Northeast Pa. Data Center Hotspot Due to Marcellus Gas for Power
We’ve seen a flurry of stories about the exciting news that THE largest gas-fired power plant in the country, along with a MASSIVE data center complex, will be built at a former coal-fired power plant site in Indiana County, PA (see Largest Gas-Fired Power Plant in the U.S. Coming in Western Pa.). The Homer City power plant project is located in Western PA. However, according to Penn’s Northeast, an economic development agency working to attract businesses and employees to northeastern PA, Northeast Pennsylvania has become “one of the most sought-after landing spots for data centers.” Why? We can sum it up in a single phrase: Marcellus Shale. Read More “Northeast Pa. Data Center Hotspot Due to Marcellus Gas for Power”
For at least a decade, MDN has brought you stories about refracs, also called re-entries and re-completions, where a driller re-enters an existing and declining well to access more rock and pump new life out of it (
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is America’s largest nonpartisan, voluntary membership organization of state legislators dedicated to limited government, free markets, and federalism. Comprised of nearly one-quarter of the country’s state legislators and stakeholders from across the policy spectrum, ALEC members represent more than 60 million Americans and provide jobs to more than 30 million people in the United States. Even though Pennsylvania is a natural gas haven, Pennsylvania ranks only 32nd in energy affordability according to ALEC’s recently-released Energy Affordability 2025 report (full copy below). ALEC says PA’s existing policies under Gov. Josh Shapiro, meant to wean the state off fossil fuels, have made affordability WORSE. 
After liquefying and exporting over 400 cargoes of LNG from March 1, 2022, through today, Venture Global says its Calcasieu Pass (CP) LNG export facility, located in Louisiana, is finally “ready” to begin “commercial” operations….on April 15th. Nearly three years after it began shipping LNG. Venture Global claimed the CP facility was not commercially ready until now. Last Thursday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave its blessing to Venture Global to start commercial operations as of April 15, meaning the company will now have to ship cargoes to its *contracted customers.* Finally. 
OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Stonepeak to acquire interest in Woodside’s Louisiana LNG; NATIONAL: WTI sinks 14% in two days amid global unrest; DOE offers 16 locations for possible data center, energy infrastructure development; Renewable subsidies are poisoning the nation’s electricity grid; American energy dominance providing the backbone for fair trade; Weather and inventory build set bearish tone for natgas prices; INTERNATIONAL: LNG cargoes land at wider discounts in Europe; EU calls for new funding proposals for cross-border energy projects; Saudis slash oil prices to Asia after surprise output hike; Shell lowers first-quarter LNG production outlook; Europe could need extra $11 billion of gas to refill winter stores. 
We have an important update to share. On Feb. 19, MDN published a post about a Catalyst Energy wastewater injection well in Keating Township, McKean County, PA (see 
For the week of Mar 24 – 30, the number of permits issued in the Marcellus/Utica to drill new shale wells dropped by three from the previous week. Last week, 19 new permits were issued, with 15 going to the Keystone State (PA). Seneca Resources received the lion’s share, 13 of the 15 permits, all in Tioga County spread across three different pads. One permit was issued to EQT (Rice Drilling) in Greene County, and one was issued to Campbell Oil & Gas in Westmoreland County. 
An important decision was recently issued in a federal court case (in Ohio) that potentially affects landowners and drillers with shale leases throughout the Marcellus/Utica. At least, we believe it has broader implications. The case, The Grissoms, LLC v. Antero Resources Corporation, was decided by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (6th Circuit) on April 2, 2025. The case involves a dispute between a certified class of 370 Ohio landowners and Antero. The landowners alleged that Antero underpaid them $10 million in natural gas royalties by improperly deducting certain processing and fractionation costs from their royalty payments, violating their lease agreements. In 2023, the landowners won against Antero in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division (see 
Earlier this week, MDN told you about a mineral/royalty rights purchase made by WhiteHawk Energy, increasing its ownership interest in 475,000 gross acres in the Marcellus Shale for $118 million (see 
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) represent the largest source of natural gas demand growth this year. LNG gross exports are expected to increase by 19% to 14.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2025 and by 15% to 16.4 Bcf/d in 2026. The start-up timing of two new LNG export facilities—Plaquemines LNG Phase 2 (consisting of 18 midscale trains) and Golden Pass LNG—could significantly affect EIA’s forecasting because these facilities represent 19% of incremental U.S. LNG export capacity in 2025–26. 
In January 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in THE most consequential lawsuit for Marcellus Shale drilling we’ve seen, a case called Briggs v Southwestern Energy (see 
A Washington County, PA, man and his anti-fossil fuel lawyer won a victory with the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board (EHB), a special court in PA set up to hear appeals of Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) decisions. The man, Bryan Latkanich, alleges Chevron used PFAS “forever chemicals” in fracking fluids in 2011-2012 when Chevron drilled two wells some 500 feet from his home. Latkanich claims his water well was damaged, as well as his health and the health of family members who drank the “contaminated” water. EQT now owns the wells.