Ohio State U. Gas-Fired Power Plant Completion Delayed *Again*
In October, we told you that completion of Ohio State University’s Combined Heat and Power Plant (powered with Utica Shale gas) would be delayed until April 2026 (see Ohio State U. Gas-Fired Power Plant Completion Delayed Until 2026). Strike that. It will now be May 2026, at the earliest, before the facility comes online. Ohio State University (OSU) is constructing two natural gas combustion turbine generators and one steam turbine generator with a maximum power generating capacity of 105.5 megawatts of electricity and 285 kilopounds per hour of steam. It’s being built on 1.35 acres at OSU’s main campus in Franklin County (see OH Approves Gas-Fired Power Plant for OSU – Antis Pledge to Fight). Read More “Ohio State U. Gas-Fired Power Plant Completion Delayed *Again*”
In June, Duke Energy announced that it plans to apply to the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (PSCSC) to build a 1,400 megawatt gas-fired power plant in Anderson County (see 
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright yesterday signed an amendment order granting an additional 44 months for Woodside Energy to commence LNG exports to non-FTA countries from the Woodside Louisiana LNG Project under construction in Calcasieu Parish, LA. The project was formerly called Driftwood. Once fully constructed, the project will be capable of exporting up to 3.88 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas as LNG. 
The bidding war is heating up for those interested in buying Ascent Resources, a privately held company focused 100% on the Ohio Utica Shale. Ascent is Ohio’s largest natural gas producer and the 8th largest natural gas producer in the U.S. Kimmeridge Energy, a private investment firm focused on the energy sector (sometimes called an “activist investor” and/or corporate raider), has put an offer on the table to buy out and take over Ascent: $6 billion. This is the first hard number we’ve seen since the whole bidding war began last week. 
In early April, MDN brought you the exciting news that pipeline giant Williams, via its newly-minted subsidiary, Will-Power, is planning to build two Utica/Marcellus gas-fired power plants in the New Albany International Business Park in Licking County, Ohio, near Columbus, to power a massive new Meta (Facebook) data center complex (see 
Pipelines in West Virginia (like most other states) pay property taxes. It’s a significant revenue generator for counties. There are many pipelines in Wetzel County, including three NGL pipelines owned and operated by MarkWest (aka MPLX) that connect to the Mobley Gas Plant. In 2022, MarkWest filed a tax return for the pipelines showing a 35% reduction in value due to less-than-forecasted pipeline usage, a concept called “economic obsolescence based on inutility.” The County Assessor for Wetzel County challenged MarkWest’s claim. 
In October, National Fuel Gas Company, a large utility company headquartered in the Buffalo, NY area with both upstream and midstream subsidiaries (Seneca Resources and NFG Midstream), announced a deal with CenterPoint Energy to acquire CenterPoint’s Ohio natural gas utility business (CNP Ohio) for $2.62 billion (see 
The Marcellus/Utica rig count gained a rig last week in the Ohio Utica. The combined count hit 39 total rigs, the most it has operated in more than a year. That’s great news! It means drilling is picking up in the M-U. Pennsylvania has held at 18 active rigs for four consecutive weeks. Ohio picked up one and now operates 14 rigs. Before last week, Ohio had held the same number of rigs at 13 since September 26. West Virginia maintained its 7 rigs, which it has operated since May 30. There were 24 rigs targeting the Marcellus and 15 targeting the Utica, for a combined 39 rigs in the M-U. 
Eastern Gas Transmission and Storage (EGTS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company (Warren Buffett’s company), filed a new project with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in July (see 
Earlier this year, Houston-based EOG Resources acquired Encino Acquisition Partners for $5.6 billion, establishing the Utica Shale as a “third foundational play” alongside its Permian and Eagle Ford assets (see 
Earlier this year, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and PJM Interconnection, the country’s largest electric grid operator (covering PA, WV, and OH, among other states), began to grapple with the issue of co-locating power plants with data centers (see 
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills that will make it easier to build natural gas pipelines in the northeast and elsewhere. The House passed H.R. 3898, the Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today (PERMIT) Act, making it more difficult for states to reject pipeline and related projects based on the Clean Water Act. No more cases of New York and other states blocking federally-approved pipelines from getting built for years on end. The House also passed H.R. 3668, the Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act, which designates the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as the lead agency in the interstate pipeline approval process. No more interference from the EPA, BLM, and other federal agencies attempting to stifle pipeline projects. 
The European Union is simplifying compliance with its methane emissions law for oil and gas imports, a decision expected to aid U.S. exporters following pressure from the Trump administration. Recognizing that the commingled nature of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) makes tracing difficult, the European Commission proposed two streamlined reporting options: utilizing third-party verification certificates or a digital “trace and claim” system. While the core regulation remains intact with stricter standards scheduled for 2027, these adjustments aim to prevent supply disruptions by offering more flexible monitoring solutions for the fragmented U.S. energy industry. To which we say, tell Europe to bugger off.