Marcellus Drilling News

CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Processing Plants | Statewide MD

Cove Point LNG Progress Report for FERC – Now 84% Complete
February 17, 2017February 17, 2017

Fossil fuel haters did their best to stop Dominion’s Cove Point LNG export facility in Lusby, Maryland. They sued (see Radicalized Sierra Club Files Cove Point Appeal in DC Court). They protested (see Cove Point Protesters Disrupt Monday Night Football Game on TV). They screamed and hollered and lied (see Cove Point Protester Sentenced to Jail, Lied About Police Assault). But in the end, it didn’t matter. The project has gone forward, and according to Dominion CEO Thomas Farrell, Cove Point is now 84% complete and will go online later this year…
Read More “Cove Point LNG Progress Report for FERC – Now 84% Complete”
Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Ohio | Statewide OH | Taxation

OH Gov Kasich’s 500% Severance Tax Increase a Jobs Killer
February 17, 2017February 17, 2017

Ohio Gov. John “severance tax” Kasich is Johnny One Note when it comes to his desire to tax the Utica Shale industry and transfer their hard-earned money away to other people who didn’t earn it. In January, Kasich announced he would obstinately include a nosebleed-high Utica Shale severance tax (6.5%) in his biennium budget–again (see OH Gov. Kasich Recycles Proposal to Increase Utica Severance Tax). If you calculate it out, Kasich’s proposed increase is 500% higher than what it is now. According to Joe Nichols, policy analyst at The Buckeye Institute’s Economic Research Center in Columbus, the increase in the Utica Shale tax is a jobs-killer in the Buckeye State. Nichols takes aim at this latest effort by Kasich to screw up the Utica Shale industry in Ohio…
Read More “OH Gov Kasich’s 500% Severance Tax Increase a Jobs Killer”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

Pro-Severance Tax Unions Give 600% More than O&G to PA Campaigns
February 17, 2017February 17, 2017

Rep. Greg Vitali

Pennsylvania State Rep. Greg Vitali, from the Philadelphia area, is an environmental extremist. In the past, he’s floated plans to force Pennsylvanians to use less natural gas (see PA Rep. Vitali Wants to Force Residents to Use LESS Natgas). Nobody, except some media outlets, pay any attention to him. He’s so far left even his own party has disowned him, removing a committee assignment from him and reassigning personnel away from his office (see Radical Democrat PA House Member Tossed to Curb by his Own Party). But Vitali needs to keep his name in the news–for reelection purposes. So a few weeks ago he popped back up again with a faux report that says “the system is rigged” in Harrisburg with respect to failing to pass a severance tax. That the reason a severance tax is not enacted is, according to Vitali, because of the money spent by Big Oil & Gas on lobbying and in campaign contributions. Of course mainstream media covers this nonsense without ever bothering to verify the claims. Here’s the facts Vitali won’t tell you in his report. While Marcellus industry PACs did spend $1.1 million last year in campaign contributions, government union PACs spent a whopping $7.8 million in campaign contributions! Of that, some $2.7 million was spent by Big Education unions–the same unions that contributed money to Vitali’s campaign. Huh. That fact got conveniently left out of all the reporting about the “unfair” advantage the Marcellus industry has. Let’s see, unions (in favor of the severance tax) are spending $7.8 million around, while shale (against the jobs-killing tax) is spending $1.1 million. Unions are spending 600% more than the shale industry–yet the shale industry has an “unfair” advantage. Tell us again how that works, Rep. Vitali…
Read More “Pro-Severance Tax Unions Give 600% More than O&G to PA Campaigns”
Industrywide Issues | Regulation

Trump to Issue Exec Orders “Reshaping” EPA – Swamp Rats Nervous
February 17, 2017February 17, 2017

