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U.S. Rig Count Adds 2 @ 550; Marcellus/Utica Remains Even @ 37
Last week, the Baker Hughes U.S. national rig count added rigs for a second consecutive week, bringing the national count up by two to 550. Despite last week’s rig increase, the total count was still down 35 rigs, or 6% below this time last year. Rigs in the Marcellus/Utica remained the same last week at a combined 37 rigs, the same number for four weeks in a row. Pennsylvania remained unchanged at 17 active rigs. Ohio was the same at 13 rigs. And West Virginia maintained its 7 rigs, which it has operated since May 30. The Marcellus had 23 rigs and the Utica 14. Read More “U.S. Rig Count Adds 2 @ 550; Marcellus/Utica Remains Even @ 37”
Back in July, MDN told you that the New Fortress Energy project to build a regional LNG liquefaction plant in landlocked Wyalusing (Bradford County), PA, was dead and buried, given the company had changed its plans for the site (see 
Here’s an interesting and mysterious twist. EQT Corp., through its division EQT Ventures, has secured an option to purchase a sprawling, 400-acre former steel plant site along the Monongahela River in Washington County, PA, from Mon River Partners LP. The property, known as the Mon River Industrial Park, was once the Wheeling-Pittsburgh site and offers valuable access to the river, I-70, rail lines, and heavy-duty electrical infrastructure. 
EQT Corporation self-reported a wastewater spill at its Secretariat Well Site in Gilmore Township (Greene County), PA, on October 3. Multiple spots were found after the completions crew removed its containment apparatus from the pad. EQT immediately got to work remediating the site and has (so far) removed 340 barrels of wastewater (14,280 gallons) and 21.5 roll-off boxes of dirt. EQT reported the spill to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) as soon as it was observed on October 3. A DEP inspector finally showed up on October 10. 
Baker Hughes (BH), either the second- or third-largest oilfield services company in the U.S., depending on the criteria used, issued its third-quarter update last Thursday. BH CEO Lorenzo Simonelli had some interesting comments. One of them was this: “This is the age of gas.” By 2040, Simonelli expects natural gas demand to grow by nearly 20% and global LNG demand to increase by 75%. Simonelli expects the focus for new infrastructure development to shift “from greenfield to brownfield developments.” 
The Trump administration wants to win the race for artificial intelligence (AI) with China. The administration is pulling out all the stops to ensure the U.S. is #1 in AI. That means building new data centers. Last Thursday, Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) Chris Wright took the unusual step of sending a directive to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), instructing the agency to initiate rulemaking procedures to rapidly accelerate the interconnection of large loads, including data centers. Wright even included his own proposed rule for FERC to adopt (spoon-fed). 
Two weeks ago, MDN brought you the rumor that President Trump was about to appoint newly confirmed Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Commissioner Laura Swett as the next Chairperson of the agency (see 
MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Shell Beaver Co. cracker plant air permits extended by DEP; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Electricity prices are rising and politicians are concerned; Increasing Texas/Louisiana production to feed ever-growing list of LNG plants; Maryland’s new energy standards too expensive, business representatives say; NATIONAL: U.S. natural gas ends week higher on weather outlook; How to get the renewable energy source both parties love; Oil and gas industry layoffs accelerate with lower prices; Trump admin planning to refill depleted petrol reserve Biden drained; Data centers follow fracking in search for power; The more wind and solar we add, the less they deliver; Morgan Stanley expects natural gas prices to hit $5 in 2026; INTERNATIONAL: Crude oil price pauses near two-week high; Totalitarian ‘nature rights’ legislation in U.K. House of Lords.