Butler County

Butler County | Economic Impact | Energy Companies | Ethane | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Processing Plants | Shell | Statewide PA

PA Gov Wolf Basks in Predecessor’s Accomplishment at Cracker Site
November 15, 2016November 15, 2016

Click for a larger version – credit: captainscratchy.com

For a guy who wants to tax the Marcellus industry out of existence, PA Gov. Tom Wolf sure likes to bask in the glow of the industry’s success. Perhaps the crowning achievement of former PA Gov. Tom Corbett was the wooing and winning of Shell to build a multi-billion dollar ethane cracker near Pittsburgh. It’s hard to overstate just how big a deal the cracker plant is for the state–not only for PA, but also for nearby OH and WV. Shell’s ethane cracker will attract manufacturers to relocate nearby to take advantage of the cheap plastics that will come from the plant. While Shell will invest somewhere on the order of $6-$8 billion, with the coming build-out of manufacturing facilities in the region, it promises to turn into a $20 billion economic boost for the entire northeast. An amazing story! Right now Shell is busy at work clearing the site, which used to be a Horsehead zinc smelting operation. Gov. Wolf toured the site on Monday and was impressed, basking in the glow of what’s happening. Thing is, Wolf didn’t have a single thing to do with the plant coming to PA–other than not screwing up the deal before it was formally announced…
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Butler County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | XTO

Buffalo Twp in Butler County, PA Approves XTO Compressor Station
October 13, 2016October 13, 2016

This is so unusual, it qualifies as news: Supervisors in Buffalo Township (Butler County), PA have approved a new compressor station to be built by Mountain Gathering–a subsidiary of XTO Energy. The reason it’s news is for how the approval process was handled. Town residents who live near where the station will be built understandably had some concerns. Those concerns were aired. Town officials visited other compressor stations built by Mountain Gathering. They had XTO officials in to answer questions. There was no bleating and blatting, no parading in front of cameras and microphones, no “die-ins” and radical protests. Just deliberative, calm, adult discussions. And at the end of it, the supervisors voted to grant permission for the compressor station to get built. Unusual!…
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Accidents | Butler County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Rex Energy

PA DEP Fines Stonehenge $1.5M for Damaging 2 Butler County Swamps
July 19, 2016November 29, 2018

A year ago MDN told you about a new gathering pipeline project in Butler County, PA. Rex Energy contracted with Stonehenge Energy Resources to build a gathering system in Butler County (see Rex Energy Hires Stonehenge to Build Gathering Pipeline in PA). The new system got built last year and now provides Rex with an additional 400 million cubic feet per day of natural gas pipeline capacity. The Stonehenge gathering system delivers Rex’s gas to MarkWest Energy’s Bluestone processing plant. When Stonehenge built the pipeline, they had a few minor accidents. Some dirt slid down a hill into a creek. The creek empties into a couple of swamps. Ergo, some of the dirt got into the swamps. For that little mishap, Stonehenge has agreed to pay the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection a $1.5 million fine. DEP Acting Secretary Pat McDonnell called the minor mishaps “egregious and avoidable.” Whatever…
Read More “PA DEP Fines Stonehenge $1.5M for Damaging 2 Butler County Swamps”
Butler County | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Rex Energy

Rex Energy’s Partner Ponies Up Another $46M for More Marc. Wells
June 23, 2016June 22, 2016

Rex Energy Corporation, one of our favorite smaller Marcellus/Utica drillers, issued an update on their Marcellus drilling program on Tuesday. You may recall that just last week Rex announced they were selling off the rest of their non-Marcellus acreage to become a pure play driller (see Rex Energy Selling Illinois Basin Assets, Focus 100% on Marcellus). In Tuesday’s update, Rex says funding partner Benefit Street Partners has decided to fund the next 12 wells in Rex’s Moraine East drilling area. Benefit’s investment is going from the current $51.6 million to $98.1 million. Here’s the update for not only the Moraine East area, but also Butler and Warrior North…
Read More “Rex Energy’s Partner Ponies Up Another $46M for More Marc. Wells”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Butler County | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania

$500K Lawsuit Against Litigious Martians Tossed by County Judge
June 1, 2016June 1, 2016

