Energy Services

Accidents | Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Eureka Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Tyler County | West Virginia

Flash Fire at Pipeline Station in WV Kills 1, Injures 3 Others
April 15, 2013April 15, 2013

A flash fire at a "pig receiving station" along a Eureka Hunter pipeline near Wick (Tyler County), WV last Thursday evening seriously injured three people requiring they be airlifted to Pittsburgh. A fourth person was taken to a local hospital. Sadly, one of the seriously injured workers, 56-year-old Bruce Phipps of Marietta, Ohio, died late Friday night. Pipeline Inspection Gauges (or Pigs) are used for pipeline cleaning, inspection and maintenance, and fluid batching in pipelines. A pig is pushed along the inside of a pipeline by the flow of liquid or gas. A pig launching station is used to insert the pig into a pipeline using a series of valves and hatches. The pig is pushed through the pipeline by the liquid or gas stream to the pig receiving station.

It was at such a receiving station where the flash fire occurred. According to news accounts, the flash fire was under control within 15 minutes…

Read More “Flash Fire at Pipeline Station in WV Kills 1, Injures 3 Others”
Energy Companies | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Shell | Williams

Shell & Williams Tie the Knot on New Midstream JV for NW PA
April 12, 2013April 12, 2013

More pipelines for both dry and wet gas, and perhaps just as important, a new cryogenic gas processing plant is coming to northwestern PA courtesy of a brand new joint venture partnership between midstream giant Williams and exploration & production giant Shell. The new jv will service not only Shell (the first customer to be signed), but also other energy producers in the area. It will be aimed at both the Marcellus and Utica Shale in the region.

Here’s the announcement from the happy newlyweds:

Read More “Shell & Williams Tie the Knot on New Midstream JV for NW PA”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Jefferson County (PA) | Pennsylvania | Ridgeline Energy Services | Wastewater

Punxsutawney Phil Gets a New Neighbor: Marcellus Wastewater Plant
April 12, 2013April 12, 2013

Canadian company Ridgeline Energy Services announced yesterday that it will build a new Marcellus Shale wastewater treatment facility in Punxsutawney, PA. They already have an unidentified customer willing to send 2,500-4,000 barrels of wastewater per day to the new facility when it becomes operational. Construction will begin in about a month.

Ridgeline’s announcement:

Read More “Punxsutawney Phil Gets a New Neighbor: Marcellus Wastewater Plant”
Energy Services | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Schramm

New Schramm "Monster" Drilling Rig Almost Ready, Heading to Ohio
April 12, 2013April 12, 2013

West Chester, PA company Schramm Inc. is putting the finishing touches on a new automated drilling rig, the very first T500XD Telemast, that can lift 250 tons of pipe and drill more than 15,000 feet deep. The first new rig of its kind is already spoken for: It’s headed to Ohio where Alpha Hunter will use it to drill in both the Marcellus and Utica Shale…

Read More “New Schramm "Monster" Drilling Rig Almost Ready, Heading to Ohio”
Energy Services | GreenHunter Resources

GreenHunter 2012 Financials: Revenue Up, Net Loss Up More
April 10, 2013April 9, 2013

GreenHunter Energy, a shale and fracking wastewater treatment company, released their 2012 financials on Monday. The headline they tout is that annual revenues were up a huge 1,444% in 2012 over 2011. However, total revenues for 2012 were just $17.1 million. Hey, we’ll give GreenHunter their due that the company is growing nicely, so hat’s off to them. But the company is still relatively small. In addition to $17.1 million in revenue, they had a write-down of a project in 2012 that caused them to register a net loss to shareholders of $21.2 million for the year. Doing a little math, we find that GreenHunter went in the hole $4.1 million for the year.

You may recall that GreenHunter now owns six barge terminals in PA, WV and OH (see GreenHunter Buys Barge Terminal in Wheeling for Frack Wastewater). They have a lot riding on a decision by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Obama White House on whether or not to allow barge shipping of frack wastewater. If approval comes this year (it’s supposedly with the White House now), GreenHunter will likely see black ink on the ledger for 2013.

