Lawrence County

Earthquakes | Energy Companies | Hilcorp Energy | Industrywide Issues | Lawrence County | Mahoning County | Ohio | Pennsylvania

Hilcorp Awarded Permits to Drill 7 New Wells Near Earthquake Zone
March 20, 2014March 20, 2014

Oh oh. It appears one hand does not know what the other is doing. Last week a new series of small earthquakes–barely able to be felt, but there all the same–rumbled through the Mahoning Valley–near Youngstown, OH. Because of injection well related earthquakes near Youngstown two years ago, residents are understandably jittery and wonder if the drilling industry is somehow at fault with this new outbreak. So the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR), out of what they call “an abundance of caution,” asked Hilcorp to stop all drilling and fracking activity in the area (see # of Youngstown Earthquakes go from 2 to 11 – Fracking to Blame?).

Hilcorp readily complied. We’ve discussed (endlessly) that fracking simply does not cause earthquakes–injection wells can and have caused earthquakes, when injecting fluid over an active fault. However, it’s best to play it safe in this situation. Two days after the earthquakes and Hilcorp’s cessation of drilling in Mahoning County, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) awarded Hilcorp permits to drill seven new horizontal shale wells in Lawrence County, PA–about six miles from where they stopped drilling over the border in Ohio. Oops…
Read More “Hilcorp Awarded Permits to Drill 7 New Wells Near Earthquake Zone”
Energy Companies | Forced Pooling | Hilcorp Energy | Industrywide Issues | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania

Forced Pooling Circus (ie Hearing) Coming to Lawrence County, PA
March 13, 2014March 24, 2014

The circus will come to town in New Castle (Lawrence County), PA on March 25 and 26. No, not Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, but something sure to be far more entertaining. There will be a PA Dept. of Environmental Protection hearing on Hilcorp’s request to force four landowners to allow drilling under their property. We first brought you this story last October (see Hilcorp Uses PA Forced Pooling Law Against Lawrence Cty Landowner). MDN has always held a dim view of forced pooling, so you can’t say we didn’t warn them. Hilcorp has brought this on themselves by invoking a 1961 PA law to sue the landowners to allow drilling.

Here’s the latest, including details on where the circus, er, hearing will be held…
Read More “Forced Pooling Circus (ie Hearing) Coming to Lawrence County, PA”
Energy Companies | Hilcorp Energy | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania

A Look Back (& Forward) at Marcellus Drilling in Lawrence County
December 27, 2013December 27, 2013

As part of a year-end story review, the Elwood City Ledger (Lawrence County, PA) looks at how one of the smallest counties in the Marcellus Shale region has become a late-bloomer with a dozen new wells drilled in 2013. We hadn’t heard much about drilling in Lawrence County until recently. The news has all been about Hilcorp, and if our most recent story about Hilcorp is any indication, drilling in Lawrence will at least double, maybe triple in 2014 (see Hilcorp Goes Hogwild in Lawrence County – 11 Pads on the Way).

Here’s the “year in review” article from the Ledger that covers Marcellus drilling in Lawrence County, a year which (sadly) included a resolution passed by the Elwood City Council calling for a severance tax on shale drilling:
Read More “A Look Back (& Forward) at Marcellus Drilling in Lawrence County”
Energy Companies | Hilcorp Energy | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania

Hilcorp Goes Hogwild in Lawrence County – 11 Pads on the Way
December 17, 2013December 17, 2013

Marcellus/Utica driller Hilcorp continues to focus its efforts in Lawrence County, PA. In fact, you may say they’ve gone “hogwild” in Lawrence! The Lawrence County Planning Commission last week reviewed plans from Hilcorp for 11 (yes 11) well pad sites. Each pad has at least one well on it, and more likely 2-4 wells (perhaps more)–meaning Hilcorp plans to drill at least a couple dozen wells in the near future in Lawrence.

