Regulation

Forced Pooling | Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Public Hearing Held on WV Forced Polling Bill, Final Vote This Week
March 8, 2022March 8, 2022

Yesterday the West Virginia House Energy and Manufacturing Committee held a public hearing to elicit feedback and comments on Senate Bill (SB) 694, a bill that will, after nearly a decade, provide for forced pooling for shale wells in the state. The bill has already passed the WV Senate and likely will come up for a vote by the full House this week. Based on support from both drillers and landowner groups, it appears this bill is a done deal. Even surface owners are “OK” with the bill. Not thrilled, but OK. About the only dissent we could detect from the hearing is that some believe it doesn’t go far enough with forced pooling.
Read More “Public Hearing Held on WV Forced Polling Bill, Final Vote This Week”
Empire Pipeline | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY’s Corrupt DEC Still Trying to Block NFG’s Northern Access Pipe
March 7, 2022March 7, 2022

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What in the world is going on inside the bowels of the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC)? The DEC is once again trying to reopen a long-settled case that allows National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) to build the Northern Access Pipeline, a 97-mile project from McKean County in Pennsylvania into and through Allegany, Cattaraugus and Erie counties in New York, that will flow Marcellus gas into the Empire State.
Read More “NY’s Corrupt DEC Still Trying to Block NFG’s Northern Access Pipe”
Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

U.S. Sen. Manchin Rips FERC Commissioners Over Climate Policies
March 4, 2022March 4, 2022

Sen. Joe Manchin

While being polite and cordial, as U.S. Senators typically are, Sen. Joe Manchin, from West Virginia, unloaded on the five commissioners of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) yesterday during a hearing before the committee he chairs, the Senate Energy Committee. Specifically, Manchin took FERC to task for overstepping its bounds with new regulations that use global warming as a consideration when approving new pipeline projects. Manchin told the FERC commissioners their actions contribute to a ‘death by a thousand cuts’ of the fossil fuels that are critical to American energy reliability, security and independence. Well said, Senator!
Read More “U.S. Sen. Manchin Rips FERC Commissioners Over Climate Policies”
Energy Services | Equitrans/EQT Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Sen. Manchin Taking FERC to Woodshed, Wants Answers on Policies, MVP
March 3, 2022March 3, 2022

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, Democrat from West Virginia, is in a grumpy mood. The cause? The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Manchin is meeting with FERC commissioners tomorrow and he plans to take them to the proverbial woodshed for a good thrashing. Two things are on Manchin’s mind: FERC’s new rules that use global warming as a standard for reviewing pipeline projects, and ongoing delays with finishing the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project.
Read More “Sen. Manchin Taking FERC to Woodshed, Wants Answers on Policies, MVP”
Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

US Supremes Hear Arguments Against Rogue EPA – Antis VERY Nervous
March 2, 2022March 2, 2022

On Monday the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a lawsuit filed by West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and the attorney generals from 20 states that seek to limit the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and their misinterpretation of the so-called Clean Air Act in order to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power plants. The justices heard more than two hours of arguments over whether to limit the EPA’s power to regulate CO2 emissions from electric utilities. Based on the questions and comments by the justices, anti-fossil fuel cultists are VERY nervous that they may lose one of their favorite tools to limit oil and gas development.
Read More “US Supremes Hear Arguments Against Rogue EPA – Antis VERY Nervous”
CNG/LNG | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

25 States Fight Back Against Biden Proposed Ban on LNG-by-Rail
March 2, 2022March 2, 2022

In June 2020, during the Trump administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), published final rules to allow LNG to be safely transported by special rail cars (see PHMSA and Fed Railroad Admin Publish Final LNG by Rail Regs). Irrational fossil fuel haters got ahold of the cognitively challenged Joe Biden and Biden put a “freeze” on LNG-by-rail during his first two days in office (see What Biden’s First Two Days on the Job Mean for the O&G Industry). Now the Bidenistas at the DOT are moving to permanently (under Biden anyway) have the PHMSA block LNG-by-rail. Half of the states in the union are fighting back, telling the Bidenistas they cannot block LNG-by-rail.
Read More “25 States Fight Back Against Biden Proposed Ban on LNG-by-Rail”
Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation

O&G Expert Says Recent FERC Rules on Global Warming Not End of Pipes
March 2, 2022March 2, 2022

A former wind lobbyist and friend of Chuck Schumer, Richard “Dick” Glick, took over as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) under Joe Biden. Glick is a radical leftist, a swamp-dwelling D.C. Democrat. Under his oversight, the five-member FERC board (three Democrats, two Republicans) voted 3-2 in February to begin using global warming factors when reviewing new natural gas pipeline projects (see FERC Democrats Ram Thru Global Warming Policy for Pipe Decisions). There was swift criticism of Glick’s move to block new gas pipelines by using so-called global warming concerns. However, one energy expert, RBN Energy, says maybe the new rules Dick Glick implemented won’t result in all that much of a change.
Read More “O&G Expert Says Recent FERC Rules on Global Warming Not End of Pipes”
Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Statewide WV | Taxation | West Virginia

WV Legislature Gets Closer to Revised NatGas Property Tax Rule
February 28, 2022February 28, 2022

The West Virginia State Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 2581 on the last day of the annual WV legislative session in April 2021. HB 2581 required the State Tax Commissioner to develop a revised methodology to value oil and natural gas properties for the purposes of assessing property taxes. The State Tax Department submitted an emergency rule last summer that was, quite frankly, a mess. The rule created a complex system that is currently mired in controversy with both drillers and landowners confused about how much of a tax bill they will owe this year. Last week the WV House of Delegates worked on and pushed along a compromise bill to try and fix the mess created last year (see WV Legislature Wants Tax Dept. Do-Over of NatGas Property Tax Rule).
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Westmoreland County

