Statewide PA

Ethane | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | Storage | West Virginia

PA One of Two Finalists for “Massive” Ethane Storage Hub
November 18, 2019November 20, 2019

The Appalachia Development Group (ADG) is leading an effort to build a ~$3.3 billion NGL storage hub in Appalachia. From the start, the thinking has been the storage hub would be located somewhere in West Virginia (see WV’s US Senators Lead the Charge to Build $10B NGL Storage Hub). But what’s this? ADG Chairman and CEO Steven Hedrick, speaking at a conference last week, confirmed potential sites for the project have been narrowed down to two. And one of those sites, according to “sources” (not Hedrick), is located in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Read More “PA One of Two Finalists for “Massive” Ethane Storage Hub”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

PA’s Auditor General Presumes to Lecture State on Global Warming
November 18, 2019November 18, 2019

Does anyone else grow weary of pompous Democrat windbags in high elected office in Pennsylvania posturing and preening to be the next gubernatorial candidate? PA’s leftist Attorney General Josh Shapiro is certainly one of them (see PA AG Continues Marcellus Witch Hunt, Impanels Grand Jury). We now have a second–the state’s Auditor General, Eugene DePasquale.
Read More “PA’s Auditor General Presumes to Lecture State on Global Warming”
Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide PA | Sunoco Logistics

FBI Investigates Wolf Admin for Corruption re ME Pipe Permits
November 15, 2019November 15, 2019

(Sacrificial) lamb roasting on a spit

Earlier this week the Associated Press, which sometimes can and sometimes can’t be trusted, broke an exclusive bombshell story in which they claim “sources” have told them the FBI has launched an investigation into the Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf administration over how permits came to be issued for the Mariner East 2 pipeline project. The focus of the investigation is on whether Wolf and his administration “forced environmental protection staff to approve construction permits” and whether Wolf or his administration received anything in return for those permits. Favors. Corruption. Kickbacks. That’s what’s being implied by the leakers who, of course, spoke only on condition of anonymity.
Read More “FBI Investigates Wolf Admin for Corruption re ME Pipe Permits”
Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA

Energy Transfer 3Q – Mariner East Shines, Revolution Back Soon
November 8, 2019November 8, 2019

Energy Transfer (ET), the big pipeline company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, issued its third quarter 2019 update yesterday. ET is the builder of the Rover Pipeline in the Utica Shale, the Mariner East trio of pipelines in the PA Marcellus, and the Revolution gathering system in southwestern PA. With Rover built and fully operational, our interest was in locating information/updates on the ME and Revolution projects. We hit paydirt in yesterday’s update.
Read More “Energy Transfer 3Q – Mariner East Shines, Revolution Back Soon”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Radical PA Green Group Sues State to Block State Land Drilling
November 7, 2019November 7, 2019

In June 2017, the Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation (PEDF) won a case at the PA Supreme Court by the skin of their teeth (see PA Supreme Court Hands Antis Partial Victory re State Land Drilling). The case dealt with the narrow issue of how PA can spend revenue raised from drilling for oil and gas under state-owned land. A divided court ruled that money from royalties (not lease signing bonuses) must be used only for “environmental” purposes. Certain aspects of that case were referred back to the lower Commonwealth Court where it’s still being litigated. Not happy with that victory, the radicals at the PEDF have just filed a new lawsuit that aims to permanently block all drilling on state-owned land by (ab)using the state Environmental Rights Amendment (ERA).
Read More “Radical PA Green Group Sues State to Block State Land Drilling”
Anadarko | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Chesapeake Royalty Lawsuit at PA Supreme Court – Can of Worms?
November 1, 2019November 1, 2019

Yesterday MDN brought you the news the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case challenging whether or not the state Attorney General’s office has the right to use a consumer protection law to prosecute companies like Chesapeake Energy and Anadarko over royalty payment shenanigans (see PA Supremes to Consider Long-Running Chesapeake Royalty Lawsuit). The law the AG’s office wants to use has never been used that way before. According to legal experts, drillers are very concerned if the AG’s office wins this one.
Read More “Chesapeake Royalty Lawsuit at PA Supreme Court – Can of Worms?”
Anadarko | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

