Tioga County (PA)

Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | PVR Partners | Regency Energy Partners | Regulation | Tioga County (PA)

PA DEP Fines Regency/PVR $306K for Sloppy Pipeline Work in 2012/13
October 22, 2014October 22, 2014

It’s old news, but is just now hitting the public domain. PVR Midstream, which is now part of Regency Energy Partners (see Marcellus/Utica Midstreamer PVR Bought by Regency Energy for $5.6B), did some sloppy installation work with pipelines in Lycoming and Tioga counties in Pennsylvania in 2012 & 2013. So says the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP). According to the DEP, PVR had multiple violations of the Clean Streams Law, Dam Safety and Encroachment Act and state regulations while building two pipelines. PVR, at the time of the citations, quickly corrected everything wrong. Regency, the new owner of PVR, had to pay the fine. Oh, the fine (paid in August by Regency) was $306,570. Ouch…
Read More “PA DEP Fines Regency/PVR $306K for Sloppy Pipeline Work in 2012/13”
Elk County | Industrywide Issues | Jefferson County (PA) | Mercer County | Pennsylvania | Potter County | Taxation | Tioga County (PA)

PA Republican Senator Hands Out $2M+ in Impact Fee Money
October 22, 2014October 22, 2014

Being President Pro Tempore of the Pennsylvania State Senate has its privileges–like handing out $2,086,132 in grants for six energy, trail and water and sewer projects in your district–just two weeks before the election. Senator Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) announced awards yesterday to fund projects including $150K for a recreation trail in Elk County, nearly half a mil for a flood mitigation project in Senator’s home county of Jefferson, and $546K to buy some sort of biogas contraption for a pig farm in Tioga County (something that turns pig crap into electricity). All of these projects are funded by PA shale drillers through the Act 13 law and the impact fee collected…
Read More “PA Republican Senator Hands Out $2M+ in Impact Fee Money”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Erie County (NY) | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pennsylvania | Potter County | Statewide PA | Tioga County (PA)

MDN Prediction Comes True: Anti Criticizes Bills Sale to Fracker
October 15, 2014October 15, 2014

Just last week, with respect to the sale of the Buffalo “Marcellus” Bills to East Resources CEO Terry Pegula, we said the following tongue-in-cheek: “What’s interesting to us is that there’s zero talk about how Marcellus “blood money” has purchased the Bills. No talk that Pegula is an evil, nasty fracker….The talk, universally, is of a really great guy with a big heart that’s whip smart and committed to the Buffalo region (he previously bought the NHL Buffalo Sabres team). Where are the crazies and their loony toons criticisms? Where are the protesters? Nowhere to be found” (see Buffalo “Marcellus” Bills – Team Sold to Fracker for $1.4B). Well, such a loon has now been found, and a Wilkes-Barre newspaper published his rantings…
Read More “MDN Prediction Comes True: Anti Criticizes Bills Sale to Fracker”
Accidents | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Regulation | Statewide PA | Tioga County (PA) | Washington County | Wastewater

Second Generation Wastewater Impoundments – Truly Safe?
October 13, 2014October 13, 2014

Little did we know it at the time, but former PA Dept. of Environmental Protection Chris Abruzzo’s last public interview was granted to MDN editor, Jim Willis, just three weeks ago before Abruzzo resigned (see PA DEP Sec. Abruzzo’s Last Public Interview…with MDN). Topic A that Jim asked Sec. Abruzzo was about the recent record fine of Range Resources ($4.15 million) for a series of leaky wastewater impoundments. Abruzzo stated during that interview, several times, that newer “next generation” impoudments have come along that are much safer. What are these “next generation” impoundments and are they really safer?…
Read More “Second Generation Wastewater Impoundments – Truly Safe?”
Accidents | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Tioga County (PA) | Wastewater

PA DEP Levies Biggest Fine Ever, $4.5M Against EQT
October 8, 2014October 8, 2014

We’ve got some bad blood happening between EQT–a big Marcellus driller headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA–and the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP). The DEP has just filed a lawsuit against EQT to force the company to cough up a new record–$4.53 million in fines–for a leaky wastewater impoundment in Tioga County, PA. The fine comes a week after the anti-drilling PA Attorney General, Kathleen Kane, once again abused her office’s powers by filing criminal charges against EQT (see today’s companion story). The DEP says EQT filed for and received permission to build a freshwater impoundment at that location in 2012, but after the impoudment was built, they decided to change and use it for frack wastewater. Problem is, with a wastewater impoundment you need monitoring wells drilled around the impoundment and extra protections that were lacking because it was supposed to be used for freshwater only. EQT then built a second impoundment next to it for wastewater and did install monitoring wells, figuring those monitoring wells would cover both impoundments. The first impoundment leaked and, according to the DEP, EQT just doesn’t get how serious the problems were/are that resulted, and so they’ve slapped them with their biggest single fine ever. EQT is already fighting back both legally and with their own press release…
Read More “PA DEP Levies Biggest Fine Ever, $4.5M Against EQT”
Accidents | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Tioga County (PA) | Wastewater

