Pennsylvania

Bradford County | Electrical Generation | Energy Services | IMG Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Susquehanna County

IMG’s Tiny NatGas-Fired Electric Plants Take Off in the Marcellus
June 7, 2016June 7, 2016

MDN first told you about IMG Midstream in August 2014 (see 7 Small Marcellus-Powered Electric Plants Coming to NEPA). At the time, IMG was proposing to build seven “tiny” natural gas-fired electric plants–each plant producing on the order of 20-22 megawatts of electricity (enough to power 13,000 homes). IMG added a couple of more to their plans in November 2014 (see Details on IMG’s “Tiny” Marcellus-Powered Electric Plants in NEPA). The beauty of IMG’s tiny natgas electric plants is that they are really small–about the size of a basketball court; they produce almost no air pollution; and they are quiet. It’s a really cool concept. We spotted an update on IMG in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. IMG’s very first tiny electric plant, in Susquehanna County, PA, went online last October. The second plant, in Bradford County, PA, went online last week. The former 9 planned plants has now ballooned. IMG plans to have 25 plants operating within the next five years!…
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Meetings | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | West Virginia

First Time Ever – Shale Insight Event to Involve OH & WV
June 7, 2016June 7, 2016

For the first time ever the Marcellus Shale Coalition is cooperating with two other major statewide oil and gas groups to host its signature event called Shale Insight. MDN editor Jim Willis has attended Shale Insight for the last four of its five years–and Jim has always noticed it’s a largely Pennsylvania-focused event. This year that all changes. Shale Insight 2016, to be hosted in Pittsburgh, will also be co-sponsored and co-hosted by the Ohio Oil & Gas Association (OOGA) and the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association (WVONGA). This moves Shale Insight from a Marcellus-focused event to a Marcellus/Utica/Northeast-focused event. Very exciting! Here’s the good news…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Washington County

PennFuture Bullies PA Town over Lack of Fracking Ordinance
June 6, 2016June 6, 2016

In May 2015 MDN reported that after more than two years of acrimony and lawsuits between Range Resources and Mt. Pleasant (Washington County), PA., Range agreed to close four freshwater ponds (called “impoundments,” not to be confused with wastewater impoundments) the company was using to drill wells in nearby non-Mt. Pleasant locations (see Range Capitulates, Closing 4 Freshwater Ponds in Mt. Pleasant, PA). Mt. Pleasant is one of the original seven selfish towns that sued PA to overturn portions of the Act 13 oil and gas law. They won. Sooner or later a company can take a hint that a township is anti-business, so Range left town. Mt. Pleasant never followed up their victory in 2013 to fix a “hole” in their zoning ordinances. Not that it makes a whole lot of difference. MDN notices two permits issued in Mt. Pleasant Township in early 2015, and nothing since then, according to our Databook series. But the radicals at PennFuture have noticed. Even with little-to-no drilling, PennFuture is threatening to sue Mt. Pleasant unless they adopt far more restrictive ordinances on shale drilling in the town. Which points out PennFuture’s hypocrisy. It’s OK for a town to pass really restrictive zoning laws, but if the town chooses to not pass such laws, which is allowable under the Act 13 court case decision, that’s not OK by PennFuture. The door only swings one way for the radicals of PennFuture…
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Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Any Day Now PA House May Vote to Kill Article 78 Drilling Regs
June 6, 2016June 6, 2016

We are close to the endgame with respect to Pennsylvania adopting onerous new drilling regulations rammed through by the former Secretary of the Dept. of Environmental Protection, John Quigley. MDN reported in April that the state’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) voted to approve the new regulations (see PA Drillers Lose Vote to Stop Onerous New Regs in Partisan 3-2 Vote). The only thing stopping the regs from becoming law is a vote by the full PA House and Senate, which would send the measure to Gov. Wolf who would, in all likelihood, veto the “no go” resolution. Then the House and Senate would need to vote to override Wolf’s veto. It is a game of political chicken. Wolf is already an unmitigated disaster in his first year as governor. Can he afford to have the legislature override a veto, making him look even weaker than he already looks? The House has until June 13, next Monday, to vote against these onerous new regulations. Then the Senate has either 10 legislative days, or 30 calendar days (whichever is longer) to vote. This is a real nail-biter!…
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Electrical Generation | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Talen Energy