Read More “GreenHunter 2012 Financials: Revenue Up, Net Loss Up More”
Blue Racer Midstream | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | Maryland | Processing Plants | Statewide MD | West Virginia

Will NatGas Processed at New Natrium, WV Plant End Up in Asia?
April 8, 2013April 8, 2013

Dominion, via it’s Blueracer Midstream joint venture with Caiman Energy, is building a $1.5 billion natural gas liquids processing plant in Natrium, WV. The plant is a bit behind schedule but due to go online later this spring (see Natrium, WV NGL Plant Behind Schedule, Will Open “Late Spring”). Dominion is also set to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility in Cove Point, MD as soon as certain government approvals are issued. They will invest a staggering $3.4-$3.8 billion to build it (see Dominion’s Cove Point LNG Facility Achieves Important Milestones).

With Dominion building both the Natrium and Cove Point facilities, it only makes sense some of the Utica and Marcellus natural gas that flows through the Natrium facility for processing will end up at Cove Point, and then on to either Japan or India:

Read More “Will NatGas Processed at New Natrium, WV Plant End Up in Asia?”
Blair County | Economic Impact | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Marcellus GTL | Pennsylvania | Taxation

Altoona Gas to Liquids Plant Will Qualify for 7-Year Tax Break
April 8, 2013April 8, 2013

Marcellus GTL announced a few weeks ago they plan to build a $200 million gas to liquids (GTL) plant near Altoona, PA that will convert natural gas into gasoline and propane (see Altoona Area Getting $200M Marcellus Gas-to-Liquids Plant). If they start building by the end of this year, the company will qualify for up to seven years of tax abatement. That’s a pretty powerful reason to get building…

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Energy Services | GreenHunter Resources | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Statewide OH | Wastewater

Obama “Inches” Toward Approving Barge Shipments of Frack Water
April 5, 2013April 5, 2013

GreenHunter Water (and others) anxiously await approval from the Coast Guard to allow shipment of fracking wastewater by barge. GreenHunter has a lot riding on the Coast Guard’s decision (see GreenHunter’s Plans to Move Wastewater by Barge Delayed). Anti-drillers are attempting to prevent barge shipments of frack water as a tactic to discourage drilling. They ignore the glaring fact that substances far more toxic than frack water are shipped on river barges each and every day of the week, all done with a sterling safety record.

Reuters is now reporting that the Coast Guard has recommended barge shipments be allowed and has supplied the Obama administration with a draft rule to do it. Reuters also reports the administration is “inching ahead” with plans to approve the rule:

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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | UGI Energy Services | Wyoming County (PA)

Back to Kindergarten: UGI Explains NatGas Gate Stations
April 4, 2013April 4, 2013

Northeastern PA utility company UGI is in a strange position. Geographically the company and it’s natural gas distribution network sit in or near some of the richest deposits of natural gas known to exist in the United States—the Marcellus Shale. All UGI has to do is install some new pipelines here and there, and a compressor station here and there, to bring that low-cost gas to its customers. Currently the gas being delivered to households in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area mostly comes from the Gulf Coast! Why not use gas produced locally, which is far cheaper.

Why not? Because of dullards who oppose installing the new pipelines and compressor stations. Anything to do with natural gas has gotten so divisive and politically charged, that UGI now has to explain (“dumb it down”) to people why lowly gate stations (pipeline connectors) are safe:

Read More “Back to Kindergarten: UGI Explains NatGas Gate Stations”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Bradford County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pike County | Pipelines | Regulation | Tennessee Gas Pipeline | Wayne County

Army Corps of Engineers Approves Pipeline in Delaware River Basin
April 2, 2013April 2, 2013

Good news for drillers, landowners and consumers who want to see more low-cost Marcellus Shale gas flowing to East Coast markets. On March 22, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers green lighted Tennessee Gas Company’s Northeast Upgrade pipeline project to cross wetlands (i.e. swamps), rivers and streams in the Delaware River watershed. Hooray! The Corps didn’t cave to eco-nut, anti-progress pressure.

The details on where the new extensions are being built:

Read More “Army Corps of Engineers Approves Pipeline in Delaware River Basin”
Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Processing Plants | Statewide MD

Dominion’s Cove Point LNG Facility Achieves Important Milestones
April 1, 2013April 1, 2013

Dominion announced this morning it has achieved several major milestones for advancing its Cove Point, Maryland LNG export facility, including contracts with Japan and India to take 100% of the LNG they can produce for export. The Cove Point LNG export facility, which includes the capability to liquefy natural gas into LNG, will cost $3.4 – $3.8 billion to build–a staggering number. It will provide jobs and an economic boost to the entire East Coast, especially Maryland and Virginia.

