Allegheny County

Allegheny County | CNG/LNG | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research

Obama Admin $730K Grant to Convert Tugboat from Diesel to ?
October 6, 2015October 6, 2015

Get this: The Obama administration has made a $730,000 grant to the Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities (PRCC) organization to study how to convert boats to operate more efficiently and pollute the environment less. Most boats today burn a nasty, filthy, rotten fossil fuel called diesel. Belches out all sorts of “pollutants” including carbon dioxide. Obamadroids want to clean up Mother Earth and need to figure out ways to do it. But sticking a windmill or a solar panel on a boat doesn’t work very well (Obama’s already tried it). So for the administration that’s given us the Clean Power Plan that tries to eliminate both coal and natural gas, we have a grant to convert a tugboat from burning diesel to…burning natural gas. Yep. Even Obamadroids have to admit you can power boats with solar and wind–so they’ve given $730,000 to the PRCC to run an experiment in converting a tugboat burning diesel into burning clean, abundant and cheap natural gas. Perhaps the smartest thing Obama has ever done!…
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Air Quality | Allegheny County | Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

EPA Visits Pittsburgh for Final Hearing on Methane Emissions Law
September 30, 2015September 30, 2015

Your beliefs matter. For example, if you believe in the fairy tale of man-made global warming (see Inconvenient Global Warming Fact: Avg Temp Hasn’t Risen in 18 Yrs), then you will attempt to force the greatest country on earth–the United States–to abandon the extraction and burning of fossil fuels. It is that erroneous belief that animates the Kool Aid drinkers in the so-called environmental movement. If you’re a real creep, you try to prey on the unthinking public’s fears that the planet will bake and your health is at risk by continued extraction of fossil fuels. The federal EPA is preying on those fears with their latest power grab to illegally regulate the oil and gas industry through the back door by creating new, unlegislated laws to reduce so-called methane emissions from oil and gas drilling. Regulation of oil and gas drilling is Constitutionally left to the individual states. The EPA wants to corrupt that and was in Pittsburgh yesterday for a final public hearing on their draconian new unlegislated laws on methane emissions. The EPA got an earful–from both anti-drilling wackos and from the oil and gas industry…
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Allegheny County | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Pennsylvania

EQT Looks to Drill on Abandoned Golf Course in Pittsburgh Suburb
September 9, 2015September 9, 2015

Is Marcellus drilling about to come to a suburb of Pittsburgh? It appears the answer to that is a resounding, “Yes!” EQT, according to a landman that works for the company, plans to put a mega drill pad with up to 14 wells on an abandoned golf course in the eastern burbs of Allegheny County. EQT has approached neighbors surrounding the property, attempting to sign them to leases. Predictably, some of the neighbors are for it, and some are against it…
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Allegheny County | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Lease & Royalty Payments | Pennsylvania

McKeesport Leases Local Park for Marcellus Drilling, $400K Bonus
September 4, 2015September 4, 2015

The McKeesport City Council (Allengheny County, near Pittsburgh) voted Wednesday evening to lease 133.257 acres of Renziehausen Park for drilling under (not on) for Marcellus Shale gas by EQT. The city will receive a $3,000 per acre signing bonus–$400,000 total. No word on what kind of royalty rate they agreed to. The city has been grappling with whether or not to lease the park for more than a year. The vote was 6-1. In typical fashion, one anti-drilling resident attending the meeting wouldn’t shut up and had to be escorted out of the meeting by a police officer. Two other loud mouth anti-drillers continued to spit and sputter and comment from the audience, speaking out of turn (but they weren’t thrown out). Here’s how it went down…
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Allegheny County | Chief Oil & Gas | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania

Chief O&G Confirms MDN Story re Closing of Pittsburgh Office
September 3, 2015September 3, 2015

