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Storage Well Leak Fix in Cambria County Failed, Leaked 1.4 Bcf
On Friday, MDN reported that one of the ten natural gas storage wells at the Equitrans Rager Mountain Gas Storage Area in Jackson Township, Cambria County (in Pennsylvania) that was leaking roughly 100 MMcf/d of gas had finally been plugged (see “Massive” Gas Storage Well Leak in Cambria County Finally Plugged). Not so fast. Friday morning, nearby residents once again heard the telltale roaring sound and smell of gas. The well began to leak again. It took a specialist company, Cudd Well Control, until Sunday (another two days) to finally get the leak stopped and concrete poured into the hole to permanently plug the leak.
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These days we don’t often see the contract details for new leases signed by landowners to allow shale drilling. We used to see and report on large landowner coalitions and the deals they had struck back in the earlier days of the Marcellus/Utica. But today, about the only time you get any kind of insight into deal amounts comes when municipalities lease land for drilling, given that the business dealings of a municipality must be disclosed publicly. We’re always on the lookout for such deals. Allegheny Township in Westmoreland County (near Pittsburgh) has just approved a shale lease with Olympus Energy to drill under (not on) 27.7 acres of the Tredway Trail. The terms of the deal are…
Banpu is Thailand’s largest coal mining company. But Banpu is far more than just a coal company. It has multiple subsidiaries in various energy industries scattered around the globe. For example, here in the U.S., Banpu partners with Kalnin Ventures and operates BKV Corporation (Banpu Kalnin Ventures), the American shale drilling arm of Banpu (96% owned by Banpu). Over the past seven years, BKV has become one of the top 20 gas-weighted natural gas producers in the U.S. BKV is now (with recent purchases) the largest natural gas producer in the Barnett Shale. Yesterday, BKV (i.e., Banpu) announced it would soon launch an initial public offering (IPO) and trade its stock on the New York Stock Exchange.
In April of this year, Tennessee Gas Pipeline’s (TGP) plan to flow more Marcellus gas to Westchester County, NY, and to New York City, called the East 300 Upgrade Project, took a giant leap forward when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued permits that allow TGP to upgrade two existing compressor stations (in PA), and build a brand new compressor station in West Milford (Passaic County, NJ), just across the border and not far from Westchester County (see 
The Freeport LNG facility, which has been out of commission since early June, has once again changed the target date it will restart. According to Freeport officials, the export facility will restart incoming gas flows to the plant in mid-December. That is, provided Freeport gains permission from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to do so. In an announcement issued Friday, Freeport said full production of 2 Bcf/d (billion cubic feet per day) of incoming gas won’t happen until January 2023, and using both docks for cargo vessels won’t happen until March 2023. Net net: Freeport won’t return to full, 100% service until next spring.
House Republican leaders said last Thursday the party is preparing an energy and environment package that will likely emerge in January as one of the first pieces of major legislation passed by the Republican-controlled chamber. The Republican leaders of the House energy committees said they have an interest in tackling permitting reform (proposed by Joe Manchin) in the next Congress as well. They say it’s doubtful a permitting reform bill can move in the next month before the current Congress adjourns.
NATIONAL: Oil tumbles as demand fears reignite; House Republicans plan to kill Democrat climate crisis committee; Working natgas stocks end refill season near five-year average.