MDN previously reported on the injustice happening in Bulter County, PA where a handful of anti-drilling parents from the Mars School District (“Martians”), backed by money from Philadelphia Big Green groups Delaware Riverkeeper and Clean Air Council, have filed frivolous lawsuit after frivolous lawsuit. The effort is aimed at denying landowners in Middlesex Township revenue from legally permitted drilling. The actions by these radicalized parents have cost the taxpayers of Middlesex Township over $80,000 in legal fees. Landowners with leases got together and sued the radicals to stop this miscarriage of justice (see Shoe Now on Other Foot: Landowners Sue Martian Anti-Drillers). The lawsuit proceeded with the radicals claiming they should be able to sue, but not be sued (see Litigious Martians Cry Like Babies Over $500K Lawsuit Against Them). Unfortunately a county judge has agreed with the Big Money groups from Philly and has tossed the lawsuit against them–with prejudice. Meaning it can’t be re-filed for another go. So much for “justice” when it comes to radical Martians…
Read More “$500K Lawsuit Against Litigious Martians Tossed by County Judge”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Butler County | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania

Litigious Martians Cry Like Babies Over $500K Lawsuit Against Them
May 20, 2016May 20, 2016

MDN previously reported on the injustice happening in Bulter County where a handful of anti-drilling parents from the Mars School District, backed by money from Philadelphia from Big Green groups Delaware Riverkeeper and Clean Air Council, filed frivolous lawsuit after frivolous lawsuit–denying landowners in Middlesex Township revenue from legally permitted drilling. The actions by these radicalized parents have cost the taxpayers of Middlesex Township over $80,000 in legal fees. So the landowners got together and sued them, to stop this miscarriage of justice (see Shoe Now on Other Foot: Landowners Sue Martian Anti-Drillers). And guess what? The litigious antis started crying like little girls, claiming it’s an abuse and an attempt to stifle free speech (see ACLU Asks County Judge to Toss Lawsuit Against Litigious Martians). Talk about hypocrites! They can sue, but our side can’t. That’s fair in their twisted world. The lawsuit against these radicals continues, and the radicals, with the help of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, continue to complain that everything is OK when they do the suin’, but when they get sued…that’s not so hot. In fact, some of the less-committed radicals are leaving the fight. Turns out they don’t like to get sued…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Butler County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Rex Energy

Martian Victory! 2 Wells Near Mars School Nearly Done Drilling
April 19, 2016April 19, 2016

As we have long chronicled, a few anti-drilling parents from the Mars School District (Butler County, far western part of the state), backed by a couple of Big Green groups from the other side of the state (THE Delaware Riverkeeper and the Clean Air Council, both based in the Philadelphia area), sued Middlesex Township to stop shale drilling in rural portions of the county. Rex Energy had applied for, was legally permitted for, but wasn’t allowed to drill a series of wells some three-fourths of a mile from the Mars School (for background, see our long list of “Martian” stories here). After costing local taxpayers more than $35,000 in legal fees, last November a county judge finally told Rex Energy they could go ahead and drill (see PA County Judge Rules Rex Can Begin Drilling First Martian Well). The fantastic news is, Rex has drilled! The company has drilled two initial wells which will be done within the next couple of weeks. Time to celebrate! NOTE: Somehow, against all odds, no children were harmed in the drilling of these wells…
Read More “Martian Victory! 2 Wells Near Mars School Nearly Done Drilling”
Butler County | Carroll County | Energy Companies | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Rex Energy

Stayin’ Alive: Rex Energy $175M JV to Keep Drilling in PA & OH
March 2, 2016March 2, 2016

Rex Energy, a relatively small driller that drills almost exclusively in the Marcellus/Utica and with headquarters in State College, PA, has a new investor/partner. Drillers across the country and doing everything they can to stay in business with the bottom dropping out of prices they receive for what they produce. Rex is getting $175 million from investment firm Benefit Street Partners to help drill up to 58 new wells in Rex’s Moraine East area (Butler County, PA) and Warrior North area (Carroll County, OH). In return for investing, Benefit Street Partners will receive ownership of anywhere from 15% to 65% in the wells they help fund. Below are the details for how Rex is stayin’ alive…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Butler County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Rex Energy

PA County Judge Rules Rex Can Begin Drilling First Martian Well
November 24, 2015November 24, 2015

