Washington County

Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | MarkWest Energy | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Washington County

MarkWest Energy Takes Cecil, PA Back to Court over Compressor Stn
July 23, 2015July 22, 2015

As we noted in June, after more than four years of resisting, Cecil Township, PA–under court order–finally approved a compressor station proposed by MarkWest Energy (see Cecil Twp Approves MarkWest Compressor, with Poison Pill Conditions). We also noted that Cecil pulled a fast one with their so-called approval. The reason they got away with violating the court ordered deadline was because they were supposedly bargaining in good faith with MarkWest–nailing down final details both sides could live with. But it wasn’t good faith on the part of Cecil. At the last minute, Cecil tacked on 26 “conditions” making it all but sure that MarkWest would not agree to the plan. And sure enough, MarkWest has had to take Cecil, one of seven selfish towns that sued to overturn the Act 13 law, back to court yet again. Perhaps the judge should just remove the town supervisors this time since they habitually refuse to obey the law?…
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Accidents | Allegheny County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Sunoco Logistics | Washington County

PA DEP Fines Sunoco $95K for Mud Spills During Pipeline Drilling
June 26, 2015June 26, 2015

Although there’s been no publicly published notice, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) has fined Sunoco Logistics for spilling non-toxic drilling mud (bentonite) at several locations when they were drilling for the Mariner East I pipeline. One of those instances was last September when Precision Pipeline, hired by Sunoco, was drilling under the Little Mingo Creek (see Mariner East Pipeline Drilling Spills Mud in Local Creek). Bentonite is non-toxic and used in products from shampoo to deodorant and toothpaste. It’s also used to lubricate the drill bit and carry drill cuttings out of the ground. While non-toxic, a whole lot of bentonite in the water can, of course, suffocate fish and cause problems for wildlife that happen to drink it. In March of this year, we noted that the DEP was telegraphing that they were about to assess a “significant” fine for the mud spills at Mingo Creek and a few other locations (see PA DEP: Sunoco Facing “Significant” Fine for Non-Toxic Mud Spills). The fine has been levied. The “significant” fine ended up being $95,000. Clipping Sunoco $95K, compared to the $8.9 million fine the DEP recently slapped on Range Resources for methane leaks, seems somewhat trivial and rather insignificant. Which is perhaps why the DEP hasn’t published, as they usually do, an official notice on their website about the fine…
Read More “PA DEP Fines Sunoco $95K for Mud Spills During Pipeline Drilling”
Delaware County (PA) | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide PA | Washington County

Business & Labor Unions Join Forces to Promote Pipelines in PA
June 18, 2015June 18, 2015

You don’t normally think of local Chambers of Commerce (business owners) and labor unions (rank and file workers) as breaking bread together. And they NEVER commingle their membership roles in order to lobby local, state and federal authorities on policy and regulation. Until now, that is. In Pennsylvania, two Chambers of Commerce on opposite sides of the state, the Delaware County Chamber and the Washington County Chamber, along with two labor unions, the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) with 25,000 members and the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 66 with 7,000 members, have all joined forces. And what has the power to cause management and labor to join forces? The Marcellus Shale. The four organizations together have formed the Pennsylvania Energy Infrastructure Alliance, a “broad-based coalition in support of timely approval for critical energy infrastructure in the Commonwealth.” The main focus of the Alliance is to promote the benefits and building of pipelines…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | MarkWest Energy | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Washington County

Cecil Twp Approves MarkWest Compressor, with Poison Pill Conditions
June 16, 2015June 16, 2015

Cecil Township (Washington County), PA, one of the seven selfish towns that sued to overturn a portion of PA’s Act 13 oil and gas drilling law granting them the right to retain local zoning authority over oil and gas related activities, have found their Act 13 victory to be somewhat hollow. As MDN reported nearly a month ago, Cecil has steadfastly refused to grant a permit to MarkWest Energy to build a compressor station since 2010 (five years ago!). After a lawsuit that worked its way through various levels of courts, and after Cecil exhausted all other options, a judge ordered them to grant the permit no later than May 30. Cecil proceeded to violate that deadline (see Cecil Twp Violates Court Order re MarkWest Compressor Permit). Last night, after intense last minute negotiations with MarkWest, the town finally voted to grant the permit, but not before sneaking in two last minute changes to conditions both sides worked out in advance, changes that will likely mean yet another trip to the judge. Seems Cecil is still intent on stopping the compressor station…
Read More “Cecil Twp Approves MarkWest Compressor, with Poison Pill Conditions”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | MarkWest Energy | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Washington County

