Marcellus Drilling News

Geauga County | Lease & Royalty Payments | Ohio

Akron About to Lease 475 Acres of Reservoir Land for Shale Drilling
January 13, 2021January 13, 2021

Geauga County, Ohio

Here’s a story that until now, has flown under our radar. The Akron, Ohio City Council has given initial approval for a deal that will allow shale drilling under (not on) 475 acres of public land located at the La Due Reservoir. The full City Council will vote on Jan. 25 to approve (or not) the deal. We have particulars for how much the city will get in a signing bonus and royalties…
Read More “Akron About to Lease 475 Acres of Reservoir Land for Shale Drilling”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Equitrans/EQT Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pipelines | Regulation

US Forest Service Issues Approval for MVP Thru Jefferson Forest
January 13, 2021January 13, 2021

In mid-December, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) issued an environmental impact statement (EIS) that supports plans for Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) to run through 3.5 miles of woodlands, and under the Appalachian Trail, in the Jefferson National Forest in Monroe County in West Virginia, in and Giles and Montgomery counties in Virginia (see US Forest Service Issues EIS Supporting MVP Thru Jefferson Forest). The good news is that yesterday USFS issued a final approval, which allows MVP to proceed with construction (once the BLM chimes in with a right-of-way grant and permit).
Read More “US Forest Service Issues Approval for MVP Thru Jefferson Forest”
Commodity Price | Industrywide Issues

Dominion South, Tennessee Pipe Zn 4 Gas Prices Hit New 1-Yr Highs
January 13, 2021January 13, 2021

click for larger version

The spot price of natural gas selling at the benchmark Henry Hub in southern Louisiana has been creeping up ever so gradually, but it’s still nothing to write home about (closed at $2.75 yesterday). However, the spot price at two of our favorite M-U locations to track–Dominion South (in southwestern PA) and Tennessee Gas Zone 4 Marcellus (in northeast PA)–have rocketed in the past month, closing yesterday at their highest levels in more than a year.
Read More “Dominion South, Tennessee Pipe Zn 4 Gas Prices Hit New 1-Yr Highs”
Industrywide Issues | Storage

Expert Says M-U Region is Heading for Methane, NGL Storage War
January 13, 2021June 28, 2021

Dan Billman, a consulting geologist and president of Billman Geologic Consultants, has 32 years of experience in the Appalachian Basin. Billman says there is a “war for porosity” happening in the Marcellus/Utica region, by which he means a critical shortage of underground storage for methane and natural gas liquids.
Read More “Expert Says M-U Region is Heading for Methane, NGL Storage War”
CNG/LNG | Commodity Price | Industrywide Issues

With Polar Vortex Coming, Boston & NYC May Need Russian LNG
January 13, 2021January 13, 2021

click for larger version

The last time a major polar vortex visited the northeastern United States was in January 2018, and it created such a huge demand for natural gas that Boston had to import Russian LNG to meet demand (see Confirmed: LNG Coming to Boston on Jan 22 is Illegal Russian Gas). Last January we had a cold snap but not a full-blown polar vortex, which almost caused New York City to import Russian LNG (see Will New York City Begin to Import Russian LNG Like Boston?). Guess what’s on the way to the northeast in about two weeks’ time?
Read More “With Polar Vortex Coming, Boston & NYC May Need Russian LNG”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

Panama Canal Becomes Bottleneck for U.S. LNG/LPG Heading to Asia
January 13, 2021January 13, 2021

The very first cargo of LNG to transit the expanded Panama Canal happened in July 2016 (see First LNG Carrier Transits the Expanded Panama Canal). Since that time hundreds of LNG cargoes have gone through the Canal. The Canal only allows two LNG carriers per day to transit through. It’s not enough. LNG carriers now have to wait 7-10 days to get through the Canal.
Read More “Panama Canal Becomes Bottleneck for U.S. LNG/LPG Heading to Asia”
Beaver County | Bradford County | Cameron County | Chesapeake Energy | Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Energy Companies | Gulfport Energy | Monroe County | Ohio | PennEnergy Resources | Pennsylvania | Seneca Resources | Susquehanna County | Weekly Permits | Wyoming County (PA)

Weekly Shale Drilling Permits for PA, OH, WV: Jan 4-8
January 13, 2021January 20, 2021

Two of three M-U drilling states received permits last week. Pennsylvania scored 10 permits to drill new shale wells. Ohio received 2 permits for Utica wells. West Virginia received no new permits to drill new shale wells.

NOTE: This post was updated on 1/14/21. We previously reported a set of 6 wells in WV in error–those wells received permits in 2020 and not 2021. Sorry! Thank you to a sharp MDN reader who flagged it for us.
Read More “Weekly Shale Drilling Permits for PA, OH, WV: Jan 4-8”
Best of the Rest

Other Stories of Interest: Wed, Jan 13, 2021
January 13, 2021January 13, 2021

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: EQT Foundation 2020 giving total exceeds $3.5M; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Berkeley to consider ending sale of most gas, diesel vehicles; NATIONAL: Nuclear and coal will account for majority of U.S. generating capacity retirements in 2021; U.S. natural gas benchmark price possibly climbing to $3.50 amid robust LNG demand; Analysts expect US natural gas in storage to decline 123 Bcf; INTERNATIONAL: Japanese spot LNG price highest since December 2018; U.S. tells European companies they face sanctions risk on Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
Read More “Other Stories of Interest: Wed, Jan 13, 2021”