| | | | | | | | |

Cuomo Rejects NESE Pipe Again, Williams Walks Away

Is it time to turn the gas off for New York City and let the people there reap the “benefits” of having a dictator, Andrew Cuomo, as their governor? On Friday the NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation, thoroughly and completely corrupted by Cuomo, issued yet another rejection for the critically-needed Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline project. It was the last straw for Williams, the builder of the project, which has walked away from the project. Gas customers on Long Island, including parts of NYC, now face the real prospect of running out of natural gas (this is not an exaggeration). Andrew Cuomo is the grossest, most corrupt governor in NY’s history.
Continue reading

| | | | | |

Lawsuit Seeking to Gut FERC Eminent Domain for MVP has Failed

Yet another lawsuit trying to emasculate the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) by attacking its right to delegate eminent domain authority to pipeline builders has been tossed in federal court. Several of these cases have been tried using Marcellus/Utica pipeline projects. This latest case was brought by uppity, privileged landowners in Virginia against the Equitrans Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project.
Continue reading

| | | |

Massive Hike in PA Shale Permit Fees Coming at June 3 Meeting

In Ohio, it costs drillers $5,500 to file for and receive a permit to drill a new shale well. In West Virginia, the cost is $10,150. In Pennsylvania, it currently costs drillers $5,000 for a new shale well permit. Following an upcoming meeting by the state Independent Regulatory Review Commission on June 3, PA’s permit fee will zoom to the top of the M-U list: $12,500 (2 1/2 times the previous fee).
Continue reading

|

The Origins of Diversified Gas & Oil – From 1 to 60,000 Wells

Rusty Hutson, Jr. (credit: Tyler Star News)

We’ve always found Diversified Gas & Oil (DGO) a fascinating company (see our DGO stories here). DGO’s strategy is to seek out wells in “the long tail.” That is, wells already along the decline curve. In the first two years after a shale well is drilled, it produces something like 75% (rough numbers) of all the oil and gas it will ever produce. As time goes on, production greatly tapers off.
Continue reading

| | |

PA Awards $3.3M in PIPE Grants to Extend NatGas Serv in 6 Locales

Last week MDN brought you the news of another Pennsylvania Pipeline Investment Program (PIPE) grant being issued–this one in Luzerne County, near Wilkes-Barre (see New PIPE Grant to Fund Gas for Homes, Biz Near Scranton Airport). We jumped the gun. That Luzerne PIPE grant, for $1.5 million, was part of six such new grants issued by PA to fund pipeline projects in five counties.
Continue reading

| | | | | | | | |

M-U Drillers See New Interest from Bond (Debt) Investors

Wow! What a difference three months can make. In January Moody’s Investors Service downgraded EQT Corporation’s bonds to “junk” status (see Moody’s Downgrades EQT Debt to Junk Status Following Write-Down). A few weeks later Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings downgraded the credit rating for six of the biggest Marcellus/Utica drillers, including EQT (see S&P Downgrades Credit Rating for Six Big Marcellus/Utica Drillers). Once thought risky and speculative, investors seem to have changed their minds about investing in M-U debt. They’re taking a second look.
Continue reading

Shale Energy Stories of Interest: Mon, May 18, 2020

OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Largest Wyoming gas producer, taxpayer files for bankruptcy; DTE may switch to natural gas at four coal-fired plants; NATIONAL: EIA expects lower natural gas production in 2020; Natural gas prices could double next year; Liberal-leaning states target EPA in new lawsuit; Why U.S. oil and natural gas demand will rebound from COVID-19; Why predictions for the demise of U.S. shale are “premature”.
Continue reading