Robinson Twp Delays MarkWest Compressor, Approval Coming Soon
June 16, 2015June 16, 2015

This is a tale of two Pennsylvania townships. Both towns were part of the original seven selfish towns that sued the State of Pennsylvania to overturn portions of the Act 13 oil and gas law (see PA Court Says 7 Towns Can Keep Marcellus Money & Ban Drilling Too). Both towns share a border and both are in Washington County, PA. The residents of one town have clung to their anti-drilling views and continue to obstruct and obfuscate and block anything to do with drilling or pipelines. That town would be Cecil (see today’s story titled Cecil Twp Approves MarkWest Compressor, with Poison Pill Conditions). The other town, Robinson, has done a complete reversal. The residents of Robinson tossed their anti-drilling supervisors out of office, elected new ones, and have embraced the Marcellus Shale revolution happening around them (see Robinson Twp, PA Offers a Preview into Future of NY Frack Debate). Whereas Cecil is still trying to block a single MarkWest compressor station in their town, Robinson is moving forward with plans for a second MarkWest compressor station…
Read More “Robinson Twp Delays MarkWest Compressor, Approval Coming Soon”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Sunoco Logistics | Washington County

Mariner East Invokes Eminent Domain Against 2 SWPA Landowners
June 9, 2015June 9, 2015

Another “nobody wins” eminent domain lawsuit has been filed by a pipeline company. This time it’s Sunoco Logistics filing for their Mariner East pipeline against two different families/landowners in Washington County, PA. The landowners don’t want the pipeline but Sunoco insists it’s necessary to have those specific properties. The problem is, will an eminent domain claim hold up in court? Last July, two independent administrative law judges working for the PA Public Utility Commission (PUC) ruled that Mariner East is not, according to the definition, a “public utility” (see Setback for Mariner East NGL Pipe – Judges Say Not Public Utility). But then in October, the full board of Commissioners for the PUC voted to send the case back to those judges with instructions to “reconsider” their decision (see Major Milestone: PA PUC Rules Mariner East IS a Public Utility). Sunoco has a lot riding on whether or not their claim to be a public utility will hold up in court. If Mariner East is not a public utility, they have no claim to eminent domain powers…
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Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Regulation | Washington County

Range Capitulates, Closing 4 Freshwater Ponds in Mt. Pleasant, PA
May 29, 2015May 29, 2015

More than two years of acrimony and lawsuits are now over for Range Resources in Mt. Pleasant (Washington County), PA. Mt. Pleasant is one of the original seven selfish towns that sued PA to overturn portions of the Act 13 oil and gas law. The town was giving Range a hard time over four freshwater ponds (called “impoundments,” not to be confused with wastewater impoundments) the company was using to drill wells in nearby non-Mt. Pleasant locations. The town served the company with notices of violation in July 2013 and then held a public hearing in August 2013 where things got heated between the town and Range (see Range Resources Argues with Mt Pleasant over Water Impoundment). Mt. Pleasant kept after them (see Mt. Pleasant Zoning Bd Says Range Water Impoundments in Violation), and after them (see Mt Pleasant Twp Shenanigans re Range Request for Water Ponds), and after them (see Mt. Pleasant, PA Continues to Ride Range Over Water Ponds). Sooner or later a company can take a hint that a township is anti-business. Range is throwing in the towel, closing down all four freshwater ponds, and leaving town…
Read More “Range Capitulates, Closing 4 Freshwater Ponds in Mt. Pleasant, PA”
Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Washington County

Washington, PA Neighborhood Concerned about Range Drilling Plan
May 27, 2015May 27, 2015

