EIA Jan. DPR: M-U Production Still Capped, Haynesville Expands
Here at the beginning of 2023, the Marcellus/Utica continues to produce about the same amount of natural gas that produced in 2022–essentially capped at around 35.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of production. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) published its latest monthly Drilling Productivity Report (DPR) yesterday, and the report shows that, once again, M-U production (called “Appalachia” in the report) is still capped–at 35.3 Bcf/d in January. EIA predicts it will increase to 35.4 Bcf/d (adding a piddly 93 MMcf/d) in February 2023.
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Newly enthroned Governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, has done a good job of crafting his image as that of a moderate. At least on the issue of energy. He supposedly has voiced support for natural gas production and an “all-of-the-above” energy policy. Members of the natural gas industry in the state are mouthing their own platitudes of willingness to “work with the new governor” on energy issues–to find “common ground.” But right now, just a day after he took office, everyone is waiting and watching to see what he actually does. Will Shapiro tackle important issues like permitting delays and regulatory roadblocks? Or will he revert to his Attorney General days of attacking the industry? We know which one we think he’ll do.
Chip manufacturing giant Intel has committed to building two semiconductor factories in New Albany, Ohio, making a huge investment of over $20 billion. It is the largest economic development project in Ohio’s history. Amazing! The two plants will need natural gas, lots of it. So local utility company Columbia Gas of Ohio has proposed building a new 4.2-mile, 12-inch pipeline to the facility. The pipeline will be constructed within public road rights-of-way within Delaware County, Licking County, and Franklin County, as well as in the City of New Albany. Columbia is requesting expedited state approval (and is likely to get it).
Headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, WhiteHawk Energy was founded in 2021 to acquire mineral rights and royalty interests in U.S. shale plays. The management team of WhiteHawk has deep roots in the Marcellus, having founded Atlas Energy (a Marcellus driller) that was later sold to Chevron for $4.3 billion. In March 2022, MDN told you that WhiteHawk had purchased mineral and royalty rights in southwestern Pennsylvania, primarily in Washington and Green counties, for $52.5 million, covering 475,000 gross acres (see 
The CEO of the largest natural gas driller/producer in the U.S., EQT’s Toby Rice, is currently attending the Atlantic Conference in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. He spoke with Bloomberg reporters about what he sees ahead for U.S. natural gas production coming this year and, more broadly, about the problems he sees in general. Rice said, “The gas markets in the US are broken.” Why? Lack of pipeline infrastructure and the inability to build new ones.
The policies of politicians like New York Gov. Kathy Hochul have real-world consequences. Even if those policies never actually get implemented. Last week, the intellectually-challenged Hochul proposed banning the sale of all new natural gas appliances across the state, and indeed ban hooking up new homes and businesses to gas, by 2030 (see 
Listen up, high school seniors (and their parents). Paying for college is a challenge–this you will learn soon enough. As your guidance counselor has no doubt told you, there are scholarships to be had. Every $500 or $1,000 you can shave off your college bill helps! String enough such scholarships together, and you can make a real dent in the cost of college. We have a scholarship opportunity for those who plan to pursue a career in the oil and gas industry living in Ohio. The Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program (OOGEEP) is accepting applications for its 
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