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Franklin Park Turns Down $1M+ to Drill Under Linbrook Park

The political “leaders” in Franklin Park (Allegheny County, near Pittsburgh) have decided to reject a proposal to drill a shale well under (not on) the 80-acre Linbrook Park. With a signing bonus of $283,500 plus 18% royalties, the Franklin Park Borough would have seen revenue of *at least* $1 million. Talk about stupid.
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Was PA Supreme Court Right to Tax Strippers? PIOGA Pushes Back

Did the Pennsylvania Supreme Court err in its judgment declaring so-called “stripper wells” can be taxed under the 2012 Act 13 law, slapped with an impact fee assessment, if those wells produce more than 90 thousand cubic feet per day (Mcf/d) of gas in a single month (see PA Supreme Court Rules Strippers Not Exempt from Impact Fee)? We have a different take on the high court’s decision than others.
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County DA’s ME2 Pipe Criminal Probe Evidence: Instagram Post

Chester County DA Tom Hogan, conducting a sham criminal investigation of ME2 Pipeline

Since when did calling a woman on Instagram a “retard” and a “c–t” become a crime? Sure, the language is crude and offensive. But a crime?! A pipeline worker in the Philly area used that language responding (in exasperation) to an anti, and his comments appear to be all the evidence Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan has so far in his “criminal” probe of Mariner East 2 pipeline.
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Franklin County, Va. Approves MVP Gate Station Permit

Despite setbacks from Big Green groups launching a blizzard of lawsuits and regulatory challenges, Equitrans’ (EQT Midstream) 300-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) is now 70% built (see Shocker: Mountain Valley Pipeline Now 70% Built, Online by 4Q19). The project continues to see positive momentum, the latest example coming from Franklin County, Va.
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Moratorium on New NatGas Customers Coming in NYC Area

Consolidated Edison (Con Ed) and National Grid–both large utilities that operate in New York City and its suburbs–are warning that unless new natural gas pipelines are built to the NYC region, they will slap a moratorium on hooking up any new natgas customers. Andrew Cuomo’s chickens are now coming home to roost.
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Finalists Announced for 2019 Northeast Oil & Gas Awards

Once again Marcellus Drilling News is happy to partner with and support the Oil & Gas Awards, for 2019. The Awards boys have just released the of finalists for the Northeast Awards, being held March 14 in Pittsburgh. This year six of the entrants for the awards contracted with MDN editor Jim Willis to help them prepare their entries. It was a blast for Jim to dig in and understand more about the companies submitting an application for the awards–and to help them craft what we hope are winning entries! Jim worked with some true professionals from the companies entering the awards, it was a pleasure. Below is a list of the finalists. Good luck!
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Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Jan 17, 2019

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Gov. Wolf re-nominates Pat McDonnell for DEP, Cindy Dunn for DCNR secretary; Tri-State Shale Coalition helping region compete; Canadian engineering firm opens first U.S. office in Pittsburgh; FERC: West Rockhill site ‘optimal’ for compressor station; NATIONAL: EIA expects relatively flat natural gas prices, continued record production through 2020; EIA forecasts world crude oil prices to rise gradually, averaging $65 per barrel in 2020; Frack jobs peaked last May/June; The top Oil & Gas industry trends to watch in 2019; U.S. natural gas demand for electricity can only grow; FERC appointment critical to setting market-driven energy policy; Exxon argues for Texas justice as it defends self from climate change lawsuits; Shell names new Upstream director; EPA nominee Wheeler would not call climate change ‘the greatest crisis’ facing the planet.
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