Pennsylvania

Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Scranton Area TU Chapter Hears about New Tactic to End Drilling
November 20, 2013November 20, 2013

As MDN pointed out a few days ago, anti-drilling members of the anti-drilling Trout Unlimited (TU) have changed tactics (see TU: If You Can’t Beat Shale Drillers, Try a New Lie). Instead of calling for an outright ban on Marcellus Shale drilling in Pennsylvania, they’ve decided to call for over-regulation–attempting to make their requests sound reasonable and fair. The intent is still the same: stop drilling any way you can.

TU community ~~agitator~~ organizer Paula Piatt traveled from Mifflin County (central PA) to Lackawanna County (northeast PA) to spread the “let’s regulate them to death” message yesterday…
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Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Cabot’s NE PA Wells “Some of the most productive on Earth”
November 18, 2013November 18, 2013

The mainstream media catches up to MDN and other industry-focused publications–eventually. On October 14, 2013, MDN gave you the details for the top 10 most productive wells in the Marcellus Shale with respect to natural gas production. We told you eight of those top 10 are found in one northeastern Pennsylvania county–Susquehanna–and are drilled by the same driller: Cabot Oil & Gas (see PA’s Top 10 Marcellus Shale Wells – Full Details). A Wilkes-Barre newspaper has finally come along to also blow the trumpet about how productive Cabot has been in Susquehanna County. They too make the observation that Cabot’s natural gas wells may be “some of the most productive on Earth.” Indeed.

But this mainstream story also brings to light information MDN is sometimes asked and until now didn’t have a ready answer for: When it comes to Cabot in the Marcellus with “dry gas,” or companies like Gulfport in the Utica, very successful with “wet gas,” are they just lucky in hitting the “sweet spot”? Or are they smart about the geographies where they decide to lease and drill? Although luck plays a role, this article, in talking about Cabot’s work in the Marcellus, says they fully knew what they were doing when they leased up thousands of Susquehanna County acres. Forthwith, a really good story from a mainstream media source!…
Read More “Cabot’s NE PA Wells “Some of the most productive on Earth””
Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Roads | Statewide PA

PA’s Roads Vastly Improved – Thanks to Marcellus Drilling
November 18, 2013November 18, 2013

The new president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, Dave Spigelmyer, has hit the ground running. He’s making the rounds (recently in Scranton, see Cabot’s Big CNG Celebration at Johnson College in Scranton, PA). Now, he’s hitting the editorial pages of major state newspapers, like the Harrisburg Patriot-News.

In an editorial published yesterday, Spigelmyer makes a strong case for the enormous positive impact shale drilling has had on the state’s infrastructure–roads in particular. He points out over the past several years Marcellus drillers have spent 3/4 of a billion dollars to improve PA’s roadways. That’s money that didn’t come out of taxpayers’ pockets. And in addition to now $400+ million raised from an impact fee/tax, another $1.8 billion has flowed in to local and state coffers from taxes on Marcellus-related activities. It’s hard to overstate the huge economic impact the drilling industry has had in PA…
Read More “PA’s Roads Vastly Improved – Thanks to Marcellus Drilling”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Mifflin County | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

TU: If You Can’t Beat Shale Drillers, Try a New Lie
November 18, 2013November 18, 2013

An interesting twist. Apparently the devout anti-drilling group Trout Unlimited has at least one leader and one chapter that isn’t quite so anti-drilling. Either that or they’re trying a new tactic: bald-faced lying (wouldn’t be the first time).

