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U.S. Supremes Signal Willingness to Curb NEPA Enviro Reviews

On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could fundamentally change how the federal government conducts environmental reviews. We first told you about the case last week (see U.S. Supremes to Consider How Far is Too Far with Enviro Reviews). The case deals with a proposed railway that would connect Utah’s oil-rich Uinta Basin to Colorado. The case considers what should and should not be part of a so-called environmental review. How far is too far? A Circuit Court of Appeals wanted more nonsense included in such a review. At Tuesday’s hearing, the court’s conservative justices signaled they might be willing to put some new guardrails around the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and its requirements to conduct environmental reviews. It seems the Supremes think things have gone too far with endless (costly) environmental “reviews.” Read More “U.S. Supremes Signal Willingness to Curb NEPA Enviro Reviews”

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FERC Issues Final Rule to Make Interstate Pipes More Hacker-Proof

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a final rule updating its regulations to include Version 4.0 of the Standards for Business Practices of Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines, as adopted by the Wholesale Gas Quadrant (WGQ) of the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB). The revisions are designed to promote greater efficiency and reliability of the natural gas industry’s operations and strengthen the cybersecurity protections provided within the standards. This action builds on (works in tandem with) the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) annual Security Directives aimed at protecting pipelines from being hacked. Read More “FERC Issues Final Rule to Make Interstate Pipes More Hacker-Proof”

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Williams Sues ET Again, This Time for Blocking La. Pipe Project

Two pipeline industry titans are going after each other again. Energy Transfer and Williams previously tangled over an aborted proposed merger, a saga that stretched from 2015 until it was finally settled in 2023 (see Williams Finally Wins Case Against ET Aborted Merger – $495 Million). More recently, Williams sought permits to drill for a FERC-approved project in northern Louisiana that would have crossed under an existing ET pipeline in several locations. ET tried to block the Williams project by refusing permission to cross under its pipeline. Williams finally won the right to build, but not before a long delay. Williams recently told an Argus Media reporter that Williams brought a “very large lawsuit” against ET for the delay. Read More “Williams Sues ET Again, This Time for Blocking La. Pipe Project”

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Still a Chance for NFG’s Northern Access Pipeline into New York?

One month ago, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) CEO David Bauer confirmed that his company had given up after battling for 10 years to build the Northern Access Pipeline, a 97-mile pipeline from McKean County in Pennsylvania into and through Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Erie counties in New York that would have flowed Marcellus gas into New York State (see NFG Gives Up on Building Northern Access Pipeline; NY Killed It). The project faced intense opposition from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and later his successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul. Even though the project eventually won the right to build via the courts, years of opposition from NY increased the costs exponentially and led NFG to pass on building it. Yet 11 Congresspeople (from NY and PA) sent a letter to Gov. Hochul yesterday asking her to drop her opposition to the project. Huh? Read More “Still a Chance for NFG’s Northern Access Pipeline into New York?”

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Williams CEO Says FERC Should Have Total Control Over Pipe Permits

Wow! Trump winning the election has clearly emboldened some CEOs in the oil and gas sector. Anti-fossil fuel zealots long ago figured out if they could stop new pipelines from getting built, they could block the growth of new shale drilling. The antis have been devastatingly effective in places like the northeast U.S. in places like New York, New England, and even in the three active Marcellus/Utica states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. The problem, in a nutshell, is that states have a role in approving permits for new interstate pipelines under the Clean Water Act. One CEO wants to see that changed. Read More “Williams CEO Says FERC Should Have Total Control Over Pipe Permits”

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Mountain Valley Pipeline’s Final Cost Pegged at Nearly $10 Billion

