Everus U.S. Rig Count Passes 500, Marcellus @ 33 (+1), Utica @ 11
Some good news to share as we exit yet another work week. The Enverus U.S. rig count pushed to a fresh 11-month high in the week ended March 17, passing by the 500-mark (502 active rigs). Oil rigs climbed by 4 to 375 (although the Permian lost 2 rigs). Gas rigs were up 6 at 127 active rigs. The Marcellus dropped 2 rigs but gained 1 for a net +1 addition. The Utica stayed even. The M-U collectively had 44 active rigs operating over the past week. The M-U’s primary competitor for rigs, the gassy Haynesville, gained a rig and operated 47 rigs over the past week.
Read More “Everus U.S. Rig Count Passes 500, Marcellus @ 33 (+1), Utica @ 11”
Here’s another “XPress” pipeline to add to Columbia’s (TC Energy’s) long list of other XPress pipelines: East Lateral XPress. Columbia has built a number of XPress pipelines, including Gulf XPress, Mountaineer XPress, WB Xpress, Leach XPress, Rayne XPress, Buckeye XPress, and Louisiana XPress, all of which work together to flow (in part) Marcellus/Utica natural gas to points south, including to the Gulf Coast (
Shale and conventional oil and gas drillers in West Virginia listen up: If you file for a modification to a previously filed permit request, it’s going to cost you $2,500. Currently, it costs nothing. Senate Bill (SB) 404 passed the Senate last week unanimously. On Wednesday the House of Delegates approved it by a vote of 77-22. We expect Gov. Jim Justice will sign it.
Really Dick? This is what you spend your time on these days? Digging up long-addressed and settled and resolved actions (from SIX YEARS ago)–old infractions by pipeline companies like Energy Transfer’s Rover Pipeline. Claiming you will “not look the other way” when there’s a violation (a violation that happened long before you were even a FERC Commissioner). Whoa, you’re such a big man. So self-righteous. Glick is now digging up old pipeline sins to parade around once again. It’s like a dog that buried roadkill a year ago and recently rediscovered the spot, dug it up, and now drags the old rotting carcass around the yard for all to see, all proud of himself.
In July 2018 three radical environmental groups dropped their objections to permits the Pennsylvania DEP previously granted for the Mariner East 2 Pipeline. Clean Air Council, Mountain Watershed Association, and THE Delaware Riverkeeper “settled” their appeal of 20 permits issued to Sunoco for the ME2 project (see 
In yet another pathetic attempt to deflect attention away from his own crimes while in office (groping women, forcing nursing homes to accept COVID patients who infected other residents who died), Andrew Cuomo’s office yesterday announced a “settlement” with utility company National Grid (provides natural gas to half of New York City and all of Long Island). Cuomo’s office claims National Grid failed to protect underground gas pipelines from corrosion, which translates into $21 million of fines disappearing into the black hole of the Cuomo administration.
Feedgas, the natural gas flowing to U.S. LNG export terminals that gets liquefied and shipped to foreign destinations, hit a new all-time high on Wednesday: 11.65 billion cubic feet (Bcf) in a single day. All six major U.S. LNG export facilities currently in operation contributed to the surge, including Cove Point in Maryland and Elba Island in Georgia (both export 100% Marcellus/Utica molecules). M-U molecules are also exported from most of the other four active LNG export facilities, including large amounts of our molecules flowing to Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass facility.
MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: 35 PA Democrats urge Gov. Wolf to investigate health impacts associated with natural gas fracking; FirstEnergy and Carl Icahn reach a deal for board seats and influence; NATIONAL: Biden’s ‘backdoor’ climate plan; Henry Hub forwards hit 2-month low as summer supply outlook turns bearish; States sue Biden in bid to revive Keystone XL pipeline; Here’s why Warren Buffett is betting billions on natural gas.