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Marcellus Drilling News
  • Dominion Energy | Energy Services

    Dominion Buys its Own Questar Pipeline in $1.7B ‘Dropdown’ Deal

    November 1, 2016November 1, 2016

    pickpocket.jpgIn September midstream giant Dominion completed its $4.4 billion takeover of Questar Corporation (see $4.4B Dominion-Questar Merger Happens Tomorrow). Yesterday Dominion issued an announcement that the company is transferring the Questar Pipeline to its midstream subsidiary in a transaction worth $1.725 billion. It’s all complicated financial mumbo jumbo called a “dropdown” deal. Essentially Dominion will take money out of one of its pockets and put the money back in another pocket. There are (potentially) different groups of investors for each, so there is a real consequence. We mention the transaction because Questar is a Rockies-based integrated natural gas company operating through three principal subsidiaries. The Dominion deal to buy Questar is an attempt by Dominion to diversify out of the northeast/Mid-Atlantic region. In other words, this is all a big distraction (from our point of view) to the work that needs to get done here at home in the Marcellus/Utica…
    Read More “Dominion Buys its Own Questar Pipeline in $1.7B ‘Dropdown’ Deal”

  • CNG/LNG | Industrywide Issues

    M&I Electric Supplying Power System for New England LNG Project

    November 1, 2016November 1, 2016

    aetiWe spotted an announcement that American Electric Technologies, Inc. (AETI) has won a contract to “provide a turnkey power delivery solution for a new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) liquefaction plant under construction” in New England. Well that caught our attention. Where is this new LNG liquefaction plant located? The announcement does not say. However, we have a guess…
    Read More “M&I Electric Supplying Power System for New England LNG Project”

  • Best of the Rest

    Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Tue, Nov 1, 2016

    November 1, 2016November 1, 2016

    best of the restThe “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading. In today’s lineup: Labor was sold out by Hillary Clinton in NED pipeline; Cabot waits for pipeline progress; Deepwater Horizon attorneys get $555 MILLION; Jeff Immelt’s Baker Hughes purchase; the long term outlook for natgas; and more!
    Read More “Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Tue, Nov 1, 2016”

  • Baker Hughes | Energy Services | GE Oil & Gas | Industrywide Issues | M&A

    Breaking: Who Needs Halliburton? Baker Hughes Merging with GE O&G

    October 31, 2016October 31, 2016

    M&AAs this post is being written and published, the world’s third largest oilfield services company, Baker Hughes, is holding an investor webcast to announce it has struck a deal to combine/merge with/sell itself to GE’s oil and gas business. The deal, according to the Wall Street Journal, will result in a new company that will be 65.5% owned by GE and 37.5% owned by Baker Hughes shareholders. The deal, IF it gets approved by the Dept. of Justice, will create a company with $32 billion in revenues. Make no mistake, aside from all of the “partnership” talk, this is GE buying out Baker Hughes. The CEO of the new company will be Lorenzo Simonelli, chief executive of GE Oil & Gas. The board of directors for the new company will have 5 members appointed by GE and 4 members appointed by Baker Hughes. The deal, if it happens, would catapult the new Baker Hughes (or whatever it will be called) past Halliburton to become the world’s second largest oilfield services company. Get this: The deal may even catapult the new company to become the world’s number one oilfield services company–eclipsing Schlumberger! The question now is, will the Dept. of Justice approve the deal? Earlier this year the Obama DOJ killed the proposed Baker Hughes merger with Halliburton (see Obama DOJ Kills Halliburton/Baker Hughes Merger, Deal “Terminated”). We suppose it depends on who wins the White House next week. Look for Hillary to approve the deal. She’s in bed (figuratively) with GE chief executive Jeff Immelt. As Secretary of State, Clinton lobbied Alergia for a GE power plant contract. After Alegeria gave GE the $1.9 BILLION contract, Jeff Immelt gave a $1 million “donation” to the Clinton Foundation (see GE’s Jeffrey Immelt roped into Clinton cash scandal). That’s how it works in the corrupt world of Clinton Inc. We’re not sure what Trump would do about the proposed deal. Here’s the lowdown on GE’s proposed buyout of Baker Hughes…
    Read More “Breaking: Who Needs Halliburton? Baker Hughes Merging with GE O&G”

  • Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Energy Companies

    Cabot O&G 3Q16: Record Production, 2018 an “Inflection Point”

    October 31, 2016October 31, 2016

    Cabot logoOne MDN’s favorite Marcellus drillers, Cabot Oil & Gas, released their third quarter 2016 update on Friday. Production once again set a new record with Cabot producing 144.4 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas in 3Q16 (up from 133 in 3Q15). The number of wells drilled decreased from 27 new wells drilled in 3Q15 to 11 new wells drilled in 3Q16. However, Cabot has/had plenty of drilled but uncompleted wells (DUCs). In 3Q15 Cabot completed 21 wells and in 3Q16 they completed 23 wells. Once again the company treaded water financial, losing $10 million in 3Q16 (down from losing $15.5M in 3Q15). Frankly, $10M is chump change in the o&g business. The biggest news (for us) in the Cabot update from Friday is their strategy announcement. It can be summed up in one slide from their analyst presentation (see it below) which is titled: INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATE: 2018 IS AN INFLECTION YEAR FOR CABOT. On that slide is a list of six infrastructure projects that are critical to the future of Cabot–all of them expected to go online in 2018. Yes, the Constitution Pipeline is one of the six. Can you guess the others?…
    Read More “Cabot O&G 3Q16: Record Production, 2018 an “Inflection Point””

  • Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Williams

    Williams Confirms Atlantic Sunrise Pipe Delayed Until Mid-2018

    October 31, 2016October 31, 2016

    delayedOn Friday, ahead of releasing its third quarter update, Williams issued a press release to confirm what we already know: Atlantic Sunrise will be delayed. Atlantic Sunrise is a $3 billion, 198-mile pipeline project running through 10 Pennsylvania counties to connect Marcellus Shale natural gas from PA with the Williams’ Transco pipeline in southern Lancaster County. Two weeks ago the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission announced a delay in the environmental review of the project (see FERC Delays Enviro Review of Atlantic Sunrise Pipe to Dec 30). Williams is now acknowledging the FERC delay will delay the final in-service date for the project–to “mid-2018″…
    Read More “Williams Confirms Atlantic Sunrise Pipe Delayed Until Mid-2018”

  • Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Ohio | Pipelines | Statewide OH | Sunoco Logistics

    OH Court Sides with Mariner East 2 Pipe in Eminent Domain Case

    October 31, 2016October 31, 2016
    Mariner East 2
    Mariner East 2 – click for larger version

    An Ohio landowner whose land Sunoco Logistics Partners wants to traverse with the Mariner East 2 pipeline tried a novel legal argument. The landowner’s attorneys argued in the Ohio Seventh District Court of Appeals that pure propane and pure butane–both of which would be transported through the pipeline from eastern Ohio all the way to the Marcus Hook refinery near Philadelphia–are not “petroleum.” At least, not petroleum for the purposes of the permit which grants Sunoco the right to use eminent domain to build the pipeline to transport petroleum products. The Court of Appeals justices rejected that argument and said, in essence, that propane and butane fit under the definition of petroleum as that word has been used for generations…
    Read More “OH Court Sides with Mariner East 2 Pipe in Eminent Domain Case”

  • Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Monroe County | Mountaineer NGL Storage | NGLs | Ohio

    Mountaineer NGL Storage Test in OH a Success, Construction in 2017

    October 31, 2016October 31, 2016

    Mountaineer NGL StorageIn April of this year, Mountaineer NGL Storage announced an open season for a new underground NGL storage facility in Monroe County, Ohio, near Clarington, along the Ohio River (see New Company Announces Open Season for NGL Storage in Ohio Utica). Natural gas liquids (NGLs), including ethane, would be stored at the facility. It is a key, missing component in a plan to build at least one, and likely more than one ethane cracker plants in the region. Storage facility for both natural gas and NGLs is a critical part of natural gas infrastructure. Mountaineer recognized the fact that the Marcellus/Utica will need such a storage facility. A month after the open season, Mountaineer announced it was successful and that they would move forward with the project (see Mountaineer NGL Storage Open Season Successful, Development Begins). An important, initial step in building such a storage facility has now taken place. Mountaineer completed a test well in the salt formation–testing it for thickness. The test was a success. Construction is planned for the latter part of next year…
    Read More “Mountaineer NGL Storage Test in OH a Success, Construction in 2017”

  • Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

    PA Bill to Regulate Unregulated Gathering Pipelines Fails

    October 31, 2016October 31, 2016

    failedTwo weeks ago MDN wrote a post outlining an initiative to begin regulating small, low-pressure gathering pipelines–something not now done (see PIOGA Opposes Bill to Regulate Unregulated PA Gathering Pipelines). Media articles about this issue misstate and obfuscate, purposely, what is happening. Senate Bill (SB) 1235 would “enhance” the existing 811 law in PA. (811 is the number you call before you dig, to be sure there are no buried pipelines or electric lines or other underground structures.) One of the “enhancements” in SB 1235 is that it removes an exclusion for low-pressure natural gas gathering pipelines from being required to be part of the 811 system. Many owners of excluded lines voluntarily participate in the programs. The bill would also transfer regulatory enforcement power over the lines from the Department of Labor to the Public Utility Commission. The Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association (PIOGA) pushed back against the removal of the exclusion for conventional production lines and rural (“Class 1” under federal law) gathering lines. PIOGA is not against knowing where pipeline are buried–they are against onerous new regulations on those pipelines. PIOGA instead pushed for another year to sort out the issue, instead of passing SB 1235 as/is and throwing the conventional oil and gas industry into regulatory chaos. PIOGA won…
    Read More “PA Bill to Regulate Unregulated Gathering Pipelines Fails”

  • Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Washington County | Wastewater

    PA Court Says Range Impoundment Did NOT Contaminate Water Well

    October 31, 2016December 2, 2016

    Gavel-falling.jpgYou may recall that for some time we’ve been following the back and forth between Range Resources and their (former) wastewater impoundments in Washington County, PA. The PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) fined Range a whopping $4.15 million for violations in September 2014 (see PA DEP Fines Range Resources $4.15M for Wastewater Impoundments). Some of the nearby neighbors claimed that Range’s leaky impoundments (a quarter of a mile away) contaminated their water wells. One of those landowners was Loren Kiskadden, who is suing Range in civil court. The problem is, the DEP found that the nearby Yeager impoundment had not contaminated Kiskadden’s well, which led to allegations that the DEP had bungled the investigation (see Did DEP Mishandle Range Wastewater Impoundment Investigation?). Kiskadden had to press on, because if the DEP doesn’t reverse its finding, he has no civil case against Range. Press on he did (see Hearing on Range Yeager Impoundment/Water Contamination Continues). The matter was heard by the DEP’s Environmental Hearing Board (EHB). The EHB found that Kiskadden didn’t have a case–his well was not contaminated by Range’s impoundment. So Kiskadden and his lawyers asked for a re-hearing. The result of that re-hearing came back in December and (we thought) closed the door, once and for all, on the case (see DEP Final Determination: Range Didn’t Pollute Kiskadden Water Well). But no, that was not the end. Kiskadden appealed again. Last week a Commonwealth Court appeals panel affirmed the EHB’s 2015 dismissal of Kiskadden’s appeal of the DEP 2011 ruling that Range’s Yeager site operations did not contaminate Kiskadden’s well water. Have we finally reached the end of this drawn-out saga?…
    Read More “PA Court Says Range Impoundment Did NOT Contaminate Water Well”