PA Supremes to Consider Long-Running Chesapeake Royalty Lawsuit
October 31, 2019October 31, 2019

In December 2015, Pennsylvania’s felony-indicted Attorney General, Kathleen Kane (who later was convicted and did jail time) brought a lawsuit against Chesapeake Energy and Anadarko accusing them of royalty fraud (see PA Atty General Sues Chesapeake Energy, Williams for Royalty Fraud). Her successor, Josh Shapiro, has continued the fight.
Read More “PA Supremes to Consider Long-Running Chesapeake Royalty Lawsuit”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Eco-Leftists Try to Stop Global Warming Debate at PA House Hearing
October 29, 2019October 29, 2019

Some of those who attended the hearing and who believe in global warming wore tinfoil hats, which we find apropos

Kudos to Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, Chairman of the PA House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee, for being the adult in the room at yesterday’s hearing on so-called climate change (i.e. man-made global warming). Metcalfe, who is a “denier” that mankind is catastrophically causing the earth to toast, arranged a hearing on “Pennsylvania CO2 and climate.” He included six witnesses who testified they believe in the fairy tale of man-made global warming, and five witnesses who don’t, to offer their best evidence for/against. That’s about as even as it gets. Yet eco-leftists, like the executive director of PennEnvironment, compared those (of us) who hold an opinion other than his, to Nazis.
Read More “Eco-Leftists Try to Stop Global Warming Debate at PA House Hearing”
Industrywide Issues | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Public Utility Commission Gets New Commissioner: Ralph Yanora
October 29, 2019October 29, 2019

Ralph Yanora

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) has 522 employees, including attorneys, rate and service analysts, auditors, economists, engineers, motor transit and railroad specialists, communications specialists, safety inspectors and enforcement investigators. The agency is responsible for oversight of public utilities operating in the Commonwealth of PA. Some of that responsibility includes oversight of natural gas pipelines–like the Mariner East trio of pipelines. So the PUC is an important agency for the Marcellus industry. There are five Commissioners who oversee the agency. One left in March and a replacement was just appointed by the state legislature.
Read More “PA Public Utility Commission Gets New Commissioner: Ralph Yanora”
Electrical Generation | Indiana County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA | Taxation

The Real Costs of PA Gov. Wolf’s Carbon Tax by Joining RGGI
October 28, 2019October 28, 2019

Opposition to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to have PA join with northeastern states in the so-called Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) continues. Big opposition. Earlier this month Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf went completely off his rocker with a power-grab to force PA into a regional alliance to tax natural gas-fired electric plants out of existence (see Gov. Wolf Goes Bonkers: EO Destroying Gas-Fired Elec, Carbon Tax). The reaction was swift–on both sides of the issue (see Reaction to Gov. Wolf’s Bonkers Plan to Strangle NatGas Elec Plants). Reaction against the plan continues. The Indiana County, PA Board of Commissioners recently adopted a unanimous resolution against Wolf’s foolish plan, laying out in dollars and cents the very high cost such a plan will have on the county (in lost taxes and lost jobs).
Read More “The Real Costs of PA Gov. Wolf’s Carbon Tax by Joining RGGI”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Cross Unit Drilling One Vote Away from Becoming Law
October 23, 2019October 23, 2019

Yesterday the Pennsylvania House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee “reported out” (i.e. approved) Senate Bill (SB) 694, which is the Senate version of what was House Bill (HB) 247, a bill which allows fully leased parcels that are part of one drilling “unit” to be combined with parcels in a different unit–“cross unit drilling.” The full Senate voted to approve the bill on September 25 by a vote of 49-0 in favor. Yes, a unanimous vote, with both Republicans and Democrats voting to approve it in the Senate. We’re now one vote away from final passage–the full House. There’s little doubt it will pass.
Read More “PA Cross Unit Drilling One Vote Away from Becoming Law”
Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