EPA swamp rats: prepare to be drained. Reuters is reporting from two difference sources that President Trump will sign several (up to five) Executive Orders to “reshape” the Environmental Protection Agency, once his pick to become Administrator, Scott Pruitt, is confirmed. That vote is expected today in the Senate. There is one turncoat–RINO Susan Collins from Maine (currently the worst Republican in the Senate, needs to be put out to pasture), who says she will vote against Pruitt (see this Maine Public story). However, two brave Democrats will break with their party’s radicals and vote for Pruitt: West Virginia’s Joe Manchin and North Dakota’s Heidi Heitkamp (see this The Hill story). Well, that’s not quite accurate. They’re both in re-election mode and scared to death that Trump supporters will toss them next year, so they’re voting to protect their own cushy jobs. But whatever. We’ll take it. Back to draining the disgusting swamp that has become the EPA. As we recently reported, the EPA has become a gravy train for so-called researchers, funneling our tax money into programs that suppress jobs and don’t do a thing to help the environment (see EPA Gravy Train Comes to an End – “Researchers” Freak Out). If Pruitt is confirmed today, we expect to see Trump’s Executive Orders issued next week–and that has the swamp rats nervous…
Read More “Trump to Issue Exec Orders “Reshaping” EPA – Swamp Rats Nervous”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Crime | Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines

Energy Transfer Breaks Silence on ND Criminal Protesters, Obama
February 17, 2017February 17, 2017

We have, for some months, reported on the so-called protesters in North Dakota protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline. They are in actuality paid thugs and criminals (see Police Remove Pipeline Protesting THUGS from Private Land in ND). It is not, as the media has lied, some small band of Indians who object to a pipeline crossing ancient burial grounds. That is 100% false. The reason we have warned you about them is because the very same paid thugs have threatened to come to the Marcellus/Utica region next (see Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters Turn Violent; Coming Here Next?). In fact, it has already begun (see Dakota Access Pipeline Radicals Protest in…Scranton?). Energy Transfer, the company building the pipeline, has been extremely restrained in their public comments about these thugs. Until now. On Wednesday the U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing titled, “Modernizing Energy and Electricity Delivery Systems: Challenges and Opportunities to Promote Infrastructure Improvement and Expansion.” One of the speakers was Joey Mahmoud, Project Director for the Dakota Access Pipeline. His testimony (full copy below) lays bear the truth of what has been happening. Did you know that the so-called protesters attacked pipeline personnel–putting one person in the hospital? Did you know they stole or damaged MILLIONS of dollars worth of equipment? That they tried to bomb a bridge and that a bomb did go off, ripping the arm off one of the protesters (i.e. eco-terrorits)? And did you know that of the 660 protesters who have been arrested, 94% of them were not from North Dakota? Mahmoud lays it all out in his compelling testimony. Folks, this is what we may be up against in the near future here in our neighborhood–a well-financed attempt to overthrow our peaceful government with eco-violence…
Read More “Energy Transfer Breaks Silence on ND Criminal Protesters, Obama”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Fri, Feb 17, 2017
February 17, 2017February 17, 2017

The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading. In today’s lineup: Time to boycott Finger Lakes wineries; number of permits in Beaver County, PA down “drastically” from last year; the United States of gas & oil; EPA work slowing down due to hiring freeze; Wall Street’s love affair with energy heats up; and more!
Read More “Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Fri, Feb 17, 2017”
Belmont County | Energy Services | Ethane | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Processing Plants | PTT Global

PTT Global Delays Final Investment Decision for OH Ethane Cracker
February 16, 2017February 16, 2017

PTT Global Chemical, based in Thailand, announced in April 2015 they are interested in building a $5 billion ethane cracker plant complex in Belmont County, OH (see It’s Official: Belmont County Chosen as POSSIBLE Cracker Plant Site). Last May a story in the Bangkok Post said the final investment decision (FID) will definitely come in 2017, but they called the decision “delayed.” PTT disagreed with that assessment (see PTT Global Says Belmont, OH Ethane Cracker NOT Delayed). Last December Belmont County officials said the FID would come by the end of March (see OH Cracker Final Decision Coming Soon, Site Now Cleared & Ready). The disappointing news is that PTT now says the FID won’t come until “late 2017,” which is “several months later than we originally announced.” So yes, it appears the Bangkok Post story was right after all. PTT vice president Toasaporn Boonyapipat, head of the company’s North American operations, released a statement on Tuesday to update everyone on the project timeline. State and local officials were quick to try and tamp down speculation that PTT is having second thoughts about the Belmont cracker…
Read More “PTT Global Delays Final Investment Decision for OH Ethane Cracker”
Allegheny County | Armstrong County | Atlas Energy | Beaver County | BLX-Redmill Gas | Butler County | Chesapeake Energy | Chevron | Clarion County | CONSOL Energy | Energy Companies | Energy Corporation of America | EQT Corp | Fayette County | Greene County (PA) | Hilcorp Energy | Indiana County | Lawrence County | MDS Energy | PennEnergy Resources | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Rex Energy | Rice Energy | Snyder Brothers | Southwestern Energy | Washington County | Westmoreland County | WPX Energy | XTO

