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    Brainwash: Columbus OH Pre-K Kids Forced to Bash WNF Fracking

    This is maddening, angering, and so far out of line we hope the “teachers” involved are summarily fired. NOW. Today. A group of 3 to 5 year-olds at the Little Dreamers, Big Believers day-care center in Columbus, OH–precious, innocent children who can’t comprehend much beyond when their next meal or nap is coming–have been manipulated into drawing pictures and making comments about the supposed horrors fracking in the Wayne National Forest (WNF). The tots’ pictures and comments against fracking were filed with the Bureau of Land Management as a form of protest. The way the “teachers” (we use that term VERY loosely) got the kiddies’ compliance was to stoke them by reading Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax” to them, then filling their heads (i.e. brainwashing them) with ideas that fracking will kill trees in WNF. One area resident called this naked brainwashing “disgusting.” We agree–it is…
    Read More “Brainwash: Columbus OH Pre-K Kids Forced to Bash WNF Fracking”

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    New Lawsuit in Dimock for Old Claim by Known Anti – Ray Kemble

    “You never let a serious crisis go to waste.” That sentiment was famously mouthed by Rahm Emaneul, first chief of staff during Barack Hussein Obama’s reign of terror, later (and still) the highly unpopular mayor of Chicago. That philosophy also applies to other leftists, like anti-driller Ray Kemble, who lives in Dimock Township, PA. Kemble has been trying to shake down Cabot Oil & Gas for big bucks for years. Kemble, whose property has multiple junk cars on it, claims after Cabot began drilling (in 2008) his water well began producing black water. He blamed Cabot–even though junkyards are notorious for leaking nasty chemicals. Years ago Kemble, who has been seen at just about every anti-fracking rally from here to Timbuktu carrying a little brown jug of supposedly tainted well water, settled with Cabot. But a couple of Kemble’s neighbors did not settle. They sued and, in a sham trial, won a jury award of $4.2 million (see Dimock Jury Levies $4.25M Judgement Against Cabot in Dimock Case). However, earlier this month a federal court threw out the verdict and the $4.2 million judgement (see Fed Court Overturns $4.2M Dimock Judgement Against Cabot O&G). The judge said the Dimock lawsuit would have be re-tried. News of a potential new lawsuit and the OJ-like jury’s initial award of $4.2 million must have got old Ray a thinkin’…What if? So he’s just launched his own lawsuit against Cabot, which appears to be litigation over something he previously settled with Cabot…
    Read More “New Lawsuit in Dimock for Old Claim by Known Anti – Ray Kemble”

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    PA PUC Wants Act 13 Language Changed to Avoid Stripper Abuse

    It seems the controversy in Pennsylvania over the Snyder Brothers’ strippers isn’t going to end any time soon. No, not those kinds of strippers, silly! We’re talking about stripper wells, which are defined in PA as wells that produce less than 90 thousand cubic feet (Mcf) for a one month period. Stripper wells are vertical wells that don’t produce nearly as much gas as horizontal shale wells. In 2012 PA passed the Act 13 law that includes a fee on wells targeting shale layers, including the Marcellus. And here’s where it gets a little complicated. Snyder Brothers drills mostly conventional (vertical only) wells. In 2011-2012 they drilled 45 vertical-only wells, but targeting the Marcellus (all of them fracked). Initially those wells produced more than 90 Mcf/month, but by December of the year they were drilled, they produced less than 90 Mcf. The way the 2012 Act 13 law is written, if a well produces less than 90 Mcf/month for “any” month it is considered a stripper well and exempt from paying the impact fee. The state’s Public Utility Commission (PUC) assessed the fee anyway because for 11 months the wells produced more than 90 Mcf. The argument back and forth is whether the intent was “any single month” or not as the trigger to exempt a well from paying the fee. Snyder Brothers went to court and in March, they won, exempting those wells from impact fees (see PA Court Says Snyder Bros Wells are Strippers, No Impact Fees Due). Now the PUC is (a) mad, and (b) worried that other drillers may use the court ruling to argue they don’t owe impact fees. So the PUC is doing two things: (1) The PUC appealed the lost case. (2) The PUC is asking Gov. Wolf, and the legislature, to “fix” the language in the original 2012 Act 13 law, to slant it in their favor…
    Read More “PA PUC Wants Act 13 Language Changed to Avoid Stripper Abuse”

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    2 PA Townships Won’t Enforce “Home Rule” Against Injection Wells