Investment Firm Buying Talen Energy – PA Electric Generating Co
June 6, 2016May 9, 2017

Last July MDN told you that Talen Energy, an electric generation company based in Allentown, PA, had cut a deal to acquire MACH Gen, LLC, the owner of three natural gas-fired electric generating plants (see Talen Energy Picks Up Gas-Fired Electric Plants – Marcellus in View). A couple of the plants are likely to use Marcellus/Utica Shale gas. In all, Talen has 16,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity in eight states across the country. Last week investment firm Riverstone Holdings made a $1.8 billion offer for Talen in a deal that would take the public Talen private. Riverstone already owns 35% of the company and the offer is for the other 65%…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Williams

PA DEP Arbitrarily Extends Comment Period for Atlantic Sunrise Pipe
June 3, 2016June 3, 2016

Click for larger version

Yesterday MDN pointed out that the battle to build the Williams Atlantic Sunrise pipeline is on–and your help in showing your support to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is very much needed (see It’s Time to Voice Your Support for the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline). There is now a second front in which your help is needed–by showing support for the project with the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP). The DEP was supposed to have concluded public comments on water obstruction and encroachment permits related to the Atlantic Sunrise project on May 31st. But as they sometimes do, the DEP just arbitrarily decided to extend the comment period another 60 days–until August 1. No doubt because antis fussed about it. So it’s time to submit your comments of support to the PA DEP as well as FERC, to countermand what will surely be a tsunami of form letters coming from anti-fossil fuelers. Here’s how to make positive comments on Atlantic Sunrise to the PA DEP…
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Broome County | Chenango County | Delaware County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Otsego County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Schoharie County | Susquehanna County | Williams

Constitution Pipeline Doles Out Another $50K in Grants, Despite NY
June 3, 2016June 3, 2016

Since announcing the project in 2012, the Constitution Pipeline has handed out more than $2 million in community grants to fire departments, police departments and a variety of nonprofit organizations that benefit the community. Recently New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo decided to block the Constitution Pipeline to placate his radical left supporters (see NY Gov. Cuomo Refuses to Grant Permits for Constitution Pipeline). Williams and its partners in the project have taken NY to court to overrule their blockage (see Williams Sues NY Over Constitution Pipe – DEC May Lose Authority). Even though Cuomo’s dastardly action has thrown the project’s future into some doubt, Williams and the Constitution are expressing no doubts. They’ve just handed out another $50,000 in grants (the eighth time they’ve done it) to worthy organizations along the pipeline’s proposed route. Here’s who got the money, and how much…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

It’s Time to Voice Your Support for the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline
June 2, 2016June 20, 2016

Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline map – click for larger version

Now is the time to roar and let the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) know that you support the Williams Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project. Atlantic Sunrise is part of the Transco (Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation) system. It is a $2.1 billion project consisting of compression and looping of the Transco Leidy Line in Pennsylvania, along with a greenfield (brand new) pipeline segment of 178 miles, called the Central Penn Line, connecting the northeastern Marcellus producing region to the Transco mainline near Station 195 in southeastern Pennsylvania (see Atlantic Sunrise Will Pump $1.6B into Economy, Create 8K Jobs). We’ve written numerous stories about Atlantic Sunrise, and irrational opposition to it from places like Lebanon County, PA. Earlier this month FERC issued the Atlantic Sunrise project a positive Environmental Impact Statement (see Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Gets Positive EIS from FERC). That’s a very good sign that the project is about to be approved and for construction to begin. But there’s one more hurdle. FERC will conduct a series of public hearings (that we refer to as freak shows for anti-fossil fuelers), along with receiving written public comment. The irrational antis have cranked up their (very few) supporters to flood FERC with negative comments. Atlantic Sunrise will create $1.6 BILLION in investments to build it–jobs, materials, local companies–everyone benefits! When complete, the pipeline will provide enough natural gas to heat and power 7 million homes. WE NEED THIS PIPELINE. It’s now time for those of us who support safe pipelines like Atlantic Sunrise to make our voices heard. Here’s three things you can do to show your support…
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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…
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Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Susquehanna County | WPX Energy