We have an update on the story we broke yesterday–that Chief Oil & Gas is closing its Wexford (Pittsburgh) office (see Rumor: Chief Oil & Gas has Closed it’s Marcellus Office Near Pittsburgh). A few hours after posting our story, a spokesperson for Chief sent us a statement (below) confirming our story. The statement makes the point that although they are closing the Wexford office, Chief remains fully committed to the Marcellus. In addition to the Chief Statement, we also have some more inside details from our tipster about what went down at the Wexford office on Tuesday…
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Allegheny County | Chief Oil & Gas | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Rumor: Chief Oil & Gas has Closed it’s Marcellus Office Near Pittsburgh
September 2, 2015September 2, 2015

This is breaking news. MDN has received a tip that Chief Oil & Gas, a sizable and active driller in the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale, has just closed its Appalachian regional office in Wexford, PA (near Pittsburgh). Unfortunately we don’t have any further details at this time. We don’t know what it means for the future of Chief’s Marcellus drilling program. We don’t know what has happened to Chief’s workers. Stay tuned and we’ll bring you more when we hear more. Below is a chart from the 2015 Marcellus and Utica Shale Databook (Vol. 1) showing the number of permits for Marcellus wells by Chief going back to the beginning of 2013…
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Allegheny County | Beaver County | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Mercer County | National Fuel | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Range Resources Corp | Seneca Resources | Venango County | Washington County

Western PA Pipeline Upgrade Almost Done; Benefits Range & Seneca
August 27, 2015August 27, 2015

A pipeline upgrade project in western Pennsylvania is making excellent progress. In February 2014 National Fuel Gas Company (NFG) filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the Line N West Side Expansion and Modernization Project in Washington, Allegheny, Beaver, Venango and Mercer Counties, PA. The project calls for building some 23 miles of new pipeline next to an existing NFG pipeline in Washington and Beaver counties, along with compressor station and other upgrades along other portions of the existing Line N pipeline. NFG previously signed Range Resources and NFG’s own subsidiary, Seneca Resources, as customers for an increase in capacity to flow an additional 175,000 decatherms per day, Dth/d (175 million cubic feet per day, MMcf/d). The extra capacity allows Range and Seneca to move of the Marcellus Shale gas they produce in western PA to market. Although construction is still underway, NFG has asked FERC to begin partial service now, two months ahead of schedule…
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Allegheny County | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Shell

Shell Lays Off 6,500 Worldwide – But Where?
August 11, 2015August 11, 2015

Shell recently announced that the company would reduce spending by $7 billion in 2015–a 20% cut from 2014 spending levels. Ouch. Even more painful, Shell said they are cutting more than 6,500 jobs globally (they employ 94,000) in preparation for a long period of low oil prices. How will Shell’s announcement affect their northeast drilling program (SWEPI) and the planned ethane cracker plant in Beaver County, PA? We don’t know. There are rumors circulating about Shell’s Pittsburgh office–but since we can’t verify those rumors, we won’t repeat them. As for the ethane cracker plant, there’s never a shortage of rumors that say it will, and won’t, get built. Here’s what is known…
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Allegheny County | Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

Anti-Drilling Pittsburgh Newspaper Backs Obama Plan to Dump NatGas
August 10, 2015August 10, 2015

Once again the editorial writers of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette slavishly support anything Barack Hussein Obama does–including his plan to dump natural gas use for electric generating plants in his recently released Clean Power Plan (see Obama Stabs Natural Gas Electric Plants in Clean Power Plan). Their default assumption is that mankind, by burning fossil fuels, is causing a catastrophic warming of the the earth–a silly notion proven wrong by science. But actual facts don’t matter anymore (really, when did fact EVER matter to liberals?). They continue to hum the mantra–humans are evil, they cause global warming. And so B.H.O.’s plan is better than nothin’ according to the wizards of smart at the Post-Gazette…
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Allegheny County | Education | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

Pitt Law School Launches ‘Energy Law and Policy Institute’
July 30, 2015July 30, 2015