    We’ve previously reported on the story of two Pennsylvania towns that were either hoodwinked, or perhaps willing led astray, by the radical Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) into passing (now overturned) bans on fracking and injection wells in their towns–Highland Twp (Elk County) and Grant Twp (Indiana County). The two townships thought they would do an end-run around the state’s authority to issue permits for two injection wells–one in each township, by re-incorporating under so-called home rule charters. The towns essentially declared themselves independent of the state for a variety of matters, including oil and gas permits–which the PA state constitution clearly says is a function of ONLY the state Dept. of Environmental Protection. In March, the DEP issued final permits to each town, and at the same time sued each town to get those portions of their home rule charters, dealing with oil and gas, overturned (see PA DEP Issues 2 Wastewater Injection Well Permits, Sues 2 Towns). The new news is that the towns will “stand down” and, during their lawsuits, not oppose the DEP’s permits. The towns have “temporarily” acquiesced and will allow the companies building the wells to proceed…
    Read More “2 PA Townships Won’t Enforce “Home Rule” Against Injection Wells”

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    Select Energy Services Launches IPO, Hopes to Raise $159-$190M

    Select Energy Services, headquartered in Gainesville, Texas, offers water solutions, accommodations and rentals, and wellsite completion and construction services in every major shale play in the U.S., including the Marcellus/Utica. Founded in 2008, Select has a regional office in Washington, PA. Company-wide, Select employs almost 2,000 people. The last (and only) time we’ve covered Select was back in 2012, when they jilted Carroll County, Ohio out of building a new facility there (see Select Energy Reneges on Deal with Carroll County, OH). The reason Select has come across our radar screen again is because the company is launching an initial public offering (IPO) of 10.6 million shares of stock, hoping to raise $159-$190 million…
    Read More “Select Energy Services Launches IPO, Hopes to Raise $159-$190M”

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    Williams Responds to Tired Old Claim Atlantic Sunrise Exports Gas

    Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline map – click for larger version

    One of the arguments anti-pipeline advocates are attempting to use to slow down the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project in Pennsylvania is to argue there aren’t enough Federal Energy Regulatory (FERC) Commissioners to listen to them complain. When FERC Chairman Norman “cry baby” Bay left in a huff on Feb. 3, FERC was left with just two (out of five) active Commissoners (see FERC Commissioner Norm Bay Targets M-U on Way Out the Door). On Bay’s last day on the job, he and the other two active Commissioners voted to approve the Atlantic Sunrise project (see Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Gets Final Approval by FERC). When a project is authorized, the very first tactic in the anti playbook is to challenge it. But unfortunately (for the antis), nobody’s home to hear them. That is, there aren’t enough Commissioners to hear their protest and make a decision to reverse their previous decision. Thing is, if they did hear the complaining of antis and decided their original decision was just fine, the antis then move on to filing an appeal in court. But antis can’t “pass go and collect $200” (i.e. go to court) until/unless FERC first refuses to “re-hear” their decision. Antis in Lebanon County have filed with FERC, hoping there will soon be a quorum to consider their complaint against Williams and Atlantic Sunrise. One of their main arguments is a very old argument–that most of the gas that will head south will be exported. Williams took time to swat that one away, once again…
    Read More “Williams Responds to Tired Old Claim Atlantic Sunrise Exports Gas”

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    Lack of Pipeline Approvals by Cuomo = Future Power Outages in NY

    New York Gov. Cuomo has now blocked the Constitution Pipeline from getting built (see NY Gov. Cuomo Refuses to Grant Permits for Constitution Pipeline), and the Northern Access Pipeline project (see Cuomo’s Corrupt NY DEC Blocks NFG Northern Access Pipeline Permit). Those two projects are critical–not only for Pennsylvania drillers, but for NY’s natural gas customers. However, the cancer of pipelineitis seems to have now spread. The Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is behaving with two smaller-yet-vital pipeline projects as they did with both of those large pipeline projects. The behavior observed is this: delay for a year or more, and when you can no longer get away with more delays, simply deny the permits. This time their delay/denial routine threatens electric reliability in the Empire State–because the two small pipeline projects they’re doing it with would feed new electric generating plants. With the imminent closing of a nuclear plant near New York City–by Cuomo–our state needs massive amounts of new electric generating capacity. Fields and fields of solar panels and hillside upon hillside of windmills can’t replace all of the electricity disappearing when Indian Point closes. Natgas generation has to come online–and if it doesn’t, get read for rolling blackouts…
    Read More “Lack of Pipeline Approvals by Cuomo = Future Power Outages in NY”

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    Beck Energy Still Fighting Munroe Falls, Years Later

