TETCO PA Pipeline Explosion Still Limiting NatGas Flow Month Later
An update on Spectra Energy’s Texas Eastern Transmission’s “Delmont Line 27” which exploded in Westmoreland County, PA on April 29 (see Texas Eastern Pipeline Explodes near Pittsburgh, Antis Celebrate). We previously told you that not only was Line 27 out of commission, so too were three other pipelines running through the same corridor, meaning 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day is not reaching certain mid-Atlantic markets (see Update on Spectra Pipeline Explosion Near Pittsburgh). The early evidence points to corrosion along welded seams, although the jury is still out and the exact cause may not be known for months (see Preliminary Guess on TETCO Pipeline Explosion Cause: Corrosion). One of the four lines that was offline (Line 19) was examined and certified by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in early May to go back online (see TETCO Pipeline Up & Running Post-Explosion; Antis Exploit Accident). But since that time the other three lines have remained idle. When will the other three lines go back into service? And, did the Line 27 explosion cause any lasting airborne hazards?…
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Some 160 people showed up for the Utica Midstream Seminar held yesterday at the National Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH. The event, sponsored by the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and ShaleDirectories.com, provided updates on three major pipeline projects either under construction or soon to be under construction in the Buckeye State: Marathon Petroleum’s Cornerstone Pipeline, Spectra Energy’s NEXUS pipeline project, and Energy Transfer’s Rover pipeline project. Here’s what reps from each organization had to say about their respective projects…
On Tuesday Rice Midstream, the pipeline subsidiary of Rice Energy (operating in the Marcellus/Utica region) announced they will offer new “units” (think shares of stock) in the company. Rice said they will float an initial 8 million units, with an option of selling an additional 1.2 million units. The company hopes to get $18.50 per unit, meaning they are looking to raise $148 – $170 million by selling off more of the company. Rice first spun the midstream division into its own company (on paper) in December 2014. They got $16.50 per unit at the time, a total of $441.6 million (see 
This is the story of wasting $2.5 million of taxpayer’s money. Penn State has given us some of the best research (and personnel) we’ve ever seen when it comes to the Marcellus Shale. In particular we’re thinking of Penn State’s 
In April MDN brought you the news that New York City’s largest utility company–Consolidated Edison Inc.–had formed a 50/50 joint venture to purchase ownership of pipelines and storage facilities from Crestwood Equity Partners in the PA and NY Marcellus region (see 
Ever hear the phrase, “Better to try and fail than never to try at all.” That’s actually the name of a poem from William O’Brien (dead poet, read his famous poem 
Five more wackos were recently arrested in Vermont, chaining themselves to a short pipeline being built to deliver more clean-burning natural gas. The so-called “protesters” (whom we will now refer to as enviro gangsters, see today’s companion story) endangered themselves, pipeline workers and emergency personnel who had to extricate them. Keep a sharp eye out. When these kind of nutters wake up and understand their tactics aren’t working, they sometimes tip over into eco-terrorism. We’ve seen it before…
The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading. In today’s lineup: Marcellus/Utica pipeline overbuild; the economics of a new gas pipeline in the NE; secret is out, NY AG began RICO investigation BEFORE InsideClimate story; Ohio Valley lures manufacturers with low natgas prices; DTE retiring 8 coal plants in Michigan by 2023; federal pipeline rules to complex; how pigging works; and more!
In May MDN told you that Seventy Seven Energy (SSE), the old Chesapeake Oilfield Operating unit that was spun into its own company a few years ago, was planning to screw shareholders by devaluing their shares to worthless status and converting the company’s considerable outstanding debts into new shares of ownership (see 
Baker Hughes released their monthly rig count, for May, yesterday. While the worldwide rig count went up by 9, it continued to crash here at home in the U.S. May’s rig count in the U.S. was down another 7% (in one month), from April’s count. Sadly the trend was the same in the northeast. While PA’s count averaged the same month over month–16 active rigs–both OH and WV slid, with 10 rigs operating in each state. Overall the Marcellus/Utica rig count was down by 3 in the past month…
Last week three former CEOs of the Williams Companies sent a letter to Williams shareholders outlining their reasons for voting against the proposed merger with Energy Transfer Equity (copy of the letter embedded below). The CEOs urge all shareholders to “strongly consider” voting against the deal. The CEOs say the deal would give Williams shareholders a permanent second class status. The mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma–where Williams is headquartered–is also voicing his opposition to the proposed merger. Mayor Dewey Bartlett Jr. said in his own letter that the merger has no “economic merit” and would be “tragic” for both the city shareholders. MDN told you yesterday we’re dubious the deal will actually happen, based on all of the legal posturing we see (see 
An update on the notorious case of illegal frack wastewater dumping near Youngstown, OH that happened in 2012 and 2013. Ben Lupo, previous owner of D&L Energy and its associated company Hardrock Excavating, directed employees to dump frack wastwater hauled by Hardrock into a drain that emptied into a stream that emptied into the Mahoning River near Youngstown, OH (see