At a local Penns Creek chapter meeting of TU in Lewistown, PA, Paula Piatt, a “sportsmen organizer” for the group said she doesn’t want to tell landowners not to lease and not to drill–well, she really does want to tell them that, but she isn’t, not right now anyway. No, what she does want to tell them is this is how you should drill. To which we say, the utter arrogance of these people….
Read More “TU: If You Can’t Beat Shale Drillers, Try a New Lie”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA | Taxation

PA Dems Continue to Beat the “Tax & Regulate Marcellus” Drum
November 18, 2013November 18, 2013

Here’s not a surprise: The eight (or ten or twelve) Democrats who have announced they’re running against incumbent Republican PA Gov. Tom Corbett next year want to more than double the taxes on Marcellus Shale drilling and slap super-strict and unnecessary new regulations on drilling. Ever hear of an elected Democrat who wasn’t in love with taking YOUR money and giving it to other people? Or an elected Democrat who doesn’t love micromanaging your life for you–telling you what you can and can’t eat, drink, smoke, do? (Everything except sex–you can have all the risky sex you want.) No, we haven’t either, which is why we NEVER vote for them. EVER.

We won’t make this an anti-Democrat diatribe–MDN has lots of Dem subscribers (and friends) and we appreciate them all–and we hear from them when we make these kinds of comments. 🙂 Have no fear–we will not cover the upcoming PA governor’s race ad nauseam. However, every now and again we’ll bring you an illustrative story of the PA governor’s race just to remind you of the philosophical Grand Canyon that exists between those who truly support drilling and those who would, by intent or ignorance, crush it with ill-advised over-tax and over-regulate policies…
Read More “PA Dems Continue to Beat the “Tax & Regulate Marcellus” Drum”
Beaver County | Braskem | Economic Impact | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Ethane | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Odebrecht | Pennsylvania | Processing Plants | Shell | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | West Virginia | Wood County

Clash of the Ethane Cracker Titans: PA vs WV Smackdown
November 15, 2013November 15, 2013

As MDN mentions in today’s companion story about the newly announced potential ethane cracker plant complex to be built near Parkersburg, WV, there is angst in Pittsburgh about whether or not a WV cracker plant will help or harm the potential cracker plant to be built by Shell northwest of Pittsburgh in Beaver County, PA.

The Pittsburgh Business Times, a bit critical and skeptical of the WV cracker (no surprise there), tackles the question of, “Is you a friend or is you foe?”…
Read More “Clash of the Ethane Cracker Titans: PA vs WV Smackdown”
Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Lackawanna County | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | Supply Chain

NE PA Audience Hears How to Plug in to the Marcellus Supply Chain
November 15, 2013November 15, 2013

The Marcellus means jobs and an economic boom for northeast Pennsylvania. That was the message delivered yesterday in Wilkes-Barre at a Marcellus forum hosted by State Sen. John Yudichak and State Sen. John Blake (both from the Scranton/W-B area). The forum was attended by over 100 people–local contractors, trade unions, small manufacturers and others. MDN friend John Augustine from the Marcellus Shale Coalition was one of the featured speakers, with lots of good tips for those who want to plug in to the Marcellus supply chain.

The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader was on hand and filed this helpful report:
Read More “NE PA Audience Hears How to Plug in to the Marcellus Supply Chain”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Berks County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines

Berks County, PA Hosts Pipeline “Education” Forum – LOL
November 15, 2013November 15, 2013

A supposedly non-partisan “pipeline education forum” was held yesterday in Berks County, PA (near Philadelphia)–payed for with taxpayer money and hosted/organized by the Berks County League of [Liberal Democrat] Women Voters. To their credit, the League had two pro-drillers on the panel: someone from utility giant UGI and someone from Spectra Energy. But the rest of the panel was packed with anti-drillers, like a rep from the rabidly anti-drilling Delaware Riverkeeper and the anti-drilling director of the so-called Pipeline Safety Coalition, based in neighboring Chester County. They were there to scare the *&@# out of attendees.