Top 20 Marcellus Drillers in Southwest Pennsylvania
February 16, 2017February 16, 2017

The sharp folks over at the Pittsburgh Business Times have been looking through data from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and have compiled a list of 20 drillers who have at least a dozen shale wells in the southwest PA region. And they ranked them from lowest to highest. We’ve grabbed the list below. The interesting thing for MDN is that there is one name in the list not familiar to us, and we’ve been watching this space since 2009. Always fun to learn something new. Here’s the list of southwest PA’s “Top 20” Marcellus drillers…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pike County | Pipelines | Regulation | Wayne County

Anti-Fracking Protesters Turn Out in Force at DRBC Meeting
February 16, 2017February 16, 2017

As we warned you earlier this week, a large contingent of anti-fossil fuel ~~wackos~~ protesters planned to crash a meeting of the Delaware River Basin Commission yesterday (see Josh Fox & Antis Plan to Disrupt DRBC Meeting This Wednesday). Their concern is that the DRBC may be reconsidering its years-long ban on fracking in the Delaware River Basin–a ban which illegally denies landowners in Pike and Wayne counties (PA) from profiting from the Marcellus Shale beneath their land. True to form, the protesters bused people to the meeting from places like New York City–so they could pack the room. On the docket were two items of concern for antis: (1) a short, 8-mile pipeline that will cross through a small sliver of DRBC-controlled territory, and (2) adoption of a two-year water resource plan “that instructs staff to carry out the commission’s natural gas regulations.” The antis are concerned the water plan will restart the discussion on regulations to allow fracking. Although DRBC Executive Director Steve Tambini told the motley crew that the Commission was there to listen only, NOT to answer questions, Maya van Rossum (THE Delaware Riverkeeper) demanded Tambini answer HER questions anyway…
Read More “Anti-Fracking Protesters Turn Out in Force at DRBC Meeting”
Energy Services | Williams

Williams 2016 Results: Northeast Revenue Up 11.5%
February 16, 2017February 16, 2017

Williams released its fourth quarter and full year 2016 update yesterday. CEO Alan Armstrong reports “strong” 8% year-over-year growth for the company. Williams operates nationwide, but our primary area of interest is, of course, the northeast. The company reports the northeast operation’s EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) was $840 million in 2016, up from $753 million in 2015 (an 11.5% increase). Below is the update, along with the latest PowerPoint slide deck used on an analyst call, and the latest Williams “Data Book,” loaded with lots of great details about their various pipeline systems…
Read More “Williams 2016 Results: Northeast Revenue Up 11.5%”
Energy Companies | Stone Energy

Bankruptcy Court Approves Stone Energy’s Reorg Plan
February 16, 2017February 16, 2017

Stone Energy, an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company (E&P) headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana drills mainly in the Gulf of Mexico but also has (or rather had) a presence in the Marcellus/Utica Shale with 86,000 acres of leases. In December Stone filed for bankruptcy protection (see Stone Energy Files for Bankruptcy, Largest Shareholder Opposes). The plan, like most of these types of plans, hoses existing shareholders and hands the ownership keys of the company over to debtors instead, which Stone’s largest shareholder objected to. But apparently that shareholder getting something was better than getting nothing, and he worked out a deal with Stone, dropping his objection (see Stone Energy’s Largest Shareholder Caves, Agrees to Bankruptcy). Last week the bankruptcy court approved the sale of Stone’s Marcellus/Utica assets to EQT (see EQT Wins Bankruptcy Auction for 86K Stone Energy M-U Acres, $527M). Now comes word that the court has approved the rest of Stone’s plan…
Read More “Bankruptcy Court Approves Stone Energy’s Reorg Plan”
Energy Services | Weatherford Intl

Weatherford Tries to Dig Out of Debt – $2.5B Securities Offering
February 16, 2017February 16, 2017

