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Potential Buyers Emerge for Antero Resources’ Ohio Utica Assets
Earlier this month, we brought you the bombshell news that Antero Resources, the country’s fifth-largest natural gas producer and largest producer in West Virginia, is preparing to market its Ohio Utica assets, hoping to fetch $900 million to $1 billion (see Rumor: Antero Preparing to Sell Ohio Utica Upstream, Midstream). The rumors keep coming that Antero’s 82,000 net acres in the Utica, as well as long-haul takeaway and supporting midstream assets, are catching the attention of several big M-U companies. Read More “Potential Buyers Emerge for Antero Resources’ Ohio Utica Assets”
In June, we reported that the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board (EHB), a special court in PA that hears appeals of decisions made by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), had ruled in favor of CNX Resources to allow two previously permitted wells in Penn Township (Westmoreland County) to move forward with construction (see 
EQT Corporation, at one time the largest natural gas producer in the U.S. (now #2 behind Expand Energy), recently signed its third deal to buy LNG from a Gulf Coast liquefaction plant, positioning the company as an LNG trader in addition to being the second largest natural gas producer in the country and a major midstream player (see 
Earlier this month, MDN told you that the “deep Utica” was a hot topic at the recent Hart Energy DUG Appalachia Conference held in Pittsburgh in late August (see 
For the week of September 1 – 7, the number of permits issued to drill new wells in the Marcellus/Utica decreased from the previous week. There were 11 new permits issued across the three M-U states last week, down from 19 issued two weeks ago (and way down from 30 issued three weeks ago). Pennsylvania issued just three new permits, with one each going to Expand Energy, EQT Corporation, and Range Resources in Bradford, Greene, and Washington counties, respectively. 
On September 8, Blackhill Energy informed the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) of an “inadvertent return” that occurred during horizontal drilling for the Brad-Tenn Loop Pipeline in Granville Township, Bradford County. Blackhill reported that while drilling beneath Route 6 and Sugar Creek, they experienced a pressure issue. The company discovered that 18,000 gallons (approximately 430 barrels) of nontoxic bentonite drilling mud had been lost. The company stopped drilling ops at that point and reported it to the DEP. 
The AI Horizons Pittsburgh Summit, held in Pittsburgh from Wednesday of this week through today, brought together Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Senator David McCormick, and dozens of top AI (artificial intelligence) and industry CEOs to spotlight how Pennsylvania is leading with AI that solves complex problems, drives economic growth, and accelerates breakthroughs. One of the industry CEOs speaking yesterday was EQT CEO Toby Rice. He said natural gas in the Marcellus Shale and elsewhere will be key for the future of AI in the U.S. 
At the recent 2025 DUG Appalachia Conference & Expo held in Pittsburgh in August, Hart Energy honored the biggest, best, and most efficient private (not publicly traded) E&Ps in the Appalachian Basin’s Marcellus and Utica shales. Hart Energy’s editorial leadership chose honorees from among companies operating in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. Editors evaluated operator metrics, looking for cost efficiency, production, inventory preservation, and other factors. Who is the best of the best among privately owned drillers? 
EQT Corporation, at one time the largest natural gas producer in the U.S. (now #2 behind Expand Energy), keeps the LNG hits rolling in. Two weeks ago, the company announced that it had signed a binding contract to buy 2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LNG from Phase 2 of Sempra’s Port Arthur LNG project (see 
We have a second “producer does a deal to buy (not sell) LNG” story today. ConocoPhillips, a huge oil-focused driller, announced a deal to buy 1.0 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Rio Grande LNG project. How does this news tie into the Marcellus/Utica? It doesn’t do so directly, but it does so indirectly. First, this deal shows that EQT is not the only driller to move into the role of LNG trader. Others are now doing it, too. A trend? Second, EQT signed its own deal with Rio Grande for 1.0 MTPA of LNG just last week (see 
Diversified Energy, which owns significant assets in the Marcellus/Utica region (and other regions, too), is…diversified! The company owns approximately 8 million acres of leases with close to 70,000 oil and gas wells, mostly conventional wells (by number of wells). However, the company now produces over 40% of its production from shale wells. The company’s business model is to buy already-drilled, lower-producing wells on the cheap and find ways to make them more productive. They do a great job at it. Diversified also owns midstream (pipeline) assets in addition to a well-plugging subsidiary called Next LVL. Earlier this morning, the company announced a deal to acquire Canvas Energy (the entire company) for $550 million. 
Last week, MDN brought you the news that Freeport Township, located in Greene County, PA, declared a Disaster Emergency on June 23, 2025 (see 
Range Resources sunk the very first Marcellus well back in 2004. It was the beginning of the shale revolution in the northeast. Range CEO Dennis Degner spoke at the recent Hart Energy DUG Appalachia Conference in Pittsburgh (August 27th). He discussed driving sustainable growth in the Marcellus/Utica region. The number one way to do that? More pipelines. But what about the coming Constitution Pipeline that will flow another 660 MMcf/d of Marcellus molecules out of northeastern Pennsylvania into New York and beyond?