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    Dela. Riverkeeper Changes Strategy, Targets Small Pipe Project

    A change-up in tactics for Maya van Rossum, THE Delaware Riverkeeper. Until now, Riverkeeper has mostly concentrated it’s efforts on big, federally regulated interstate pipeline projects, like the PennEast Pipeline (see THE Delaware Riverkeeper Plans to Pack DRBC Hearing to Oppose PennEast). However, new marching orders have been delivered from Riverkeeper’s overlords at the William Penn Foundation. Time to go after the small potatoes too. So Riverkeeper (which is funded by William Penn) obeys, and has filed a petition against building a small, 14-mile pipeline near Philadelphia that will feed a proposed Birdsboro Power project, slated for construction in 2018. Birdsboro Power is a proposed 488-megawatt natural gas-fired electric plant in Birdsboro (Berks County), to be built by EmberClear with major backing by two Japanese companies (see Japanese Now Own 2/3 of Marcellus-Powered Electric Plant in SEPA). DTE Midstream plans to build a 14-mile pipeline from the nearby Texas Eastern Transmission Company (Tetco) pipeline to feed the plant. Riverkeeper has filed a complaint about the DTE pipeline with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), trying to slow or cancel the pipeline project–which would prevent the Birdsboro plant from getting built. Riverkeeper’s aim is to stop the use of fossil fuels, and do so using the excuse of “pipelines harm the environment.” The change in strategy for Riverkeeper is in moving from big pipeline projects to smaller pipeline projects…
    Read More “Dela. Riverkeeper Changes Strategy, Targets Small Pipe Project”

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    Frustrated FERC Gives Rover Todo List, HDD Drilling Still Blocked

    Yesterday the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) sent a letter to Energy Transfer regarding the Rover Pipeline project. You may recall that Rover hit some bumps along the way in its aggressive schedule to get part of the pipeline up and running by the end of this month, and the rest operational by the end of November. In Ohio, Rover experienced a series of mishaps, the most serious of which spilled 2 million gallons of non-toxic drilling mud in a swamp near the Tuscarawas River back in April (see Rover Pipeline Accident Spills ~2M Gal. Drilling Mud in OH Swamp). An investigation by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) found the presence of diesel fuel in the drilling mud, which means the mud wasn’t so non-toxic after all (see OH EPA Says Diesel Fuel Found in Rover 2M Gal Drilling Mud Spill). Since that time, FERC has stopped all new underground horizontal directional drilling (HDD) for the Rover project. Rover has asked FERC, several times, for permission to restart the HDD work–at least in a few select locations. In this latest letter from FERC, the agency slaps Rover around and says, (1) you still can’t start HDD, (2) we (FERC) are still investigating the 2 million gallon spill, and you (Rover) are not helping–because Rover hasn’t provided key personnel for interviews by FERC, and (3) you (Rover) need to dispose of the diesel-tainted drilling mud in an approved landfill before we’ll even consider restarting your HDD activities. The letter closes with a paragraph that says, essentially, “We’re watching you.” We have the FERC letter below, with its 4-point todo list for Rover, along with analysis of the letter and the current status of Rover…
    Read More “Frustrated FERC Gives Rover Todo List, HDD Drilling Still Blocked”

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    Mich. DEQ Rejects Stop Rover Request, Senators Appeal to FERC

    Isn’t it interesting how a small-but-mouthy group of anti-fossil fuelers can drive a media narrative? Just two days ago MDN told you about a meeting of 100 (likely far less) anti-fossil fuel protesters in Dexter Township, Michigan, who rallied to protest the impending construction of the Rover Pipeline in that area (see Mich. Rover Protesters Illustrate Irrational Anti-Fossil Fuel Psychosis). Our point in that post was to highlight the sad lack of brainpower in the anti movement. One young speaker said they were there to protest “all extraction industries”–including oil and gas. She is woefully ignorant of just how much her life is tied to extraction industries. At any rate, the small group, and the Big Green groups (with deep pockets) using them as puppets, have had an impact. Earlier this week, an attorney supposedly representing residents from the Silver Lake area (Dexter Township) filed an “URGENT Request for Stop Work Order on wetlands trenching, ET Rover Pipeline” with the Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The DEQ politely told him, “No.” And so the small group of antis using Big Green money appealed to their two Democrat U.S. Senators, Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, for help. The two Dem Sens promptly sent a bloviating letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), asking for a temporary stop work order in the Silver Lake area…
    Read More “Mich. DEQ Rejects Stop Rover Request, Senators Appeal to FERC”

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    Rockies Express Pipeline Adds Another 180 MMcf/d from Ohio to Ill.