There are, in MDN’s book, two types of opposition to shale drilling–legitimate and illegitimate. Under the illegitimate heading are the nutters who want to ban shale drilling because it extracts a fossil fuel. We call them global warming Kool Aid drinkers. They lie about shale drilling at every turn in an attempt to enlist the support of the hoi polloi, the common folk, to oppose it. That’s what’s happened in New York. Then you have what we would call legitimate opposition–or perhaps a better word is “concern” about shale drilling. That comes from people who live in residential neighborhoods who aren’t thrilled about the truck traffic, noise, dust, nighttime lights and other negatives that come with shale drilling. The adult approach is to try and find a compromise–a way to accommodate shale drilling but reduce its impact on those who live nearby. Range Resources faces such a situation with a plan to drill a 3-well pad that may eventually go to 10 wells in a residential area of Chartiers (Washington County), PA. The pad would be about 1,000 feet from the nearest home–less than 2/10ths of mile. The neighbors are understandably concerned…
Read More “Washington, PA Neighborhood Concerned about Range Drilling Plan”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | MarkWest Energy | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Washington County

Cecil Twp Violates Court Order re MarkWest Compressor Permit
May 19, 2015May 19, 2015

MDN first started tracking the issue of MarkWest Energy’s desire/application to build a compressor station in Cecil Township (Washington County), PA all the way back in May 2011–four years ago (see MarkWest, Range Resources File Legal Appeal Over Denial of Permit for Gas Compressor Station in Cecil, PA). The case goes back even further to the fall of 2010 when MarkWest first filed for the permit. Since that time, Cecil has steadfastly denied MarkWest a permit to build the compressor. It took nearly four years of lawsuits (see our many stories here), but last fall a judge ruled that Cecil could not disallow the MarkWest compressor in an area zoned industrial (see MarkWest Wins Court Case to Build Compressor Station in Cecil, PA). The Cecil Town Board decided not to appeal the decision, but the zoning board has kept it bottled up since last October. The town has now exhausted all legal options and the court, in April, told the town they have 45 days to grant the permit. The clock is ticking and yet the zoning board is still dragging its feet and intends to violate the 45-day court order…
Read More “Cecil Twp Violates Court Order re MarkWest Compressor Permit”
Belmont County | Energy Companies | Greene County (PA) | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Rice Energy | Washington County

Rice Energy 1Q15 Earnings Call: 100% Focused on 3 Counties
May 11, 2015May 11, 2015

Last Friday MDN brought you the Rice Energy first quarter 2015 update (see Rice Energy Doubles Production 1Q15; Utica Flows; Ekes Out a Profit). On Friday, Rice’s upper management held an earnings call with analysts and as always, quite a bit more comes out in the call than in the official press release. Below is Rice Energy CEO Dan Rice’s prepared remarks on that call with some interesting details on both their Marcellus and Utica operations. Among the interesting comments: Rice is 100% focused on just three counties in the Marcellus/Utica…
Read More “Rice Energy 1Q15 Earnings Call: 100% Focused on 3 Counties”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA | Washington County

PA DEP Gets an Earful About New Drilling Rules at Public Hearing
May 1, 2015May 1, 2015

The first two of three public hearings being held by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection on proposed new drilling rules, which were changed at the last minute by the incoming Gov. Tom Wolf administration, have now been held. What happened? What always happens at these things. Anti-drillers parading before the cameras and microphones to demand this and that, and (in this case) pro-drillers commenting on their dim view of the last minute changes made by the DEP. It seems that Wolf and his Acting Secretary of the DEP, John Quigley, have made precisely no one happy with their meddling with the rules…
Read More “PA DEP Gets an Earful About New Drilling Rules at Public Hearing”
Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Washington County

Range Resources Drills #1 Producing Marcellus Shale Well in 1Q15
April 30, 2015April 30, 2015

Range Resources released their first quarter 2015 results on Tuesday. We’ve spotted a several news outlets trumpeting the “news” in the release that Range has drilled the highest-ever initial producing Utica Shale well at 59 million cubic feet per day (Mmcf/d)–the Claysville Sportsman’s Club No. 1 well in Washington County, PA. Thing is, we reported that news back in December (see Range Resources Drills Highest-Ever Initial Producing Utica Well). The Claysville Utica well is not new news. However, Range did report some new news on Tuesday: Range has drilled what they claim is the highest ever initially-producing Marcellus Shale well. This Marcellus monster well is a wet gas well that produced an initial rate of 43.4 million cubic feet equivalent per day (Mmcfe/d). Range does not identify the well by name but says it, like their monster Utica well, is located in Washington County, PA. Range reports production in 1Q15 hit a record high of 1,328 Mmcfe per day–26% higher than 1Q14. On the financial side, revenues for Range were up 1% in 1Q15 vs 1Q14, but net income was down 15%…
Read More “Range Resources Drills #1 Producing Marcellus Shale Well in 1Q15”
Allegheny County | CONSOL Energy | Energy Companies | Greene County (PA) | Marshall County | Monroe County | Noble County | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Utica Shale | Washington County | West Virginia | Westmoreland County