PA District Court Rules in Favor of Driller in NEPA Lease Dispute
June 1, 2016June 1, 2016

A decision by the Middle District Court of Pennsylvania is worth noting–for both drillers AND landowners. A landowner in Susquehanna County, PA sold some land already under lease to a new landowner/rights owner. Neither the new landowner nor the previous landowner informed the driller of the change in ownership. The time came to renew the lease and under the terms of the contract the driller sent payment–but didn’t know about the change in ownership–so the driller sent the payment to the previous owner. The new landowner used that faux pas as a legal excuse to sue the driller to break the contract. The new landowner claimed the paperwork filed (not the full lease but an abstract) didn’t contain mention of informing the driller. In other words, the landowner used the “we didn’t know” excuse. The judge disagreed and said, a) the lease itself clearly outlines the responsibilities of the old/new landowners to inform the driller, b) there is a reasonable expectation for the new landowner to perform due diligence in seeking out a copy of the original lease to know that. Therefore the new landowner is still under lease. Here’s an outline of the case, with names…
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Anadarko | Bradford County | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania

Chesapeake, Anadarko Try to Wiggle Out of PA Royalty Lawsuit
May 31, 2016May 31, 2016

Last December Pennsylvania’s felony-indicted Attorney General, Kathleen Kane, brought a lawsuit against Chesapeake Energy, Anadarko and Williams accusing them of, among other things, royalty fraud (see PA Atty General Sues Chesapeake Energy, Williams for Royalty Fraud). Somehow the anti-drilling Kane, herself facing ejection from office over felony charges (namely perjury), is still in office and the case against Chessy, Anadarko et al is progressing. However, there is a new wrinkle to report. Chesapeake and Anadarko last week filed to dismiss Kane’s complaints against them accusing Kane of attempting to litigate federal antitrust claims in state court. As with many legal cases, this one is complicated. We’ll try and break it down into understandable form…
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Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Responding to Shameless Supporters of Fired DEP Sec. John Quigley
May 31, 2016May 31, 2016

Fired Sec. DEP John Quigley

PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary John Quigley was fired for colluding with radical enviro groups (see Smoking Gun: Copy of the Email that Got John Quigley Fired). Watching those radical groups, and their lapdogs in the media close ranks to try and rewrite the facts and the story line has been truly illuminating. Jan Jarrett, former head of PennFuture (one of the groups Quigley was colluding with) came to his defense by attacking a fellow “apostate” Democrat (see PA Radical Enviros Blame Democrat Senator for Quigley Firing). State Rep. Greg Vitali, the ranking Democrat on the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, attempted to pin the blame on conventional drillers in the state with the claim they are trying to exempt themselves from being regulated (see the Patriot-News op-ed: Here’s why all gas drillers need to play by the same rules: Greg Vitali). You simply can’t let lies like those from Jarrett and Vitali stand. When they utter such nonsense, we must set the record straight…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Radical Enviros Blame Democrat Senator for Quigley Firing
May 25, 2016May 25, 2016

