M-U Rigs Even @ 37; Haynesville Down 1 @ 55; Nat’l Down 2 @ 543
Last week, the Marcellus/Utica combined count maintained the same number of 37 active rigs for the fourth week in a row. The M-U’s chief competitor, the Haynesville, lost one rig and now runs 55 active rigs, some 18 rigs more than the M-U. The national count lost another two rigs last week and now operates 543 rigs. Baker Hughes said oil rigs fell by one to 410 last week, their lowest since late March, while gas rigs fell by two to 125, their lowest since January, and other miscellaneous rigs rose by one to eight. Read More “M-U Rigs Even @ 37; Haynesville Down 1 @ 55; Nat’l Down 2 @ 543”
On April 5 (Easter Sunday), Coterra Energy reported that approximately 400,000 to 704,000 gallons of freshwater were released from an impoundment at the Brooks shale gas well pad in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The release began at 8:02 a.m. when all six stanchion valves opened simultaneously, flowing by gravity into a pasture and reaching Meshoppen Creek before being discovered by a landowner’s relative that evening. Coterra attributed the incident to a corrupted software configuration file, which also prevented remote valve closure and disabled electronic notifications. 
Oberlin, Ohio, officials are weighing a proposal to amend the city’s Community Bill of Rights to allow Dominion Energy Ohio to build a gas pipeline connection to a planned eco-industrial park, unlocking possible state support. Environmental groups and students at Oberlin College (neither of which pay any property or income taxes in Ohio, meaning they don’t have a say) argue the change would weaken Oberlin’s anti-fossil-fuel commitments and revive ties to Enbridge, whose NEXUS pipeline previously “divided” the city. City officials and utility experts counter that renewables alone are not yet feasible, citing constraints on electric capacity and on wind, solar, and geothermal options. 
Last July, President Trump and Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Dave McCormick attended a meeting in Pittsburgh to announce an amazing $92 billion of private (no taxpayer funding) investment in the Keystone State, mainly in the data center sector (see 
Chesco Energy proposes building a natural gas “peaker” plant in Marshall County, Indiana, representing a billion-dollar investment. This 50-acre facility, located near a major transmission line and gas pipeline, aims to create over 200 construction jobs and provide backup power during peak demand, like hot summer days, to prevent grid failures. Marshall County officials, previously hesitant about solar farms, view this project more favorably as it generates significant power without sacrificing extensive farmland. 
Last week, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced S.4340. This bill would bar frivolous lawsuits from green activist groups seeking damages, injunctions, or other relief for so-called harms allegedly caused by the end use of energy products, including oil and gas. Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Mike Lee (R-UT) are cosponsoring the legislation. The House’s companion bill, H.R. 8330, was also introduced by Representative Harriet Hageman (R-WY). The bill is being called the “Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026.” An appropriate title. 
OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Calcasieu Pass LNG secures $1.75B loan; The Supreme Court hands a win to oil and gas companies fighting lawsuits in Louisiana; NATIONAL: U.S. natural gas futures edge up; AI applications built for energy asset reliability and operational performance; New food pyramid another blow to climate activism; INTERNATIONAL: Energy prices sink on Hormuz news; Hormuz at standstill as US seizes Iran vessel; Africa’s new £26bn gas pipeline to be the ‘new Hormuz’ – pass through 13 countries.