As we have long chronicled, a few anti-drilling parents from the Mars School District (Butler County, far western part of the state), backed by a couple of Big Green groups from the other side of the state (in the Philadelphia area), sued Middlesex Township to stop shale drilling in rural portions of the county. Rex Energy had applied for, was legally permitted for, but still hasn’t been allowed to drill a series of wells some three-fourths of a mile from the Mars School (for background, see our long list of “Martian” stories here). This is the outrage: These very same anti-drillers fought hard to overturn a portion of the 2012 Act 13 law that took zoning of oil and gas out of the hands of local towns and put it in state hands. The zoning portion of Act 13 was overturned by the PA Supreme Court. The antis got what they wanted–except, it seems, they got a little too much of what they wanted. They didn’t factor that in some towns there would be a majority who favor fracking and shale drilling–like in Middlesex. Middlesex ran an extensive series of nine hearings over seven months and eventually adopted zoning ordinances that allow Rex to drill. So the antis sued to stop what they previously sued to achieve. Eventually a group of landowners counter-sued the antis (rightfully so) for denying them access to allow drilling on their own land. That lawsuit is still playing out in the courts. Last Thursday a Butler County judge ruled, once again, that the zoning ordinances adopted by Middlesex are legal and therefore drilling can commence. The antis will appeal the decision and continue to try and block local landowners from legally using their own property as they see fit…
Read More “PA County Judge Rules Rex Can Begin Drilling First Martian Well”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Butler County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Rex Energy

2 Anti-Drilling Dems Soundly Defeated in Mars School District Vote
November 5, 2015November 5, 2015

Two anti-drilling parents who are agitating to strip away private property rights from their neighbors in Middlesex Township, PA–Amy Nassif and Patrice Tomcik–were soundly defeated in their run for the Mars School District board of education. MDN told you back in June that three Martians tried to get on the ballot, but only two made it (see Anti-Drilling Martians Running for School Board in November). The two Democrats who made it, Nassif and Tomcik, are part of an anti-drilling cabal attempting to stop the legally permitted Rex Energy from drilling several gas wells some 3/4 of a mile from the school on the false premise that by doing so they will endanger the kiddies. The other voters in the Mars School District have said “Enough!” with a very loud voice. It’s obvious there’s overwhelming support to move ahead with drilling. Unfortunately the matter is currently tied up in court (see Landowner Lawsuit Against Martians NOT Dismissed After All). Here’s the good news story that the Martian Democrats were soundly defeated in Tuesday’s election…
Read More “2 Anti-Drilling Dems Soundly Defeated in Mars School District Vote”
Butler County | EdgeMarc Energy | Energy Companies | Monroe County | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Washington County (OH)

Marcellus Driller EdgeMarc Gets $300M from Ontario Teachers
October 28, 2015October 28, 2015

EdgeMarc Energy is a small driller headquartered in the Pittsburgh area, formed in 2012. The company has leased 50,000 acres in the Marcellus and Utica Shales. On Monday EdgeMarc issued a press release to announce they’ve attracted a new investor–the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan–which has promised the company up to $300 million in cash in return for part ownership (called an “equity commitment”). The announcement also says EdgeMarc currently drills and produces natural gas in Monroe and Washington counties in Ohio, and Butler County in Pennsylvania. In checking the latest issue of our 2015 Marcellus and Utica Shale Databook series, Volume 2, we find that EM Energy (which we assume is EdgeMarc) received permits to drill or continue work on 11 different wells in Butler County from May through August 2015 (see our Databook chart below). Including an existing equity commitment from Goldman Sachs, EdgeMarc, a private company, has now sold off $750 million worth of the company to outside investors…
Read More “Marcellus Driller EdgeMarc Gets $300M from Ontario Teachers”
Butler County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | MarkWest Energy | Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh TV Stn Takes Aim at MarkWest over Out-of-State Workers
October 28, 2015October 28, 2015

Layoffs in the natural gas industry have cut wide and deep. We spotted one article recently that said layoffs worldwide have hit 200,000 (see Forbes: As Oil Layoffs Hit 200,000, A Headhunter Looks At The Bright Side). The Marcellus/Utica region is not immune. We’ve had thousands of layoffs too (see CONSOL Slashes 10% of Workforce – 470 Jobs Gone). When the industry was on the upswing and you couldn’t find enough people to fill all of the jobs, the issue of “outsiders” from places like Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming and other states coming to work in PA, OH, and WV wasn’t too big a deal. But with jobs disappearing–those jobs that remain are being scrutinized much more closely. And if the jobs that remain are being filled by out-of-staters, that’s not sitting well with a now-skilled and local workforce. Pittsburgh’s WTAE Channel 4 ran a segment on their local news a few days ago that shines a light on this issue. In particular they take a swipe at MarkWest Energy and the huge processing plant they’re building near Evans City (Butler County), PA where it seems like most of the people building the plant hail from out-of-state…
Read More “Pittsburgh TV Stn Takes Aim at MarkWest over Out-of-State Workers”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Butler County | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania

Landowner Lawsuit Against Martians NOT Dismissed After All
October 15, 2015May 20, 2016

Last month MDN told you that a county judge in Butler County, PA dismissed a lawsuit brought by a business and group of Middlesex Township landowners against two Big Green groups and four anti-fossil fuel parents from the Mars School District–whom we refer to as the Martians (see Landowners’ Countersuit Against Martians Tossed by Obama Judge). MDN reported the lawsuit was dismissed based on a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story which interviewed one of the lawyers for the Martians, from the anti-American American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The ACLU flack said the case was dismissed and we figured he must know how courts work, so we believed it. Our mistake. The unquestioning Post-Gazette reporter also bought the lies pedaled by the ACLU lawyer. What really happened was this: The judge said the case will be dismissed IF a more specific case is not filed within 20 days. Guess what? A new case was filed and (so far) the lawsuit against Delaware Riverkeeper and the Clean Air Council (both of Philly, on the other side of the state) as well as against the Martians, is still alive…
Read More “Landowner Lawsuit Against Martians NOT Dismissed After All”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Butler County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

Martians Give Conservative British MP a Tour of PA Fracking
October 12, 2015October 12, 2015

The United Kingdom (as in Merry Old England) is finally, seriously, considering permits to allow shale fracking in the country. It’s taken a long time, and it’s certainly not a done deal yet. But it’s getting much closer. A Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) from a district in the north of England likely to see shale drilling when/if it happens recently traveled 3,500 miles to visit Pennsylvania, to see the effects of shale drilling firsthand. We applaud the MP’s efforts to see it up close. Unfortunately, Conservatives in the UK are more like RINOs here–there really aren’t all that many true conservatives in the socialistic UK. So when our “Conservative” MP came calling, one of the “expert” groups he took a tour with was the nutty Martians, a small group of anti-drillers in Butler County called the Mars Parent Group (see MDN’s list of Martian stories here). Incredibly, even after receiving a manure spreader full of lies from the Martians, our Conservative MP is still keeping an open mind about fracking back home…
Read More “Martians Give Conservative British MP a Tour of PA Fracking”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Butler County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Rex Energy

Landowners’ Countersuit Against Martians Tossed by Obama Judge
September 28, 2015September 28, 2015

NOTE: MDN received a note from a subscriber (and lawyer) who has appeared before Judge Horan several times and believes our characterization is unfair and unwarranted. Indeed, the lawyer says Horan is “certainly not a radical” and has rendered industry-favorable decisions on several occasions. We appreciate it when subscribers take time to point out when our gut reaction, usually spot on, may not be. We want to be fair and not impugn someone’s reputation without cause.

Once again justice has been corrupted in a corrupt Pennsylvania court. It’s A.O.K. for four local residents (Martians) and two tax-exempt non-profit groups from the opposite side of the state to bring lawsuits to stop legal Marcellus drilling in Butler County, PA, costing Butler County taxpayers in excess of $35,000 in legal fees (see ACLU Asks County Judge to Toss Lawsuit Against Litigious Martians). The Martians have children in the Mars School District located 3/4 of a mile away from the proposed Rex Energy drilling site. Never mind other school districts in the state have allowed drilling ON CAMPUS. A dozen landowners in Middlesex and Adams Townships that want drilling to commence counter-sued the Martians and the Big Green groups for holding up a legal process (see Shoe Now on Other Foot: Landowners Sue Martian Anti-Drillers). Butler County Judge Marilyn J. Horan (Democrat) has tossed the landowners’ counter-suit out of the nearest ivory tower window. That’s “justice” for you in Butler County, PA. You may be interested to know that Judge Horan is a ~~radical/activist~~ judge, recently nominated by President Barack Hussein Obama to become a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania–no doubt because of her ~~radical~~ views…
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Butler County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Litigation | Pennsylvania | XTO

XTO Files Motion to Dismiss Royalty Lawsuit in Butler County, PA
September 28, 2015September 28, 2015

An update on a royalty lawsuit we first reported in July. Two Butler County, PA landowners with a combined 245.7 acres of land leased to (and drilled by) XTO Energy have sued XTO claiming the company is breaking the lease agreement by paying royalties below 1/8 of what XTO receives in revenue for the gas (see PA Landowners Sue XTO Energy for Shorting Them on Royalties). The landowners hoped the case would become a class action lawsuit. Last week XTO’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, hoping to prevent it from becoming a class action…
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