A meaningful percentage of MDN’s paying subscribers are lawyers. Energy lawyers. Why? Just about everything involved with shale energy–from exploration to signing leases to drilling, pipelines, production and even selling the end product involves lawyers. Whether the energy industry is in a up-cycle or down-cycle, the one recession-proof area of the industry is the law. So it was no surprise to learn that the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Law has just launched an Energy Law and Policy Institute. The institute “is a major priority of the School of Law and the University” according to the Pitt announcement. The purpose of the Institute? To “advance the training of law students to become leaders in providing legal services to the regional, national, and international energy sectors” by offering new courses, seminars, conferences and the like. Here’s the announcement…
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Accidents | Allegheny County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Sunoco Logistics | Washington County

PA DEP Fines Sunoco $95K for Mud Spills During Pipeline Drilling
June 26, 2015June 26, 2015

Although there’s been no publicly published notice, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) has fined Sunoco Logistics for spilling non-toxic drilling mud (bentonite) at several locations when they were drilling for the Mariner East I pipeline. One of those instances was last September when Precision Pipeline, hired by Sunoco, was drilling under the Little Mingo Creek (see Mariner East Pipeline Drilling Spills Mud in Local Creek). Bentonite is non-toxic and used in products from shampoo to deodorant and toothpaste. It’s also used to lubricate the drill bit and carry drill cuttings out of the ground. While non-toxic, a whole lot of bentonite in the water can, of course, suffocate fish and cause problems for wildlife that happen to drink it. In March of this year, we noted that the DEP was telegraphing that they were about to assess a “significant” fine for the mud spills at Mingo Creek and a few other locations (see PA DEP: Sunoco Facing “Significant” Fine for Non-Toxic Mud Spills). The fine has been levied. The “significant” fine ended up being $95,000. Clipping Sunoco $95K, compared to the $8.9 million fine the DEP recently slapped on Range Resources for methane leaks, seems somewhat trivial and rather insignificant. Which is perhaps why the DEP hasn’t published, as they usually do, an official notice on their website about the fine…
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Allegheny County | CNX Resources | CONSOL Energy | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Utica Shale

CONSOL Energy May Add More Utica Wells to Pitt. Airport Project
June 25, 2015June 26, 2015

Correction: The information MDN used for this post was derived from an inaccurate news account that misstated CONSOL received a permit to drill one Utica well at the Pittsburgh Airport. That was factually incorrect. CONSOL has received no permits for a Utica well–only permits for Marcellus and Upper Devonian wells. If they pursue drilling Utica wells at the airport, they will likely need a new environmental impact study done first. Our thanks to CONSOL for contacting us to clarify.

From the “Hmmm, that’s interesting” department: Speaking at yesterday’s Hart Energy DUG East conference in Pittsburgh, CONSOL Energy vice president Craig Neal said the company is considering requesting a change in its drilling plan at the Pittsburgh International Airport. CONSOL, as you may recall, is in the midst of a multi-year program to drill 45 Marcellus Shale wells and a handful of ~~Utica and~~ Upper Devonian wells at the Pittsburgh Airport (see Sky is the Limit: CONSOL Begins Drilling at Pittsburgh Airport). The permits and plan call for ~~a single~~ no Utica Shale wells, but yesterday Neal said the company is mulling over the possibility of swapping out some of the Upper Devonian wells they had planned to drill on some pads with deeper Utica wells instead…
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Allegheny County | Energy Companies | Lease & Royalty Payments | Olympus/Huntley & Huntley | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp

Deer Lakes School Signs Lease for $3,100/Acre + 18% Royalties
May 21, 2015May 21, 2015

