OH Gov Kasich Vetoed Misnamed ‘Tax Relief’ for Utica Drillers
As we reported in December, Ohio legislators sent Gov. John “foreigner hunter” Kasich a bill at the end of the year with provisions that clear up language regarding tax exemptions for the oil and gas industry (see OH Gov Kasich May Veto Misnamed ‘Tax Relief’ for Utica Drillers). Ohio state auditors have taken advantage of unclear language to aggressively go after oil and gas companies over legitimate tax breaks they receive under Ohio law (to not pay taxes on equipment used directly in producing oil and gas). Lawmakers want to end the tax witch hunts by clearing up language. But Democrats and RINO Kasich are trying to position the issue as a “tax break” under which up to $264 million would have to be refunded to Big Oil. Which is, of course, a lie. Kasich decided to take the low road and continue to demagogue the issue. He vetoed the bill…
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In April 2016 MDN told you about the Guernsey Power Station–a new Utica/Marcellus natural gas-fired electric generating plant proposed for Guernsey County, OH (see 
In August, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a favorable environmental assessment (EA) for three Spectra Energy projects: Access South, Adair Southwest and Lebanon Express (see 
The legal beagles at global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright continue to do us all a huge favor. Researchers at the law firm issue a quarterly legislative action update looking at bills and laws previously voted on, and new bills/laws introduced, affecting the oil and gas industry in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. The “Quarterly legislative action update: Marcellus and Utica shale region” for 4Q16 (full copy below) begins with a quick listing by state for existing or new laws introduced, with descriptions for each bill/law. This is, in one place, pretty much everything you need to know about what new laws (i.e. regulations) are coming down the pike that will affect the Marcellus and Utica Shale drilling industry…
Based on a recent uptick in new permits issued in PA, OH and WV, a writer for the Daily Caller says “a wave of new fracking is about to hit Appalachia.” We agree! Recent trends all point to an increase in drilling–which is good for landowners, jobs, taxes and the environment (more gas lowers CO2 emissions, if you believe in man-made global warming). Here’s a startling statistic: Fracking is estimated to have generated 4.6 million new jobs and $3.5 trillion in new wealth–in just three years (see today’s companion story). Surf’s up! Here’s the evidence that a new “wave” of fracking is on the way in our neighborhood…
The GoMarcellusShale Forum where landowners and others interested in shale drilling hang out and swap messages back and forth was recently updated to become 
Eclipse Resources, a Marcellus/Utica pure play driller headquartered in State College, PA that drills mostly in Ohio, announced yesterday they sold 9,900 net acres in eastern Noble County and western Monroe County, OH for $63.8 million to an undisclosed buyer. That works out to be $6,444 per acre. The assets are in areas that are (currently) undeveloped, according to the company, and not in the “core” of where Eclipse wants to drill. Here’s the company announcement…
As we previously noted, last week the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proceeded with an online auction for BLM-controlled land in Ohio’s Wayne National Forest (see 
The Rockies Express Pipeline (REX), originally built from Colorado and Wyoming to Monroe County, OH to bring natural gas from west to east, last year reversed the flow for a large and important section of the pipeline. On August 1, 2015 the section of REX from Monroe County, OH to Mexico, MO reversed the flow and began to carry 1.8 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of Utica and Marcellus Shale gas to the Midwest, including to the greater Chicago area. REX has been hard at work on plans to expand capacity even more by beefing up compressor stations along portions of the pipeline. REX filed a plan with FERC to add another 800 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of capacity along the same portion of the reversed pipeline. In late November, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave REX the go-ahead to start additional compressors added at three locations along the route (see 
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Exterran Corporation (with 5,400 employees) specializes in natural gas compression production equipment and processing facilities. They design, build and operate compressor stations and natural gas processing plants. In 2012 MDN reported on a contract Exterran won to build three natural gas processing plants in West Virginia (see 
The Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) has just issued production numbers for the third quarter of 2016. Compared with third quarter 2015, production numbers in 3Q16 continued to be a mixed bag, as was the case in 2Q16 (see 
It’s happened, just as we predicted. Paid, out-of-state protesters have arrived in Ohio, as they did in North Dakota, with the intent to block plans to begin fracking on land in Wayne National Forest. The Bureau of Land Management will conduct an auction tomorrow for 1,600 acres of land in WNF (see 
Some holdout landowners in Medina County, OH continue to oppose the coming NEXUS Pipeline, even after their suggested alternative routes (around their county) have been rejected by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). A few holdouts are vowing to continue the fight “until all of our resources and options are exhausted,” which may be very soon. Earlier this month FERC issued a positive Final Environmental Impact Statement (see