Statewide PA

Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide PA

IFO: PA NatGas Production, Wells Spud Both Decreased in 3Q
December 5, 2023December 5, 2023

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Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released its latest quarterly Natural Gas Production Report for July through September 2023 (full copy below). There were 102 new horizontal wells spud (drilled) in 3Q23, a huge decrease of 56 wells (-35%) compared to 3Q22. However, 3Q’s spud number was up nicely from the 89 drilled in 2Q23. Natural gas production volume was 1,870 billion cubic feet (Bcf) in 3Q23, down 10 Bcf (-0.5%) from 1,880 Bcf produced in 3Q22.
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Big Green Files Appeal of PA Court Rejecting RGGI Carbon Tax
December 1, 2023December 1, 2023

Last week, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that he will appeal a decision by the Commonwealth Court that blocks PA’s entrance into the obscene Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) carbon tax scheme (see PA Gov. Shapiro Proves He’s Radical Left – Appeals RGGI Decision). PA’s Commonwealth Court was not fooled by the Democrat left’s attempt to rename a tax as a fee to circumvent the necessary approval needed by the state legislature in approving taxes as provided for by the state constitution. The court ruled against the plan to force PA into joining RGGI a few weeks ago (see Near-Fatal Blow for PA Carbon Tax – Commonwealth Court Blocks 4-1). Shapiro appealed the case to the Democrat-loaded PA Supreme Court, where like-minded leftists are inclined to violate the law and grant Shapiro a win on this. However, four Big Green groups are not willing to let Shapiro carry all the water on this one. They don’t trust Shapiro to get the job done, so they’ve filed their own appeal.
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Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

PA State Sen. Gene Yaw Receives MSC “Shale Gas Advocate Award”
December 1, 2023December 1, 2023

State Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23) addresses attendees at the 2023 Marcellus Shale Coalition Annual Awards Ceremony held on Nov. 28 at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington.

Founded in 2008, the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) works with exploration and production, midstream, and supply chain partners in the Appalachian Basin and across the country to address issues regarding the production of clean, job-creating, American natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica Shale plays. The MSC provides in-depth information to policymakers, regulators, media, and other public stakeholders on the positive effects responsible natural gas production is having on families, businesses, and communities across the region. It’s one of the premier organizations representing the M-U. The MSC held its annual 2023 Annual Awards Ceremony on Nov. 28 at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, PA. Among the award recipients was PA State Sen. Gene Yaw (from Lycoming County), who received the “Shale Gas Advocate Award.”
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Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide PA

PA DEP 2022 Annual O&G Report: NatGas Production Drops for 1st Time
November 30, 2023November 30, 2023

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently published its 2022 Oil and Gas Annual Report. This is the seventh year in a row the DEP has published the report in an interactive, electronic (i.e., online only) format. Don’t worry; we’ve made the report a convenient PDF for MDN readers. What does the 2022 report show? Permits issued went down, but the number of new wells drilled went up. The big news is that natural gas production has, for the first time, gone down year over year in the Keystone State. It is the first time natural gas production has decreased for a given year in the modern shale era in PA.
Read More “PA DEP 2022 Annual O&G Report: NatGas Production Drops for 1st Time”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydrogen | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Big Green Tries to Pressure PA to Block NatGas in Hydrogen Hubs
November 28, 2023November 28, 2023

We spotted an article appearing on the PBS-backed Allegheny Front website supposedly reporting a story about Pennsylvania lawmakers looking for “best practices” to adopt in regulating the soon-coming hydrogen hub projects the state will see. PA will see some investment in hydrogen from two different hydrogen hub projects led by neighboring states (West Virginia and Delaware). The article wants you to think that PA lawmakers are reviewing and considering various regulations they might use to protect the public in this uncharted new territory of hydrogen energy. The real thrust of the article, however, is to push a leftist narrative that the hydrogen hubs should avoid using natural gas as the feedstock to produce hydrogen.
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Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

Energy Groups Gear Up to Oppose Shapiro’s Appeal of Carbon Tax
November 27, 2023November 27, 2023

