Statewide VA

Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide VA | Statewide WV | Virginia | West Virginia

US Forest Service Blocks Atlantic Coast Pipeline in National Forests
January 25, 2016January 25, 2016

Cow Knob Salamander

In the end it was the cow nobs and red spruce that have slowed down Dominion’s $5 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) project from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina. Specifically, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has refused to grant Dominion a special permit to cross teeny tiny sections of the Monongahela and George Washington national forests in West Virginia and Virginia. Why? Because of concerns about cow knob salamanders, northern flying squirrels and red spruce trees. Just last November MDN told you that Dominion and ACP were bending backwards, forwards and sideways to avoid running through cow nob salamander territory (see Dominion Files Pipeline Route Change to Avoid Salamanders, Swamp). Apparently the USFS doesn’t think Dominion’s plan is good enough. It’s now back to the drawing board to see where, in those regions, ACP can safely be run to avoid radical environmentalist demands. Of course the answer is “no where” as they are always unreasonable about these things. There is no “how can we work this out to your satisfaction” when it comes to nut cases. The antis simply demand, like petulant children, that you not do it at all. Which is just what the other side is now saying about ACP…
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Columbia Pipeline Group | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide VA | Statewide WV | Virginia | West Virginia

Columbia Pipeline Files to Build $850M WB XPress Project in WV/VA
January 11, 2016January 11, 2016

In addition to receiving Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval for the Utica Access Project, Columbia Pipeline Group has just filed their full, official application with FERC for approval of the $850 million WB XPress Project, consisting of two new compressor stations, 26 miles of pipeline replacement located along existing corridors, and 2.9 miles of new pipeline in Virginia and West Virginia. The WB XPress Project will expand capacity of the Columbia Gas Transmission pipeline in the region by 1.3 billion cubic feet per day, linking Marcellus gas supplies to new markets…
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Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Statewide VA | Virginia

2 New NatGas Electric Turbines Planned Near Richmond, VA
January 6, 2016January 6, 2016

An electric generating operator with an existing facility near Kings Dominion amusement park (about 20 miles from Richmond, VA) has filed a plan with the Virginia State Corporation Commission seeking permission to build two new smaller natural gas-fired electric generating turbines at the existing facility in Hanover County, VA. The two turbines would create up to 340 megawatts of electricity and would be used only during peak electric demand times–when demand rises due to really cold or really hot weather. Doswell Energy Center already operates four combined cycle natural gas units (producing up to 665 megawatts of electricity) and one other turbine (generating 171 megawatts) at the site. The two new turbines would be built at the same location. There’s little doubt that Marcellus/Utica Shale gas will feed the new turbines, if built. Hanover County officials are on board with the plan…
Read More “2 New NatGas Electric Turbines Planned Near Richmond, VA”
Energy Companies | EnerVest | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | M&A | Range Resources Corp | Statewide VA | Virginia

Range Res. Completes Sale of VA Assets to EnerVest, 55 Lose Jobs
January 4, 2016January 4, 2016

In November MDN reported that Range Resources would sell 3,500 operated wells and approximately 460,000 net acres in the Nora/Haysi combined fields located in southwestern Virginia for $876 million to an unnamed buyer (see Range Sells Coal Bed Methane Wells in VA, Focusing on Marcellus). The stated reason for the sale is to pay down debt and use the money for more Marcellus drilling. The deal is done and dusted. The final price turned out to be $865 million, $11 million less than announced. Although Range has remained tight-lipped about who the buyer was, EnerVest admitted they are the buyer. At the time Range first announced the impending sale, they issued a WARN notice that up to 158 people would lose their jobs when the sale was completed (see 158 Range Resources Employees in SW VA May Lose Jobs by Dec 30). The sale was completed on Dec. 30, but fortunately not all 158 jobs were axed. “Only” 55 jobs were axed while 103 people were extended offers to work for EnerVest. Of course the 55 people who lost their jobs had a sucky Christmas…
Read More “Range Res. Completes Sale of VA Assets to EnerVest, 55 Lose Jobs”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Statewide VA | Virginia

Virginia Anti Groups Pressure Gov McAuliffe to Shut Down Fracking
December 10, 2015December 10, 2015