PA Attorney Gen. Kane Abuses Office Again, Arrest Warrant for EQT
October 8, 2014October 8, 2014

Last year Pennsylvania’s anti-drilling Attorney General, Kathleen Kane, abused her office and filed criminal charges against XTO Energy over a spill of fracking wastewater at a site in Lycoming County, PA that happened more than three years ago–long before she took office (see PA AG Abuses Her Authority, Files Criminal Charges Against XTO). In a Britney Spears “Oops!…I Did It Again” moment, Kane has filed a second case of criminal charges against a driller over an accident. Last week Kane filed charges against EQT over a leaky wastewater impoundment in Tioga County, PA. Yesterday the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection fined EQT $4.53 million–it’s highest ever fine–over the same incident (see today’s lead story). Kane is claiming that EQT polluted and disturbed PA waterways and committed misdemeanor crimes in the process…
Read More “PA Attorney Gen. Kane Abuses Office Again, Arrest Warrant for EQT”
Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Shell | Tioga County (PA) | Utica Shale

Shell Drills 2 Successful Utica Wells in NEPA Marcellusland
September 4, 2014September 4, 2014

Shell has had an on-again, off-again, on-again love affair with North American shale (can anyone say “schizophrenia”?). In March, Shell’s new CEO Ben van Beurden said the company was not impressed with American shale plays and cutting back (see Cuts Coming to Shell’s Marcellus Shale Operations). Shell proceeded to sell 208,000 Marcellus Shale acres in a fire sale to Rex Energy, and a few days later picked up another 155,000 Marcellus Shale acres as part of a larger deal to unload other shale play acreage (see After Selling 208K Marcellus Acres, Shell “Buys” 155K More Acres!). Talk about schizophrenic! Now we get word from Shell that they’ve achieved something truly noteworthy: they’ve drilled six Utica wells in northeastern Pennsylvania! Yesterday Shell released initial production results for two of the six, and the numbers are truly impressive…
Read More “Shell Drills 2 Successful Utica Wells in NEPA Marcellusland”
Butler County | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Potter County | Rex Energy | Shell | Tioga County (PA) | Ultra Petroleum

After Selling 208K Marcellus Acres, Shell “Buys” 155K More Acres!
August 15, 2014August 15, 2014

In a seemingly strange twist, Shell has just picked up more Marcellus and Utica Shale acreage. Say what? Yesterday MDN told you that Rex Energy just bought 208,000 Marcellus acres from Shell in southwest Pennsylvania’s wet gas area (see Rex Energy Takes Shell to the Cleaners – Picks up 208K Acres). We pointed out that many majors like Shell seem to have a hard time turning a buck in American shale plays, and that Shell CEO Ben van van Beurden had warned of scaling back their shale operations. So what happened a day later? Shell further divested itself of both conventional and unconventional holdings–this time in Wyoming and Louisiana. As part of the same deal, the picked up new Marcellus acreage (155,000 acres) in Pennsylvania’s dry gas area. Let’s try to sort through these Shell gyrations…
Read More “After Selling 208K Marcellus Acres, Shell “Buys” 155K More Acres!”
About MDN | Bradford County | MDN Sponsor | Pennsylvania | Tioga County (PA)

71 Acres of Marcellus/Utica Land in NE PA Goes to Auction June 12
May 14, 2014May 14, 2014

United Country Real Estate is back with their third auction of prime Marcellus/Utica real estate–this time located in Bradford and Tioga Counties, PA. Last October United Country had the foresight to advertise on MDN for their first Marcellus land auction (see 435 Acres of Marcellus Land in NE PA Goes to Auction Oct 30). That one went so well, they advertised a second auction in Tioga County, PA in March of this year. Now, they’re back again! (We thank them kindly.)

Below are the details for properties that will be auctioned on June 12. The three properties total roughly 71 acres and include a home and oil, gas and mineral rights. Click on the ad along the right or use the link below to find out more…
Read More “71 Acres of Marcellus/Utica Land in NE PA Goes to Auction June 12”
Accidents | Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Tioga County (PA)

Anti-Drilling Groups Want PA DEP to Investigate 2-Yr Old EQT Spill
April 9, 2014April 9, 2014

News flash: A bunch of virulently anti-drilling groups, including PennEnvironment, PennFuture, the [so-called] Responsible Drilling Alliance, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Clean Water Action, and the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper are asking the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) to investigate a two-year old spill of frack water in Tioga County, PA by EQT. Further news flash: said virulently anti-drilling groups think EQT is an “irresponsible operator” in the Marcellus. Film at 11.