  • Ethane | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

    Marcellus/Utica Ethane Heads to India via Texas on Samsung Ships

    October 31, 2016October 31, 2016
    ethane-crystal
    Click for larger version

    This interesting story caught our eye, and as it turns out, there’s a Marcellus/Utica connection. We spotted a story that India’s Reliance Industries, the largest private sector corporation in India with fingers in many pies (including energy), has just taken possession of the world’s two largest ethane carrier ships. The ships, built by Samsung (of exploding phone fame) are known as Very Large Ethane Carriers, or VLECs. The two ships will load liquefied ethane at a port on the Houston Ship Channel and transport the ethane to India, where it will supply three Reliance cracker plants. The connection with Marcellus/Utica? At least part of the ethane getting liquefied and loaded onto the ships comes from the Marcellus/Utica via the ATEX (Appalachia to Texas) ethane pipeline. How cool is that (pun intended)?…
    Read More “Marcellus/Utica Ethane Heads to India via Texas on Samsung Ships”

  • Industrywide Issues | Regulation

    There is Only One Candidate for President if You Support O&G

    October 31, 2016October 31, 2016

    nov-8-electionThis is not an electioneering site. We are not on the payroll of any candidate. We have tried to avoid most comments on the upcoming presidential election. You obviously know where our political sympathies lie, if you’ve read this site for any length of time. Below we bring you someone else’s words outlining, in succinct form, the energy positions and proposed policies of both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. When you read it, objectively, there is only one candidate who supports the oil and gas industry and is worthy of your vote next Tuesday, November 8th…
    Read More “There is Only One Candidate for President if You Support O&G”

  • Calendar

    Calendar of Events for Oct 31 – Jan 30 (90 Days)

    October 31, 2016October 31, 2016

    calendar.jpgEvents related to drilling in the Marcellus and Utica Shale, primarily pro-drilling.

    To have your event included (or if you are aware of a worthy event you believe should be on this page), please send the details and/or a link to have it included to the calendar@marcellusdrilling.com email address. Thank you!
    Read More “Calendar of Events for Oct 31 – Jan 30 (90 Days)”

  • Best of the Rest

    Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Mon, Oct 31, 2016

    October 31, 2016October 31, 2016

    best of the restThe “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading. In today’s lineup: DTE says NEXUS on schedule for 4Q17; rig counts stable in northeast; unbelievably biased green-sponsored push-poll; PA Sen Don White speaks frankly about energy & Clinton; slowdown in FERC approval for Texas LNG plants; Rockefeller family tied to corrupt Clinton Foundation; beginning of the end in Europe’s natgas war with Russia; and more!
    Read More “Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Mon, Oct 31, 2016”

  • Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

    PA Royalty Bill Dead for Another Year – Supporters Vow to Fight On

    October 28, 2016October 28, 2016

    civil-warMDN reported on Monday of this week that we are down to the wire with passing Pennsylvania House Bill (HB) 1391, a bill that would guarantee a 12.5% minimum royalty payment for PA landowners (see This Week Last Chance to Pass PA Royalty Bill – Slim to No Chance). Yesterday the bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Garth Everett from Lycoming County, PA, announced that the bill never came up for a vote and has officially died. Everett said he would re-introduce the bill next year when the PA legislature convenes for a new session. To say that landowners in Bradford County (and other locations) are disappointed is an understatement…
    Read More “PA Royalty Bill Dead for Another Year – Supporters Vow to Fight On”

  • Bradford County | Electrical Generation | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Panda Power Funds | Pennsylvania

    First NatGas Power Plant in Marcellus, Panda Liberty, Goes Online

    October 28, 2016October 28, 2016

    panda-libertyIn May 2014 Panda Power Funds broke ground on building an 829-megawatt Marcellus gas-fired electric generating plant in Asylum Township, Bradford County, PA (see Panda Liberty Breaks Ground on Bradford, PA Electric Plant). In June of this year, the plant was finally completed and went online (see Panda Power’s 2 PA Marcellus-Fired Electric Plants Complete!). However, the official ribbon-cutting ceremony to recognize the proud achievement that the very first built-from-scratch-plant-to-utilitize-Marcellus-Shale-gas happened yesterday. And what a soirée it was! Panda Liberty, as it’s called, generates enough electricity to power 1 million homes. The new plant is, according to Siemens (which helped build it), one of the most advanced electric generating plants in the world. Here’s more details, along with what happened at yesterday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony…
    Read More “First NatGas Power Plant in Marcellus, Panda Liberty, Goes Online”

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