West Virginia

Armstrong County | Arsenal Resources | Bradford County | Brooke County | Butler County | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | EXCO Resources | Greene County (PA) | LOLA Energy | Lycoming County | Marshall County | Ohio County | Pennsylvania | Snyder Brothers | Southwestern Energy | Susquehanna County | Taylor County | Tug Hill Operating | Weekly Permits | West Virginia

30 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Apr 18-24
April 27, 2022April 27, 2022

Last week Pennsylvania issued 22 new shale well permits, up ten from the prior week. EQT led the way with five permits, all in Greene County. Both LOLA Energy and Snyder Brothers had four permits each, LOLA in Butler County and Snyder in Armstrong. For the second week in a row, Ohio had no new shale permits issued last week. Bummer. West Virginia had eight permits, up from two in the prior week. Arsenal Resources had the most with four permits in Taylor County, while Southwestern Energy had three permits–one in Ohio County and two in Brooke County.
Read More “30 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Apr 18-24”
Hydrogen | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Statewide OH | Statewide WV | West Virginia

KeyState Plans Second NatGas-to-Hydrogen Plant in OH or WV
April 21, 2022April 21, 2022

KeyState LLC is developing 7,000 acres of natural gas fields and geological storage in West Keating Township, Clinton County in the middle of coal and iron country in central Pennsylvania (see Innovative Clinton County, PA Petchem Plant Gets More Investors). KeyState to Zero, as it’s called, is a $400 million petrochemical project that will use carbon capture and storage to produce blue hydrogen, blue ammonia, nitrogen fertilizer, and exhaust treatment for power plants and diesel engines. Yesterday at a conference in Washington, PA, Perry Babb, CEO of KeyState LLC, told the attendees that he is working on a plan to build a second, similar facility–but this time not in Pennsylvania.
Read More “KeyState Plans Second NatGas-to-Hydrogen Plant in OH or WV”
Antero Resources | Blackhill Energy | Bradford County | Butler County | Chesapeake Energy | Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Energy Companies | Laurel Mountain Energy | Ohio County | Pennsylvania | Seneca Resources | Southwestern Energy | Susquehanna County | Tioga County (PA) | Tyler County | Weekly Permits | West Virginia

14 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Apr 11-17
April 20, 2022April 20, 2022

Last week Pennsylvania issued 12 new shale well permits, down three from the prior week. Coterra Energy (formerly Cabot Oil & Gas) had the most permits with four, all on the same pad in Susquehanna County. Southwestern had three permits all on the same pad in Susquehanna County. Chesapeake Energy also had a permit in Susquehanna County, making that county the top spot for new permits with eight last week. Ohio had no new shale permits issued last week. Bummer. West Virginia had just two permits, one for Southwestern Energy in Ohio County, and one for Antero Resources in Tyler County.
Read More “14 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Apr 11-17”
Antero Resources | Doddridge County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Ritchie County | Statewide WV | Taxation | West Virginia

WV Supreme Court Rules Against Antero in Well Tax Valuation Case
April 19, 2022April 19, 2022

In a court case that stretches back to 2019, Antero Resources, the biggest driller in West Virginia, challenged how its wells had been valued for tax purposes in Doddridge and Richie counties for 2016 and 2017. Antero said the combined value of its wells for those years should have been $1.488 billion. The state tax commissioner reckoned the value to be $1.513 billion. The controversy of well valuations not only for Antero but other drillers led to a reworking of how the state law values shale wells (see WV Supreme Court Tweaks Shale Well Property Tax Calculation). That whole process is still playing out with a newly passed bill (see Bill to Fix WV NatGas Property Tax Rule Close – Will Gov Sign?). However, there’s still the outstanding issue of valuations back in 2016/2017 to resolve. Last week the WV Supreme Court resolved it…
Read More “WV Supreme Court Rules Against Antero in Well Tax Valuation Case”
Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | Ohio County | Trucking | West Virginia

24/7 Marcellus Shale Truck Traffic in Bethlehem, WV a Problem
April 19, 2022April 19, 2022

Location of Ridgecrest Rd, denoted by red pin in center (click for larger version)

Ridgecrest Road in the village of Bethlehem (Ohio County), WV is a suburb of Wheeling. Ridgecrest Road doubles as State Route 88, carrying traffic into Marshall County. Over the past decade or so truck traffic along Ridgecrest has increased as drilling in the Marcellus in Marshall County has increased. The problem is the trucks going to/from well sites operate 24/7. The trucks are loud and wake up the people who live along that road. They’re also driving too fast.
Read More “24/7 Marcellus Shale Truck Traffic in Bethlehem, WV a Problem”
Energy Services | Equitrans/EQT Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin Gives Attaboy to FERC re MVP Decision
April 14, 2022April 14, 2022