Murrysville Antis Appeal Fracking Ordinance to PA Supreme Court
February 28, 2022February 28, 2022

In May 2017, Murrysville Township (Westmoreland County) struck a zoning compromise with local drillers on the distance of setbacks (see Murrysville, PA Drilling Ordinance – Anatomy of a Compromise). In a lawsuit that went from county court to Commonwealth Court, the case brought by climate change cultists failed. Since they have access to piles of Big Green money (some of which likely comes from Russia), a local Big Green-backed anti-fossil fuel group is trying one last “Hail Mary” pass, appealing the lawsuit to the Democrats of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
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Forced Pooling | Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

New WV Forced Pooling Bill Moves Rapidly, Up for Full Senate Vote
February 25, 2022February 25, 2022

Will this finally be the year that West Virginia has a new forced pooling bill passed into law? Quite possibly, given the supersonic speed with which Senate Bill (SB) 694 was introduced and, without any discussion, passed through the Senate Finance Committee (at the last possible moment), and sent on to the full Senate for a vote. Of course, the bill still has to go to the WV House. SB 694 is complicated, but this time the bill appears to have widespread support, not only from drillers but from royalty owners too.
Read More “New WV Forced Pooling Bill Moves Rapidly, Up for Full Senate Vote”
Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV Senate Passes Bill Tweaking 2018 Co-Tenancy Law – No Minimums
February 25, 2022February 25, 2022

A second bill related to mineral and landowner rights holders rocketed through the West Virginia Senate, passing the full Senate by 29-5 vote on Wednesday. Senate Bill (SB) 650 tweaks a previously passed bill signed into law in 2018 concerning co-tenancy (see WV Gov. Justice Does 180 – Says He’ll Sign Co-Tenancy Bill). Co-tenancy corrects cases where rights owners can’t be found to sign leases, resulting in a great deal of acreage being unavailable for drilling that otherwise would be. The co-tenancy law is good for both drillers and rights owners.
Read More “WV Senate Passes Bill Tweaking 2018 Co-Tenancy Law – No Minimums”
Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Statewide VA | Taxation | Virginia

Update on Virginia’s Progress in Exiting Costly RGGI Carbon Tax
February 22, 2022April 20, 2022

In early December, Virginia’s newly-elected governor, Glenn Youngkin, said that as soon as he took office he would use his executive power to withdraw Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (see VA’s New Republican Gov Pledges to Cancel RGGI Carbon Tax). RGGI is an obscene, very expensive carbon tax on coal- and gas-fired power plants. Youngkin’s pledge was a nice sentiment from someone not yet in office. Since taking office, Virginia’s leftist Attorney General told Youngkin the law does not permit the governor to use an executive order to undo a legislative action (see Va. Gov. Youngkin Can’t Use Exec Order to Block RGGI Carbon Tax). Where do things stand? And how much progress has Youngkin made in removing Virginia from this odious tax?
Read More “Update on Virginia’s Progress in Exiting Costly RGGI Carbon Tax”
Industrywide Issues | Regulation

Biden Admin Abuses Court Ruling to Block New Fed Land Drilling
February 22, 2022February 22, 2022

The Bidenistas fight dirty. Last week MDN told you about a federal court ruling against Biden’s plan to use the so-called global “social cost of carbon dioxide” emissions as a new filter for all sorts of government agencies when considering whether or not to approve projects and activities, like drilling for oil and gas on federally-owned land (see Fed Judge Overturns Biden Order to Use Global CO2 Cost Estimates). Because a Republican federal judge (appointed by Donald Trump) ruled against Biden’s plan, the Bidenistas are now using the judge’s decision as an excuse to block any new approvals to drill oil and gas wells on federal lands. Dirty and vindictive.
Read More “Biden Admin Abuses Court Ruling to Block New Fed Land Drilling”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation

Glick Lies About His Political Agenda to Block Gas Pipes
February 22, 2022February 22, 2022

A former wind lobbyist and friend of Chuck Schumer, Richard “Dick” Glick, took over as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) under Joe “Dementia” Biden. Glick is a radical leftist, a swamp-dwelling D.C. Democrat. Under his oversight, the five-member FERC board (three Democrats, two Republicans) voted 3-2 last week to begin using global warming factors when reviewing new natural gas pipeline projects (see FERC Democrats Ram Thru Global Warming Policy for Pipe Decisions). There was swift and justifiable criticism of Glick’s move to block new gas pipelines by using so-called global warming concerns. Glick is now stating (lying) that using global warming to stop pipelines isn’t political and isn’t an “agenda” he has. He even says he’s not blocking gas pipelines! The man has no shame. Either no shame or he’s self-deluded.
Read More “Glick Lies About His Political Agenda to Block Gas Pipes”
Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV Bills Would Boost Funding for DEP Oil & Gas Inspectors
February 18, 2022February 18, 2022

The West Virginia Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Committee had two bills on its agenda for consideration this past Tuesday related to funding the state’s “cash-strapped” oil and gas well inspection unit. One of the bills, Senate Bill (SB) 480 was signed off without discussion and moved along to its next stop before a vote, which is the Senate Finance Committee. The other bill, SB 613, was held over for a future meeting. It got the cold shoulder.
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Carbon Capture | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Bill Gives PA DEP Primacy in Approving Carbon Capture Inj. Wells
February 18, 2022February 18, 2022

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Pennsylvania State Rep. Eric Nelson, a Republican from Westmoreland County, floated a House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda last week announcing he will soon introduce a new bill aimed at promoting carbon capture injection wells in the state by giving power to establish and regulate those wells to the state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP). Nelson calls it “an exciting area of developing technology in the energy sector.”
Read More “Bill Gives PA DEP Primacy in Approving Carbon Capture Inj. Wells”