When EQT first announced it intended to build the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), stretching from Wetzel County, WV, to Pittsylvania County, VA, the project came with an estimated price tag of $3.5 billion and an estimated completion date of 2018 (see Mountain Valley Pipeline Files FERC Appl, Now Just Matter of Time). By the time it finally began operating earlier this year (10 years later!), the estimated cost had risen to $7.85 billion (see Confirmed: M-U Gas Now Flowing Through Mountain Valley Pipeline). Except, that number was not the true final cost either. According to a recent filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the final cost to build MVP was $9.67 billion. Read More “Mountain Valley Pipeline’s Final Cost Pegged at Nearly $10 Billion”

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BIG Mistake: Shell Falcon Pipe Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges

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Shell’s 97-mile Falcon ethane pipeline, which feeds 100,000 barrels a day of Marcellus/Utica ethane to the mighty cracker plant in Beaver County, PA, was built and running as of January 2021, well before the cracker itself was finished (see Shell Cracker Construction “in the Home Stretch” – Ready in 2022). Ironically, more of this ethane pipeline was built in Ohio and West Virginia than in Pennsylvania. Only 45.5 miles of the system is located in PA. Yet in April, the Pennsylvania Attorney General, Michelle Henry (an anti-drilling Democrat hack about to leave office) used the testimony of two fired Shell employees to charge the long-done pipeline with crimes for how it was constructed (see PA AG Files Bogus Charges Against Long-Done Shell Falcon Pipe). Shell stupidly agreed to plead guilty to three of 13 criminal charges for violating the state Clean Streams law when building the pipeline in Allegheny, Beaver, and Washington counties. Read More “BIG Mistake: Shell Falcon Pipe Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges”

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Reuters Was Right – Blackstone Paying EQT $3.5B for Pipeline Stake

Just about one month ago, Reuters reported that sources “familiar with the matter” whispered to its reporters that private equity firm Blackstone is “in advanced talks” to acquire minority stakes in the interstate natural gas pipelines now owned by EQT Corp. (following its purchase of Equitrans Midstream) for a whopping $3.5 billion (see Blackstone Seeks to Buy Pipeline Stake from EQT for $3.5 Billion). The sources were right! This morning, EQT issued a press release to announce a deal for Blackstone to invest $3.5 billion in the company’s midstream (pipeline) assets. Read More “Reuters Was Right – Blackstone Paying EQT $3.5B for Pipeline Stake”

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Mountain Valley Pipe Dinged Small Fine by Va. for Erosion Violation

Antis did their best, but their best wasn’t good enough. Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) victoriously began to flow up to 2 Bcf/d of Marcellus/Utica molecules in June (see Confirmed: M-U Gas Now Flowing Through Mountain Valley Pipeline). Construction of the project, which crosses steep mountains, has not been without its challenges, chief among them erosion at some construction sites due to heavy rain. Of course, most of that erosion would not have happened if environmental groups had not sued, and had a colluding Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals not delayed completion of the project FOR YEARS. Shame on them for causing more environmental damage than building the pipeline on time would have caused. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently dinged MVP with another small fine ($17,500) for erosion violations. Read More “Mountain Valley Pipe Dinged Small Fine by Va. for Erosion Violation”

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DT Midstream Buys 2 Interstate Pipelines with M-U Connections

DT Midstream (DTM), headquartered in Detroit, owns major assets in the Marcellus/Utica region and in other regions, such as Haynesville. Yesterday, DTM announced it had cut a deal to buy three FERC-regulated interstate pipelines from Oklahoma-based ONEOK, Inc. for $1.2 billion. Two of the three pipelines flow Marcellus/Utica molecules to Midwestern markets. Read More “DT Midstream Buys 2 Interstate Pipelines with M-U Connections”

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When Will the M-U Get Another New Greenfield Pipeline Project?

Environmental wackos have made building a new natural gas pipeline anywhere in the northeast (or southeast) such a heinously nasty experience with multiple and repeated regulatory challenges and a blizzard of lawsuits that nobody has ventured to propose a new “greenfield” (brand new from scratch) pipeline since Mountain Valley Pipeline, which took a decade to complete at double the original budget. We’re hopeful the situation will change under the new Trump administration. The Marcellus/Utica industry recognizes we need another new pipeline to move more of our molecules to other regions. What would be the “driving force” to prompt a company to be willing to try once again? Read More “When Will the M-U Get Another New Greenfield Pipeline Project?”

