Statewide OH

Ohio | Statewide OH | Summit County | Utica Shale

Ohio Utica Shale Blog Takes Top Honor in Statewide Contest
September 11, 2013September 11, 2013

A huge congratulations are in order for Bob Downing (whom we have met and like a great deal) and Jim Mackinnon (whom we’ve not met but are sure we would like) for winning the contest as the No. 1 newsblog in Ohio for 2012 for their Ohio Utica Shale blog (published by the Akron Beacon Journal). MDN editor Jim Willis reads a lot–every day–and one of his favorite “must read” websites (that we often quote from) is the Ohio Utica Shale blog/Akron Beacon Journal.

The award is well-deserved and we can’t think of a better pair who deserve the recognition from their peers in the Society of Professional Journalists, the organization making the award. So, “Way to go, guys!”…
Read More “Ohio Utica Shale Blog Takes Top Honor in Statewide Contest”
Ohio | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

OH’s Utica Shale Drillers Go South
September 4, 2013September 4, 2013

Ace reporter Bob Downing from the Akron Beacon Journal does a great job in an article published yesterday with reviewing the most recent permit (and drilling) trends in Ohio. What did he find? Most drillers are moving their permits and their drilling rigs to the southern part of the state. Carroll County remains the current champ for Utica Shale drilling with 319 wells permitted (38% of all Utica Shale wells in Ohio). However, at some point in the not-too-distant-future that will change…
Read More “OH’s Utica Shale Drillers Go South”
Industrywide Issues | Jobs | New York | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Statewide NY | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Marcellus/Utica Industry Looking to Hire More Locals
September 3, 2013September 3, 2013

Do you live in Pennsylvania, Ohio or West Virginia (or perhaps the Southern Tier of sad New York) and want a job working for the growing shale drilling industry? According to The Motley Fool, your chances of landing a job in the Marcellus/Utica industry have never been better. The Fool even has a few suggestions of companies looking to hire…
Read More “Marcellus/Utica Industry Looking to Hire More Locals”
American Energy Partners | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Ohio | Statewide OH

McClendon Gets Sued in OH Over New Company’s Name
September 3, 2013September 3, 2013

It’s no secret that coal has taken a beating from abundant, cheap shale gas. Natural gas burns cleaner than coal–there’s just no disputing that fact. And because of it, natural gas has displaced coal at a number of electrical generating plants around the country. However, coal remains a very important fossil fuel that powers much (in fact most) of American electricity. So it’s no surprise that the owner of a number of Ohio coal mines is a bit miffed with Aubrey McClendon.

Robert Murray operates a coal mine near Beallsville (Monroe County), OH under the name American Energy Corp. Aubrey McClendon named his new shale oil & gas company American Energy Partners. Murray is miffed enough with McClendon to sue him for misappropriation of the name American Energy. He believes McClendon has intentionally tried to confuse the marketplace…
Read More “McClendon Gets Sued in OH Over New Company’s Name”
American Energy Partners | Energy Companies | Ohio | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

More Evidence that Aubrey McClendon Loves OH’s Utica Shale
September 3, 2013September 3, 2013

Aubrey McClendon is former CEO of Chesapeake Energy and now CEO of an upstart competitor he started named American Energy Partners (see AEP’s just launched website here). Aubrey is high on the Ohio Utica Shale. He’s rumored to be close to signing a deal with Shell for 50,000 OH Utica Shale acres, and is also rumored to be the unnamed buyer for EnerVest’s 22,535 OH Utica Shale acres sold just a few weeks ago (see He’s Baaaack! Aubrey McClendon is Back in OH Shale Country).

