New Power Plant/Data Center Proposed in Columbus, OH Suburb
In January, MDN outlined the issues before the Ohio Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in deciding how much money builders of data centers (like Amazon, Google, etc.) must commit if they want to connect to the local grid for power supplies (see 5 PUCO Commissioners to Decide the Future of Data Centers in Ohio). However, a recent development that appears to be growing is that some data centers want to build (or pay others to build) captive power plants for their facilities that don’t require connection to the local grid. Bypass the grid altogether. Such a power plant has pre-applied with the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) to build a new data center with power plant in a Columbus, OH, suburb (New Albany, in Licking County). Read More “New Power Plant/Data Center Proposed in Columbus, OH Suburb”
For the week of Jan 20 – 26, permits issued in the Marcellus/Utica to drill new shale wells fell off a proverbial cliff. Two weeks ago, 41 new permits were issued. Last week, the number plummeted to just seven new permits issued. Perhaps the most interesting thing about last week’s numbers is that NO new permits were issued in the Keystone State (PA). We believe that’s the first time we’ve seen no new permits in PA. We wonder if there’s a problem with the reporting system (the state DEP’s reporting system is known to occasionally have issues). We’ll check again next week to see if PA’s numbers get updated. Meanwhile, there were four new permits for the Buckeye State (OH) and three for the Mountain State (WV). 
Last fall, MDN told you about a newly formed drilling company that aims to target the Ohio Utica Shale, a company called Tiburon Oil & Gas Partners, LLC (see 
We’re in full crash mode with the Baker Hughes national rig count. After losing five rigs three weeks ago, and four more two weeks ago, the BH rig count lost another four rigs last week—13 rigs out of circulation in three weeks. The number of rigs nationally now stands at 576, the lowest since Dec. 2021 (over three years ago). The Marcellus/Utica rig count was a combined 34 last week—the same number for six weeks in a row. PA has operated 15 rigs for the past 11 weeks, with the exception of one week, when the number briefly increased to 16 rigs. OH has operated nine rigs for the past eight weeks, and WV has operated 10 rigs for an astonishing 20 weeks in a row, going back to Sep. 13. 
MDN reported in October that Marcellus/Utica driller Infinity Natural Resources (INR) intended to file an initial public offering (IPO) with the Securities and Exchange Commission hoping to raise $100 million (see 
We never cease to marvel at the genius of the oil and gas industry and those who seek to find better ways to drill. According to an Oil and Gas Investor article examining major shale play trends, drillers across the Lower 48 are drilling U-shaped double-long laterals, finding lower-cost new-well inventory in the acreage they already hold. And they’re doing it “problem-free.” Did you know there are two U-shaped wells in our region? There’s one in the Pennsylvania Marcellus (in Susquehanna County) and one in the Ohio Utica (Belmont County). Who knew?! 
The end of the year and the beginning of a new year are times when many publications reflect on what was and what may be. A recent article by Hart Energy’s Oil and Gas Investor magazine tackled the topic of what may lie ahead for the Marcellus/Utica region over the next couple of years. The article looked at two primary issues—the potential for more pipelines getting built within (and out of) our region and the likelihood of more mergers and acquisitions for drillers in our region. 
Last fall, MDN began tracking the issue of who, ultimately, should pay to build out new electricity sources for data centers (and AI) that increasingly use huge amounts of power (see