West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat, has (for months) forcefully pushed the issue of completing the 94% done-and-in-the-ground Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project, a 303-mile pipeline from WV into Virginia. In early March Manchin let all five Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) commissioners know of his displeasure that MVP, along with other pipeline projects, is delayed (see U.S. Sen. Manchin Rips FERC Commissioners Over Climate Policies). About a week and a half later while speaking at a conference in Texas, Manchin told FERC Chairman Richard “Dick” Glick to “do his damn job” with respect to approving natural gas pipelines like MVP (see Joe Manchin Tells (Off) Dick Glick: “Do Your Damn Job!” re Pipes). Manchin’s pressure worked. Last Friday FERC’s five commissioners voted unanimously to allow MVP to change methods and use underground horizontal directional drilling (HDD) to complete the installation of the pipeline below 183 streams and wetlands (see FERC Approves MVP Use of HDD Construction at 183 Streams/Wetlands).
Read More “WV U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin Gives Attaboy to FERC re MVP Decision”
Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Marcellus & Utica are 2 of 3 Largest Gas Fields in the World!
April 13, 2022April 20, 2022

We always knew the Marcellus (and the Utica) are special, but here’s something we didn’t know until today. The Marcellus and the Utica are two of the three largest natural gas fields on the planet. Only the South Pars/North Dome gas field straddling Qatar and Iran holds more natural gas than either the Marcellus or the Utica individually. Together, the M-U actually is the largest gas field in the world! If we had the pipelines in our region to export our gas to other regions of our own country, and pipelines (and plants) to export our more M-U gas to other countries, we have more than enough gas in the M-U to supply the entire U.S. and the world *for decades.* That’s how massive our beloved Marcellus/Utica is.
Read More “Marcellus & Utica are 2 of 3 Largest Gas Fields in the World!”
Antero Resources | Ascent Resources | Bradford County | Doddridge County | Energy Companies | HG Energy | Jefferson County (OH) | Marshall County | Ohio | Ohio County | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Repsol | Ritchie County | Seneca Resources | Southwestern Energy | Tioga County (PA) | Washington County | Weekly Permits | West Virginia

34 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Apr 4-10
April 13, 2022April 20, 2022

Last week Pennsylvania issued 15 new shale well permits (up one from the prior week), with Repsol taking five, and both Range Resources and Seneca Energy grabbing four each. All permits for each of the three were on a single pad. Ohio issued five new permits last week, with all five going to Ascent Resources. West Virginia issued a big 14 permits (after issuing no permits in the prior week). Antero Resource received six permits, with Southwestern Energy and HG Energy each receiving four permits in WV.
Read More “34 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Apr 4-10”
Hydrogen | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Should PA, OH & WV Join Forces to Attract Hydrogen Hub?
April 11, 2022April 11, 2022

Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia are all scrambling to form intrastate working groups or other alliances in an attempt to be THE state chosen for one of four regional hydrogen hubs funded by the recently passed so-called Biden infrastructure bill (see WV, OH, PA Compete Against Each Other to Attract $2B Hydrogen Hub). The new law provides $8 billion for four regional hydrogen hubs. However, other states, some of them in the same general vicinity (in the northeast) are joining forces to try and attract the hub too. Our question is this: Does PA, WV, and OH risk losing one of the hubs if they go it alone and don’t cooperate? Isn’t it a better plan for the three Marcellus/Utica states to join forces and ensure the hub gets located in one of the three, which will certainly benefit all three?
Read More “Should PA, OH & WV Join Forces to Attract Hydrogen Hub?”
Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Manchin Opposes SEC’s Onerous New Climate Reporting Regs
April 5, 2022April 5, 2022

In March the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), corrupted by the Bidenistas, said it will begin to force all publicly traded companies to disclose their so-called greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the imaginary climate risks their businesses face (see SEC Votes to Force Public Companies to Disclose Mythical GHG Risks). Companies will have to pretend they care about supposed man-caused global warming and cook up hokey methods for evaluating how much carbon dioxide not just their own company, but their customers “emit” into the air when using a company’s products (so-called Scope 3 emissions). It’s an attempt to totally control businesses without actually owning them (Communism, or owning the means of production, without actually calling it that). West Virginia Joe Manchin is fighting against this insanity.
Read More “Manchin Opposes SEC’s Onerous New Climate Reporting Regs”
Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV Bill Targeting Anti-Fossil Fuel Banks, Investors Becomes Law
April 4, 2022April 4, 2022