More evidence that Aubrey is focusing on Ohio: A bunch of advertisements AEP is running in OH media seeking to sign leases in the following counties…
Read More “More Evidence that Aubrey McClendon Loves OH’s Utica Shale”
Anadarko | Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Chesapeake Energy | CONSOL Energy | Energy Companies | EV Energy Partners | Gulfport Energy | Halcon Resources | Hess | Ohio | PDC Energy | Rex Energy | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

Who’s Who in OH Utica Shale Drilling for 2013
August 27, 2013August 27, 2013

Investor’s website Market Realist ran a 7-part series on the Utica Shale yesterday–really good stuff. As part of that series they list the biggest drillers/leaseholders in the Ohio Utica Shale. It’s a very useful rundown and update on the latest positions held by the major players of the Utica. We’ve pulled and condensed from their article to give you the latest rundown on who’s who in the Ohio Utica Shale…
Read More “Who’s Who in OH Utica Shale Drilling for 2013”
Blue Racer Midstream | Caiman Energy | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

Blue Racer Gets $1B Line of Credit for More Utica Projects
August 23, 2013August 23, 2013

Blue Racer Midstream, a 50/50 midstream joint venture between Dominion and Caiman Energy II, was formed last December (see Dominion, Caiman in $1.5B Utica JV: Blue Racer Midstream). One of the assets that belongs to the Blue Racer jv is the newly online Natrium, WV NGL plant (see Dominion Sells $500M Natrium NGL Plant to… Itself).

In order to expand and fulfill their vision of becoming the leading midstream company in the Utica Shale, Blue Racer needs money to build things. They now have it. Blue Racer announced yesterday they’ve secured an $800 million line of credit with a group of banks–a line of credit which can be (under certain conditions) expanded to a whopping $1 billion. That kind of money will easily build you another couple of Natrium NGL plants…
Read More “Blue Racer Gets $1B Line of Credit for More Utica Projects”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | West Virginia

CSSD Says First Marcellus Certifications Coming Later this Year
August 23, 2013August 23, 2013

MDN previously told you about a new, independent group–a cooperative between the drilling industry and environmentalists–called the Center for Sustainable Shale Development, or CSSD (see Important: Drillers & Enviros Form New Group, Launch Cert Program). Members of the group on both sides have taken heat for working together to create very strict standards for Marcellus and Utica Shale drillers (see Eco Groups Shun EDF over Membership in Sustainable Shale Center).

The CSSD created a list of 15 standards they want drillers to conform to–some of the standards very costly, especially to small drillers. The group is moving forward with their plans and intends to begin certifying drillers “later this year”…
Read More “CSSD Says First Marcellus Certifications Coming Later this Year”
Energy Companies | Energy Services | Ethane | Industrywide Issues | MarkWest Energy | Ohio | Processing Plants | Shell | Statewide OH

OH Still in the Running for an Ethane Cracker? Maybe
August 22, 2013August 22, 2013

Ohio’s dream to be the future host of an ethane cracker plant is still very much alive, according to U.S. Sen. Rob Portman from Ohio. Portman, along with Greg Sullivan, area manager for MarkWest Energy, spoke at the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association meeting yesterday. According to Sullivan, a source to ship the ethane produced by their plant to when it separates the ethane from the natural gas liquid stream is “our big challenge.” MarkWest’s only current option is to ship it to Canada via the Mariner West Sunoco pipeline (see Big News: Marcellus Ethane Now Exporting to Canada Cracker Plant). Starting next year and the year after, two more pipelines will come online to ship it to the Gulf Coast (the ATEX Express and the Bluegrass).

According to MarkWest, there is a “desperate need for a local ethane cracker.” Sen. Portman is hoping Ohio can supply that need, especially since Shell continues to “evaluate” its project to build a cracker plant in PA with no firm commitment or timeline to build it…
Read More “OH Still in the Running for an Ethane Cracker? Maybe”
Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | Supply Chain | West Virginia

MSC Releases Annual Marcellus Job/Workforce Survey
August 22, 2013August 22, 2013

What types of companies in the Marcellus/Utica Shale region are hiring? What types of jobs are they hiring for? And where are they hiring? Those are just some of the answers you’ll find in the latest annual membership survey from the Marcellus Shale Coalition (copy of survey results embedded below). In addition to those questions, the survey also addresses which functions and services drillers outsourced (pay attention supply chain companies!), and which positions were hardest to fill (pay attention job seekers!).