Last Wednesday, before heading out the door for the Thanksgiving holiday, MDN brought you the sad (but not unsurprising) news that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro had decided to appeal a Commonwealth Court decision striking down his predecessor’s attempt to force the state to implement a multi-billion-dollar carbon tax, called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (see PA Gov. Shapiro Proves He’s Radical Left – Appeals RGGI Decision). As we told you in that post, several Big Green groups immediately posted love letters of support. The case now goes to the PA Supreme Court, which is packed with leftist Democrats. However, the PA Senate, controlled by Republicans and a growing list of energy groups, will make the case before the Supremes that the RGGI carbon tax should be dead once and for all.
Read More “Energy Groups Gear Up to Oppose Shapiro’s Appeal of Carbon Tax”
Centre County | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Supply Chain

PA Construction Co. Glenn O. Hawbaker Loses PennDOT Contracts
November 27, 2023November 27, 2023

Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc., long known for providing stone quarries and asphalt plants in Pennsylvania and Ohio, also provides civil construction services for shale well sites. In August 2021, Pennsylvania’s then-Attorney General, Josh Shapiro, announced a plea deal with Hawbaker to pay back $20 million in alleged “stolen wages” from over 1,000 Hawbaker employees (see PA Construction Co. Glenn Hawbaker Pays $20M for “Stolen Wages”). After the plea deal, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation (PennDOT) moved to deny any new construction contracts to Hawbaker for three years — contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Hawbaker sued to block the PennDOT order barring them from pursuing state contracts.
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Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | West Virginia

U.S. Rig Count Sees Small Increase – Adds 4 @ 622, M-U Adds 1 @ 40
November 27, 2023November 27, 2023

The dead cat bounce bounced a little higher last week (i.e., the slight bounce a dead cat makes when it hits the ground). The rig count hit a new low for 2023 three weeks ago (see U.S. Rig Count Hits New 2023 Low – Loses 2 @ 616, M-U Even @ 40). Two weeks ago, the count increased by a measly two rigs from 616 to 618 (see U.S. Rig Count Small Increase – Adds 2 @ 618, M-U Loses 1 @ 39). Last week (as of last Wednesday), the count added another four rigs and now stands at 622. The Marcellus/Utica gained back one rig (in Pennsylvania) that it had lost the prior week (from Ohio) to hit 40 active rigs in the combined M-U.
Read More “U.S. Rig Count Sees Small Increase – Adds 4 @ 622, M-U Adds 1 @ 40”
Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

PA Gov. Shapiro Proves He’s Radical Left – Appeals RGGI Decision
November 22, 2023November 22, 2023

We’ll say it right up front: We told you so. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced yesterday that he will appeal a decision by the Commonwealth Court that blocks PA’s entrance into the obscene Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) carbon tax scheme. Are you surprised? Shocked? We certainly aren’t. Shapiro has just revived a huge threat to the future of the Marcellus Shale industry in the Keystone State. Still happy you voted for Shapiro? No, we didn’t think so.
Read More “PA Gov. Shapiro Proves He’s Radical Left – Appeals RGGI Decision”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Lib Dems Try to Fool PA Unions to Accept Radical Enviro Policies
November 21, 2023November 21, 2023

The environmental left is on the march in Pennsylvania, and nothing, including building trade unions, is going to stop it. Both constituencies (environmentalists and trade unions) traditionally make their political home in the Democrat Party. The problem for PA’s Democrat politicians is how to balance the ever-wacko leftward tilt of environmentalism and its jobs-killing policies (“block all shale drilling” and “no new pipelines”) with the trade unions that support fossil infrastructure like new pipelines. It is a delicate balancing act, requiring Dem politicians to convince (lie to) union members to keep their support. We’re sorry to say the unions (largely the bosses) keep falling for the lies and electing Dems. Read More “Lib Dems Try to Fool PA Unions to Accept Radical Enviro Policies”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | CNX Resources | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Antis Demand PA Gov Shapiro Drop Enviro Deal with CNX Resources
November 17, 2023November 17, 2023

