Marcellus Drilling News

Chester County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

PA DEP Issues Permits for NESE Projects in Chester, Lancaster Cos.
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

In August, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) reissued a certificate for the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project, a billion-dollar-plus project designed to increase Transco pipeline capacity and flows of Marcellus gas heading into New York City and other northeastern markets by an extra 400 MMcf/d (see FERC Reissues NESE Pipeline Project Certificate for NY, NJ). NESE has several components, but the key element, the heart of the project, is a new 23-mile pipeline from the shore of New Jersey into (on the bottom of) the Raritan Bay, running parallel to the existing Transco pipeline before connecting to the Transco pipeline offshore in New York waters. There are also several components in New Jersey, including small pipeline segments and a new compressor station. However, did you know that there are NESE components in Pennsylvania? Read More “PA DEP Issues Permits for NESE Projects in Chester, Lancaster Cos.”
Bradford County | Energy Services | Eureka Resources | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Wastewater

PA DEP Signals It Won’t Renew Permit for Eureka Wastewater Plant
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

On August 17, Eureka Resources’ Williamsport Second Street facility (one of the three wastewater treatment plants previously operated by Eureka) leaked some of its stored untreated frack wastewater, which ended up in the nearby Susquehanna River via a storm drain (see ‘Black Goop’ Spills into Susquehanna River from Closed Eureka Plant). That event led to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) launching an investigation into all three of Eureka’s shuttered plants, two in Williamsport (Lycoming County), and one in Bradford County. The DEP found untreated wastewater stored at each facility—over 4.6 million gallons in total—and demanded Eureka dispose of it within 90 days. In September, Eureka outlined a plan to do just that (see Eureka Proposes Plan to Clean Up, Close All 3 PA Wastewater Plants). Disposal, at least in Bradford County, has just become more difficult and expensive for Eureka. Read More “PA DEP Signals It Won’t Renew Permit for Eureka Wastewater Plant”
Delaware County (PA) | Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Ethane | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | NGLs | Pennsylvania

Construction Underway at Marcus Hook to Expand M-U Ethane Exports
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

Ethane Crystal

In February 2024, Energy Transfer co-CEO Tom Long announced a project to add more ethane refrigeration and storage at Marcus Hook, leading to more exports of ethane from the facility (see Record High NGL Exports from Marcus Hook, ET Expanding Facility). Fast forward, and construction is currently underway, with completion expected by the end of this year. When done, the Marcus Hook Terminal Optimization project will add 900,000 barrels (Bbls) of refrigerated ethane storage capacity and approximately 20,000 Bbls/d of incremental ethane chilling capacity. Translation: an additional 20,000 Bbls/d of Marcellus/Utica ethane export capacity is on the way at Marcus Hook, near Philadelphia. Read More “Construction Underway at Marcus Hook to Expand M-U Ethane Exports”
Berkshire Hathaway | CNG/LNG | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland

Cove Point LNG Back Online After 22 Days of Maintenance
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

Each fall, typically in September/October, Cove Point LNG (along the shore of Maryland) shuts down for a few weeks for annual maintenance. According to a notice posted on the Berkshire Hathaway Energy Informational Postings website, reductions in flows to the Cove Point facility would happen between Monday, September 15, and Friday, October 10 (see Cove Point LNG Offline for Annual Maintenance Until Mid-October). Reuters reports that Cove Point came back online over the weekend, on Sunday, October 12. Read More “Cove Point LNG Back Online After 22 Days of Maintenance”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Litigation

THE Delaware Riverkeeper Sues DRBC re NJ LNG Export Dock
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

In September 2022, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), a dysfunctional, hot mess of an organization, voted to extend a permit to build a special LNG export dock along the shoreline of the Delaware River in New Jersey by an extra three years (see DRBC Gives LNG Export Dock in Dela. River Extra 3 Yrs to Build). That action sent the enviro-left, including THE Delaware Riverkeeper (Maya van Rossum), into apoplectic fits. Three years later (in September of this year), at the end of the original time extension, the five members of the DRBC voted unanimously to extend the deadline *another* five years (see DRBC Gives LNG Export Dock in Dela. River Extra 5 Yrs to Build). Van Rossum and the Riverkeeper gang have sued to block the time extension. Read More “THE Delaware Riverkeeper Sues DRBC re NJ LNG Export Dock”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Litigation

La. State Court Tosses Building Permit for Commonwealth LNG
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

Commonwealth LNG is developing a 9.5 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal project located near Cameron, Louisiana. In September, Commonwealth announced it had signed a deal with EQT Corporation to provide 1.0 MTPA of LNG for EQT to resell (see EQT Signs Third Deal to *Buy* LNG – This One Commonwealth LNG). Commonwealth, in its press release, stated that with the EQT deal, it now has sufficient commitments (5.0 out of 9.5 MTPA) to proceed with a final investment decision (FID), which it plans to make by the end of this year. However, a Louisiana state court has just vacated (overturned) a coastal-use permit for the project in response to a lawsuit brought by the odious Sierra Club. Read More “La. State Court Tosses Building Permit for Commonwealth LNG”
Chevron | CNG/LNG | Energy Companies | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

Chevron Complains that VG’s Plaquemines LNG to Delay Startup
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

Don’t say we didn’t warn them, because we did. Chevron is complaining that Venture Global is behaving like Venture Global—screwing over its contracted customers so it can make billions by selling LNG to uncontracted customers while pretending its LNG export facility isn’t commercially ready. We have to ask, what the heck did Chevron *think* would happen? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice… Read More “Chevron Complains that VG’s Plaquemines LNG to Delay Startup”
Best of the Rest

MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Wed, Oct 15, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: $250K available to help PA fire, rescue & EMS prepare for gas well incidents; Energy and conservation is a win-win for Pennsylvania’s game lands; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: In some CT towns, clouds form over new solar developments; Hawaii enters agreement with top Japanese buyer of liquefied natural gas; NATIONAL: Weaker demand outlook and milder weather push US natural gas futures lower; US oil futures backwardation narrows to 20-month low on mounting fears of a glut; Trump gets it right on AI; How Baker Hughes is gearing its business for the age of gas; INTERNATIONAL: Crude near $59 on surplus fears; Oil tankers avoid sanctioned China port. Read More “MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Wed, Oct 15, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]”