference). In the Executive Summary, which we include immediately below, you’ll read that the Canadians have a lot to say about the Marcellus Shale. Canada is importing more natgas than ever–because of cheap, abundant, clean-burning Marcellus Shale gas in the northeast. The report also comments on Canada’s chances of becoming a big exporter of gas via LNG. Canada can, theoretically, increase its own natgas production by 65% over the next 20 years–but only if a number of planned LNG export facilities go online to provide a market for all of that gas…
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Obama Clean Power Plan Tries to Pick Energy Winners & Losers

EIAWe’ve written plenty about President Obama’s so-called Clean Power Plan (CPP), introduced last summer, a plan to force electric generators to convert to using more “renewable” sources of energy–and less fossil fuels (see Obama Stabs Natural Gas Electric Plants in Clean Power Plan). The CPP outright assassinates coal powered generation, and wounds (but doesn’t kill) natural gas. It is Obama’s attempt at picking winners and losers in who and how we get our energy. We all saw how that worked out with Solyndra. Earlier this year 29 states and state agencies, including Ohio and West Virgina, filed an application with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking an immediate stay of the CPP (see 29 States Ask Supreme Court to Stop Obama Clean Power Plan ASAP). In a shock decision, the Supreme Court did just that (see Supreme Court Shocker – Justices Halt Obama’s Clean Power Plan). While we wait for the case to work its way through the Court of Appeals, and then (likely) on to the Supreme Court, states and companies are in limbo. Some are pushing forward with an attempt to comply with the onerous rules and regulations that are part of the CPP. Our favorite U.S. Senator, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, is telling states and companies they should NOT comply, according to the Supreme Court’s decision. The U.S. Energy Information Administration has played “what if?” with CPP compliance. How will the electric power generation mix look if the CPP is adopted as proposed, if it’s not adopted, or if it’s adopted in a revised form. Which sources of energy production win, and which ones lose, under such scenarios?…
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Time to Stop Antis Gaining “Intervenor” Status with FERC

FERC logoMDN first alerted you to a sleazy tactic used to slow down the pipeline approval process in October 2015 (see Delaware Riverkeeper Scams FERC in Review of PennEast Pipeline). In short, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has a process known as a motion to intervene. Individuals, towns and organizations with a vested, *legitimate* interest can file to “intervene” in a pipeline project application, which gives them special standing to receive updates from FERC and to ensure their views are fully considered by FERC. THE Delaware Riverkeeper and others began registering everyone–including their own children–as “intervenors” which essentially overloads FERC’s system and greatly slows down the permitting process (ses FERC Confirms “Intervenors” Slowing Down Pipeline Approvals). It is an abuse of the system, but then anti groups are no strangers to violating the rules, or laws. After Riverkeeper began to use this tactic it caught on with other anti groups (see Intervenor Contagion Catching on with Radical Green Groups in NE). It has become a serious issue. Finally, one company is fighting back. Rio Grande LNG recently filed a request with FERC asking the agency to reject many/most of the applications to intervene in approving their LNG project. Lawyers for Rio Grande say the intervenor applications are not filled out properly and missing important information–and that FERC should deny those requests. It’s about time! Other companies, including pipeline companies in the northeast, need to do the same thing. It’s time to fight fire with fire…
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73% of Mass. Residents Support Using NatGas to Generate Electric

Survey saysA poll recently conducted for Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) shows that Massachusetts voters believe that energy issues are important, and that Massachusetts voters STRONGLY support the use of natural gas for electricity generation, AND the expansion of existing natural gas infrastructure. Some 73% of Mass. voters want to use natural gas to generate electricity. That is an astonishing majority in a very liberal state. Some 68% of those voters say energy issues will affect how they vote in November. Here’s the results…
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EY: Investors Itching to Spend Money in the Oil & Gas Sector

EYMore money is on the way to the oil and gas sector–so says powerhouse consulting and accounting firm Ernst & Young. An EY survey, titled “Capitalizing on opportunities: Private equity investment in oil and gas” (full copy below) says there is close to $1 trillion in private equity waiting to be invested across all sectors. Some 43% of private equity investors say they are looking to spread some of that money in the oil and gas space. The question is, which region(s) of the world will see appreciable amounts of that investment?…
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Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Jul 7, 2016

best of the restThe “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading. In today’s lineup: Appalachian driller stocks soared in 1H16; David Einhorn sells 7M shares of CONSOL; OH now as 1,334 shale wells producing; PA PUC approves plans to replace aging natgas pipelines; oil price rally is now over, says world’s #1 oil trader; Crazy Bernie and his anti-fracking friends; US natgas future shines brighter; OPEC worked to screw US shale; and more!

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