Grab the popcorn! It’s fun to sit back and watch the other side eat its own for a change. We’re talking about the civil war that has erupted on the Democrat Left over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s “bold” agreement signed with CNX Resources to “move the ball forward” on “environmental progress” in PA (see Civil War Erupts in PA Enviro Movement re Gov. Shapiro Deal with CNX). As we concluded from the day this announcement was made, CNX CEO Nick DeIuliis got the better end of the bargain — a fact that is eating the more radical elements on the Dem Left alive. They are now demanding that Shapiro “rethink” and cancel his agreement with CNX. How Shapiro reacts will be instructive.
Read More “Antis Demand PA Gov Shapiro Drop Enviro Deal with CNX Resources”
Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Sunoco Logistics

What Happened to $42 Million in Fines Paid by Mariner East Pipe?
November 17, 2023November 17, 2023

In July, MDN compared the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection to an organized crime mob with its ongoing shakedowns in assessing “fines” on the Mariner East pipeline project (see PA DEP Squeezes Another $660,000 from ME2 Pipe for “Violations”). At that time, we were aware that over $30 million had been extorted (er, a, extracted) from Mariner East in so-called fines. We were grossly wrong. The actual number is over $42 million! The enviro-left was giddy with the fines but is now asking the question, where did all that money go? Because it sure didn’t go into their pockets (as promised)…
Read More “What Happened to $42 Million in Fines Paid by Mariner East Pipe?”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide PA

Shapiro’s Dept. of Health Using Pitt Fake Research to Bash Fracking
November 16, 2023November 16, 2023

It’s sad to see a major university like the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) publish fake research to fit a political narrative that fracking can be tied to cancer in kids (see Pitt Releases Fake Research, Claims PA Fracking Linked to Kid Cancer). It’s angering that Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Dept. of Health is using Pitt’s fake research to goad local governments to resist new fracking, as happened on Tuesday at a bash-shale-drilling event hosted by the League of [Liberal Democrat] Women Voters.
Read More “Shapiro’s Dept. of Health Using Pitt Fake Research to Bash Fracking”
Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

RGGI Carbon Tax Price Hits Near-Record-High of $13.85 Per Ton CO2
November 16, 2023November 16, 2023

In 2019, when then-Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced he would unilaterally force the state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a carbon tax scheme aimed at forcing coal- and gas-fired plants out of business, he claimed the tax would only amount to a few dollars per short ton of CO2 (see Gov. Wolf Goes Bonkers: EO Destroying Gas-Fired Elec, Carbon Tax). That lie was exposed early on when, in March 2021, the price per short ton for CO2 under RGGI soared to $7.60 (see RGGI Carbon Tax Hits All-Time High – Gas-Fired Plants Close). The most recent quarterly auction saw the price come within 5 cents of its all-time high: $13.85 per short ton!
Read More “RGGI Carbon Tax Price Hits Near-Record-High of $13.85 Per Ton CO2”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Shapiro’s DEP Money-Back Guarantee for Permit Delays is Bogus
November 15, 2023November 15, 2023

Two weeks ago, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (liberal Democrat) launched, with much fanfare, PAyback.pa.gov, a new online money-back guarantee system that allows residents, businesses, charities, and schools to check their eligibility for a refund of their permit, license, or certification application fee and request a refund if they believe they are eligible. Shapiro promised individuals and businesses a money-back guarantee if the permits they applied for were not issued within the statutory time limits they were supposed to meet. We were hopeful that shale drillers would now have recourse to nudge the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) into doing its job on time. Except it’s all a sham. It’s bogus.
Read More “Shapiro’s DEP Money-Back Guarantee for Permit Delays is Bogus”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | CNX Resources | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Civil War Erupts in PA Enviro Movement re Gov. Shapiro Deal with CNX
November 9, 2023November 9, 2023

Last Friday, MDN brought you the news that CNX Resources CEO Nick DeIuliis had signed a voluntary deal with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to expand drilling setbacks and several other regulatory steps not mandated for shale drillers under PA law (see CNX Signs Deal with PA Gov. to Increase Setbacks, Other Changes). Shapiro’s office front-loaded the news with comments of support from several Democrat-led environmental organizations, including the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), PennEnvironment, the Philly-based Clean Air Council, the PA Chapter of the Sierra Club, Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). However, since last week, a number of the more radicalized “environmental” groups have made their views known that they don’t like the deal. A civil war among PA’s environmental left has erupted.
Read More “Civil War Erupts in PA Enviro Movement re Gov. Shapiro Deal with CNX”