A group of virulent anti-drilling groups, including Clean Water Action, the Virginia Sierra Club and Shenandoah Riverkeeper, are pushing Virginia’s Democrat Governor Terry McAuliffe to halt any new fracking permits in the state until they can muster enough public support (through their lying public relations campaigns) to permanently shut down fracking in the Old Dominion, like has been done in the Empire State (i.e. New York). Said groups, which always position their “requests” as even-handed and really the only wise thing to do–have pulled this stunt in state after state after state. Fracking is a miracle. Fracking is safe. Fracking produces jobs. Fracking does not pollute water, air, land, etc. But you wouldn’t know that by the propaganda issued by these disgusting groups. We hope McAuliffe doesn’t cave to their pressure the way man-child Andy Cuomo did…
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Dominion Energy | Electrical Generation | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Statewide VA | Virginia

Dominion’s Northern VA NatGas Electric Plant an Award Winner
December 9, 2015December 9, 2015

A natural gas-powered electric generating plant in northern Virginia that MDN told you about more than four years ago is now an award winner. In September 2011 MDN told you that Dominion would build a huge new electric plant, powered by Marcellus Shale gas (see Marcellus is “Game Changer” for New Electric Power Plants). The 1,329-megawatt Warren County Power Station entered into commercial operation on December 10th, 2014. The natural gas-fired power station, located just north of Front Royal, VA, can produce enough electricity to power about 325,000 homes at peak demand. The plant is among the cleanest fossil-fuel fired facilities in the nation, using three combustion turbines and a steam turbine. This clean-burning, environmentally-friendly FOSSIL FUEL PLANT was named Gas-Fired Project of the Year for 2015 by the editors at Power Engineering and Renewable Energy World magazines…
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Energy Companies | EnerVest | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Range Resources Corp | Statewide VA | Virginia

158 Range Resources Employees in SW VA May Lose Jobs by Dec 30
November 23, 2015November 23, 2015

Three weeks ago MDN told you that Range Resources had decided to sell 3,500 operated wells and approximately 460,000 net acres in the Nora/Haysi combined fields located in southwestern Virginia for $876 million to an unnamed buyer (see Range Sells Coal Bed Methane Wells in VA, Focusing on Marcellus). The Nora/Haysi operation consists of coal bed methane natural gas wells–an operation more akin to conventional drilling than shale drilling. The reason for the sale, as we told you at the time, is so Range can pay off debt and continue to concentrate on more profitable Marcellus Shale drilling. We now know that EnerVest is the buyer of the Nora/Haysi fields. We also have sad news that it’s possible (not certain but possible) that 158 jobs associated with the wells/operation may not make the transition. Range has filed a WARN notice (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act) that 158 workers in Dickenson and Washington counties (in southwest Virginia) could be out of a job by December 30th. Merry Christmas…
Read More “158 Range Resources Employees in SW VA May Lose Jobs by Dec 30”
Clearfield County | Energy Companies | Energy Corporation of America | Greene County (PA) | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide VA | Virginia

Virginia Rejects Deal for DC-based Utility to Buy Marcellus Wells
November 18, 2015November 18, 2015

A Washington, DC-based natural gas utility company, Washington Gas (WGL Holdings), announced in May they had cut a $126 million deal with Energy Corp. of America to purchase a 96% interest in 22 Marcellus Shale gas wells in Greene County, PA and another 3 shale wells in Clearfield County, PA. The gas flowing from those wells would go to WGL’s customers in the State of Virginia, requiring state approval of the deal. The Virginia State Corporation Commission (VSCC) turned them down and nixed the deal. Why? VSCC said WGL’s assumptions about how much the wells will produce, and about the price of gas over the next 20 years, were not solid. Furthermore, the VSCC didn’t like that WGL is essentially shifting the risk of well production/prices onto the backs of rate payers. More deals like this are rumored to be coming down the pike. Will they get nixed too?…
Read More “Virginia Rejects Deal for DC-based Utility to Buy Marcellus Wells”
Dominion Energy | Economic Impact | Electrical Generation | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pipelines | Research | Statewide VA | Virginia

Dominion Investing $10.1B, Creating 20K New Jobs in VA Next 5 Yrs
November 18, 2015November 18, 2015