The press release announcing and summarizing the survey results:
Read More “MSC Releases Annual Marcellus Job/Workforce Survey”
Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Ohio | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

OH Utica Shale – More Jobs to Come, Sale Tax Revenue Soars
August 22, 2013August 22, 2013

Although the “received wisdom” is that the Utica Shale has not, so far, created a bonanza of jobs for in-state residents, it’s early days yet and most energy industry analysts and watchers predict jobs for Ohioans in much greater numbers are on the way. In the meantime, the Utica’s positive impact on local economies is not in dispute. The latest evidence: the 15 counties in eastern OH with the best Utica Shale deposits (and the most drilling) have seen their sale tax revenues soar by an average 20% in 2012 vs 2011. That is a huge number and indicates a lot of money from drilling stays in OH and ripples throughout local economies…
Read More “OH Utica Shale – More Jobs to Come, Sale Tax Revenue Soars”
American Energy Partners | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Ohio | Statewide OH

He’s Baaaack! Aubrey McClendon is Back in OH Shale Country
August 19, 2013August 19, 2013

After being unceremoniously tossed out of the door at Chesapeake Energy (the company he founded) by corporate raider Carl Icahn, Aubrey McClendon is, according to the Columbus Dispatch and Upstream magazine, back and active in the Utica Shale with his new company American Energy Partners.

There are four VERY interesting, juicy tidbits in the story about Aubrey’s return to the Utica…
Read More “He’s Baaaack! Aubrey McClendon is Back in OH Shale Country”
Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines | Statewide OH | Taxation

Pipelines Lower Taxes in Some Ohio School Districts
August 19, 2013August 19, 2013

New York is perhaps the most taxed state in the Union. When MDN editor Jim Willis tells people that his school and property taxes went down–because of a single shale pipeline and compressor plant recently built in the township where he lives–they look at him like he’s gone mad. Who ever heard of taxes going down anywhere in New York State? But it’s true!

School districts (and taxpayers) in Ohio are now learning about the benefits of pipelines. Because of revenue generated from taxes on pipelines, school taxes are heading down in some Ohio school districts. And that’s even without Gov. John Kasich’s “spread the wealth around” higher severance tax…
Read More “Pipelines Lower Taxes in Some Ohio School Districts”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Regulation | Statewide OH | Wastewater

OH Democrat Senator Wants Total Ban on Wastewater Injection Wells
August 19, 2013August 19, 2013

Ohio Senator Michael J. Skindell (Democrat, District 23) has introduced a bill in the state legislature that will ban disposal of fracking wastewater via injection wells. Yet another elected anti-drilling Democrat who’s trying to shut down one of the safest forms of energy in the world–shale gas. If you shut down disposal of fracking fluid, you shut down drilling…
Read More “OH Democrat Senator Wants Total Ban on Wastewater Injection Wells”
Columbiana County | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Hilcorp Energy | Industrywide Issues | NiSource | Ohio | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Statewide OH

More Progress for Hickory Bend Pipeline/Processing Plant in OH
August 16, 2013August 16, 2013

The Pennant Midstream “Hickory Bend” pipeline continues to make good progress. Pennant is a joint venture between NiSource and Hilcorp Energy, established to build a $300 million wet gas pipeline and processing plant in eastern Ohio (see the original announcement from July 2012: NiSource, Hilcorp Energy Joint Venture in Utica Shale).

Although the project has faced its challenges and minor delays, it has made excellent and steady progress. The cryogenic processing plant in Springfield Township is now being reported as “completed” (the first time we’ve heard that), and pipeline boring crews are working this week in Columbiana County. An update:
Read More “More Progress for Hickory Bend Pipeline/Processing Plant in OH”
Ohio | Pennsylvania | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | West Virginia

July Permits Issued in Utica/Marcellus for Tri-State Area
August 15, 2013August 15, 2013

An excellent permit “check-in”–a roundup of how many drilling permits were issued by county and driller, from Farm and Dairy, for the month of July in eastern Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia:
Read More “July Permits Issued in Utica/Marcellus for Tri-State Area”