West Virginia

Energy Companies | Energy Services | EQT Corp | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Bill Allowing Surveyors Private Property Access Fails in WV Senate
March 2, 2016March 2, 2016

In June 2014 EQT and NextEra US Gas Assets formed a joint venture to build a 330-mile pipeline from Wetzel County, WV to the Transco Pipeline in Pittsylvania County, VA to deliver abundant, cheap Marcellus and Utica Shale gas to markets throughout the southeast (see EQT Announces New Marcellus/Utica Pipeline to Southeastern US). The project is called Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). A number of West Virginia landowners objected to MVP and would not let surveyors on their property, so MVP (i.e. EQT and NextEra) threatened to sue the landowners claiming eminent domain laws to enter their properties (see WV Landowners Say They’re Bullied by Mountain Valley Pipeline). A month later they did sue (see Mountain Valley Pipeline Sues 103 WV Landowners for Survey Access). But it takes a long time to sue individual landowners in hundreds of cases. So somebody talked to somebody and a bill was introduced in the WV Senate this year, Senate Bill (SB) 596–which would allow surveyors to enter private properties to do survey work as long as a notice was sent by certified mail ahead of time. No doubt the bill was in response to the ongoing, thorny issue of surveying for MVP. The bill passed out of committee with a split vote. But the bill was voted down by the full Senate…
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Forced Pooling | Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV Forced Pooling Bill Headed for 5th Defeat in 6 Years
March 1, 2016March 1, 2016

Although the drilling industry in West Virginia had high hopes that “this was the year” a forced pooling bill would be passed–the latest attempt has once again gone down in flames. Each year the WV legislature meets for a 60-day period at the beginning of the year. Tomorrow (Wednesday) is the 50th day and the last day for a bill to advance out of the house of origin if it’s to be considered by the full legislature–what is known as “crossover day.” House Bill (HB) 4426 is this year’s forced pooling bill, introduced on Feb. 5 (see WV Forced Pooling Bill HB 4426 Introduced – Debate Rages). HB 4426 has until tomorrow to be reported out of committee. It’s not going to happen, meaning it cannot, under the rules of the legislature, be considered for a full vote. The West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association sounds rather pessimistic about trying again in the future…
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Industrywide Issues | Statewide WV | Taxation | West Virginia

WV Gov. Tomblin Signs Severance Tax Cut into Law
March 1, 2016March 1, 2016

You may recall our amazement two weeks ago when we reported that West Virginia was on the cusp of passing a bill that will lower the state’s oil/natural gas and coal severance taxes (see WV Senate Passes Bill to Eliminate Part of State Severance Tax). In 2005 when now Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin was then President of the WV Senate, he presided over slapping a new/extra severance tax on oil, gas and coal–for the express purpose of paying down the state’s old workers’ compensation debts. At the time Tomblin promised when the debt was paid off, the tax would end. And by gaw he actually did it. Yesterday Tomblin signed the bill into law. A politician who keeps his word. Rarer than hen’s teeth…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | M3 Midstream | Momentum | Pipelines | Statewide WV | West Virginia | WGL Holdings

M3’s Stonewall Gathering System in WV Gets New Investor/Partner
March 1, 2016March 1, 2016

In April 2015 MDN told you that a section of M3 Midstream’s Appalachia Gathering System (AGS) had been spun off into its own company called Stonewall Gathering System (see M3’s New Stonewall Gathering System Extends Existing AGS in WV). At the time, plans were under way to build out gathering pipelines in West Virginia’s Harrison and Doddridge counties, running through Lewis and into Braxton County where the pipeline will connect with Columbia Transmission’s interstate pipeline. The plans came to fruition and the Stonewall Gathering System was built and now gathers 1 billion cubic feet of Marcellus Shale gas per day (see Construction on WV Stonewall Gather Pipeline Begins, Runs Thru Dec). The project now has a new investor/co-owner. WGL Midstream announced yesterday that it has exercised an option to invest $89 million in the Stonewall Gas Gathering System, representing a 35% ownership stake…
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Accidents | Antero Resources | Doddridge County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | West Virginia

Antero Resources Well Pad Fire in Doddridge County, WV
February 29, 2016February 29, 2016

There was a small fire at an Antero Resources well pad in Doddridge County, WV last Thursday. Antero immediately shut down the four producing natural gas wells and contacted local first responders who put the fire out. The important news is that (a) nobody was hurt, (b) the environment was not harmed, and (c) the wells are secure and there is no danger. What happened is this: When natural gas comes out of the borehole, more than just methane comes out. Along with methane comes other hydrocarbons and water. There is a separating unit on the pad to strip out the water and some of the other substances from the methane. That unit failed, allowing some methane to escape which then caught fire. The good new is that safety precautions worked and the fire did not spread. Below are the details…
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Accidents | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | MarkWest Energy | West Virginia | Wetzel County

Update on MarkWest WV Plant Hazardous Chemical Spill in Creek
February 29, 2016February 29, 2016