Weatherford International is the fourth largest oilfield services company in the world, employing some 44,000 people. They have a branch office in Canonsburg, PA (Pittsburgh area) with major operations in the Marcellus/Utica. Since November we’ve highlighted the financial problems at the company (see our Weatherford stories here). On Monday, after trading hours, Weatherford filed a $2.5 billion mixed securities shelf registration. What the heck is that? According to Wikipedia, “Shelf registration…is a type of public offering where certain issuers are allowed to offer and sell securities to the public without a separate prospectus for each act of offering. Instead, there is a single prospectus for multiple, undefined future offerings.” Weatherford asked the Securities and Exchange Commission if it can offer (1) 84.5 million new units (i.e. shares) at a proposed maximum offering price of $6.43 per unit to raise $543 million, and (2) offer up to $2 billion in debt or equity securities. One analyst believes the company is around $4 billion in the hole. This is an attempt to claw its way out of that hole…
Read More “Weatherford Tries to Dig Out of Debt – $2.5B Securities Offering”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Regulation

Trump Administration Delays Listing Bumble Bee as Endangered
February 16, 2017February 16, 2017

We’ve written before about the thuggish nature of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The USFWS is responsible for recommending and listing varies species as threatened or endangered–empowered to do so under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). USFWS has WAY too much power under dictatorial rulers like the ignominious B.H. Obama. On September 22, 2016 the USFWS published a proposed rule to list the rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) as “endangered” under the ESA. The rusty patched bumble bee is found in the Midwest and eastern parts of the U.S. If it gets listed, it will have SIGNIFICANT impacts on drillers and midstreamers (see “Endangered” Bumble Bee May Slow/Stop O&G Projects in Northeast). With just a few days left in Obama’s reign of terror, the USFWS pulled the trigger and did it (see USFWS Pulls the Trigger and Lists Bumble Bee as Endangered). Except happily, that’s not the end of the story. The white knight rode into town (D.J. Trump) and with the stroke of his pen, delayed implementation of the onerous new listing. Which has antis, like the Rockefeller-backed Natural Resources Defense Council, up in arms. They’ve just sued…
Read More “Trump Administration Delays Listing Bumble Bee as Endangered”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines

ND Protesters Pollute the Water/Land They’re Protesting to Protect
February 16, 2017February 16, 2017

Here’s a story fake news outlets like the Washington Post refuse to cover. The bought-and-paid-for protesters in North Dakota, supposedly protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline over concerns it may pollute local water supplies, have themselves created a dire situation with their illegal protest camp that now threatens the same local water supply (used by Indian tribes) that they supposedly are protesting to protect! The situation perfectly encapsulates the brain-dead philosophy and motivation of this group of environmental anarchists. Forbes contributor David Blackmon has written a brilliant article that should be on the front page of every news outlet in the country. But you won’t find this story in any of the fake “mainstream” news outlets–because the story doesn’t support the fake narrative they’re trying to get you to believe. Read the following and try not to let your blood boil…
Read More “ND Protesters Pollute the Water/Land They’re Protesting to Protect”
Industrywide Issues | Regulation

House Ctte Investigates EPA Employees re Secret Communications
February 16, 2017February 16, 2017

Employees of federal government agencies, like the Environmental Protection Agency, are supposed to conduct official business of the agency in the open. That is, employees, BY LAW, cannot shield their communications–phone, email, instant messages, etc.–by using encrypted services. The law is there so those auditing, or making requests via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), have access to just how the people’s business is getting done. Republicans on the House Committee on Science, Space & Technology have reason to believe that some career employees at EPA are breaking that law by shielding their communications (i.e. colluding with radical environmentalists)–and Congress is demanding answers…
Read More “House Ctte Investigates EPA Employees re Secret Communications”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Feb 16, 2017
February 16, 2017February 16, 2017

The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading. In today’s lineup: UGI aims to bring natgas to Tunkhannock, PA; time to let Sunoco build Mariner East 2; Range Resources’ landlord puts office building up for sale; Energy Transfer completes deal to get $3.4B in funding for pipeline projects; Rockies natgas revival; learning to frack; energy exports boost allies; and more!
Read More “Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Feb 16, 2017”