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21 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Mar 31 – Apr 6

For the week of Mar 31 – Apr 6, the number of permits issued in the Marcellus/Utica to drill new shale wells increased by two from the previous week. Last week, 21 new permits were issued, with 12 going to the Keystone State (PA). Expand Energy, via its merged companies Chesapeake Energy and Southwestern Energy, scored five permits, with three permits for Southwestern in Susquehanna County and two for Chesapeake in Bradford County. Greylock Energy received three permits for drilling in Potter County. Range Resources also received three permits to drill wells in Lycoming and Washington counties. Read More “21 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Mar 31 – Apr 6”

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SRBC Approved 50 (!) Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use Permits in Feb.

The highly functional and responsible Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), unlike its completely dysfunctional and irresponsible cousin, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), continues to support the shale energy industry by approving water withdrawals and consumptive use for responsible and safe shale drilling. The SRBC published a notice in the March 29 Pennsylvania Bulletin that the Executive Director of the SRBC gave his approval to or renewed 50 (!) general water use permits in February for individual shale gas well drilling pads in Bradford, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Lycoming, Potter, Susquehanna, and Tioga counties in Pennsylvania. Read More “SRBC Approved 50 (!) Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use Permits in Feb.”

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SRBC Stops Creek Water Withdrawals for 18 Shale Gas Projects

On March 27, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) online Hydrologic Conditions Monitor showed low stream flows have triggered restrictions on 18 shale gas water withdrawal points in Bradford, Potter, Susquehanna, Tioga, and Wyoming counties. Another 17 shale gas withdrawals are approaching restrictions. Of the water withdrawal points regulated by SRBC, only shale gas development water withdrawals currently have restrictions because they take water from smaller streams. Read More “SRBC Stops Creek Water Withdrawals for 18 Shale Gas Projects”

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NFG Tioga Pathway Pipe in Potter & Tioga Counties (PA) Advances

National Fuel Gas Company (NFG), headquartered in Buffalo, NY, is the parent company for Marcellus/Utica driller Seneca Resources and the parent of midstream company NFG Midstream (and subsidiary Empire Pipeline). In November 2023, MDN first reported on NFG Midstream’s Tioga Pathway project, an estimated $90 million modernization and expansion project that will add 190,000 Dth per day (190 MMcf/d) of firm transportation takeaway capacity from northwest Tioga County, Pennsylvania (see NFG & Seneca Announce New Tioga Pathway Pipeline Project). The company filed with FERC last August to build the Tioga Pathway by 2026 (see NFG Qtly Update: Filing Tioga Pathway Pipe with FERC This Month). The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is getting ready to issue permits for the project, including a national Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification, indicating the project is advancing to the construction phase. Read More “NFG Tioga Pathway Pipe in Potter & Tioga Counties (PA) Advances”

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Roulette O&G Dinged by PA DEP for Inactive Well in Potter County

Roulette Oil & Gas drilled the Guardian Pad B (click for larger version)

Roulette Oil & Gas drilled the Guardian Pad B 6H shale gas well in February 2011 in Hebron Township, Potter County. The well was granted inactive status on September 7, 2012. The inactive status expired on September 7, 2017. At that point, the well should have been plugged but was not. On August 23, 2023, Roulette applied to extend inactive status and was sent a final denial of that request on February 14, 2024, by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). On January 21, the DEP and Roulette Oil & Gas signed a consent order and agreement requiring the company to plug a shale gas well that has been, for all intents, abandoned for 8 years.

Read More “Roulette O&G Dinged by PA DEP for Inactive Well in Potter County”

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4 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Mar 25 – 31

What’s below dismal? The new permits report for two weeks ago showed just five new permits, which we called “dismal” (see 5 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Mar 18 – 24). Last week, for March 25 – 31, there were just four new permits issued. Technically, there were only two new permits (both in Pennsylvania), but Ohio’s Dept. of Natural Resources was tardy in their update and recorded two new permits last week for permits issued the week before. We didn’t report them two weeks ago, so we will report them this week. In PA, there was one new permit each issued to Snyder Brothers (Armstrong County) and Greylock Energy (Potter County). OH issued two permits to Ascent Resources (both in Guernsey County). West Virginia issued no new permits for the second week in a row.
Read More “4 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Mar 25 – 31”

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SRBC Approves 8 Water Withdrawal Requests for Fracking in NEPA

The highly functional and responsible Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), unlike its completely dysfunctional and irresponsible cousin, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), continues to support the shale energy industry by approving water withdrawals for responsible and safe shale drilling. Last Thursday, the SRBC approved 23 new water withdrawal requests within the basin, eight of them for water used in drilling and fracking shale wells in Pennsylvania. The Marcellus/Utica shale drillers receiving a green light from SRBC included Beech Resources, Chesapeake Energy, Greylock Energy, Seneca Resources, and Southwestern Energy.
Read More “SRBC Approves 8 Water Withdrawal Requests for Fracking in NEPA”

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23 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Jan 8 – 14

There were 23 new permits issued to drill in the Marcellus/Utica during the week of Jan. 8-14, versus 18 permits issued for the prior week. Pennsylvania issued 13 new permits last week. Ohio issued just 2 new permits. West Virginia issued 8 new permits — for the second week in a row. EQT scored the top slot for new permits, receiving 7 permits to drill in Lycoming and Greene counties in PA.
Read More “23 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Jan 8 – 14”

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25 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Nov 27 – Dec 3

