Alan Eichler has worked in the Oil and Gas Management division of the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) for the past 28 years. For a number of years Alan has been the head of the Oil and Gas Management division. Now he’s gone…
Read More “Head of PA DEP Oil & Gas Division Departs”
Three people won the prize for Top Energy Executive of the year. All three have the same last name. All three work for the same company. And the company also has the same name as the three winners: Rice. Dan Rice IV, president and CEO, Toby Rice, COO, and Derek Rice, VP of exploration and geology won the Pittsburgh Business Times’ top honors at the 2014 Annual Energy Leadership Awards. A ceremony with over 400 people was held in Pittsburgh earlier this month where Derek was on hand to collect the prize for he and his brothers. In addition to big winner Rice Energy there were 20 other categories and award winners…
Read More “Rice Energy Big Winner of 2014 Energy Leadership Awards in Pitt”
Last Friday PA Gov. Tom Corbett issued an executive order that a) maintains an ongoing moratorium on any new drilling on the surface of PA public forests and parks, and b) allows for drilling under some public lands (very limited) if the drilling can be done from adjacent private land. You would think from the reaction from the usual reactionaries like PennFuture and PennEnvironment, that Corbett had sprouted horns, a pitchfork and a tail. In Middle Eastern cultures from centuries ago they would have ripped their shirts and thrown ashes on their heads–all because Corbett decided to take a sensible approach to raising another $75 million for the cash-strapped PA budget…
Read More “Corbett Keeps New Surface Drilling Banned in PA Forests”
In March MDN told you about the deal negotiated by Philadelphia’s Democrat mayor, Michael Nutter, to sell off (i.e. privatize) the country’s oldest and largest municipal-owned gas company–the Philadelphia Gas Works (see Phila. Gas Works Deal for $1.86B – Marcellus/Utica One of Keys). To his credit, Nutter negotiated a good deal for the city, its residents, and the ratepayers of PGW. One of the main draws for the deal is its proximity to the Marcellus Shale (see Fascinating Look Behind the Curtain of the Phila. Gas Works Deal). However, resistance to the sale was swift and strong–by city council and their entrenched political interests in keeping labor unions happy. Now comes word that a Russian-born former Enron executive is working behind the scenes trying to derail the deal…
Read More “Former Enron Exec Makes “Unethical” Play to Derail PGW Deal”
Synder Brothers, a mostly conventional (vertical-only) oil and gas driller in Pennsylvania, is having a lover’s quarrel with the PA Public Utilities Commission over what a stripper is and isn’t. Er, a stripper well, that is. The outcome of that argument may mean Synder Brothers will have to pony up $500,000 for impact fees on wells they’ve drilled that are, according to them, “stripper wells.” And what, pray tell, is a stripper well?…
Read More “High-Priced Strippers in PA: Semantic Gymnastics with Impact Fee”
Looks like newly-minted Pennsylvania Democrat candidate for governor, Tom Wolf (who is a multi-millionaire), has signed up to be the political b*tch for Tom Steyer from California (a multi-billionaire). How else would you describe it when Steyer has pledged $100 million to fund three gubernatorial and four Senate races (all Democrats)–one of which is the governor’s race in PA? That’s $14.3 million for Wolf if the $100 million pot of Steyer’s gold is split evenly. If Wolf wins, he’ll be owned lock, stock and by the short hairs by Steyer–in office to do Steyer’s bidding. The reason Steyer is willing to buy Wolf an election in PA? Steyer hates fossil fuels. Surprised?…
Read More “CA Anti-Driller Tom Steyer Purchasing Tom Wolf PA Governorship”
The Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association (PIOGA) is putting out “a plea” for drillers in PA to lend a hand. PIOGA wants to prove to the state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) that drill cuttings are not radioactive and not “laced” with dangerous chemicals. Why do they want to prove it? So that drill cuttings (leftover rock and dirt when the borehole is drilled) can be recycled and used as fill on drilling sites, and as fill for construction sites in general. Problem is, the drillers are not cooperating…
Read More “PIOGA Issues “Plea” to Drillers for Drill Cutting Samples for Study”
Results from yesterday’s Pennsylvania primary to report that have potential consequences for the Marcellus Shale. In particular, the race for governor and the race for anyone but Jesse White for the PA House in Washington County…