In January a new bill was introduced in the West Virginia Senate requiring the entire state government, all of the various state agencies and governmental departments, to stop doing business with any bank or investment firm that refuses to support coal, oil, and natural gas companies (see WV Bill Bans Using Banks, Investment Cos that Divest Fossil Fuels). We are delighted to report that Senate Bill (SB) 262, which passed both the WV Senate and the House in March, was signed into law by WV Gov. Jim Justice last week. It’s now time to start defunding the defunders! The next step: Creating a list of companies WV will no longer do business with. They’re makin’ a list, checkin’ it twice. Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice.
Read More “WV Bill Targeting Anti-Fossil Fuel Banks, Investors Becomes Law”
Energy Services | Equitrans/EQT Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV Sen. Capito Joins Joe Manchin in Pushing to Complete MVP ASAP
April 4, 2022April 4, 2022

Senator Shelly Moore Capito

West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat, has (for months) forcefully pushed the issue of completing the 94% completed Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project, a 303-mile pipeline from WV into Virginia. Manchin recently let all five Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) commissioners know of his displeasure that this project, along with other pipeline projects, is delayed (see U.S. Sen. Manchin Rips FERC Commissioners Over Climate Policies). Manchin also told FERC Chairman Richard “Dick” Glick to “do his damn job” with respect to approving natural gas pipelines like MVP (see Joe Manchin Tells (Off) Dick Glick: “Do Your Damn Job!” re Pipes). WV’s other U.S. Senator, Shelley Moore Capito (a Republican), is finally getting into the act too.
Read More “WV Sen. Capito Joins Joe Manchin in Pushing to Complete MVP ASAP”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Equitrans/EQT Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Vicious Green Groups Continue to Attack MVP in 4th Circus
March 30, 2022March 30, 2022

Radical green groups, including the Sierra Club (rumored to receive funding from Russia) continue to try and kill the already-staggering Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project. The Clubbers and their colluding friends at West Virginia Rivers Coalition, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, Indian Creek Watershed Association, Appalachian Voices, and Chesapeake Climate Action Network, have sued the West Virginia Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) claiming the DEP issued a key federal water permit that allows the 94% completed MVP to finish up while ignoring previous water quality violations by the builder.
Read More “Vicious Green Groups Continue to Attack MVP in 4th Circus”
Antero Resources | Armstrong County | Ascent Resources | Beaver County | Belmont County | Butler County | Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Monroe County | Ohio | Ohio County | PennEnergy Resources | Pennsylvania | Snyder Brothers | Southwestern Energy | Susquehanna County | Tyler County | Washington County | Weekly Permits | West Virginia

31 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Mar 21-27
March 30, 2022March 30, 2022

Last week Pennsylvania issued 21 new shale well permits, with Snyder Brothers grabbing seven, PennEnergy Resources getting six, and Coterra Energy (formerly Cabot Oil & Gas) receiving five. In each case, the permits for each company were for a single well pad. Ohio issued just three new permits last week, two for Ascent Resources and one for Southwestern Energy. West Virginia finally came back to life, issuing seven new shale permits last week. Six of the WV permits were for Antero Resources, one for Southwestern Energy.
Read More “31 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Mar 21-27”
Hydrogen | Industrywide Issues | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV Submits Official Proposal to Get Federal $2B Hydrogen Hub
March 23, 2022March 23, 2022

Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia are all scrambling to form working groups or other alliances in an attempt to be THE state chosen for one of four regional hydrogen hubs funded by the recently passed so-called Biden infrastructure bill (see WV, OH, PA Compete Against Each Other to Attract $2B Hydrogen Hub). The new law provides $8 billion for four regional hydrogen hubs. It’s a safe bet one of those hubs will be located in either PA, OH, or WV. Out of the gate early in the race is WV. On Monday WV’s U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin, along with Congressman David McKinley and Governor Jim Justice, submitted the West Virginia Hydrogen Hub Working Coalition’s official application (full copy below) to the U.S. Department of Energy. This is the first (very important) step in the process to select winning hydrogen hubs funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Read More “WV Submits Official Proposal to Get Federal $2B Hydrogen Hub”
Antero Resources | Ascent Resources | Butler County | Chief Oil & Gas | Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Diversified Energy | Doddridge County | Energy Companies | Gulfport Energy | Jefferson County (OH) | Marshall County | Monroe County | Ohio | PennEnergy Resources | Pennsylvania | Sullivan County | Susquehanna County | Tug Hill Operating | Weekly Permits | West Virginia

20 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Mar 14-20
March 23, 2022March 23, 2022

We’re back to covering just a single week of new permits issued. The good news is that the PA DEP’s reporting site was still up and online over the past week, so we have numbers! In Pennsylvania, 11 new permits were issued last week, with Coterra Energy (formerly Cabot Oil & Gas) getting the lion’s share (nine permits), all of them in Susquehanna County on two well pads. Ohio issued seven new permits last week, with Gulfport Energy scoring four of the seven, all on the same pad. West Virginia issued just two new permits, one to Antero Resources and the other to Tug Hill Operating.
Read More “20 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Mar 14-20”