Here’s the details for where the 11 well pads are located:
Read More “Hilcorp Goes Hogwild in Lawrence County – 11 Pads on the Way”
Energy Companies | Forced Pooling | Hilcorp Energy | Industrywide Issues | Lawrence County | Litigation | Pennsylvania

Hilcorp Uses PA Forced Pooling Law Against Lawrence Cty Landowner
October 8, 2013October 8, 2013

This is not the kind of story we enjoy sharing with you. Hilcorp, a major driller in the Utica and Marcellus Shale, has decided to take what we consider “the low road” and is using a 1961 Pennsylvania law to sue a landowner to allow them to drill under their property. It’s called “forced pooling,” “compulsory integration,” and a variety of other terms. MDN does not support it. Our argument is simple: My neighbor should not have the right to tell me I can’t drill on and under my land, and I should not have the right to force it on my neighbor if they don’t want it. We believe it’s the only defensible position in the drilling debate.

Regardless, Hilcorp has moved forward with a legal action against a landowner in Lawrence County, PA who owns just 14.6 acres in a drilling unit leased by Hilcorp–and that 14.6 acres apparently prevents Hilcorp from drilling. So off to court they go…
Read More “Hilcorp Uses PA Forced Pooling Law Against Lawrence Cty Landowner”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania | Seismic Testing

Westminster College Takes a Pass on Seismic Survey & Drilling
April 4, 2013April 4, 2013

Seismic surveying is coming to New Wilmington (Lawrence County), PA—and when surveys come, it’s usually not too long until permits and then drilling follow. Which is great news for local landowners.

However, the largest landowner in town, Westminster College, has sadly decided to disqualify themselves from the survey and from realizing the benefits of fracking. Westminster won’t allow seismic surveying and is bogged down in the “study it to death” routine being pushed by anti-drillers when it comes to potential drilling under college land:

Read More “Westminster College Takes a Pass on Seismic Survey & Drilling”
Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania

Supporters, Detractors Meet on Proposed NatGas Power Plant in PA
April 4, 2013April 4, 2013

If the crowd that turned out last night for a public hearing on a proposed new natural gas-powered electrical generating plant in Lawrence County, PA is any indicator, the community is split about evenly between those who support the new plant, and those who don’t. Area residents filled the North Beaver Volunteer Fire Department to listen to and express their opinions about the new plant before representatives of the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection.

The bottom line is that the plant, according to LS Power (which is building it), is desperately needed. Some 3,000 megawatts of generating capacity will disappear from the region in the next several years as plants using coal to generate electricity retire. The Lawrence County plant will generate 900 MW—less than one-third of what will be needed to replace it. That is, it’s desperately needed unless residents who oppose the plant want to volunteer to participate in rolling blackouts…

Read More “Supporters, Detractors Meet on Proposed NatGas Power Plant in PA”
Energy Companies | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania | Shell

Lawrence County, PA: Shell Continues Marcellus Drilling
March 4, 2013March 4, 2013

A pair of Marcellus Shale wells drilled by Shell are the first two horizontal wells in Lawrence County, PA to be hooked up to pipelines and selling gas commercially, according a spokesman for Shell.

Details on which two wells are now in production, along with Shell’s 2013 plans for Lawrence County…

Read More “Lawrence County, PA: Shell Continues Marcellus Drilling”
Economic Impact | Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania

NW PA Town Approves Site for Marcellus-powered Electric Plant
February 8, 2013February 8, 2013

North Beaver (Lawrence County), PA supervisors have approved a request from LS Power Development to build a new $750 million electric generating plant at a former manufacturing site along the Mahoning River. The new 900-megawatt plant, when built, will be powered by Marcellus Shale natural gas. Current plans call for the new plant to be online by 2016.