Why Wolf’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is Disaster for PA
October 22, 2019October 21, 2019

Earlier this month Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf went completely off his rocker with a power-grab to force PA into a regional alliance to tax natural gas-fired electric plants out of existence (see Gov. Wolf Goes Bonkers: EO Destroying Gas-Fired Elec, Carbon Tax). The reaction was swift–on both sides of the issue (see Reaction to Gov. Wolf’s Bonkers Plan to Strangle NatGas Elec Plants). Following up, the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy has issued an analysis that exposes why joining the tax alliance is the wrong move for PA. And the Blank Rome law firm explains why joining the alliance is not likely to happen.
Read More “Why Wolf’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is Disaster for PA”
Industrywide Issues | Landfills | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA DEP Seeks Comment on Draft Radiation Monitoring Regs for Shale
October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) has drafted up new “technical guidance” on “radioactivity monitoring at solid waste processing and disposal facilities” specifically targeted at the shale industry. Translation: new regulations for how dumps (and drillers) monitor and report on radioactivity levels from incoming loads of drill cuttings. The DEP has posted their proposed new guidance document for public comment, after which they will adopt the new regs.
Read More “PA DEP Seeks Comment on Draft Radiation Monitoring Regs for Shale”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide PA | Sunoco Logistics

Philly Pipe Protesters Go to Harrisburg, Picket Gov’s Empty Office
October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

Credit: WITF Harrisburg (click for larger version)

A small group of southeast Pennsylvania pipeline protesters drove themselves to Harrisburg on Wednesday (using fossil fuels to get there) to demand Gov. Tom Wolf put a halt to construction of the legally-permitted Mariner East 2 pipeline, and essentially shut down the operation of the entire Mariner East network (ME1, ME2 and ME2X). Gov. Wolf wasn’t even in his office, so they were picketing and protesting for nothing. Oh well, the wackos get an “A” for effort, right?
Read More “Philly Pipe Protesters Go to Harrisburg, Picket Gov’s Empty Office”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Sen. Yaw Intros Bill to Allow 3rd Party Review of Erosion Permits
October 17, 2019October 17, 2019

PA State Sen. Gene Yaw

In the past, shale drillers have waited more than eight months to receive an erosion and sediment control (Chapter 102) permit, used in building roads and shale well pads. Turnaround from the time a permit is requested until it is supposed to be approved is, by DEP’s own statutory standards, 14 days. In 2017 it was taking over 250 days in some areas of the state (see More Pushback on PA Senate Plan to Fix Slow DEP Permit Reviews). Earlier this year DEP’s southwest office said they’ve been able to knock the turnaround time down to 30 days (see PA DEP Southwest Office Says Permit Backlog Down 75%). Better, but still not good enough, and the standard is not even across the state.
Read More “PA Sen. Yaw Intros Bill to Allow 3rd Party Review of Erosion Permits”
CNX Resources | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA DEP Reaches $1.48M Settlement with CNX to Plug Abandoned Wells
October 15, 2019October 15, 2019

Last year the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued administrative orders requiring three oil and gas companies–Alliance Petroleum Corporation (a subsidiary of Diversified Gas & Oil), XTO Energy, and CNX Resources–to plug 1,058 abandoned oil and gas wells across Pennsylvania (see PA DEP Orders CNX, XTO & Diversified to Plug 1,058 Abandoned Wells). All three appealed the DEP’s order to the state Environmental Hearing Board. In March of this year the DEP cut a deal with Diversified (see DEP and Diversified Gas & Oil Compromise on Plugging Old PA Wells). As of last week, the DEP has now cut a deal with CNX, relaxing their earlier edict.
Read More “PA DEP Reaches $1.48M Settlement with CNX to Plug Abandoned Wells”