Last week MDN told you about an accident at a MarkWest Energy processing plant in Mobley (Wetzel County), WV in which approximately 3,000 gallons of a heat transfer fluid used at the plant leaked into a nearby creek, causing a shut-down of the water plant serving the nearby community of Pine Grove (see MarkWest’s Mobley Processing Plant Spills Hazardous Oil into Creek). The “rest of the story” is this: Three days after the spill the drinking water ban was lifted and everything is fine. The spill was contained, the water supply was fully protected and no one was ever in danger…
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Chief Oil & Gas | Energy Companies | Gastar Exploration | Marshall County | Tug Hill Operating | West Virginia | Wetzel County

Gastar Leaving Marcellus/Utica, Sells Assets to Tug Hill for $80M
February 23, 2016February 23, 2016

Gastar Exploration is throwing in the towel in the Marcellus/Utica. Gastar is selling its Marcellus/Utica assets–mainly located in Marshall and Wetzel counties in West Virginia, to Tug Hill for $80 million. Gastar has seen the light and that light is in becoming a “pure play” company focused solely on the Oklahoma STACK Play. Why sell what they admit are “high-quality”? Because they can’t get enough money for their gas in the northeast–and they can’t get enough money because there aren’t enough pipelines to move the gas to other markets. So they’re throwing in the towel and calling it quits. In addition to the sad news that they’re leaving the Marcellus, Gastar also delivered the bad news that their proved reserves went down 45% in 2015 due to lower commodity prices…
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Accidents | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | MarkWest Energy | West Virginia | Wetzel County

MarkWest’s Mobley Processing Plant Spills Hazardous Oil into Creek
February 22, 2016February 22, 2016

There’s been an accidental release of a hazardous chemical at the MarkWest Energy cryogenic processing plant in Mobley (Wetzel County), WV. The spill was discovered Saturday morning by MarkWest workers. MarkWest’s Mobley plant separates natural gas from natural gas liquids (NGLs). The NGLs are sent on for further separation into their component parts at a fractionation facility. The fluid in question is DOWTHERM™ MX Heat Transfer Fluid, a chemical used as as a heat transfer fluid meant for closed-loop systems. An estimated 3,000 gallons of the fluid spilled, some of it reaching the North Fork of Fishing Creek and some of that entered the water intake for the community of Pine Grove, WV. The fluid was contained at the water plant and did not get into the public’s water supply–but just to be absolutely safe, some 360 households connected to the public water supply were cautioned to not drink or bathe in the water until further notice. MarkWest is providing bottled water to residents. Here’s what’s known so far…
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Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | West Virginia

FERC Says Rover Pipeline as Planned Negatively Impacts Environment
February 22, 2016February 22, 2016

In December 2014 Energy Transfer Partners filed their draft Resource Reports of environmental survey data with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the ET Rover pipeline (see ET Rover Pipeline’s 800-Mile Journey Begins with FERC Filing). Rover is an 800-mile, $4.4 billion pipeline that will connect Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, crossing pretty much the entire state of Ohio heading northwest before entering Michigan and eventually taking a dog-leg into Ontario. In February of 2015, exactly a year ago, ET filed a full application with FERC. Last week FERC responded with a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)–and the news was not so good for Rover. FERC found “adverse and significant” impacts from the project as planned and delivered to ET nearly 25 pages of recommendations that ET will need to fix before they get an approval. Is this a fatal blow to Rover? Or just a speed bump? Time will tell…
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Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

2 Bills Favorable to Drillers Advance in WV Senate – SB 508 & 565
February 22, 2016February 22, 2016

Two bills that favor the drilling industry in West Virginia have recently advanced in the WV Senate. One of the bills we previously told you about–Senate Bill (SB) 508, a bill that would stop endless, frivolous lawsuits from being filed against drillers (see WV Senate Bill Stops Frivolous Nuisance Lawsuits Against Drillers). The other bill is new for us, SB 565, a bill that “would allow oil and gas drillers to begin building well pads and access roads prior to getting a well work permit approved by the state Department of Environmental Protection.” SB 508 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, and SB 565 was passed in the Senate Energy Committee. They are both on their way and likely to pass the full Senate and House…
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Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Lewis County | U.S. Well Services | West Virginia

US Well Services Lays Off Nearly 50 in Jane Lew, WV
February 19, 2016February 19, 2016

U.S. Well Services, headquartered in Houston, TX but with a sizable office in Jane Lew, WV, is an oilfield services company providing hydraulic fracturing services in unconventional oil and natural gas basins–including the Marcellus and Utica Shale. According to their website, U.S. Well Services operates both diesel and electric fracking fleets. On Wednesday, with no warning, they laid off most of their workers in the Jane Lew office–just under 50 people, meaning the company was not required to give advance notice under the WARN Act. Here’s what happened on Wednesday, what U.S. Well Services calls an “unfortunate reduction”…
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Industrywide Issues | Statewide WV | Taxation | West Virginia

WV Senate Passes Bill to Eliminate Part of State Severance Tax
February 16, 2016February 16, 2016