Jan Jarrett

Jan Jarrett, former head of the radical Big Green group PennFuture and one of the people disgraced and fired John Quigley, former Secretary of the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP), colludes with to target Democrats who deign to disagree with his radical policies, is (surprise!) attacking Democrats who disagree with Quigley’s radical policies. Jarrett is accusing Democrat Sen. John Yudichak from Luzerne County, PA of “orchestrating…a vicious, successful smear campaign” against her “dear friend” John Quigley. What utter crap. Quigley and Jarrett are the ones who targeted people with a smear campaign. Quigley told Jarrett’s former employer PennFuture (and other Big Green groups) to get off their rear-ends (dropping the “f” bomb) and to do something about so-called “apostates” in the Democrat Party who are not supporting his wild and radical regulatory proposals (read the email here – Smoking Gun: Copy of the Email that Got John Quigley Fired). No doubt Sen. Yudichak had something to do with exposing the email sent by Quigley–FROM A PRIVATE ACCOUNT which is unethical in the extreme, perhaps illegal–to the light of day for all to see. But for Jarrett and others to blame Yudichak and target him for helping to expose Quigley’s unethical behavior is like a criminal blaming the victim for telling the truth about what happened…
Read More “PA Radical Enviros Blame Democrat Senator for Quigley Firing”
Energy Services | HalenHardy | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | West Virginia

4 Winners Bag $80K at 5th Annual Shale Gas Innovation Contest
May 25, 2016May 25, 2016

Each year the Ben Franklin Shale Gas Innovation and Commercialization Center (SGICC) hosts an annual Shale Gas Innovation Contest. Last week the SGICC hosted their fifth annual contest and announced four winners that split an $80,000 prize purse. The four winners this year include: Aridea Solutions, valve manufacturer; Compass Natural Gas, a CNG (compressed natural gas) station supplier; Epiphany Water Solutions, a wastewater recycler; and someone we personally know and like a great deal–Donny Beaver with HalenHardy, who won for yet another superb product (from an ingenious and serial entrepreneur). Donny’s new product is called SPILLTRATION™–a product engineered to absorb and contain oil-based leaks and spills while allowing clean water to be filter through. Read on for a description of the products/services that won. A huge congrats to our friend Donny!…
Read More “4 Winners Bag $80K at 5th Annual Shale Gas Innovation Contest”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Smoking Gun: Copy of the Email that Got John Quigley Fired
May 24, 2016May 24, 2016

In the end, it was John Quigley’s own hubris that resulted in his demise as Secretary of the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection. As we reported yesterday, last Friday Sec. Quigley suddenly resigned his position (see PA DEP Sec. John Quigley Resigns Over Email Collusion Scandal). Most media reports blame an email scandal as the primary reason for his dismissal. As one MDN reader wrote to us, how could Quigley be so stupid as to commit his remarks to an email? Why didn’t he just pick up the phone and call his buddies at Big Green radical groups to collude with them? Indeed. If he had, he might still have a job. Below we have a copy of the infamous email Quigley sent to PennFuture, PennEnvironment, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. In the email he drops the “f” bomb first thing–essentially a verbal slap across the faces of his Big Green buddies. He “encourages” them, like a Mafioso don, to extract payment for enviro “apostacy” from Democrats who dare to disagree with him and his radical enviro policies–and to “shame” Republicans. When you read it, you’ll know exactly why Quigley was FIRED by Gov. Wolf…
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Bradford County | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp

Thai Company Buys Out Range Resources’ JV in NEPA for $112M
May 24, 2016May 25, 2016

5/25/16 NOTE: Our thanks to a sharp MDN reader (Chris H.) for pointing out we had this story slightly wrong. Banpu is not entering a JV with Range, they are, instead, buying Range’s portion of an existing JV. That is, Range is exiting the JV by selling its share to Banpu. Range was not the operator in the JV acreage–they only owned a piece of the action. Talisman is the operator of the wells and the company that does the drilling.

Range Resources, the company that just committed to buying another driller based in Louisiana for $4.4 billion (see Range Resources Buys Louisiana Driller in Deal Worth $4.4B), has just ~~gotten itself a joint venture partner/investor in its own Marcellus operations~~ just sold its portion of a joint venture in northeast Pennsylvania. Banpu Pcl, Thailand’s largest coal producer, yesterday invested $112 million ~~in some of~~ to purchase Range’s Marcellus non-operated JV operations in Bradford County, PA. The “Chaffee Corners Joint Exploration Agreement” will give Banpu an ownership share in 62 producing wells and another 14 wells waiting on completion, and a share in 170+ more drilling locations. The wells currently produce an average 21 million cubic feet per day (Mmcf/d) of natgas…
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