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New Ohio Injection Well Launches in Tuscarawas County

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Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc., long known for providing stone quarries and asphalt plants in Pennsylvania and Ohio, provides civil construction services for shale well sites. The company is also involved in water withdrawal and treatment, logistics of supplies and the creation of specialized aggregate products for the shale industry. Hawbaker recently held an open house to launch the startup of its very first shale wastewater injection well–in Newcomerstown (Tuscarawas County), Ohio. Hawbaker held a Grand Opening Open House for their injection well last week. What’s that? You don’t think injecting wastewater in the ground is a good thing? We’d like a chance to change your mind about that…
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Sections of Mountain Valley Pipe Wash onto Landowner’s Property

It’s one thing for mud and sediment to wash away from a pipeline drilling site due to heavy and relentless rains–as we have experienced in the northeast these past few months. But it’s another thing entirely when actual sections pipeline sitting at the construction site float away! That happened in Franklin County, Virginia last Thursday. The landowner, who was (and is) opposed to the 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline from slicing through his property, has complained repeatedly about erosion and sediment from the construction path spilling over onto his farmland. Friday morning he woke up to MVP pipes washed onto his cornfield following torrential rains and wind, the leftovers of Hurricane Michael.
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Antero Resources Provides Update on Barbour County, WV

Location of Barbour County, WV

You don’t hear much about shale drilling in Barbour County, WV. In fact, the last time we tagged a post for Barbour was in 2013! (see CONSOL Buys 90K WV Marcellus/Upper Devonian Acres, Well Report). Let’s be honest–Barbour is not a hotbed of drilling activity. Antero Resources’ VP Al Schopp recently provided an update on Barbour at a local Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Antero owns no active wells in the county, but has paid out money in severance and property taxes (perhaps a joint ownership in some wells?). Regardless, Al did his homework and provided excellent up-to-date numbers for what is (and is not) happening in Barbour with respect to shale drilling.
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The Fight to Install Last 9 Miles of 200-Mile Pipeline in VA Beach

Here’s a project we have not actively tracked in the past–but recently popped up on our radar. Virginia Natural Gas’ “Southside Connector” project is a roughly 9-mile pipeline from Norfolk, VA to Chesapeake, VA that company officials say will fill a gap between two main supply lines. A 24-inch pipe will be installed at least 3 feet deep and cross under the Elizabeth River, which has prompted the owner of a shipyard on the river to object. As is typical of these things, antis are involved. Virginia Natural Gas’ president has responded to that opposition (i.e. lies) with a letter to the editor to defend what is the final leg of a 200-mile project begun back in 1992.
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Senators Urge EPA to Fix Pipeline Project Abuses by States Like NY

Hey Andy Cuomo: Your days of blocking pipeline projects are numbered. There’s momentum building in Washington, D.C. to address the issue of rogue politicians like Cuomo from blocking federally-approved interstate pipeline projects, as Cuomo has done with several such projects (Constitution Pipeline, Northern Access, Millennium). There’s talk among Team Trump to fix this problem (see Pipeline Relief Coming 2019? Trump Targeting States Like NY). A bill was floated in the U.S. Senate this summer to fix “loopholes” in the Clean Water Act (CWA), the federal law states like NY are using to block pipeline projects (see US Senate Bill Fixes States Blocking Pipelines via Water Permits). And now, five U.S. Senators have sent a letter to EPA’s Acting Administrator, Andrew Wheeler, asking him to either tweak existing regulations or suggest new laws to fix the situation, asap.
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PA Gov. Tom Wolf Fakes Interest in Philly Refinery Jobs

PA Gov. Tom Wolf

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is a sleazy politician of the highest order. Wolf is hilariously urging President Trump “to protect Pennsylvania refinery workers by reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in the wake of the president directing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to benefit ethanol producers in other states.” That’s after Wolf himself shafted those same refinery workers he pretends to want to help, just two years ago. Let us explain.
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Energy Stories of Interest: Mon, Oct 15, 2018

The “best of the rest”–stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading: PA House whiffs on fair gas royalties; PDC Logic becomes Taurex Drill Bits; Fragile pipelines pose an increasing risk in gas-hungry U.S.; Natural gas storage likely to enter winter at lowest levels since 2005; Does the price of oil even matter?; China on pace to become top natural gas importer in 2018; Protesters block Cuadrilla as fracking re-starts at Lancashire drill site.
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