Politicians who keep promises? Consider us thunderstruck. It’s actually happened in West Virginia. In January MDN told you that WV Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin had proposed reducing the oil and gas severance tax (see WV Gov. Tomblin Proposes to LOWER Oil & Gas Severance Tax). Here’s the back story: In 2005, before he was Governor, Tomblin was President of the WV Senate. At that time the WV legislature passed an extra fee on top of the existing severance tax–a fee of 4.7 cents per thousand cubic feet of natural gas (along with a fee on coal extraction). The fee was to be used to pay down the state’s old workers’ compensation debts. Tomblin promised that once the debt was paid, the fee would be lifted. “Yeah, right” was the reaction. However, the debt is now nearly paid, and Tomblin has kept his promise. The WV Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill (SB) 419 that will lift the extra fee…
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Antero Resources | Doddridge County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Landfills | Wastewater | West Virginia

Antero Plans Salt Landfill Next to Proposed Wastewater Recycling Plant
February 16, 2016February 16, 2016

In August of last year, MDN told you that one of the biggest drillers in the Marcellus/Utica, Antero Resources, floated the idea of building a $275 million state-of-the-art frack wastewater treatment plant in Doddridge County, WV (see Antero Building New 60K Bbl Wastewater Recycling Facility in WV). The new plant, which will process 60,000 barrels of wastewater per day, will save Antero $150,000 per well in completion costs once it’s up and running. Antero tapped French company Veolia to engineer and build the plant (see French Company Confirms Building $275M Wastewater Plant for Antero). The plant will go online in late 2017. The new news is that last week Antero filed for a permit to build a landfill next to the wastewater plant. The wastewater plant will separate water, salt and radioactive particles. The salt can be sold to municipalities for use as road salt–but frankly there’s not enough of a market to sell it all. And not all of it will be of sufficient quality to be sold that way. So Antero needs a place to dispose of it–hence the $20 million landfill proposal…
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Forced Pooling | Industrywide Issues | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV Forced Pooling Bill HB 4426 Introduced – Debate Rages
February 16, 2016February 16, 2016

The forced pooling debate is now raging in West Virginia. As we previously reported, Republican chairman of the WV House Energy Committee, Lynwood “Woody” Ireland believes a new version of the forced pooling bill he recently introduced is as fair as it gets for both landowners and drillers (see Bill Sponsor Says It’s Now or Never for WV Forced Pooling Law). Ireland also believes if the bill doesn’t pass this year, it is likely a dead issue. However, other Republicans in the legislature called forced pooling tantamount to big businesses bullying private property owners. A forced pooling bill has been floated in five of the last six years (2012 was the exception). Will it pass this time? On Feb. 5 Ireland introduced House Bill (HB) 4426, called the “Horizontal Well Unitization and Landowner Protection Act of 2016” (full copy embedded below). Here’s an update on the debate now raging in Charleston and beyond…
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Antero Resources | Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV Senate Bill Stops Frivolous Nuisance Lawsuits Against Drillers
February 16, 2016February 16, 2016

There’s been an interesting twist in pack of so-called “nuisance” lawsuits filed against Antero Resources in West Virginia (see Scores of “Nuisance” Lawsuits Against WV Drillers Combined). As we reported, more than 200 residents in WV (likely those who don’t own the mineral rights under their land) began filing “scores” of “nuisance” lawsuits over the past couple of years against Antero Resources and Hall Drilling, in places like Doddridge County. The lawsuits claim excessive traffic, odors and noise from nearby drilling make it “impossible” for them to enjoy their homes. The individual lawsuits were rolled up into one mega lawsuit that, at the time, sat before the WV Mass Litigation Panel. More recently it seems the mass lawsuit was transferred to Ohio Circuit Court (see More People Pile on Antero, Seek to Join Mass “Nuisance” Lawsuit). The strategy by anti-drillers is to form a piranha-like school of fish to attack a large mammal and kill it with thousands of tiny bites. But a problem has appeared for the antis. A bill was just introduced in the WV Senate on Feb. 4, Senate Bill (SB 508) that defines what, exactly, a nuisance is for the purposes of such lawsuits. In other words, legislators are about to plug a hole being exploited by antis–and the antis are squealing like stuck pigs…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Randolph County | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Atlantic Coast Pipeline Proposes New Route to Save the Salamanders
February 16, 2016February 16, 2016

MDN told you last month that the US Forest Service, drunk on its own power, vetoed a path through a few miles of national forests for the $5 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline (see US Forest Service Blocks Atlantic Coast Pipeline in National Forests). Using cow nob salamanders and red spruce as their excuse, USFS said “nyet comrade” to Dominion in their quest to build a natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to North Carolina. Dominion had requested a special permit to cross teeny tiny sections of the Monongahela and George Washington national forests in West Virginia and Virginia. So now what? Last week Dominion announced an alternate route for the pipeline (see map below) that avoids most of (not all of) the forests–adding another 30 miles to the 564-mile pipeline, and disrupting 249 landowners in Pocahontas and Randolph counties who will now need to sign easements to allow the pipeline across their land. All to avoid a few miles of forestland. Here’s the latest on the mighty Atlantic Coast Pipeline, re-routed because of a salamander…
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