Energy Services

Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | TerrAqua Resource Mgmt | Washington County | Wastewater

TerrAqua Gets Conditional Approval for PA Frack Wastewater Plant
October 16, 2013October 16, 2013

MDN has been watching the progress of a proposed new frack wastewater processing facility proposed by TerrAqua for Smith Township (Washington County), PA. A month ago the town held a somewhat bumpy public hearing about the proposed facility (see TerrAqua a Half Step Closer to New Frack Wastewater Facility).

Last night Smith Township supervisors voted to grant a zoning variance to TerrAqua for the plant–contingent on the plant gaining approval from the state Dept. of Environmental Protection and provided TerrAqua agrees to the same terms MAX Environmental follows in that vicinity–terms that limit the number of trucks coming and going and the hours of operation. TerrAqua says they need to study the variance before commenting…
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eCORP International | eCORP Stimulation Technologies | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

ecorpStim Tries to Interest France in Waterless Fracking Tech
October 16, 2013October 16, 2013

In April, MDN told you about progress with a new waterless method of fracking that uses 100% nonflammable propane fracking fluid. The technique was developed by eCORP Stimulation Technologies, a subsidiary of eCORP International (see Non-Flammable Liquid Propane Used for 100% Waterless Fracking). ecorpStim, as they call themselves, doesn’t seem to have had much luck in finding drillers in the U.S. to use their technology–no doubt because it’s so cheap to use water for fracking.

Sensing there may be an opportunity, ecorpStim recently went on a field trip–to France–to present their technological “break through” to members of the French Parliament. You may recall the French Supreme Court recently upheld a countrywide ban on hydraulic fracturing–at least fracking that uses water (see France’s Fracking Ban ‘Absolute’ After Court Upholds Law). Since water fracking isn’t an option in France, ecorpStim is hoping the French will consider a slightly more expensive, non-water option for fracking…
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Energy Services | Enterprise Products Partners | Industrywide Issues | Muskingum County | Ohio | Roads

ATEX Pipeline Ponies Up $572K to Repair Damaged Roads in Muskingum
October 15, 2013October 15, 2013

Under the “ask and ye shall receive” department… Muskingum County was not happy that heavy truck traffic from companies working for Enterprise Products Partners, building the new ATEX Express ethane pipeline through the county, had damaged some of the county’s roadways. So the county asked Enterprise to pony up over $700K to fix the damaged roads.

Enterprise did not pay the amount requested, but they did agree to pay over a half million smakaroos. Not a bad result for just asking…
Read More “ATEX Pipeline Ponies Up $572K to Repair Damaged Roads in Muskingum”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Luzerne County | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

Williams Takes Next Step with Transco Leidy Pipeline Expansion
October 15, 2013October 15, 2013

Williams is hard at work on expanding their Transco Leidy interstate natural gas pipeline–especially in northeast PA around the Scranton area. The “Transco Leidy Southeast Expansion Project” is a massive $610 million project designed to increase the pipeline’s capacity by 525,000 decatherms per day–enough natural gas to serve 2 million homes. The expansion will pipe Marcellus Shale gas to points from New York City to the southeastern U.S. The project includes construction of approximately 30 miles of additional pipe segments, called loops, in PA and NJ, in addition to modifying some existing compressor stations and valve sites.

The Transco Leidy Southeast Expansion is a multi-year project that Williams hopes will be in service by the end of 2015. They recently took the next step in the project with an official filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). An update on the project’s status and what will happen next…
Read More “Williams Takes Next Step with Transco Leidy Pipeline Expansion”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Spectra Energy

Spectra Energy’s Algonquin Pipeline Expansion in CT
October 15, 2013October 15, 2013

Spectra Energy wants to bring more of the northeast’s Marcellus and Utica Shale gas to markets in…the northeast! Now there’s a novel idea. In order to do that, Spectra is looking to spend at least $500 million (MDN’s estimate) to expand the pipeline capacity of their existing Algonquin Gas Transmission system. The project calls for 25.6 miles of various segments of existing mainline relay and loop that includes 1.2 miles of new pipeline to be installed beneath the Hudson River using a horizontal directional drill; construction of approximately 18 miles of lateral pipeline relay, loop and expansion; modifications to existing compressor stations in New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island; construction of three new meter stations; and modifications to existing meter stations. The upgrades and expansion will increase the pipeline’s capacity by up to 433,000 dekatherms per day.

One of the markets Spectra will take the extra gas to is Connecticut. We get an update on Spectra’s Algonquin project in that state from the Connecticut Post…
Read More “Spectra Energy’s Algonquin Pipeline Expansion in CT”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | M&A | PVR Midstream | PVR Partners | Regency Energy Partners

Marcellus/Utica Midstreamer PVR Bought by Regency Energy for $5.6B
October 11, 2013October 11, 2013

PVR Partners, formerly known as Penn Virginia Resource Partners, will now just be formerly. Period. PVR is a major midstream company (pipelines and processing plants) with big operations in the PA Marcellus Shale after buying Chief Gathering last year (see PVR Buys Chief Gathering/Marcellus Pipelines for $1B). They also announced last year that they would spend $380 million to expand pipelines in NE PA (see PVR Announces $380 Million Investment in NE PA Marcellus), and very recently PVR announced a deal with Hess to build a pipeline system in eastern OH (see PVR Partners to Build $150M Utica Shale Pipeline System for Hess).

