EIA: Marcellus/Utica Gas Pushes Coal-Fired Plants into Retirement
Some interesting facts and figures from our favorite government agency, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). In 2011 the U.S. had 317.6 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired electric generation capacity. About 88.7 GW (28%) of that capacity was retired from 2011 to 2020. The primary reason? Marcellus/Utica natural gas. Cheap, abundant, and clean-burning natural gas began to be used in electric generating plants. Another fun fact: Of the 93.5 GW of natural gas capacity built in the U.S. from 2011 to 2020, 14.3 GW (15%) is located in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
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We believe there is a total lack of scientific proof that an increasing amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, put there by burning fossil fuels, is causing Mom Earth to catastrophically toast. In fact, we did our own quick analysis of temperatures in the Binghamton area over the past 70 years and found a total lack of proof that CO2 is causing global warming (see 
A number of big Marcellus/Utica drillers (i.e. producers) have gone whole hog on ESG (environmental, social, governance) programs in an attempt to prove to the world natural gas and the way we produce it is green too. One of the companies that popped up over a year ago to help M-U drillers (and drillers in other plays) prove they are clean and green was Independent Energy Standards Corporation (IES) TrustWell™ Responsible Gas Program (see 
In June MDN brought you the news that Enbridge’s Texas Eastern Transmission (TETCO) pipeline was being flow-restricted by the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA). Some 40% of the Marcellus/Utica molecules that flow through TETCO’s pipeline to destinations in the southeastern U.S. disappeared and were predicted to stay that way until the end of September (see 
What’s happening with New Fortress Energy’s (NFE) proposed LNG liquefaction plant planned for Wyalusing, PA? We told you in March the company hasn’t given up on the plan, but for now is focused elsewhere (see 
Chester County, PA commissioners are, once again, attempting to instill irrational fear into county residents over the construction and operation of the Mariner East 2 (ME2) pipeline. ME2 runs hundreds of miles across the state, from eastern Ohio all the way to the Marcus Hook refinery near Philadelphia. The pipeline runs through Chester on its way to Marcus Hook. Chester commissioners are preparing to pay big bucks to hire a consultant to help the county draw up emergency plans for the pipeline in case it blows up or leaks. It’s a scare tactic. “The sky is falling!” MDN friend Garland Thompson has written a cogent and devastating response to an article highlighting news of the commissioners’ attempt to amplify people’s fears about ME2. His response offers the bigger (and truer) picture about ME2 safety.
In March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning to enter the public consciousness, some 500 people from labor unions and industry met in Pittsburgh to launch an organization called Pittsburgh Works Together (PWT), dedicated to fighting back against those who want to end southwest PA industries including steel, natural gas, and petrochemicals (see 
It’s that time of year again. Annual maintenance along pipelines that feed several major U.S. liquefaction (LNG) facilities will negatively impact gas deliveries to some terminals over the next six weeks according to notices to customers. Pipelines that serve the Cove Point, Maryland LNG facility and the Sabine Pass, Louisiana facility will be affected. Marcellus/Utica gas flows to both facilities.
The latest weekly Enverus U.S. rig count shows total rigs in use faltered slightly and lost ground. For the week ending August 26, the rig count stood at 621, down 3 rigs from the previous week. That’s a slight retreat after last week’s new post-pandemic high. The Marcellus and Utica plays stayed even with the previous week–no rigs gained or lost. Collectively the M-U currently operates 45 rigs.
In February of this year, PTT Global Chemical adamantly claimed a final investment decision (FID) to build the $10 billion ethane cracker plant project in Belmont County, OH would happen by “middle of 2021” (see 
In an effort to flow more Marcellus natural gas to a gas-starved New York City, Kinder Morgan cut a deal with utility company Consolidated Edison in 2019 to beef up capacity along its Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP) that feeds NYC, allowing Con Ed to avoid cutting customers off from natgas hookups (see 
Last October the Sisters of the Corn (our name for a group of leftist nuns in Lancaster County, PA) filed yet another frivolous lawsuit against Williams over a pipeline that crosses their land–a pipeline (Atlantic Sunrise) that has been up and running for years (see 
Earlier this month MDN brought you information on the kinds of efforts and initiatives oil and gas companies are adopting to prove to those who hate us that we’re green and good for Mom Earth (see 
The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) recently issued a “warning letter” to Shell concerning the company’s ethane pipeline, called the Falcon Pipeline. PHMSA claims the pipeline committed two “probable violations” by failing to place pipeline sections at a construction site in Beaver County on protective padding. PHMSA told Shell to fix it, or else.