Marcellus Drilling News

Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD

Maryland Gets Ready to Frack! Gov O’Malley Files New Regulations
December 16, 2014December 16, 2014

You’ll be hard pressed to find a reference to some of the most important news over the past four years when it comes to Maryland and fracking–but it happened last Friday when Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley filed a copy of draft regulations to be printed in the next edition of the Maryland Register. What does it mean? It means once the rule is published, after a certain period of time it goes into effect and the moratorium on shale drilling in the state will be lifted. This is truly momentous news and the only source talking about it (so far) is the odious Food & Water Watch…
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Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Talisman Energy

Spanish Respol Buys Marcellus E&P Talisman Energy for $8/Share
December 16, 2014December 16, 2014

It’s no longer rumor and innuendo. Looks like corporate raider Carl Icahn has chased Talisman Energy into the arms of Spanish oil giant Repsol. Talisman released a statement this morning to say Repsol is buying the company lock, stock and barrel for $8 per share (U.S., $9.33 per share Canadian). The board of directors for both companies have unanimously approved the deal. Now the PR campaign begins to convince regulators in Canada (and Spain) that it’s a good deal and should be approved. Here’s the official announcement from Talisman…
Read More “Spanish Respol Buys Marcellus E&P Talisman Energy for $8/Share”
Health Impacts | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Research | Statewide NY

NY Gov Cuomo Teases (Again) Health Report Ready “This Year”
December 16, 2014December 16, 2014

Once again New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is being a tease with regard to the fracking issue. Question is, do we believe him this time? Or is this yet another empty promise? During this fall’s single/only gubernatorial debate, Cuomo was asked about the fracking issue and he said a report from the state Dept. of Health on the fracking issue is due by the end of this year (now two weeks away). At the time, his harried campaign staff ran around after that off-the-cuff remark to “explain” what he really meant by it (see Cuomo Staff Explains “End of Year” Deadline for Frack Report). It’s all about managing expectations, and if you’re a Democrat, managing stupid voters (witness comments by Jonathan Gruber and how he and others hookwinked stupid voters to sell passage of Obamacare). Yesterday in a radio interview, Cuomo once again mentioned the fracking health report and said it is “on time” for delivery THIS year. That caught the eye of the Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York…
Read More “NY Gov Cuomo Teases (Again) Health Report Ready “This Year””
Energy Companies | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines | Statewide OH | Summit Midstream | Utica Shale | XTO

XTO Gets Serious in OH Utica, Hires Summit for Gathering System
December 16, 2014December 16, 2014

XTO Energy, wholly-owned subsidiary of ExxonMobil, has an active drilling program in the Marcellus and Utica Shale region. But when was the last time you heard anything about new wells or activity by XTO? The company largely stays off the radar. According to MDN’s Marcellus and Utica Shale Databook, the company gets somewhere between 20-25 new permits every four months to drill in the PA Marcellus. So far this year, XTO has received 11 and 17 permits (Jan-Apr and May-Aug respectively) for new wells in the Ohio Utica Shale, which is the first appreciable drilling done by the company in the Utica. With Utica drilling under way, it must be time to build pipelines to connect the wells–and right on cue, we have an announcement from Summit Midstream Partners that they’ve signed a contract with XTO to build a gathering pipeline network…
Read More “XTO Gets Serious in OH Utica, Hires Summit for Gathering System”
Accidents | Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Monroe County | Ohio | Regulation | Triad Hunter

ODNR Weighs in on Triad Hunter Well Blowout in Monroe County, OH
December 16, 2014December 16, 2014

Yesterday MDN brought you news that Triad Hunter had a well blowout in Monroe County, OH at their Stalder 3UH well (see Triad Hunter Well Blowout in Monroe County, OH – No One Injured). We have a brief update from the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources on that incident…
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Landowner Coalition News | Lease & Royalty Payments | Pennsylvania | Washington County

Go it Alone? Or Join a Landowner Coalition/Group?
December 16, 2014December 16, 2014

Not every landowner can belong to a group that negotiates a lease to allow Marcellus or Utica Shale drilling. In some areas (like PA, WV and OH), much of the large tracts of land is already leased. However, if you can belong to such a group, MDN believes it is in your best interests to do so. For example, take the experience of landowners in Washington County, PA…
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Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

PA “High” Society Meeting Yields News Related to Marcellus
December 16, 2014December 16, 2014

It’s interesting and instructive that when members of the Pennsylvania Society, the so-called “cream of Pennsylvania’s elite” get together for their annual soiree, they go to…New York City. And they party. At this year’s meeting there were several pieces of news that related to the Marcellus Shale. In fact, three of the four major pieces of news are closely tied to the Marcellus. They include: corrupt Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke wants to run for mayor; incompetent PA Attorney General Kathleen Kane will run for a second ignominious term; and new PA Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman appears to be a RINO like the outgoing Senate Majority Leader…
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Commodity Price | Crude Oil | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

How are Low Oil Prices Affecting Marcellus-Focused Law Practices?
December 16, 2014December 16, 2014