Yesterday Texas-based Regency Energy Partners and PVR announced that Regency will buy out PVR for $5.6 billion. Regency, also a midstream company, owns some assets in the Marcellus/Utica, but most of their operations are in the Southwest and West, so this purchase gives them a major presence in the rapidly-expanding midstream sector of the Marcellus/Utica. After the buyout is completed, the PVR name will be no more…
Read More “Marcellus/Utica Midstreamer PVR Bought by Regency Energy for $5.6B”
Accidents | Energy Services | Enterprise Products Partners | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines

Drilling Mud Spill in Harrison County, OH – ATEX Express Pipeline
October 9, 2013October 9, 2013

An Arizona company, Southeast Directional Drilling, was hired by Enterprise Products Partners to drill a trenchless hole underneath Conotton Creek in Harrison County, OH for Enterprise’s ATEX Express ethane pipeline–a pipeline that will stretch from Pennsylvania through Ohio and eventually all the way to the Gulf. However, Southeast hit a snag. Last week an “unknown quantity” of drilling mud used to lubricate the drill was spilled into Conotton Creek and onto the properties of two area homeowners.

Fortunately drilling mud is non-toxic–but in sufficient quantities it can suffocate both plants and fish. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is on the case investigating…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Inergy | New York | Schuyler County

Walkin’ and Talkin’ and Prayin’…To Seneca Lake?
October 7, 2013October 7, 2013

Saying that “every body of water has a spirit” and attempting to communicate with that spirit, later this week a small group of (wacko) anti-drillers intend to walk 80 miles around Seneca Lake, NY to pray to the lake spirit that no evil fracking comes to harm the little water nymphs that live in the lake. Or something like that.

We long ago gave up on trying to figure out these people…
Read More “Walkin’ and Talkin’ and Prayin’…To Seneca Lake?”
Crestwood Midstream | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Inergy | M&A

Crestwood/Inergy Complete Their Merger Today, Worth $8B
October 7, 2013October 7, 2013

MDN told you last week that Crestwood Midstream and Inergy Midstream were close to consummating the merger of their two companies and that it would be coming soon (see Crestwood/Inergy $7B Merger Update: Combined Boards Announced). Looks like soon is today.

A press release from Friday says today, Monday, the final paperwork will be filed and the two companies will officially be merged. The new company will take the name Crestwood Midstream Partners and starting tomorrow it will trade on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol of CMLP. The two companies together, contrary to previous estimates, will be worth $8 billion (not $7B previously reported), a true midstream giant…
Read More “Crestwood/Inergy Complete Their Merger Today, Worth $8B”
Carlyle Group | Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Philadelphia Energy Solutions | Processing Plants | Statewide PA

Philly Refinery Processes 190K Barrels/Day of Shale Oil
October 4, 2013October 4, 2013

My how times change. A year ago the then-Sunoco Philadelphia refinery was set to close its doors with a loss of 850 jobs. But something happened on the way to closing down: shale. Shale oil, in particular. Today, the refinery is called Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES), a joint venture between the Carlyle Group and Sunoco (Sunoco merged with and is now known as Energy Transfer Partners). As MDN chronicled in July 2012, three shale plays will ultimately play an important role for the refinery–the Bakken, the Marcellus and the Utica (see Sunoco & Carlyle Group Ink Joint Venture for Philly Refinery). However, PES is also eyeing other shale plays, like oil from the Permian Basin (in Texas). That would be a hoot–Pennsylvania refining Texas oil!

More than half of the refinery’s 350,000 barrel per day capacity now comes from the Bakken Shale in North Dakota. How? Mostly by railroad, with the rest by barge. According to PA Gov. Tom Corbett, on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the refinery earlier this week, the Marcellus and Utica will soon play a role at the refinery too: “There’s a pipeline coming over here soon that’s going to be bringing natural gas over. You’re using natural gas now to fuel some of your efforts here but also to create a propane and ethane facility here”…
Read More “Philly Refinery Processes 190K Barrels/Day of Shale Oil”
Delaware County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Millennium Pipeline | New York | Pipelines | Regulation

Millennium Pipeline Gets FERC Approval for Hancock, NY Compressor
October 4, 2013October 4, 2013

The Millennium Pipeline is a major northeastern natural gas transmission pipeline that starts in Steuben County, NY, runs along the center/bottom of the state (an area called New York’s Southern Tier) and angles down through the Catskill Mountains toward New York City, ending in Rockland County, NY. If you know anything about the geography of New York, it roughly parallels State Route 17 (in parts now called Interstate 86). The Millennium runs close to where MDN sits, not far from Binghamton. It handles an increasing amount of Marcellus Shale gas and is one of the important ways Marcellus gas gets to market.