    Last June MDN shared with you the news that Munroe Falls (Summit County), OH had filed yet another frivolous lawsuit against Beck Energy to prevent drilling–after already losing a similar case before the Ohio Supreme Court (see Munroe Falls Won’t Let it Go: Files New Lawsuit Against Beck Energy). MDN received a statement from Beck Energy’s lawyer which said, among other things: “…the complaint the City of Munroe Falls recently filed lacks any good faith basis under existing law, and it is clear Munroe Falls’ intention in filing this complaint is to harass and maliciously injure Beck Energy” (see Beck Energy Lawyer Responds to Frivilous Munroe Falls Zoning Case). Munroe Falls’ harrasment of Beck Energy has been going on for years (see our list of stories here). Beck counter sued Munroe Falls in this latest case and asked for unspecified damages–meaning the potential for the city to be bankrupted by a big judgment (a very real possibility). Beck has now backed away from the ledge and has dropped some of the counterclaims against Munroe Falls. After all, Beck doesn’t want to bankrupt the good people of Munroe Falls over the illicit actions of its leaders. But there is still “legal wrangling” going on in an effort to end Munroe Falls’ harassment of Beck. Here’s the latest…
    Read More “Beck Energy Still Fighting Munroe Falls, Years Later”

  • Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Mon, Apr 17, 2017

    The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading. In today’s lineup: New U.S. pipes drive natgas boom as exports surge; Dominion requests permit to export Cove Point LNG commissioning cargoes; NY anti celebrates while Upstate dies; EPA’s back-to-basics agenda; FERC clears way for tree clearing in Connecticut; government geologists find US’s largest natgas deposit–not in the northeast; shale, not stock, fuels the wealthiest county in the U.S.; world LNG being transformed by the U.S.; oil no longer spikes when bombs drop; Britain’s High Court clears the way for fracking to begin; and more!
    Read More “Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Mon, Apr 17, 2017”

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    PA ‘Environmental Justice’ Session Brings Out Handful of Activists

    Last December the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) said it would go on a “listening tour” in early 2017, to focus on so-called environmental justice–whatever that is (see PA DEP to Conduct ‘Listening Tour’ for ‘Environmental Justice’). The DEP finally set up a schedule for its listening tour, which began yesterday in Greene County (see PA DEP Conducting “Listening Tour” for “Environmental Justice”). Our take: “environmental justice” means asking poor people if they’ve been abused by the oil and gas industry in any way–and if they have a beef, the DEP will “do” something about it. Yesterday’s first session in the tour was interesting for several reasons. For one, just a handful of people turned out–a maximum of 30 in the crowd. For another, the po’ folk didn’t bother coming. It seems only radical activists bothered to turn up, claiming to represent the abused, repeating the same tired, old lies they always repeat…
    Read More “PA ‘Environmental Justice’ Session Brings Out Handful of Activists”

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    Ultra Petroleum Does Bankruptcy Right, Exits with Higher Value

    Ultra Petroleum, based in Houston, TX, is an independent exploration and production (E&P) company mainly focused on drilling in the Green River Basin of Wyoming. Ultra also drills for oil in the Uinta Basin/Three Rivers area in Utah. In addition, Ultra maintains a position in the Pennsylvania Marcellus shale with leases on 184,000 gross (91,000 net) acres–no small amount. They aren’t currently drilling on their Marcellus acreage, but it’s a good bet they will at some point. One year ago, in April 2016, Ultra filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (see Ultra Petroleum (with 184K Marcellus Acres) Files for Bankruptcy). Shareholders tried to get an official equity committee approved to protect their interest, but that effort failed when the trustee denied the motion. So equity holders (i.e. stockholders), with the aid of Ultra’s management (who happen to be stockholders themselves), adopted a new strategy: wait them out. Management asked for an extension to file their bankruptcy plan, which would put a plan filing date out to spring of this year (see Ultra Petroleum Trying to Force Debtholders to Deal re Bankruptcy). Ultra didn’t want to go the way so many other oil and gas companies have gone–by wiping out existing shareholder’s stock value and handing the keys of the company to the debtholders. Ultra’s strategy was to use time against debtholders as a tactic to force them to the table to deal. It worked. In November 2016, Ultra announced a deal supported by a full two-thirds of outstanding debtholders and plans to move forward (see Ultra Petroleum Gets 67% Debtholders to Agree to Bankruptcy Plan). Ultra announced yesterday it has emerged from bankruptcy, raising nearly $3 billion to pay back creditors and floating 195 million shares of new stock. The company is worth more today than when it entered bankruptcy. Talk about engineering a turnaround! Ultra shows other E&Ps how to do a bankruptcy “right”…
    Read More “Ultra Petroleum Does Bankruptcy Right, Exits with Higher Value”

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    FERC Wants More Info, Route Tweaks from Atlantic Coast Pipeline

