| | |

IFO: PA Natural Gas Production Hits New All-Time High in 2Q19

Yesterday the PA Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released their latest quarterly Natural Gas Production Report for April through June 2019 (full copy below). It shows natgas production rose 14.5% compared to the same period last year–to yet another new all-time high of 1,667 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas. Put another way, that’s 1.7 TRILLION cubic feet of gas produced over a three-month period. There has now been an unbroken chain of quarter-over-quarter increases in horizontal shale gas production in PA for twelve consecutive quarters (three years running).
Continue reading

| | | | | | |

Fed Judge Upholds Maryland Decision to Block Pipe Under Potomac

In May, Columbia Gas Transmission was forced to haul the State of Maryland into court over the state’s refusal to grant an easement to drill a tiny 3.5-mile pipeline under the Potomac River (see Columbia Gas Sues Maryland to Allow Pipeline Under Potomac). In June, Maryland’s anti-fossil fuel Attorney General, Brian Frosh, asked a federal court to dismiss the lawsuit (see Maryland Asks Fed Court to Dismiss Lawsuit Questioning Pipe Rejection). Yesterday a liberal judge with the U.S. District Court in Baltimore sided with Frosh, sadly.
Continue reading

| | | | |

Man Pleads Guilty to Bypassing Emissions Controls on Marc. Trucks

Last September MDN brought you news that six men had been charged with conspiring to illegally alter emission systems on 30+ trucks with heavy-duty diesel engines used to haul water and wastewater to and from Marcellus Shale wells (see 6 Charged with Bypassing Emissions Controls on Marcellus Trucks). The sixth and final man charged plead guilty yesterday in U.S. Middle District Court in Pennsylvania.
Continue reading

| | | | |

Antis Want Pipeline Work in Beaver County Stopped for 6 Months

We should have seen this one coming (but didn’t). Yesterday MDN told you that the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) had revoked the right of the Beaver County Conservation District (BCCD) to issue and monitor permits for erosion and sediment control, two permits used in building both pipelines and drill pads (see PA DEP Revokes Beaver County Right to Issue Pipe, Drilling Permits). Antis are now screaming for the DEP to suspend all pipeline work in the county for six months in order to review previously issued permits by BCCD.
Continue reading

| | | | |

PA PUC Closes Investigation of ME2 Pipeline Fart Near Philly

Two weeks ago MDN told you about an incident near Philadelphia in which the flare stack at a Mariner East 2 (ME2) pipeline pump station ignited causing a loud noise, which we likened to flatulence (see PA Antis Trying to Turn ME2 Pipeline Fart into an “Explosion”). We caught he!! on social media for using that reference (hit a real nerve). Here’s the conclusion of that little episode of pipeline flatulence…
Continue reading

| | | | |

PA PUC Cautions Lawmakers Against Sharing Too Much Pipe Info

In 2006 the Pennsylvania State Legislature passed a bill (signed into law) that protects certain information about pipelines from being divulged via open records requests. It’s all too easy for terrorists (foreign or domestic) to use that information to inflict pain and suffering, even death–or to stop the flows along those pipelines. Good law, good call. But now several PA House members from the Philadelphia area want to pass a new law that would repeal the 2006 law–all in the name of pipeline “transparency.”
Continue reading

| |

US Shale Companies Turn Cash Flow Positive in 2Q19

Everyone knows that shale drilling is a house of cards, right? Just look at shale gas drillers in the northeast. Company stock prices down 90% over the past 5-10 years. Yuck. And don’t even get us started talking about shale oil companies (filthy monsters). Their balance sheets and share prices are even *worse* than shale gas drilling companies! They NEVER make any money. EVER! Shale oil companies just keep getting new investors to invest so they can pay off old investors, like a Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. Except–what if the media narrative pounded into your head day in and day out isn’t true? What if shale companies are actually (gasp) making money?
Continue reading

Shale Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Aug 22, 2019

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Not enough students to fill positions in northeast PA; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Commonwealth LNG files for FERC permit application; Longmeadow approves zoning change to block natural gas infrastructure; Carbon taxes have failed globally, but the left-leaning Denver city council will vote to impose one locally; NATIONAL: Challenging times for U.S. shale: The industry has seen it all before; INTERNATIONAL: Legal tussle prevents $2.5 billion gas pipeline to Mexico from opening.
Continue reading