Just down the road about 33 miles from MDN is a little town called Hancock, NY–in Delaware County. The Millennium runs by Hancock. The company previously filed a request with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to build a new compressor plant near Hancock, at a location called Hungry Hill. The Millennium wants to install a single 15,900 horsepower compressor engine to increase pressure and throughput of gas in the pipeline as it flows through Delaware County. A compressor at Hungry Hill would add 107,500 thousand cubic feet per day of additional capacity to the pipeline. FERC has just green lighted the project…
Read More “Millennium Pipeline Gets FERC Approval for Hancock, NY Compressor”
Crestwood Midstream | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Inergy | M&A

Crestwood/Inergy $7B Merger Update: Combined Boards Announced
October 4, 2013October 4, 2013

In May, MDN told you that Crestwood Midstream, with pipelines and processing plants in the Marcellus, and Inergy Midstream, America’s fourth largest propane retailer, trying to establish a new underground propane storage facility near Watkins Glen, NY but is being frustrated by the state’s DEC, would merge to form a $7 billion midstream behemoth (see M&A Mania: Crestwood Midstream & Inergy will Merge). In June the two companies tied 2/3 of the knot (see Crestwood Midstream & Inergy Tie 2/3 of the Merger Knot).

The companies remain at a 2/3 merger–at this stage. However, they have announced the composition of the boards of directors (plural) for Inergy. There is Inergy GP the parent/umbrella company, and Inergy Midstream GP, which will merge with Crestwood. Both boards of directors (see below) contain Crestwood people on them starting next week. So it appears the consummation of this merger marriage will happen soon…
Read More “Crestwood/Inergy $7B Merger Update: Combined Boards Announced”
Boardwalk Pipeline Partners | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | NGLs | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Williams

Rumor Now Reality: Williams/Boardwalk to Build Gulf LPG Terminal
October 4, 2013October 4, 2013

Williams and Boardwalk Pipeline Partners announced in March they will build a natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline that would run from the Marcellus/Utica region all the way to the Gulf Coast. They dubbed the new pipeline the Bluegrass Pipeline (see Williams, Boardwalk Announce Marcellus-to-Gulf Coast NGL Pipeline). But where would the new pipeline connect to along the Gulf Coast to process the NGLs? In July, we heard rumors that Williams and Boardwalk were considering building a new LPG export facility to process and export the Marcellus/Utica NGLs (see Bluegrass NGL Pipeline Recap, Builders Eye LNG Exports Too).

It’s no longer a rumor…
Read More “Rumor Now Reality: Williams/Boardwalk to Build Gulf LPG Terminal”
Beaver County | Columbiana County | Energy Services | Mahoning County | MarkWest Energy | Ohio | Pennsylvania

MarkWest Energy Buys an Ohio Short Line Railroad – Why?
October 3, 2013October 3, 2013

As we’re always fascinated with a good railroad story, our eyes perked up when we saw that a MarkWest subsidiary company is about to close a deal to purchase a 36-mile short line railroad from the Columbiana County (OH) Port Authority–for just $3 million. The railroad, known as the Youngstown & Southern Railroad, runs from Boardman (Mahoning County), OH through Columbiana, Rogers and Negley (all in Columbiana County), ending it’s tracks at Darlington (Beaver County), PA.

What will MarkWest do with a railroad? Right now, they’re being tight-lipped…
Read More “MarkWest Energy Buys an Ohio Short Line Railroad – Why?”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

Williams Goes Back to (PR) School Over Controlled Release Panic
October 3, 2013October 4, 2013

Williams scared the bejeebers out of teachers and students at the Dallas School District (near Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA) last Thursday when they did a controlled release of natural gas from their nearby Transco interstate natural gas pipeline. Williams was emptying part of the pipeline to work on it and the controlled release caused a panic and calls to 911 with concerns over a gas leak. Williams admits they could of/should of done a better job in communicating with residents in the community, and that they should of waited until after (or before) school hours to do the controlled release. Of course local anti-drillers seized on the “incident” to make some PR hay.

So, did Williams learn their lesson?…
Read More “Williams Goes Back to (PR) School Over Controlled Release Panic”
Energy Services | Halliburton | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Lewis County | Muskingum County | Ohio | West Virginia

Halliburton Shuts Down WV Cement Plant, Moves to OH
October 3, 2013October 3, 2013

In a move that’s sure to anger West Virginians, but make Ohioans happy, Halliburton announced Tuesday they’re shutting down their cement plant operations in Weston (Lewis County), WV and moving it 150 miles away to a new service center they’ve opened in Zanesville (Muskingum County), OH. No word on how many jobs in Weston are affected…
Read More “Halliburton Shuts Down WV Cement Plant, Moves to OH”