It’s a shame to have to prove to people what should be self-evident–that building new natural gas electric plants and natural gas pipelines will bring both new jobs and inject billions into a state’s economy–but that’s what you sometimes have to do. You have to prove it to counteract the negative drumbeat from radical anti-drillers and leftist mainstream media. So Dominion, a huge utility/pipeline company operating in 14 states including the Marcellus/Utica region, commissioned a study that looks at how many jobs and how much money will be pumped into the State of Virginia over the next five years if all of the pipeline and electric plant projects they have on the books happen. The study (full copy below) finds Dominion is set to invest $10.1 billion and create nearly 12,000 jobs over the next five years in the Old Dominion. A sizable portion of the new projects and jobs are tied to natural gas…
Read More “Dominion Investing $10.1B, Creating 20K New Jobs in VA Next 5 Yrs”
Energy Services | Equitrans/EQT Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Statewide VA | Statewide WV | Virginia | West Virginia

Time to Support EQT Mountain Valley & Equitrans Pipelines @ FERC
November 17, 2015November 17, 2015

It’s time for you, pro-drilling supporters, to weigh in and make comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on your support for two important pipeline projects: EQT’s Mountain Valley Pipeline and EQT’s Equitrans Expansion project. The Mountain Valley Pipeline project is a new $3.5 billion natural gas pipeline running 301 miles (down from 330 miles) from Wetzel County, WV to Pittsylvania County, VA, connecting to the existing Equitrans pipeline along the way (see Mountain Valley Pipeline Files FERC Appl, Now Just Matter of Time). Mountain Valley will flow 2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natgas and is projected to be built and in-service around the fourth quarter of 2018. The Equitrans Project will upgrade compressor stations, add approximately eight miles of pipeline connectors to upgrade capacity on the Equitrans Pipeline from southewestern PA into WV. The $100 million project, when completed, will expand capacity on the Equitrans pipeline by 600 million cubic feet per day (Mmcf/d). The Equitrans project is also due to be completed in 4Q18. Here’s the details for how you can show your support for these two important projects. But hurry, you only have until Nov. 26 to provide your comments/show support…
Read More “Time to Support EQT Mountain Valley & Equitrans Pipelines @ FERC”
Energy Companies | Range Resources Corp | Statewide VA | Virginia

Range Sells Coal Bed Methane Wells in VA, Focusing on Marcellus
November 4, 2015November 4, 2015

Range Resources announced yesterday they are selling off 3,500 operated wells and approximately 460,000 net acres in the Nora/Haysi combined fields located in southwestern Virginia for $876 million to an unnamed buyer. The reason for the sale? Range is using the money to reduce debt and further concentrate on the “core” of their operations in the Marcellus/Utica. Range’s Nora/Haysi wells are coal bed methane wells. Drilling coal bed methane is akin to conventional drilling. All 3,500 of those wells produce an average of 109 million cubic feet per day (Mmcf/d) of natural gas. By comparison, using a very low number of 5 Mmcf/d for an average Marcellus well, it only takes 22 Marcellus wells to equal those 3,500 coal bed methane wells. Behold the power of fracking. Here’s what Range said yesterday about the sale…
Read More “Range Sells Coal Bed Methane Wells in VA, Focusing on Marcellus”
Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Statewide VA | Virginia | West Virginia | Wetzel County

Dominion Files Pipeline Route Change to Avoid Salamanders, Swamp
November 2, 2015November 2, 2015

Cow Knob Salamander

Contrary to what anti-fossil fuelers would have you believe, midstream companies building big pipeline projects DO listen to concerns and they DO change the route of a pipeline to address those concerns–like changing the route to minimize environmental impacts or to address the concerns of landowners. For example, Dominion has just announced it filed route changes for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, a $5 billion natural gas pipeline running from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina. The changes are made to minimize impacts on salamanders in two locations, to minimize impacts on a historic district, and to avoid crossing a swamp (yes, a swamp). Somewhere along the way in the past 30 years swamps became precious ecological assets instead of pools of stagnant, smelly, mosquito-infested water that need to be drained (go figure). Dominion is willing to play along. “Hey, if that smelly swamp is important to you, we’ll spend an extra $XX million and go a different route.” Dominion is not alone. Theirs is just the latest example that totally refutes the yarns spun by ninny nanny antis who blat about evil Big Pipelines and how they destroy everything. Here’s the latest “we’ll make some adjustments to the route to keep everyone happy” notice from Dominion…
Read More “Dominion Files Pipeline Route Change to Avoid Salamanders, Swamp”
Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide VA | Virginia | West Virginia | Wetzel County