    One of the oft-repeated lies we hear from anti-fossil fuelers against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is that the agency “never” rejects a pipeline proposal, and “hasn’t in 20 years.” The conclusion, according to liemeisters like THE Delaware Riverkeeper, is that FERC is simply a “rubber stamp” for “big oil and gas”–not to be trusted and (preferably) shut down. That’s the kindergartenish meme they pedal to unthinking, left-leaning enviro lapdogs (their followers), who believe them. But you and I know the truth. This is that truth: FERC picks over pipeline projects with a fine-tooth comb. When FERC finds something they don’t like, they respond back to the project builder with “suggestions” about route changes, construction guidelines, request for more information, etc. If the project builder decides to disregard FERC’s “suggestions,” the builder runs the risk of having the project rejected. So they change it. It is an ongoing negotiation. What if FERC demands something really wacky? The project builder will push back, but in the end, what FERC wants, FERC gets. Period. And so it is with Dominion’s $5 billion, 594-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline–a natural gas pipeline that will stretch from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina. Atlantic Coast is winding its way through the FERC regulatory process. Last week was the deadline for filing comments on FERC’s draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the project. On Tuesday, FERC sent Dominion a 36-page letter (full copy below) regarding the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, identifying 100 areas of concern with the “suggestion” that minor route changes and workspace reductions would button up most issues. You can bet your bottom dollar Atlantic Coast Pipeline will bend over backwards to make those adjustments. This is how adults handle things…
    Read More “FERC Wants More Info, Route Tweaks from Atlantic Coast Pipeline”

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    Texas Gas Asks FERC for Extra 2 Yrs on Northern Supply Access Proj

    Click for larger version

    Texas Gas Transmission (TGT) is a big pipeline network owned and operated by Boardwalk Pipeline Partners. Originally built from the Louisiana Gulf Coast to the upper Midwest, the purpose of the pipeline system was to supply Illinois, Indiana and Ohio with natural gas. Then the Marcellus/Utica Shale happened and TGT needed to change strategies. Through a series of projects, TGT made the pipeline system bidirectional, so it could flow gas from the Marcellus/Utica to points south, going as far as the Gulf Coast. One of the primary projects to accomplish that objective is called the Northern Access Supply Project, which first landed on our radar in Sept. 2015 (see Northern Supply Access Proj. Expands OH to Gulf Pipeline Capacity). Northern Access Supply was authorized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in March 2016 to “construct a new compressor station in Hamilton County, Ohio and make modifications at eight existing compressor stations in, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana in order to enable Texas Gas to provide an additional 384,000 million British thermal units (“MMBtu”) per day of firm transportation service primarily in a north-to-south direction on Texas Gas’s system while maintaining Texas Gas’s current ability to flow gas south-to-north.” FERC gave TGT two years to get the work done (deadline March 2018). While some of the work has been done, not all of it has–and now TGT is asking for more time–an additional two years (to March 2020) to complete the project. Why? Because one of shippers contracted to use 100,000 MMBtus of that capacity (or 26% of the increased capacity) has filed for bankruptcy and can’t fulfill its commitment. So TGT wants to delay the final work until it has more customers for the other 100,000 MMBtus of capacity…
    Read More “Texas Gas Asks FERC for Extra 2 Yrs on Northern Supply Access Proj”

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    Small Utica-Fired Electric Plant Coming to Ohio State U Campus

    A bit of good news which is sure to drive insane snowflakes on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus over the edge of the cliff. Engie, a multinational electric utility company headquartered in France, recently won a contract to provide energy to Ohio State University for the next 50 (!) years. On the heals of that announcement, Engie has announced a potential plan to build a 60-megawatt Utica gas-fired electric power plant right on the campus of OSU. It will be the first-ever electric plant located on campus. Talk about gall! Doesn’t Engie know that OSU’s precious snowflakes (lib kiddies that hate fossil fuels) will melt?! That their precious sensitivities will be mortally offended? We’re waiting for the storm that’s about to be unleashed with the news of the new plant. Grab some popcorn and enjoy the entertainment…
    Read More “Small Utica-Fired Electric Plant Coming to Ohio State U Campus”

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    OH Injection Well that Caused OH Earthquakes Shutting Down Forever

    In late December 2011 a 4.0 earthquake hit the Youngstown, OH area. It was the latest in a string of quakes that began in March 2011, shortly after a wasterwater injection well went online–the Northstar #1 well. In March 2012 the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) made a determination that indeed, it was the Northstar well that caused the quake–due to its location over an active fault (see ODNR Finds Youngstown Injection Well Caused Earthquakes). When you force liquid of any kind deep into the ground and into a fault (gigantic crack running through the rock layers), that liquid acts like grease allowing the rock layers to slip and slide, causing an earthquake. It’s a rare occurrence, at least in Ohio. Without recounting the entire sordid story, ownership of Northstar #1–originally owned by D&L Energy, whose owner was found guilty of illegal wastewater dumping unrelated to the injection well–the current owner has filed an application to permanently, and for all time, plug and close Northstar #1…
    Read More “OH Injection Well that Caused OH Earthquakes Shutting Down Forever”