    NGI’s Rockies Express Zone 3 Tracker – July 13, 2017 (click for larger version)

    The Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) was originally built from Colorado and Wyoming to Monroe County, OH to bring natural gas from west to east. In 2015, REX began the process of reversing the flow for a large and important section of the pipeline–to send gas from the Utica/Marcellus to the Midwest. By January of this year, REX had reversed and was flowing 2.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of gas from Clarington, OH to Mexico, MO (see REX Pipe Completes Expansion Today, 2.6 Bcf/d Flowing East-to-West). Except REX wanted more! The demand is there, and REX announced in February they were working on a plan to flow another 150 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of natgas from Ohio to the Midwest (see REX Pulls Rabbit Out of Pipeline – Adding Another 150 MMcf/d). REX ran a new open season and got commitments for 180 MMcf/d, and began flowing it in June, according to an announcement released yesterday. The announcement also shared that REX (independent subsidiary of Tallgrass Energy) has a new CEO: Crystal Heter. Crystal was once an engineering intern at REX and has steadily risen through the ranks to now sit in the big chair. We congratulate her! Here’s the info about REX’s latest coup in adding another 180 MMcf/d of capacity to its Zone 3, reversed pipeline…
    Read More “Rockies Express Pipeline Adds Another 180 MMcf/d from Ohio to Ill.”

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    PA PUC Rejects West Goshen Appeal, ME2 Building Valve Station

    West Goshen Township, in Philadelphia suburb of Chester County, has failed yet again to stop Sunoco Logistics’ Mariner East 2 NGL pipeline in its community. Last March MDN told you about the desperate last stand taken by liberal anti-pipeliners in West Goshen (see West Goshen’s Last Stand to Stop Mariner East 2 Pipeline). West Goshen signaled it would deny Sunoco a zoning permit for a valve on the pipeline. Sunoco politely, but firmly, told West Goshen the pipeline doesn’t need a permit from the town to install a valve because it’s a state-permitted project. Sunoco said it would move forward at the appropriate time with a valve installation. Last week West Goshen tried again, by filing a 135-page petition with the state Public Utility Commission on Monday, asking the PUC for an emergency order to stop construction of the new valve station that Sunoco is set to begin work on any time (see West Goshen Pulls Legal Stunt in Attempt to Stop ME2 Pipeline). The PUC has now responded to West Goshen: NOPE…
    Read More “PA PUC Rejects West Goshen Appeal, ME2 Building Valve Station”

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    PA RINOs Pressure House Speaker to Allow Severance Tax Vote

    RINOsaur Gene DiGirolamo

    A group of 12 Pennsylvania House of Representatives RINOs–Republicans in Name Only–have signed a letter to House Speaker Mike Turzai (full copy below) asking him to allow a vote in the House on a plan to impose a Marcellus-killing severance tax. We’re not really sure why the 12 run as Republicans–when they really aren’t Republicans, at least not in any meaningful way. Most of them come from the Philadelphia area, or other large population centers. The RINO ring leader is Gene DiGirolamo, a RINOsaur (an old RINO, nearly a fossil himself) from the Philly area, someone we covered for years because he keeps wanting to steal money from drillers and landowners to give away to his favorite causes (see our DiGirolamo severance tax stories here). On the other hand, PA Republicans have nobody to blame but themselves for this pressure. Republicans hold majorities in both chambers, and they passed an unbalanced, $32 billion budget–about $2 billion short of projected revenues. They should have had the intestinal fortitude to NOT OVERSPEND in the first place–but they didn’t. So they’ve left themselves open to extreme pressure from Democrats and RINOs. Now they must navigate this mess. An aside: If Republicans cave and implement a severance tax, it will lead to much-reduced drilling in PA. That’s a fact. PA drillers already pay a higher tax rate than other states with a severance tax–via an impact fee coupled with corporate income taxes (that other states don’t have). Just because PA’s taxes on drillers are not officially called a “severance tax” doesn’t mean drillers aren’t taxed. RINOs and Dems continually lie about that fact…
    Read More “PA RINOs Pressure House Speaker to Allow Severance Tax Vote”

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    New Canaan, CT Votes to Install NatGas Service, Pipelines

    It’s so darned unusual, we felt we had to share the news that in the heart of liberal New England–about 48 miles from New York City–the town of New Canaan, Connecticut has voted to add natural gas service to a 4.7 mile area around town. That means installing (digging and drilling) pipelines to carry the gas. The gas will first be installed at three (three!) schools (gasp!!), a YMCA (oh no!), an eldercare center (the inhumanity), and even (say it ain’t so) gas for “some residents.” Yes dear reader, common sense has broken out in a small pocket of New England, and their local elected leaders, the Board of Selectmen, voted unanimously to bring low cost, clean-burning natural gas into the heart of their community. What will happen next? Perhaps no increase in local property taxes this year? Well, let’s not get crazy…
    Read More “New Canaan, CT Votes to Install NatGas Service, Pipelines”

  • MDN Taking a Day Off on Friday, July 14

    It’s time for a quick getaway to the beach for MDN editor Jim Willis and his lovely bride. MDN will not be published on Friday, but will return on Monday, July 17. Jim is heading to the Jersey shore to “beach” himself, like Chris Christie, enjoying the ocean view. However, Jim won’t be privately lounging in a closed state park, like a certain governor recently did (and then lied about).