Such is “fair and balanced” from the “non-partisan-doesn’t-take-a-position” League. Excuse us as we pick ourselves up off the ground from laughing so hard…
Read More “Berks County, PA Hosts Pipeline “Education” Forum – LOL”
Cameron County | Endeavour International | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Pennsylvania | Samson Investment Co

Endeavour Intl & Samson Exploration Form 50/50 Marcellus JV
November 14, 2013November 14, 2013

One of the Marcellus Shale’s smaller drilling/midstream companies is Endeavour International, with 15,800 acres of leased Marcellus acreage according to NaturalGasIntel.com. Endeavour announced yesterday they’ve sold a 50% stake in their Marcellus assets to Samson Exploration, forming a joint venture with Samson. The amount of cash involved in the transaction was undisclosed.

According to the announcement, Endeavour will use the money from Samson to complete three previously drilled Marcellus wells in Cameron County, PA and hook them up to an EQT Corp. gathering pipeline. The wells should be online by the middle of 2014…
Read More “Endeavour Intl & Samson Exploration Form 50/50 Marcellus JV”
Energy Companies | Energy Services | EQT Corp | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide PA | Valerus | Washington County

EQT Hires Valerus for 2 New Compressor Stations in SW PA
November 14, 2013November 14, 2013

Valerus, a Houston, TX-based company with a growing facility in Smithfield, PA manufactures/creates compression solutions–assembling the pipelines, valves, engines, etc.–that move natural gas through a pipeline. Think of them as the people that come in and install the guts of a compressor station.

EQT Corp., a major Marcellus Shale driller, has just hired Valerus to do just that–install new compression solutions at two compressor stations in southwest PA. It means more jobs and more investment on the way in PA…
Read More “EQT Hires Valerus for 2 New Compressor Stations in SW PA”
Beaver County | Energy Companies | Ethane | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Processing Plants | Shell

PA Ethane Cracker – On Again, Off Again…Now On Again?
November 13, 2013November 13, 2013

MDN recently brought you rumors (evidence?) that the prospects of Shell building a multi-billion dollar ethane cracker plant in western Pennsylvania were seriously dimming (see Rumor Mill: PA Ethane Cracker Plant on Shell Chopping Block?). The most ominous two pieces of evidence against Shell moving forward was doubt cast by industry expert Rusty Braziel and the statements from Shell’s outgoing CEO Peter Voser who said that Shell would not be able to build all three major projects they now have on the books (one of the three being the PA cracker plant). Delays in committing to the project, negative speak from the CEO and numerous NGL and ethane pipelines coming online seem to cast doubt on Shell building the cracker.

But wait, what’s this? We have a new, happier rumor to share with you. According to a reliable source, Shell has hired Linde and Bechtel to perform front end engineering and design (FEED) work on the PA cracker plant! It seems to us if the cracker were truly dead Shell would not spend big bucks to design it (although we may be wrong on that score). Here’s the latest rumor courtesy Gas Business Briefing:
Read More “PA Ethane Cracker – On Again, Off Again…Now On Again?”
Blair County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Marcellus GTL | Pennsylvania | Processing Plants

Altoona’s Marcellus Gas-to-Liquids Plant Slightly Delayed
November 13, 2013November 13, 2013

An update on a gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant to be built near Altoona, PA that will convert abundant and cheap Marcellus Shale gas produced in the area into diesel fuel. MDN told you in March that Marcellus GTL announced they will build a new GTL plant in the area (see Altoona Area Getting $200M Marcellus Gas-to-Liquids Plant). Plans called for construction to begin on the new facility by the end of this year.

The bad news is that construction on the new GTL plant will not begin by the end of this year. “Typical project optimism” is the explanation offered by Marcellus GTL’s executive VP Paul Hamilton. The good news? The project is still on and construction is now estimated to begin somewhere between April and June 2014…
Read More “Altoona’s Marcellus Gas-to-Liquids Plant Slightly Delayed”
About MDN | MDN Sponsor | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Northeast Oil & Gas Awards – Time to Nominate is NOW
November 13, 2013November 13, 2013

A few weeks ago MDN told you about a fast-approaching deadline to be considered for the Northeast Oil & Gas Awards (see Deadline Approaching for 2013 Northeast Oil & Gas Awards). The deadline has been extended by a few weeks. The new deadline to be nominated in one of 25 categories is now December 12–so you have a month from today. MDN is proud to be working with the great people who host the Northeast Oil & Gas Awards. In fact, MDN editor Jim Willis will be involved in a conference program and attending the award ceremony in Pittsburgh in March 2014 (more on that in coming months).