We continue to see stories mentioning the collapse of the oil price and its potential ramifications on shale drilling in the northeast. Yesterday we brought you insight into how low oil prices may (or may not) be affecting Ohio Utica Shale drilling (see OOGA Says Some Drilling in OH Stopped by Low Oil Price). Today, we have a story about how the low price of oil may or may not be affecting the legal industry that serves the Marcellus and Utica industry. When it comes to whether or not lawyers are seeing a slow down, it all depends on what part of the industry they serve…
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Commodity Price | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Statewide OH

Dominion East Ohio Says Natgas Prices Stay “Moderate” This Winter
December 16, 2014December 16, 2014

Dominion East Ohio, a natural gas utility operating in the Buckeye State, issued a statement yesterday for the benefit of its customers to say, in essence, the price of natural gas this winter shouldn’t spike like they did last year with the polar vortex. In fact, Dominion East says rates will likely be lower. Characterizing the rates for this winter as “moderate,” Dominion East said the overall rate will not exceed $6 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf). Why? Because of the natural gas being produced in the prolific Marcellus and Utica Shale…
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Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Tue, Dec 16, 2014
December 16, 2014December 16, 2014

The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:
Read More “Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Tue, Dec 16, 2014”
Accidents | Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Monroe County | Ohio | Triad Hunter | Utica Shale

Triad Hunter Well Blowout in Monroe County, OH – No One Injured
December 15, 2014December 15, 2014

On Saturday, Triad Hunter, wholly-owned drilling subsidiary of Magnum Hunter Resources, lost control of a Utica Shale well in Monroe County, OH. The well had been drilled and temporarily plugged as the company planned to drill three more wells at the pad. However, “the well began to flow uncontrollably while recommencing production operations” according to a statement released by Magnum Hunter. Well pad personnel along with 28 homes located within a mile and a half were evacuated. Wild Well Control of Houston has been contacted and (presumably) now on site to contain the well. No injuries have been reported…
Read More “Triad Hunter Well Blowout in Monroe County, OH – No One Injured”
Butler County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | XTO

PA DEP Issues “Cease & Desist” Notice to XTO in Butler County, PA
December 15, 2014December 15, 2014

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) says XTO Energy never applied for or received a permit to push dirt around to create a truck access area near a planned drill pad in Butler County, PA. So the DEP has issued a “cease and desist” order to XTO. Unless and until they get permission (Mother May I?), XTO has five days to patch it up and re-seed it or throw mulch over it to prevent erosion…
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Commodity Price | Crude Oil | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

OOGA Says Some Drilling in OH Stopped by Low Oil Price
December 15, 2014December 15, 2014

Sean Bennett, formerly with Energy in Depth and now senior vice president of the Ohio Oil & Gas Association (OOGA), says that low oil prices, if they stay low, will soon affect some drilling in the Ohio Utica Shale. He points to PDC Energy’s recent decision as one example (see PDC Energy Pushes Pause Button on OH Utica Drilling for 2015). But, will low oil prices affect significantly more Utica drilling?…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | UIL Holdings

UIL CEO “Disappointed” by Phila. Gas Works Deal Abortion
December 15, 2014December 15, 2014

We’re left with one, very strong recommendation, after the abortion of the deal to sell Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) to UIL Holding, a Connecticut utility company: Philadelphia City Council members need to be investigated to see whose pockets have gotten fatter since the deal was aborted. The head of UIL has spoken on the record about the deal for the first time. In an interview last Friday, UIL CEO James Torgerson said he had met privately “multiple times” with all but two (of 17) Philly City Council members and by his count 9 of them would have voted “yes” on a deal to sell PGW to UIL. The only conclusion we can reach is that money has changed hands to stop the deal from going forward. What other conclusion can a sane, rational, thinking person reach? It’s time for an investigation–in particular of Councilwoman Marian Tasco, who refused to meet and talk with UIL even once. Tasco chairs the Philadelphia Gas Commission. Too bad Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, Kathleen Kane, refuses to investigate people from her own party. We say it’s time for a special prosecutor to be appointed…
Read More “UIL CEO “Disappointed” by Phila. Gas Works Deal Abortion”
Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Talisman Energy

Rumor: Resol Close to Official Offer to Buy Talisman Energy
December 15, 2014December 15, 2014

MDN has been following the rumors that Talisman Energy may be sold to Spanish oil giant Repsol (see Rumor Mill: Repsol Once Again Interested in Buying Talisman). The rumors continue–and Talisman’s stock price is inching up, thanks to those rumors. Talisman stock rocketed up 35% on Friday on news that a bid from Repsol is imminent. How much is Repsol offering for the Canadian Talisman, a company with an active Marcellus Shale drilling program?…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

Big Education Political Contributions Dwarf Marcellus Spending
December 15, 2014December 15, 2014

The far-left (and partisan) Common Cause PA, along with the co-opted-by-the-left Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, issued a “report” in November that claims the Marcellus drilling industry has spent upwards of $49 million on lobbying and political contributions in the Keystone State since 2007 ($8 in contributions to political campaigns, $41 spent on so-called “lobbying”). What these two partisan groups don’t tell you is that Big Education and Big Government (teacher and government employee unions) spent $71 million on campaign contributions and lobbying over the same period of time–much of it money paid by taxpayers. Convenient how they leave that little fact out, isn’t it?…
Read More “Big Education Political Contributions Dwarf Marcellus Spending”