Marcellus Drilling News

Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Crime | Energy Services | GreenHunter Resources | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Trucking | Washington County (OH) | Wastewater

Protesters Get Violent, Shut Down OH Frack Water Plant
February 21, 2013February 21, 2013

GreenHunter Energy operates a bulk storage and shipping facility near New Matamoras (Washington County), Ohio for salt water (“brine”) that comes from shale wells long after they are drilled and fracked. Brine is naturally occurring water from deep below the ground—water without chemicals from fracking—it just contains a lot of minerals. That fact doesn’t seem to matter to some obtuse protesters.

Yesterday, a group of 100 or so protesters, organized by an extremist group called Appalachia Resist!, stormed the New Matamoras brine facility and shut it down. They engaged in criminal acts by plugging the toilets, stealing keys and in general terrorizing the employees at the facility. Ten of the protesters were arrested (their names, ages and home cities are listed below). More will be charged once police are done reviewing video tapes of the incident.

You may be interested to know that almost all of the people arrested were from other states—not even Ohio residents. GreenHunter is pressing charges, which includes felony counts and possibly charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

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Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies

Chesapeake Probe Clears McClendon of Any Financial Misconduct
February 21, 2013February 21, 2013

Chesapeake Energy’s board of directors issued a statement yesterday stating their independent internal probe into the financial dealings of current and soon-to-be-former CEO Aubrey McClendon is now complete. The verdict? He’s not guilty of any financial misconduct. The board also says the company is not guilty of antitrust violations in the case of Michigan’s auction of oil and gas leases in 2010.

This is good news for McClendon. However, he’s not out the woods just yet. There are still Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigations in progress.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY Landowner Group Asks Members to Flood Cuomo with Letters/Calls
February 21, 2013February 21, 2013

The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) is putting out the word to its 77,000 members to contact Gov. Andrew Cuomo and let him know that a) they vote, and b) they won’t forget if he doesn’t allow fracking to move forward now, by the end of February. They’re encouraging members to print out and send him a couple of form letters (see them below), as well as call the governor’s office—repeatedly. This is a “numbers game” now according the JLCNY. They want to roar so Gov. Ditherer hears it loud and clear.

Here’s the email MDN received from the JLCNY announcing their latest initiative:

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Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Warren County | Wastewater

NW PA Frack Wastewater Injection Well Begins Operation
February 21, 2013February 21, 2013

A new fracking wastewater injection well in northwest Pennsylvania has just opened for business. Bear Lake Properties in Warren County (near the New York border) is now accepting Marcellus Shale wastewater, although for now they’re only accepting the wastewater produced from their own drilling activities.

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Energy Companies | EXCO Resources

EXCO Resources 2012 Update: Marcellus Production Up 73%
February 21, 2013February 21, 2013

EXCO Resources reported their fourth quarter and full 2012 numbers yesterday. As part of the update, they also included the following brief update on their Marcellus Shale drilling activities for last year:

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Energy Companies | Southwestern Energy

Southwestern Energy’s 2012 Report: Marcellus Production Up 130%
February 21, 2013February 21, 2013

Southwestern Energy, a major Marcellus Shale driller, issued its 2012 financial and operational update yesterday. Among the highlights: Southwestern spent $507 million on their Marcellus drilling program in 2012, which included drilling and putting into operation 92 wells. Gross production from the company’s operated wells in the Marcellus increased from 133 MMcf per day at the beginning of 2012 to approximately 300 MMcf per day by year-end, and total net production was 53.6 Bcf in 2012, up 130% from 23.4 Bcf in 2011. It’s full speed ahead for Southwestern in the Marcellus Shale.

Here’s portions from yesterday’s update that are relevant to Southwestern’s Marcellus operations:

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Energy Companies | Gastar Exploration | Marshall County | West Virginia

Gastar’s 2012 Update: 38 WV Marcellus Wells Now in Production
February 21, 2013February 21, 2013

Today Gastar released 2012 numbers and an operational update for their drilling activities in the Marcellus Shale. Among the highlights: Gastar’s proved reserves increased 51% in 2012. By the end of last year, Gastar was operating 38 Marcellus Shale wells—all of them in the wet gas region of Marshall County, WV.

Here’s the rundown on the numbers, including an operational update, for Gastar’s Marcellus activities in 2012:

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Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Feb 21, 2013
February 21, 2013February 21, 2013

The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:

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