More details:

Read More “NW PA Town Approves Site for Marcellus-powered Electric Plant”
Cambria County | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Greene County (PA) | Hilcorp Energy | Lawrence County | Lease & Royalty Payments | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania General Energy | Washington County

PA Game Commission Gets Big Royalties on New State Land Leases
February 1, 2013February 1, 2013

The Pennsylvania Game Commission voted on Wednesday to approve oil and gas drilling agreements on state land in five PA counties—some of the deals are new and some are extensions/renewals of existing deals. That’s newsworthy in and of itself (and sure to drive anti-drillers bonkers).

The news for landowners in this story, however, is the royalty percentages for the new land deals. Some impressive numbers:

Read More “PA Game Commission Gets Big Royalties on New State Land Leases”
Carroll County | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Harrison County | Hilcorp Energy | Lawrence County | Noble Energy | Ohio | Pennsylvania | R.E. Gas Development

Latest Round of Drilling Permits Along PA/OH Border
December 13, 2012

Hilcorp received a permit last week from the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) to drill its 18th Utica Shale well in Lawrence County, PA. Meanwhile, Chesapeake, Noble and R.E. Gas Development received permits last week from the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) to drill six new shale wells in Carroll and Harrison counties.

The details of who is drilling and where:

Read More “Latest Round of Drilling Permits Along PA/OH Border”
Beaver County | Industrywide Issues | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania | Seismic Testing

NW PA Sees Signs of Increased Shale Gas Drilling
October 25, 2012October 25, 2012

Drilling in the Utica and Marcellus Shale in northwestern Pennsylvania is picking up. One strong indicator of that is the very active program of seismic testing now happening along roadways in Lawrence and Beaver counties:

Read More “NW PA Sees Signs of Increased Shale Gas Drilling”
Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania

Second Marcellus Gas-Powered Electric Plant Announced for PA
October 12, 2012October 12, 2012

Seems like new natural gas-powered electric generating plants are popping up everywhere in Pennsylvania. Just yesterday MDN told you about the PA DEP approving the state’s first new natural gas electric generating plant to use Marcellus Shale gas, being built in Bradford County in northeastern PA (see this MDN story).

Today brings news that a new Marcellus gas powered electric plant will be built in Livingston County in northwestern PA:

Read More “Second Marcellus Gas-Powered Electric Plant Announced for PA”
Carroll County | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Lawrence County | MarkWest Energy | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Rex Energy | Utica Shale

Rex Energy Drills First Utica Well, Sells Keystone Midstream
May 30, 2012May 30, 2012

Rex Energy announced yesterday that it has closed on a previously announced deal to sell its subsidiary Keystone Midstream to MarkWest Energy for $512 million (see this MDN story for the original announcement). Rex also announced that their Bluestone cryogenic processing plant, part of the sale, has just gone online and will begin selling gas by June 1st.

But perhaps the biggest news yesterday from Rex, at least for landowners, is that Rex has completed drilling its first Ohio Utica well, in Carroll County. Fracking of the well begins in June, and Rex is now moving the rig back to PA where they will drill their second Utica well—in Lawrence County.

Read More “Rex Energy Drills First Utica Well, Sells Keystone Midstream”
Energy Companies | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania | Shell

Lawrence County, PA Gets its First Marcellus Shale Well
August 9, 2011August 9, 2011

Lawrence County, a western Pennsylvania county which borders Ohio, has just had its first Marcellus Shale gas well drilled, with hydraulic fracturing of the well under way now. With 815 land leases signed since last year, it’s a pretty safe bet more wells are coming to Lawrence County soon.

Read More “Lawrence County, PA Gets its First Marcellus Shale Well”
Butler County | Energy Companies | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania | Shell

Shell’s Marcellus Shale Exploration & Drilling Strategy in PA – Drill the Edges First
July 12, 2011July 12, 2011

An article about Shell’s activity in the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale, particularly along the western fringes of the Marcellus in Butler and Lawrence Counties (PA), reveals interesting insights about their strategy:

Read More “Shell’s Marcellus Shale Exploration & Drilling Strategy in PA – Drill the Edges First”