The Dominion press release from this morning:
Read More “Dominion’s Cove Point LNG Facility Achieves Important Milestones”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lebanon County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Spectra Energy

Spectra to Expand Marcellus Pipeline in Lebanon, Other PA Locales
April 1, 2013April 1, 2013

Texas Eastern Transmission, a division of midstream giant Spectra Energy, plans to expand a natural gas pipeline in the Lebanon Valley (Lebanon County) area of Pennsylvania, as well as other PA counties, in order to transport more Marcellus Shale gas:
Read More “Spectra to Expand Marcellus Pipeline in Lebanon, Other PA Locales”
Blue Racer Midstream | Caiman Energy | Crime | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | NGLs | Processing Plants | West Virginia

2nd Bomb Threat Stops Construction at Natrium, WV NGL Plant
March 27, 2013March 27, 2013

Just two days ago MDN told you that the Blueracer Midstream natural gas liquids (NGLs) processing plant being built in Natrium, WV is now several months behind schedule and not due to go online until later this spring (see Natrium, WV NGL Plant Behind Schedule, Will Open “Late Spring”). Back in February, the same Natrium plant had a bomb threat that stopped construction and caused an evacuation of 500 workers for several hours (see Bomb Threat at Natrium, WV NGL Plant Doesn’t Slow Construction). At the time, it was thought perhaps the bomb threat did not specifically target the NGL plant because the previous day a bomb threat was called at a different nearby WV Route 2 location, not related to the natural gas industry.

But now? We’re not so sure. Yesterday a second bomb threat was made against the Natirum facility, causing the evacuation of 700 construction workers, shutting down work for another several hours. The head of the WV Oil and Natural Gas Association is calling it a case of “domestic terrorism” and a crime:

Read More “2nd Bomb Threat Stops Construction at Natrium, WV NGL Plant”
Energy Services | GreenHunter Resources | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | Wastewater | West Virginia

GreenHunter Tries to Repair Damage with Wheeling over New Project
March 27, 2013March 27, 2013

As MDN reported yesterday, GreenHunter Water made a big faux pas by not genuflecting before the Wheeling, WV City Council before announcing their plans to build a fracking wastewater recycling and shipping facility in the city along the Ohio River (see Wheeling Councilwoman Vows to Prevent Frack Water Treatment Plant). GreenHunter attempted to repair some of the damage yesterday when they briefed city officials on their proposed project.

Did the meeting help? Maybe, but the city is not ready to “take a position on the project” just yet…

Read More “GreenHunter Tries to Repair Damage with Wheeling over New Project”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | GreenHunter Resources | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | Regulation | Wastewater | West Virginia

Wheeling Councilwoman Vows to Prevent Frack Water Treatment Plant
March 26, 2013March 26, 2013

Less than two weeks ago, GreenHunter Water announced they had purchased a 10.8 acre barge terminal site in Wheeling, WV that sits along the Ohio River. GreenHunter has plans to convert the former gasoline storage facility into a shale wastewater handling and storage facility that will recycle wastewater so drillers can reuse it, or ship it by barge to other locations for disposal (see GreenHunter Buys Barge Terminal in Wheeling for Frack Wastewater).

GreenHunter made a mistake. They didn’t first approach Wheeling City Council to ask, “Mother, May I?” If they had, in all likelihood the outcome would have not been any different. At least one council member is strongly anti-drilling—Gloria Delbrugge (Democrat). She’s upset GreenHunter didn’t ask for permission first, and she’s pledging to stop the project altogether:

Read More “Wheeling Councilwoman Vows to Prevent Frack Water Treatment Plant”
Accidents | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | Pipelines | Processing Plants | West Virginia | Williams

Williams Methane Pipeline Ruptures in Marshall County, WV
March 25, 2013March 25, 2013

Early Friday afternoon, a 24-inch methane-only natural gas pipeline built and maintained by Williams near their Fort Beeler cryogenic processing plant ruptured. The pipeline is located 4 miles south of Cameron (Marshall County), WV.

Fortunately the blowout did not ignite and there were no injuries:

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