Marcellus Drilling News

Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Shapiro DEP Takes Next Step to Ban Marcellus Drilling via Setbacks
March 26, 2025March 26, 2025

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) continues to aid and abet radical environmental groups in circumventing the state legislature. In what amounts to a classic leftist “sue-and-settle” case, last year radical environmental groups (including the Clean Air Council and Environmental Integrity Project) petitioned the state Environmental Quality Board (EQB), asking the board to amend 25 Pa. Code Chapter 78a by increasing “setbacks” for oil and gas well drilling to a minimum of 3,281 feet from any building or water wells (5,280 feet from hospitals and schools), and 750 feet from any river, creek, or mud puddle (i.e., surface waters). Such an increase in setbacks would stop ALL new shale drilling in the state, which is the goal of these radicals. The DEP is recommending to the EQB that it should accept and consider the proposed rulemaking. Read More “Shapiro DEP Takes Next Step to Ban Marcellus Drilling via Setbacks”
Boardwalk Pipeline Partners | Electrical Generation | Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Williams

7 Gas Pipelines Target Southeastern U.S. from 4 Midstream Cos.
March 26, 2025March 26, 2025

Southeastern U.S. states (click for larger version)

AI data centers are increasingly being built in the Southeastern U.S. due to economic, infrastructural, and environmental factors that make the region attractive for such facilities. One key reason is the availability of affordable and reliable energy—i.e., natural gas (mostly from the Marcellus/Utica). The Southeast offers relatively low electricity costs compared to other parts of the country, which is critical for data centers that require massive amounts of power to run high-performance computing systems like those needed for AI workloads. Additionally, the region’s energy infrastructure is often robust enough to support the high demands of these facilities, though expansion is sometimes needed. Speaking of expansion, because of the Southeast’s attractiveness, there are seven new pipeline projects (from four pipeline companies) aimed at flowing more natural gas to the region, mainly to help service power generation for data centers. Read More “7 Gas Pipelines Target Southeastern U.S. from 4 Midstream Cos.”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Bucks County | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania

Bucks County, PA, Judge Skeptical of “Sneaky” Climate Lawsuit
March 26, 2025March 26, 2025

In March 2024, we reported that two Democrats and one anti-drilling RINO who run Bucks County, PA government (a Philadelphia suburb) fell for the bait by Big Green and filed a lawsuit against Big Oil companies for supposedly, knowingly, causing the Earth to toast to a cinder (see Bucks County, PA, Sues Big Oil for Causing “Climate Change”). The lawsuit seemingly came out of nowhere. Green groups hatched it secretly, including the Center for Climate Integrity (CCI) – a Rockefeller-funded D.C. activist group. There were no public meetings. No public input. No public announcements. It was completely hush-hush, with a total media blackout until the lawsuit was filed (see Bucks County, PA Lawsuit Against Big Oil Violated Transparency Law). A year later, a Bucks County Court judge held the first hearing to consider dismissing this fraud. The judge seemed inclined to do just that, calling the lawsuit filed by the county “sneaky.” Read More “Bucks County, PA, Judge Skeptical of “Sneaky” Climate Lawsuit”
Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Hydrogen | Industrywide Issues

EQT Still Committed to ARCH2 Hub Despite Tax Credits, Funding Freeze
March 26, 2025March 26, 2025

EQT Corp. remains committed to its low-carbon aviation fuel (LCAF) project and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) even though federal funding for ARCH2 and other hydrogen hub projects around the country is now in question. EQT CEO Toby Rice told the Pittsburgh Business Times that his company continues to evaluate building a clean hydrogen plant. EQT remains a lead partner in ARCH2. Read More “EQT Still Committed to ARCH2 Hub Despite Tax Credits, Funding Freeze”
Electrical Generation | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Licking County | Ohio | Williams

Multiple Utica-Fired Power Plants Planned for New Albany, Ohio
March 26, 2025March 26, 2025

The city of New Albany, located in Franklin and Licking counties in Ohio, said it has been notified about plans for multiple natural gas power projects to be located within the Licking County portion of the New Albany International Business Park. The power plants (three of them identified so far) will provide power for nearby data centers planned for the region, which is a suburb of Columbus. Read More “Multiple Utica-Fired Power Plants Planned for New Albany, Ohio”
Industrywide Issues | LDCs | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Hope Gas Ending “Farm Taps” May Impact Conventional Wells, Too
March 26, 2025March 26, 2025

Hope Gas, a large local utility company that provides gas service to more than 131,000 residential, industrial, and commercial customers in thirty-seven West Virginia counties, filed a rate case with the state Public Service Commission (PSC) in August 2024 looking to convert customers who use a “farm tap” gas system to either propane fuel or electric heat for their homes (see WV’s Hope Gas Seeks to End “Farm Taps” for 600 Customers). The change would affect around 600 customers, removing them from the ability to use local natural gas. Conventional drillers now say they may be affected too, with no one to sell their local gas to and a lack of pipelines to connect their production to other markets. Read More “Hope Gas Ending “Farm Taps” May Impact Conventional Wells, Too”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

Rest of the Story re U.S. Jones Act LNG Carrier Serving Puerto Rico
March 26, 2025March 26, 2025

Last week, MDN brought you the great news that Crowley, the largest shipping company in the U.S., launched what is the very first Jones Act-compliant LNG carrier to ferry LNG from the Gulf Coast to Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory (see Crowley Launches 1st U.S. Jones Act LNG Carrier to Serve Puerto Rico). Until now, P.R. has had to import its LNG from other countries. The Jones Act requires any ship running between U.S. ports to be built, crewed, and flagged in the U.S. However, the ship Crowley is now using was built in France! So, how does it qualify under the Jones Act? This is “The Rest of the Story,” as the late, great Paul Harvey used to say. Read More “Rest of the Story re U.S. Jones Act LNG Carrier Serving Puerto Rico”
Best of the Rest

Other Stories of Interest: Wed, Mar 26, 2025
March 26, 2025March 26, 2025

OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Shell CEO Sawan expects progress in Venture Global arbitration in coming months; Freeport LNG in Texas set to return to service after lightning strike; New Plaquemines terminal offers high hopes for U.S. LNG feedgas; NATIONAL: U.S. manufacturing energy consumption has continued to increase since 2010 low; U.S. faces uphill task to refill natural gas storage for next winter; Proposed U.S. fee on Chinese ships would drive up costs, upend global energy logistics; FERC finally wakes up; Hedge funds struggle as green stocks crash; The indefensible Republican defense of the 2022 IRA; INTERNATIONAL: Shell aims to grow LNG sales by 5 percent annually; Oil slips on Ukraine truce talks; Oil destroyed Hitler, fracking destroyed Putin. Read More “Other Stories of Interest: Wed, Mar 26, 2025”