Here’s the propaganda fundraiser (also called a press release) issued by said virulently anti-drilling groups:
Read More “Anti-Drilling Groups Want PA DEP to Investigate 2-Yr Old EQT Spill”
Bradford County | Energy Companies | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Southwestern Energy | Sullivan County | Susquehanna County | Tioga County (PA) | Wyoming County (PA)

Southwestern Energy’s Board Changes, Marcellus Plans for 2014
December 11, 2013December 11, 2013

Some fairly big news from one of the Marcellus Shale’s largest drillers–Southwestern Energy. In a flurry of announcements issued yesterday, we learn that Southwestern’s President & CEO, Steve Mueller, will take over as Chairman of the Board next May when current Chairman Harold Korell retires. Mueller plans to keep the title of CEO but apparently he will shed the title of President, so that begs the question, who will become Southwestern’s new president next year? Interestingly (perhaps related?) Southwestern also announced yesterday the promotion of Jeffrey Sherrick to the position of Executive Vice President for Corporate Development. Hmmm.

In addition to personnel announcements, Southwestern issued a guidance statement about their plans for capital spending in 2014. The statement indicates Marcellus production will increase by a whopping 60% next year. Southwestern’s estimated Marcellus production for 2013 is 148-149 billion cubic feet (Bcf). Next year they expect it will be 244-249 Bcf based on superb well performance in Bradford, Lycoming and Susquehanna counties. Southwestern boasts that one of their Susquehanna County wells achieved an initial production of 32 million cubic feet per day! In 2014 Southwestern plans to begin drilling in three additional northeastern PA counties…
Read More “Southwestern Energy’s Board Changes, Marcellus Plans for 2014”
Elk County | Energy Companies | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Seneca Resources | Tioga County (PA)

Seneca Resources: Shale Gas Production Up 54% Thx to Marcellus
August 9, 2013August 9, 2013

National Fuel Gas Company, the parent of Marcellus driller Seneca Resources, released its third quarter (everyone else’s second quarter) financial and operational update yesterday. CEO Ronald Tanski called Seneca’s PA Marcellus production in the previous quarter “robust” and was the biggest reason why they saw a 54% increase in production from the same period last year. He also said Seneca’s early results from four new wells in Elk County, PA are promising.

Select portions of the National Fuel Gas report issued yesterday:
Read More “Seneca Resources: Shale Gas Production Up 54% Thx to Marcellus”
Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Tioga County (PA) | Wastewater

NY Company Sells Frack Wastewater Technology to PA Site
May 8, 2013May 8, 2013

Even though New York State is an economic and jobs-creating disaster area with no prospect of shale drilling to lift it from the economic basement any time soon, some New York-based companies are still profiting from the shale boom–that is the shale boom happening across the border in Pennsylvania. One such company is R3 Fusion, Inc. in Troy, NY. R3 makes technology that recycles fracking wastewater for reuse, and they’ve just sold an installation of their technology to Hydro Recovery in Blossburg, PA.

The R3 announcement:
Read More “NY Company Sells Frack Wastewater Technology to PA Site”
Aquatech | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Tioga County (PA) | Wastewater

Aquatech Opens New PA Marcellus Wastewater Treatment Plant
April 18, 2013April 18, 2013

Marcellus wastewater treatment company Aquatech cut the ribbon and opened a new centralized shale wastewater treatment plant in Tioga County, PA yesterday. The new plant is equipped to process up to 200 gallons per minute and sits in an area central to a huge amount of drilling…

Read More “Aquatech Opens New PA Marcellus Wastewater Treatment Plant”
Aquatech | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Tioga County (PA) | Wastewater

PA DEP Issues Permit to Shale Wastewater Facility in Northern PA
February 15, 2013February 15, 2013

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) has granted a permit to Aquatech to operate a shale wastewater treatment facility in Tioga County, PA. The facility will treat and recycle wastewater from PA’s Marcellus Shale drilling operations, mostly located in the northeastern and north central parts of the state.

The announcement from Aquatech:

Read More “PA DEP Issues Permit to Shale Wastewater Facility in Northern PA”
Energy Companies | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Potter County | Tenaska Resources | Tioga County (PA) | UGI Energy Services

UGI & Tenaska Sign Deal to Build New Marcellus Pipeline in PA
January 15, 2013January 15, 2013

Pennsylvania electric & gas utility UGI Corporation announced yesterday they’ve cut a deal with driller Tenaska Resources to jointly develop Marcellus Shale projects in both Potter and Tioga counties in north-central PA. Over the next 10 years UGI will invest $65 million to build a new gathering pipeline system in Potter County, and another $25 million investment in return for a 19% interest in Tenaska’s Tioga County acreage/operations.

From the UGI announcement yesterday:

Read More “UGI & Tenaska Sign Deal to Build New Marcellus Pipeline in PA”