However, right now it’s time to nominate and be nominated for an award! The Oil & Gas Awards celebrate the success and excellence of companies working in the upstream and midstream oil & gas industry in the Northeast region. Below are links to the criteria used for evaluating entrants in each of the 25 different categories. Click on a link to find out what it takes to be considered for a prestigious award in that category…
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Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Soil | Statewide PA | Wastewater

More on MSC/PIOGA and PA DEP Dueling Radiation Studies
November 12, 2013November 12, 2013

Last week MDN told you that two somewhat competitive drilling industry organizations in Pennsylvania–the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) and the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA)–announced they would launch their own study of the “does drilling create radioactive waste” issue (see MSC/PIOGA Team Up to Study Radiation in Shale Drilling). Since the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection is currently conducting a 12-14 month study of its own on that topic (see PA DEP Announces New Study of Radiation in Shale Drilling), we wondered why the MSC & PIOGA would launch their own study.

Additional information has come to light. According to an interview with Acting (soon to be full) Sec. of the DEP, Chris Abruzzo, the DEP views radioactivity in drilling waste as the possible “next frontier” of the agency’s oversight of the industry. No wonder the industry is concerned. Also, back in August, the MSC & PIOGA jointly issued a lengthy document (copy embedded below) challenging the structure and scope of the DEP study. The view of the MSC/PIOGA seems to be the DEP study as outlined is flawed (our words) and therefore will produce flawed results. Hence, they’re launching their own study to “do it right” (our words). An update on this developing story…
Read More “More on MSC/PIOGA and PA DEP Dueling Radiation Studies”
Crawford County | Pennsylvania

Titusville, PA Tells Shale Drilling Industry: We Want YOU
November 11, 2013November 11, 2013

What a refreshing change! Titusville (Crawford County), PA, a small city in northwestern PA where this country’s first-ever commercial oil well was drilled (the Drake well), wants to market itself as the perfect place for those involved in the shale drilling industry to set up offices and operations. Titusville sits between active Marcellus and Utica Shale drilling on either side of it and will someday likely see its own drilling. City officials figure with a bit of marketing they can be a destination for the industry in NW PA. Smart.

Officials are spending $33,000 to get a plan developed that will assist them in knowing how and where to market their community. They’re even talking about using old wells in the area as (gasp) injection wells for frack wastewater! Right now the city is shopping for someone to help them develop a comprehensive plan…
Read More “Titusville, PA Tells Shale Drilling Industry: We Want YOU”
Allegheny County | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp

More Marcellus Drilling on the Way in Allegheny County, PA?
November 11, 2013November 11, 2013

So far there’s been some, but not a lot, of shale drilling in Allegheny County, PA (Greater Pittsburgh area). A few weeks ago MDN told you about an offer from Huntley & Huntley–essentially a leasing agent for Range Resources–to lease a Deer Lakes Park, a county park in Allegheny County. The point of that story was not to focus on the big issues involved in leasing county-owned land in an urban area, but on the shameless way anti-drillers brainwash and use their own very young children as media props (see PA Anti-Drillers Shove Their Children Before the Microphones).

We said in that post we would return to the issue of whether or not it’s a good idea to drill under county parks. Today, we do that. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette provides an update on the deal Huntley & Huntley is trying to broker for drilling under (not on) Deer Lakes Park. The article also tackles other county-owned land (parks) in Allegheny County that may one day soon see drilling…
Read More “More Marcellus Drilling on the Way in Allegheny County, PA?”