Attention Martian parents from the Mars School District in Middlesex Township (Butler County), PA: In Allegheny County (bordering Butler County on the south) the Deer Lakes School District has just signed a lease to allow shale drilling under school property. Why are you Martians so afraid of shale drilling? (see Martian Arrogance: Town MUST “Protect Us” from Drilling via Zoning) At Tuesday night’s school board meeting, Deer Lakes board members voted to lease 110 acres of school property for drilling under (not on) with Huntley & Huntley, Inc. The lease terms are $3,100 per acre in a signing bonus and 18% royalties–yielding a nice check for $341,000 to the school just for signing. Those terms are not quite as rosy as last year’s deal struck by Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald who negotiated what turns out to be close to $4,000 per acre (and an 18% royalty) for leasing 1,180 acres in Deer Lakes Park (see Allegheny Co Exec Bests Range on Deer Lakes Park Lease Deal). The county park is literally a stone’s throw from the school…
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Allegheny County | Meetings | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Still Time to Attend SGICC’s Free May 12 Event & See Cool Tech
May 5, 2015May 5, 2015

Who says there’s no free lunch?! On May 12, you can attend the Ben Franklin Shale Gas Innovation & Commercialization Center’s (SGICC) free event (with lunch!) at the Southpointe, PA Hilton Garden Inn. And what’s the event? It is the unveiling of four winners of the SGICC’s annual Shale Gas Innovation contest. Each year the SGICC runs a contest to highlight early-stage technologies that enhance responsible stewardship of the environment while properly utilizing our bountiful Marcellus Shale as an asset. Four winners (out of the final 14 selected) will receive a $25,000 cash prize each–$100,000 total. The event will celebrate the newest winners and give YOU the opportunity to mill around and review each of the 14 finalists and their truly unique and innovative technologies. Here’s more details and how to register…
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Allegheny County | Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Crime | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

US Attorney Looks for “Environmental Crimes” in Marcellus/Utica
May 4, 2015May 4, 2015

On Friday MDN told you of an observation about anti-drillers trying to criminalize accidents and (in some cases) sloppy neglect when it comes to Marcellus and Utica Shale drilling (see Youngstown Injection Wells Previously Shut Down Resume Operation). The emphasis on so-called “environmental crimes” seems to be coming from the federal government–in the Youngstown case, from the EPA. We spotted another such effort–this one from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in southwest PA (Pittsburgh). U.S. Attorney David Hickton began meeting (colluding?) in December with the FBI, EPA, and the PA DEP and PA anti-drilling Attorney General “to discuss opportunities for improved environmental enforcement.” Another such meeting is scheduled for this week…
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Allegheny County | CONSOL Energy | Energy Companies | Greene County (PA) | Marshall County | Monroe County | Noble County | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Utica Shale | Washington County | West Virginia | Westmoreland County

CONSOL Energy Narrows Future Marcellus/Utica Dev to 5 Counties
April 30, 2015April 30, 2015

CONSOL Energy released its first quarter 2015 update on Tuesday. Like virtually every other Marcellus/Utica driller, CONSOL’s 1Q15 profits dropped quite a bit–in this case 32%. But there was plenty of good news in Tuesday’s update. CONSOL reports Marcellus Shale production was up an impressive 75% year over year for the first quarter. They cut their costs in the Marcellus–from $3.18 per Mcfe in 1Q14 to $2.62 per Mcfe in 1Q15–$0.56 per Mcfe improvement (18%). The company achieved all-in cash costs of only $1.67 per Mcfe in the Marcellus Shale, which “continues to be the growth engine of the company.” Meanwhile, CONSOL continues to ramp up their Utica program. The company is currently drilling Utica wells in four counties: Greene and Westmoreland counties in PA; Monroe County, OH; and Marshall County, WV. CONSOL says the Utica wells they are currently drilling will come online in the second half of this year. However, given the current low price climate and cutbacks, CONSOL streamlined both its Marcellus and Utica operations in 1Q15. They’ve narrowed future Marcellus development to primarily Greene, Washington and Allegheny counties in PA; wet Utica development to Noble County, OH; and dry Utica development to Monroe County, OH…
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