New shale permits issued for Nov 27 – Dec 3 in the Marcellus/Utica were much improved over the previous few weeks. There were 25 new permits issued last week versus 14 issued two weeks ago and just one new permit three weeks ago. So the trend is our friend! Last week’s permit tally included 15 new permits in Pennsylvania, 8 new permits in Ohio, and 2 new permits in West Virginia. Three companies tied for top place with 4 permits each: Seneca Resources in PA, Ascent Resources and Encino Energy in OH.
Read More “25 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Nov 27 – Dec 3”

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Roulette O&G Withdraws Injection Well Plan for Potter County, PA

Earlier this year, Roulette Oil & Gas LLC received approval from the federal EPA to build a shale wastewater injection well in Clara Township in Potter County, PA (see EPA Approves Potter County, PA Injection Well, Waiting Now for DEP). On March 31, the Clara Town Board passed an amended version of its 1987 ordinance governing injection wells (see Clara Township Adopts Modified Ordinance Banning Injection Wells). The newly amended ordinance bans all injection wells in the township — something that is (according to our understanding) illegal under Pennsylvania state law. However, before Roulette could begin drilling, the state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) needs to approve the well. Following a DEP public hearing on July 25 in Coudersport, PA, where “emotions ran high,” the DEP extended the public comment period (see PA DEP Extends Deadline to Comment on Potter Injection Well Plan). Just coming to light now is that Roulette withdrew its application for the well in September…
Read More “Roulette O&G Withdraws Injection Well Plan for Potter County, PA”

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PA DEP Extends Deadline to Comment on Potter Injection Well Plan

Earlier this year, Roulette Oil & Gas LLC received approval from the federal EPA to build a shale wastewater injection well in Clara Township in Potter County, PA (see EPA Approves Potter County, PA Injection Well, Waiting Now for DEP). On March 31, the Clara Town Board passed an amended version of its 1987 ordinance governing injection wells (see Clara Township Adopts Modified Ordinance Banning Injection Wells). The newly amended ordinance bans all injection wells in the township–something that is (according to our understanding) illegal under Pennsylvania state law. However, before Roulette can begin drilling, the state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) also needs to approve the well. The DEP held a public hearing on July 25 in Coudersport, PA.
Read More “PA DEP Extends Deadline to Comment on Potter Injection Well Plan”

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39 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Jun 26-Jul 2

New shale permits issued for Jun 26 – Jul 2 in the Marcellus/Utica saw a dramatic increase, thanks to a bump in Pennsylvania’s numbers. There were 39 new permits issued last week, way up from 11 issued the previous week. Last week’s permit tally included 30 new permits in Pennsylvania, 8 new permits in Ohio, and just 1 new permit in West Virginia. Coterra Energy scored the most new permits with a whopping 12 issued in Susquehanna County, PA (for two well pads). Range Resources had the second most new permits, with 7 permits issued in Washington County, PA (for one pad).
Read More “39 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Jun 26-Jul 2”

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Seneca Resources Buys Southwestern Assets in Tioga County, PA

National Fuel Gas Company (NFG), headquartered in Buffalo, NY, is the parent company for Marcellus/Utica driller Seneca Resources and the parent of midstream company Empire Pipeline. Earlier this week, NFG issued its latest quarterly update. NFG operates on a weird fiscal year system. This latest update is for the company’s second quarter, which would be everybody else’s first quarter update. The big news from the update is that Seneca Resources has agreed to acquire upstream assets in northwestern Pennsylvania from Southwestern Energy for $127 million.
Read More “Seneca Resources Buys Southwestern Assets in Tioga County, PA”

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18 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Apr 24-30

New shale permits issued for Apr. 24-30 in the Marcellus/Utica fell from the prior week. There were 18 new permits issued last week, down from 25 in the prior week. Last week’s tally included 8 new permits for Pennsylvania, 4 new permits for Ohio, and 6 new permits in West Virginia. Last week the top receiver of new permits was Antero Resources, with 6 permits issued in Tyler County, WV. EQT (Rice Drilling) was second-highest, with 4 permits issued in Greene County, PA.
Read More “18 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Apr 24-30”

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Clara Township Adopts Modified Ordinance Banning Injection Wells

Class II Injection Well (click for larger version)

Earlier this month, MDN told you about the long-festering issue of building a shale wastewater injection well in Clara Township in Potter County, PA (see EPA Approves Potter County, PA Injection Well, Waiting Now for DEP). It appears the state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) is about to issue a permit for the well. The federal EPA has already signed off and approved the plan. However, the township is attempting to block the injection well by amending a previous ordinance. On March 31, the Clara Town Board passed an amended version of its 1987 ordinance governing injection wells. The newly amended ordinance bans all injection wells in the township–something that is (according to our understanding) illegal under Pennsylvania state law.
Read More “Clara Township Adopts Modified Ordinance Banning Injection Wells”

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Clara Twp Stops Responding re Ordinance Banning Injection Wells

Last week MDN told you about the long-festering issue of building a shale wastewater injection well in Clara Township in Potter County, PA (see EPA Approves Potter County, PA Injection Well, Waiting Now for DEP). It appears the state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) is about to issue a permit for the well. The federal EPA has already signed off and approved the plan. However, the township is attempting to block the injection well by amending a previous ordinance. The town is on the cusp of adopting an amendment to the existing injection well ordinance. At least, that’s how it appears. Clara Township has stopped responding to requests for information about the status of the amendment.
Read More “Clara Twp Stops Responding re Ordinance Banning Injection Wells”