CONSOL Energy Narrows Future Marcellus/Utica Dev to 5 Counties
April 30, 2015April 30, 2015

CONSOL Energy released its first quarter 2015 update on Tuesday. Like virtually every other Marcellus/Utica driller, CONSOL’s 1Q15 profits dropped quite a bit–in this case 32%. But there was plenty of good news in Tuesday’s update. CONSOL reports Marcellus Shale production was up an impressive 75% year over year for the first quarter. They cut their costs in the Marcellus–from $3.18 per Mcfe in 1Q14 to $2.62 per Mcfe in 1Q15–$0.56 per Mcfe improvement (18%). The company achieved all-in cash costs of only $1.67 per Mcfe in the Marcellus Shale, which “continues to be the growth engine of the company.” Meanwhile, CONSOL continues to ramp up their Utica program. The company is currently drilling Utica wells in four counties: Greene and Westmoreland counties in PA; Monroe County, OH; and Marshall County, WV. CONSOL says the Utica wells they are currently drilling will come online in the second half of this year. However, given the current low price climate and cutbacks, CONSOL streamlined both its Marcellus and Utica operations in 1Q15. They’ve narrowed future Marcellus development to primarily Greene, Washington and Allegheny counties in PA; wet Utica development to Noble County, OH; and dry Utica development to Monroe County, OH…
Read More “CONSOL Energy Narrows Future Marcellus/Utica Dev to 5 Counties”
Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Rice Energy | Washington County

Rice Energy Signs Lease for New 150K Sq Ft HQ in Canonsburg
April 30, 2015April 30, 2015

Rice Energy is expanding their office and staff–big time. According to the Pittsburgh Business Times, Rice Energy has just signed a lease agreement to take 150,000 square feet of new office space at the Southpointe II complex in Canonsburg (Washington County), PA. The new digs mean Rice can put all of their office people together, under one roof. Right now the Rice work force numbers around 335. By the time they are done expanding, they hope to employ around 700. Get those resumes ready!…
Read More “Rice Energy Signs Lease for New 150K Sq Ft HQ in Canonsburg”
Accidents | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Sunoco Logistics | Washington County

PA DEP: Sunoco Facing “Significant” Fine for Non-Toxic Mud Spills
April 21, 2015April 21, 2015

Last September MDN told you about a drilling mud spill that ended up in Little Mingo Creek in Washington County, PA (see Mariner East Pipeline Drilling Spills Mud in Local Creek). Sunoco Logistics was using a contractor to drill under the creek when the drill bit hit something really hard and broke, and the mud poured out of a ruptured hole and into the creek. Fortunately the mud, which is a substance called bentonite, is non-toxic and used in products from shampoo to deodorant and toothpaste. However, in sufficient quantities it can suffocate aquatic life. We didn’t think much about that incident until we spotted a story that says the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) is about issue Sunoco Logistics a fine for that accident–a really big fine…
Read More “PA DEP: Sunoco Facing “Significant” Fine for Non-Toxic Mud Spills”
Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Washington County | Wastewater

Range Loses 2nd Appeal, Must Provide PA Well Site Chemical List
April 20, 2015February 8, 2019

Three families who live near a former drill site and frack wastewater impoundment at the Yeager Marcellus Shale site in Washington County, PA sued Range Resources in May 2012 claiming the air they breathe and the water they drink had been contaminated by Range’s operation at the site (see EPA Investigating Range Drill Site in Western PA). Litigation ensued, and years passed. In 2013, a Washington County court ordered Range (not its contractors, but Range itself) to disclose a list of all chemicals used at the site–right down to the type of motor oil used in vehicles coming and going at the site (see PA Judge Forces Range, Contractors to Provide Chemical List). It will be an almost impossible task to construct such a list at this point, especially in light of the fact they’re in the process of closing the site. So Range appealed. Last June they lost that appeal (see Court Says Range Resources Must Disclose Chemicals in SW PA). Range appealed again, and last week they lost that second appeal…
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