Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pennsylvania | Processing Plants | Regulation | Statewide PA
Gov Wolf to Veto Bill Attracting Cracker-Type Investment to NEPA
Pennsylvania House Bill (HB) 1100, aimed at attracting NEW petrochemical investment to the state, is due to be voted on (and passed) by the PA Senate this week. Gov. Tom Wolf (liberal Democrat) has vowed to veto the bill–denying the state billions of economic stimulus it could receive. Why the veto? Your guess is as good as ours. Likely because it will encourage more use of PA’s abundant natural gas supplies, and that doesn’t sit well with radicalized enviro types.
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Yesterday we received a somewhat strange note from the Delaware River Basin Commission. We’re subscribed to receive communications from the DRBC relating to the PennEast Pipeline project. The DRBC note says that PennEast has withdrawn their application seeking permission from the DRBC to use or discharge water from the basin during the construction of the pipeline project. DRBC doesn’t quite know what to make of the request and says they are “currently reviewing the letter” and have “no additional comment at this time.” Oooo…chilly.
In January the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) finally, after more than a year, allowed Energy Transfer to restart the final bits of construction needed to complete the Mariner East 2 (ME2) pipeline project (see 
According to our favorite government agency, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the price of natural gas will, on average, remain below $4 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf) for (gasp)–the next 30 years. You read that right. Lower for longer is, according to EIA, the reality for the next full generation. EIA recently released its “Annual Energy Outlook 2020” (full copy below). In addition to low gas prices, EIA predicts that so-called renewables will eclipse natural gas in electricity production by 2050. We say: When pigs fly.
Last Thursday MDN editor Jim Willis had the pleasure of pre-recording an appearance on the radio program Shale Gas News, co-hosted by Jim’s friend Bill desRosiers (from Cabot Oil & Gas). We have the recorded segment below. In the interview, Jim offers up the main “threats” that he sees for the Marcellus/Utica (indeed all shale drilling) in 2020.
MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Philly refinery’s former owner, Sunoco, files formal objection ahead of bankruptcy sale; Sanders’ proposed fracking ban would cost him Pennsylvania and probably the election; Veolia Water Technologies may close Moon Township office; Cabot to provide lunch at Susquehanna County Ag Day; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Kean, Thompson slam Gov. Murphy’s energy master plan to shut off natural gas by 2050; Flurry of changes continue in Texas Gulf Coast gas markets; NATIONAL: U.S. crude oil and natural gas production increased in 2018, with 10% fewer wells; Elizabeth Warren’s gas royalties; US natural gas prices continue freefall this winter; Natural gas waits for spring; INTERNATIONAL: Natural gas won’t decarbonize shipping, but the fuel is here to stay; Cruise ships switching fuel to cleaner liquefied natural gas.