Mountain Valley Pipeline Files FERC Appl, Now Just Matter of Time
October 26, 2015October 26, 2015

Click on map for larger version

It’s finally official. Although the length of the pipeline changed from 330 miles to 301 miles, and although the number of project partners expanded from the original EQT and NextEra Energy to include WGL Holdings, Vega Energy Partners, and RGC Resources, and although over 100 landowners blocked survey access (later taken to court to force access)–the $3.5 billion Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) stretching from Wetzel County, WV to the Transco Pipeline in Pittsylvania County, VA filed an official application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last Friday. Now it’s just a matter of time. Yes it will take a few years to get it approved and built, but the most important step has been accomplished…
Read More “Mountain Valley Pipeline Files FERC Appl, Now Just Matter of Time”
Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pipelines | Statewide VA | Virginia

Fed Judge Tosses VA Landowner Lawsuit to Stop Pipeline Surveys
October 2, 2015October 2, 2015

One reason why it takes so long to build a pipeline is the litigation necessary to make it happen. In September 2014, Dominion committed full force to building a 550-mile, $5 billion natural gas pipeline that will run from West Virginia, through Virginia and into North Carolina (see Dominion Commits to Major New Marcellus/Utica Pipeline Project). The project, called the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, will transport Marcellus and Utica Shale gas to the southeast. In November 2014, Dominion asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to begin an environmental review of the project (see Dominion Asks FERC to Start Environmental Review of SE Pipeline). In order to do a proper review and to finalize plans for the route, Dominion surveyors need to get on property of landowners in Virginia, some of whom blocked access–so Dominion had to sue them to gain access (see Dominion Sues VA Landowners to Allow Survey for Pipeline). Virginia landowners in Nelson and Augusta counties counter-sued to block Dominion and on Wednesday, a federal judge dismissed the landowners’ lawsuits, clearing the way for Dominion to enter their properties and complete survey work…
Read More “Fed Judge Tosses VA Landowner Lawsuit to Stop Pipeline Surveys”
Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | North Carolina | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide VA | Statewide WV | Virginia | West Virginia

Dominion Files FERC Application for $5B Atlantic Coast Pipeline
September 21, 2015September 21, 2015

Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) faces some stiff opposition from the anti-drilling, landed gentry class, along with opposition from the usual anti-fossil fuel nutters and even opposition from Obama-controlled agencies including the BLM, FWS and USFS (see our ACP stories here). Even so, on Friday Dominion filed their official application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to get the pipeline approved. ACP, as a reminder, is a $5 billion, 564-mile natural gas pipeline starting in West Virginia, traveling through Virginia and on into North Carolina. The governors of all three states, two Democrats and one Republican, all strongly support the project. So too do a majority of residents in all three states (see Millions of People Support Atlantic Coast Pipeline via New Group). Just to give you an idea of how phenomenally over-complicated the process is, Dominion’s application was 30,000 pages long, a stack of paper 10 feet high…
Read More “Dominion Files FERC Application for $5B Atlantic Coast Pipeline”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Dominion Energy | Energy Companies | Energy Services | EQT Corp | Industrywide Issues | Monroe County | Pipelines | Statewide VA | Virginia | West Virginia

Anti-Pipeline “Hands Across Our Land” Protest in VA & WV a Bust
August 19, 2015August 19, 2015

Hands Across Our Land, a minuscule gathering in three locations in Virginia and one location in West Virginia organized by the far left Sierra Club and the extremists of 350.org, held “protests” so small yesterday that if it weren’t for local media looking for any story to report during the summer doldrums, nobody would have noticed there even was a protest. Casual observers would have thought, “Oh, there’s a small group, perhaps a (nutty looking) family out for a stroll.” The “protesters” were there to object to two necessary, innocuous, safe natural gas pipelines from being buried in the ground–Dominion’s 550-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline which is due to run from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina; and EQT/NextEra US Gas Assets’ 330-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline from West Virginia into southern Virginia. As is typically the case, most of the protesters were in their 50s and 60s, former hippies who have found a new cause (anti-fossil fuels) to rejuvinate their otherwise meaningless lives…
Read More “Anti-Pipeline “Hands Across Our Land” Protest in VA & WV a Bust”