Read More “PA Democrat Primary Results & Possible Impact on the Marcellus”
On Tuesday night Williams held the first of 10 open houses (this one in Luzerne County) on their roadshow to discuss the proposed Atlantic Sunrise Project includes new and reversed pipeline flows for the mighty Transco (see Williams Plans $2.1B Transco Pipeline Expansion, 100% Sold Already). The Transco, built 50 years ago, as always brought gas from the southwest to the northeast. Under Williams’ plan, new pipes will carry gas to the northeast/New England markets, but the vast majority of the existing pipeline will become bidirectional–able to flow gas in either direction–carrying cheap Marcellus Shale gas to southern markets…
Read More “Williams Open House Sheds more Light on Transco Atlantic Sunrise”
Record-breaking low winter temperatures drew down inventories of natural gas in the northeast this past winter. The natural gas utility that serves some of the largest markets in PA, including northeast PA and southeast PA, is UGI. They announced yesterday that due to the supply/demand issues from winter, they will need to boost the price of natgas to their customers in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area by 5.7% come June 1st. UGI is also boosting rates for their customers in southeast PA (greater Philadelphia area) by 4% on June 1st. However, UGI’s third natgas service area–in central PA–will not change on June 1st and will actually go down on December 1st by 2.3%. Why is the price going up in two regions but down in the third?…
Read More “UGI Natgas Price Increase for 2 Regions, Decrease in 3rd Region”
Each year the Ben Franklin Shale Gas Innovation and Commercialization Center (SGICC) conducts a contest for researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators working in the shale gas space in PA or WV (see 2014 Ben Franklin Shale Gas Contest – $100K in Cash Prizes!). They award four $25,000 prizes to those companies or people they believe have unique products and services that will benefit the shale industry. This year’s winners have just been announced! Envelope please…
Read More “Shale Innovation Winners of $100K in Prize Money Named”
Perhaps all is not lost in PA with regard to an insane severance tax on Marcellus Shale drilling. On Friday we reported that PA Gov. Tom Corbett’s spokesperson seemed to be waffling about whether or not Gov. Corbett would consider or even support a severance tax, something he’s been opposed to for over three years (see Is PA Gov Corbett Considering a Severance Tax?!). That report caused us some angst. However, also last week, the highest ranking Republican in the House said “no” to a severance tax for this year’s budget…
Read More “Glimmer of Hope that PA Won’t Enact Severance Tax This Year”
A disturbing article by the Associated Press hints that PA Gov. Tom Corbett may be about to cave and endorse a severance tax. Never in our wildest dreams would we believe it–we don’t want to believe it. But Corbett spokeswoman Lynn Lawson has “declined to say if Corbett still rules out an extraction tax” that would be used to meet a budget short-fall, particularly in education…
Read More “Is PA Gov Corbett Considering a Severance Tax?!”
The news keeps rolling in with respect to the Center for Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD). Yesterday MDN told you about a new grant to the organization (see CSSD Thrown a Lifeline from Richard King Mellon Foundation). Today we know how much the unspecified grant was for, and more importantly, why it was so important. We also have news that after 14 months of existence, the CSSD has it’s very first application for certification…
Read More “Heinz & William Penn Cut Ties with CSSD; 1st Application for Cert”
Yesterday the seven selfish townships who sued to overturn Pennsylvania’s Act 13 oil and gas law–and won (before the PA Supreme Court)–were back in the lower appellate court at the direction of the Supreme Court, arguing some of the fine points in their attempts to drive the last nail in the coffin to bury Act 13 (see Act 13 Case Goes Back to Court, Drillers Petition to Join Lawsuit)…
Read More “Act 13 Goes Back to Lower Court, Disturbing Comments from Judge”
The Richard King Mellon Foundation has just awarded a two-year grant (no specific amount mentioned) to the Center for Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD). The Mellon folks apparently like what they see with the CSSD certification program and want to see more of it. So they’re lending a (financial) hand to ensure that happens…
Read More “CSSD Thrown a Lifeline from Richard King Mellon Foundation”