    NJ Gov. Chris Christie sitting on the beach – in a state park he closed

  • Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Jul 13, 2017

    The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading. In today’s lineup: Appalachia joins race for multi-billion dollar petchem boom; Kingston, NY neighbors of natgas regulation station voice concerns; 2 million gallon LNG tank coming to Bethlehem, PA; WV severance tax revenue continues to climb; is Wall Street setting up shale for a fall?; US natgas consumption will fall in 2017; but gas production will continue to climb; oil price will “plunge” unless production is cut, says Goldman; Venezuela-Russia deal threatens US security; electric vehicle use in Norway goes way, but so too does oil consumption; OPEC scapegoating US shale, needs to look in the mirror; and more!
    Read More “Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Jul 13, 2017”

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    CONSOL Energy’s Split into 2 Companies Nearly Complete, New Name?

    CONSOL Energy, headquartered in Pittsburgh, began life as a coal company some 150 years ago. For the past half dozen years MDN has reported on CONSOL’s transformation from coal company to natural gas company. That transformation is now nearly complete. Yesterday CONSOL filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission that lays out a plan for the final split. CONSOL the coal company will retain the CONSOL name and get various coal mines and other coal-related assets. The CEO of the coal company will be Jimmy Brock. Meanwhile, CONSOL the natural gas driller will get a new name and retain the other assets. Nick DeIuliis will remain president and CEO of the natgas company. Current CONSOL shareholders will get shares in the separated coal company, as well as retain their shares in the gas company. While no specific date is given for the final split, the announcement says the company remains committed to getting it done sometime by the end of this year. The big question is, what will be the name of the new gas-focused company? We have a suggestion…
    Read More “CONSOL Energy’s Split into 2 Companies Nearly Complete, New Name?”

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    Sunoco Extending Public Water to Homes Affected by ME2 Drilling

    MDN previously reported about problems experienced last week in Chester County, PA (suburb of Philadelphia) with underground horizontal directional drilling (HDD) by Sunoco Logistics Partners for its Mariner East 2 Pipeline project (see ME2 Pipe Work in Chester County Creates Water Well Issue for Some). Sunoco is accepting the blame for fouling a dozen private water wells in West Whiteland Township with drilling mud. The short-term fix was to provide hotel rooms from some of the families most affected–and to provide bottled water for all of them. Sunoco isn’t wasting any time with a long-term fix. The long-term fix is going to cost plenty. Sunoco is working on a deal to extend a municipal water pipeline to some 30 homes in the area. The devil is, of course, in the details. Timing for the water main extension, along with whether or not Sunoco will be on the hook for the long term to help pay for the water service are being worked out now…
    Read More “Sunoco Extending Public Water to Homes Affected by ME2 Drilling”

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    West Goshen Pulls Legal Stunt in Attempt to Stop ME2 Pipeline

    Last March MDN told you about the desperate last stand taken by liberal anti-pipeliners in West Goshen Township, in the Philadelphia suburb of Chester County (see West Goshen’s Last Stand to Stop Mariner East 2 Pipeline). West Goshen signaled it would deny Sunoco a zoning permit for a valve on the pipeline. Sunoco politely, but firmly, told West Goshen the pipeline doesn’t need a permit from the town to install a valve because it’s a state-permitted project. In other words, go pound sand. Sunoco said it would move forward at the appropriate time with a valve installation. Sunoco requested assurances from West Goshen that the town would not send in a local cop to stop them. West Goshen hasn’t sent a cop (yet), but they did file a 135-page petition (full copy below) with the state Public Utility Commission on Monday, asking the PUC for an emergency order to stop construction of the new valve station that Sunoco is set to begin work on any time…
    Read More “West Goshen Pulls Legal Stunt in Attempt to Stop ME2 Pipeline”

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    Ohio Steals $15M from O&G Severance Tax Fund for Non-O&G Purpose