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API Releases 5-Point Policy Plan to Make Energy Great Again

We won’t lie—we have a love/hate relationship with the American Petroleum Institute. Big Oil companies (like Exxon) control the organization (they pay big membership fees), and often, Big Oil is at odds with smaller, independent oil and gas producers like those who do most of the shale drilling. The API tends to suck up to politicians like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. In remarks made yesterday, API President Mike Sommers said his organization supports (!) the massive worldwide shakedown of America called the Paris Accords (which targets HIS members for extinction). Go figure. However, the API isn’t all bad. The API released a policy roadmap yesterday for the incoming Trump administration. Read More “API Releases 5-Point Policy Plan to Make Energy Great Again”

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Harold Hamm’s Oil & Gas Priorities for Trump’s Second Term

Harold Hamm

Harold Hamm is the legendary founder and executive chairman of Continental Resources, a large, privately owned drilling company. Hamm is, along with George Mitchell, Aubrey McClendon, and a few others, one of the original pioneers who figured out how to combine fracking with horizontal drilling to access previously trapped oil in shale deposits. Hamm’s claim to fame is drilling in the mighty Bakken oil fields of North Dakota. Harold Hamm is, by all accounts, one of the biggest frackers in the world. He’s also a big fan of Donald J. Trump and helped coral donors from the oil and gas industry to donate money to Trump’s campaign. Although Hamm won’t have an official role in the new administration, he does have four energy goals for the next administration to tackle. Read More “Harold Hamm’s Oil & Gas Priorities for Trump’s Second Term”

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NFG Gives Up on Building Northern Access Pipeline; NY Killed It

We hate this…writing yet another post mortem for a pipeline project in the Marcellus/Utica. Yesterday, National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) CEO David Bauer confirmed that his company has given up after battling for 10 years to build the Northern Access Pipeline, a 97-mile pipeline from McKean County in Pennsylvania into and through Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Erie counties in New York that would have flowed Marcellus gas into New York State. The project faced intense opposition from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and later his lackey and successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul. Even though the project eventually won the right to build via the courts, years of opposition from NY increased the costs exponentially and led NFG to pass on building it. A very sad day. Score another victory for the Evil Empire State. Read More “NFG Gives Up on Building Northern Access Pipeline; NY Killed It”

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DUG Appalachia: “Drill Baby Drill” has Become “Build Baby Build”

Yesterday, Hart Energy held its DUG Appalachia Conference and Expo in Pittsburgh. DUG stands for Developing Unconventional Gas. According to press accounts, folks were smiling, and the atmosphere was a lot more optimistic following Donald Trump’s crushing victory over The Cackler. A number of Marcellus/Utica luminaries attended, including EQT Corp. CEO Toby Rice. In a keynote speech to attendees, Rice had one of (perhaps THE) most memorable lines of the day. He said, “We’re in a different world, and it’s not about drilling, it’s about ‘build baby, build,’ and we need more pipelines.” Read More “DUG Appalachia: “Drill Baby Drill” has Become “Build Baby Build””

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EQT CEO Says the M-U Needs to Get Back to Building Pipelines

According to Hart Energy, “massive” transformations are “shaking” the natural gas industry along the Gulf Coast via new pipelines in Texas and LNG export plants in Louisiana. However, the nation’s largest gas field on the eastern side of the U.S., the Marcellus Shale, is not seeing the same transformations. Why? “CEOs are often fighting political battles for permission to build infrastructure.” According to EQT Corp. CEO Toby Rice, the solution is to get back to building new pipelines. If only we could… Read More “EQT CEO Says the M-U Needs to Get Back to Building Pipelines”