Marcellus Drilling News

Electrical Generation | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Washington County

How the Proposed Liberty/Range Gas-Power Plant in Pa. is Different
April 10, 2025April 10, 2025

Yesterday, MDN told you about a newly announced data center (and gas-fired power plant) coming to Washington County, PA (see Another Data Center Announced for SWPA; Range to Provide NatGas). Liberty Energy Inc., Imperial Land Corporation, and Range Resources announced a strategic alliance to support the development of a state-of-the-art gas-fired power plant and data center within the Fort Cherry Development District in Robinson Township. The size of the power plant will depend on the demand for data center space. There’s something far different about this facility than other recently announced data center/power plant combos. Read More “How the Proposed Liberty/Range Gas-Power Plant in Pa. is Different”
AI | Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Licking County | Ohio

Microsoft Hits Pause Button on $1B Data Centers Near Columbus, OH
April 10, 2025April 10, 2025

A number of data centers have been announced in Licking County, in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. They all will need enormous amounts of electricity to operate. MDN recently told you about three gas-fired power plants planned for New Albany, including one from PowerConneX and two from Williams subsidiary Will-Power (see Multiple Utica-Fired Power Plants Planned for New Albany, Ohio). Among those building data centers in Licking are Meta (i.e., Facebook), Cologix, and Amazon Web Services. Microsoft was supposed to invest $1 billion to build three data center campuses in Licking County, located in New Albany, Heath, and Hebron. Earlier this week, Microsoft announced it has indefinitely hit the pause button on all three projects. Read More “Microsoft Hits Pause Button on $1B Data Centers Near Columbus, OH”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA DEP Claims Slow Permit Backlog Reduced 88% from 2,400 to 300
April 10, 2025April 10, 2025

Permitting in Pennsylvania, overseen by the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP), has been a hot mess for years. A Chapter 102 Erosion and Sedimentation permit sometimes takes two, three, or even six months for approval — instead of the policy-mandated 14 days. According to a DEP press release from yesterday, that’s all behind us. Last November, DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley and Gov. Josh Shapiro said the agency had *eliminated* the backlog for oil and gas permits (see PA DEP Claims Permit Backlog for O&G Now Completely Eliminated). Yesterday, the DEP issued a new press release tooting its own horn to declare that the permit backlog has been reduced by 88%, from 2,400 backed-up permits down to 300. Read More “PA DEP Claims Slow Permit Backlog Reduced 88% from 2,400 to 300”
CNG/LNG | Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

MidOcean Partners with Energy Transfer on Lake Charles LNG Exports
April 10, 2025April 10, 2025

Just as the pandemic began to unfold in early 2020, Shell pulled out of a 50/50 joint venture partnership with Energy Transfer (ET) to build a new LNG export facility in Lake Charles, Louisiana (see Shell Pulls Out of Lake Charles LNG Project, Energy Transfer Stays). A boneheaded move on Shell’s part, if you ask us. Since that time, ET has continued to build support for the project. Last December, ET announced a new customer for its LNG when/if the plant gets built: Chevron (see Energy Transfer’s Lake Charles LNG Still Alive – Deal w/Chevron). We have excellent news: ET announced it has a new partner, MidOcean Energy, that will cover 30% of the cost of building the plant. In return, MidOcean will receive 30% of the plant’s LNG. Read More “MidOcean Partners with Energy Transfer on Lake Charles LNG Exports”
Exporting | Industrywide Issues | NGLs

Will China’s 84% Tariffs Destroy U.S. Propane & Ethane Exports?
April 10, 2025April 10, 2025

In what has to be the stupidest trade move in history, China will enact an 84% reciprocal tariff on imports of U.S. goods beginning today. The increase was in response to a 104% tariff that the U.S. placed on imports of Chinese goods, which President Trump raised to 125% yesterday. China will LOSE this trade war. However, if the Chinese want to self-immolate their economy and persist with the tariff war, it has the potential, according to RBN Energy, of “destroying” propane and ethane exports from the U.S. Why? Read More “Will China’s 84% Tariffs Destroy U.S. Propane & Ethane Exports?”
Industrywide Issues | Regulation

It’s Time to Repeal the Inflation-Causing Inflation Reduction Act
April 10, 2025April 10, 2025

In 2022, we reported the sad (and angering) news that then-U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, a liberal Democrat from West Virginia, had betrayed his WV constituents and the entire country by secretly cutting a deal to vote for Joe Biden’s New Green Deal bill repackaged under the false and misleading name of the Inflation Reduction Act (see Tragedy: Joe Manchin Caves & Agrees to Big Green Build Back Better). Among one of the (many) ways the IRA aims to destroy fossil energy is by assessing a new methane tax (see Joe Manchin’s Green New Deal Cave Slaps O&G with Big Methane Tax). The bill also hands out $7,500 to rich people as an incentive to buy electric cars. Contrary to the lib Dems who declare the IRA is somehow benefitting “red” Republican states more than “blue” Democrat states (their justification for keeping this bloated pork law in place), it is time to repeal the entire thing. NOW. Read More “It’s Time to Repeal the Inflation-Causing Inflation Reduction Act”
Best of the Rest

MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Apr 10, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]
April 10, 2025April 10, 2025

OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Chevron to ‘triple-frac’ half of Permian oil wells in 2025 to cut costs, time; Alaska could rival Canada’s LNG industry but the hurdles are high; NATIONAL: Airlines and shippers pounce on oil plunge to lock in prices; Crude prices surge after market rally; Rystad predicts ‘significant risks’ to USA operators; Responding to ten environmentalist lies; Stop wasting our money on green hydrogen pipe dreams; AEA statement on committee approval of Kate MacGregor and James Danly; INTERNATIONAL: USA crude flows to China trickle to near zero after tariff blitz; EU votes on zero-for-zero tariffs. Read More “MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Apr 10, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]”