    The Ohio Controlling Board, part of the Office of Budget and Management, has raided (i.e. stolen) $15 million from Ohio’s severance tax fund to use in settling a lawsuit from the late 1990s–a lawsuit that has nothing whatsoever to do with oil and gas. According to the American Petroleum Institute Ohio, the misappropriation of the money is likely illegal. The Controlling Board was set up by the Ohio legislature to handle “necessary adjustments to the state budget.” In other words, it was set up to pick one pocket and put the money in a different pocket. In 1997 Ohio widened a dam spillway in the western part of the state, and the result flooded the property of some unfortunate landowners, who sued. The lawsuit has languished for years, and it’s now time to pay up. The Controlling Board decided to raid/steal the money from the severance tax fund–a fund that’s supposed to be used for things like plugging abandoned orphan o&g wells. Most drilling in Ohio happens on the eastern side of the state. The flooded property in 1997 happened on the western side of the state. Anyone else see a disconnect and sleazy politics going on here? The severance tax fund has become the personal piggy bank for certain Columbus politicians…
    Read More “Ohio Steals $15M from O&G Severance Tax Fund for Non-O&G Purpose”

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    Williams Hillabee Project Goes Online, NatGas Flowing to Florida

    We have a correction to a previous story. In June MDN brought you the news that the Sabal Trail Transmission pipeline, a $3.2 billion, 515-mile interstate natural gas pipeline in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, had been placed into service, flowing natural gas to Florida electric generating plants (see Marcellus Gas Hitches a Ride to Florida Power Plant). We indicated in that story that Marcellus and Utica Shale gas, via Williams’ related Hillabee Expansion Project, was flowing to Florida. Not quite yet. In an announcement issued yesterday, Williams said yes indeed, the Hillabee project is now up and running–but for now, it’s flowing gas from the Haynesville Shale and the Midcontinent region. The announcement said that Marcellus/Utica gas would “soon” flow through the Hillabee expansion–just as soon as the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline gets built in Pennsylvania, which will flow Marcellus gas into a reversed portion of the Transco Pipeline…
    Read More “Williams Hillabee Project Goes Online, NatGas Flowing to Florida”

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    Va. Landowners Illegally Block MVP Survey Crew on Bent Mountain

    In May, MDN noted a disturbing trend in the Commonwealth of Virginia of entangling law enforcement in the non-criminal issue of surveying for a federally-authorized pipeline project (see VA Landowner Uses State Police to Eject Pipeline Surveyors). A small minority of landowners continue to use (abuse) local law enforcement in their zeal to oppose the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), a $3.5 billion, 301-mile pipeline that will run from Wetzel County, WV to the Transco Pipeline in Pittsylvania County, VA. Under Virginia State law, surveyors may enter a property without the property owner’s express permission to survey, as long as they have sent a prior notice to the landowner with target dates of when they will be on location. Some landowners, knowing the surveyors are coming, call in the cops to pressure the surveyors to leave. And the cops play along. Not a good situation. What typically happens is that the surveyors will leave and subsequently file for a court order of eminent domain, forcing the property owner to later allow the surveyors on their property. It happened again last month when a landowner in Franklin County called in the county Sheriff (see Franklin County, VA Landowners Use Sheriff to Eject MVP Surveyors). It’s now happened again–this time in Roanoke County…
    Read More “Va. Landowners Illegally Block MVP Survey Crew on Bent Mountain”

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    Lack of FERC Confirmations Now Critical – $25B & 75K Jobs at Risk

    The lack of a quorum (enough voting members) for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is has gone beyond amusing and angering–it’s now critical. Early in the new Trump presidency we noted the curious behavior of liberal Democrats, who are also virulent anti-drillers, in their hammering of Trump over lack of nominating people to FERC (see Anti-Drilling Democrats Ask Pres. Trump to Fill Up FERC and Senate Democrats Send Letter to Trump Requesting New FERC Members). We said at the time it doesn’t make sense. If FERC is out of action and can’t approve new pipeline projects, that’s a good thing, for lib Dems who hate fossil fuels. So why would they want FERC back up and running? We finally figured it out. They simply wanted nominees so they could grandstand and try to stop the nominees they demanded in the first place from actually getting confirmed (see Now We Know: Lib Dems Wanted FERC Nominees for Grandstanding). After the nominees came through and were approved by the appropriate Senate Committee, Senate Democrat Minority Leader Chuck “the schmuck” Schumer pledged to hold up a final Senate vote. And since that time, he has. Energy company CEOs are now warning if FERC commissioners are not confirmed by the August break, it will jeopardize up to $25 billion in investments, and 75,000 jobs. The money is going to disappear, and along with it, many vitally important pipeline projects waiting for approval. It’s time to tell the Dems to allow the vote to proceed, or find a way around their sleazy blockade…
    Read More “Lack of FERC Confirmations Now Critical – $25B & 75K Jobs at Risk”