Marcellus Drilling News

Accidents | Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Monroe County | Ohio | Triad Hunter

Residents Near Leaking Triad Hunter Well in OH Still Displaced
December 22, 2014December 22, 2014

It’s now 10 days since Triad Hunter, a division of Magnum Hunter, lost control of a Utica Shale gas well in Monroe County, OH (see Triad Hunter Well Blowout in Monroe County, OH – No One Injured). The problem is, for the 28 homes (50 or so people) who live nearby, they are still displaced–evacuated from their homes. They’ve been allowed back for a few hours at a time, periodically. But the wellhead needs to be replaced and until that’s done, it’s not safe for them to return full-time. Triad Hunter is hoping that Wild Well Control will have the wellhead replaced so that residents can return home tomorrow–December 23rd–and spend Christmas at home instead of at the friends, family and hotel rooms they’re staying in now…
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Chester County | Columbia Pipeline Group | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Northampton County | Pennsylvania | Pike County | Pipelines | Regulation

FERC Approves Columbia East Side Project in SE PA
December 22, 2014December 22, 2014

In March 2013, Columbia Gas Transmission, a subsidiary of Nisource, applied to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to add then-16 miles (now 19 miles) of new pipeline in southeastern PA and NJ to help fire a natural gas-fired electricity generating plant with cheap Marcellus Shale gas (see Columbia’s SE PA Pipeline Project Includes Compressor Upgrade). The project, called the East Side Expansion, faced some stiff opposition–especially with upgrades to a compressor station in Forks Township, Northampton County (see Columbia Hits Resistance to Compressor Upgrade in SE PA). Last Friday, Columbia announced FERC has approved the project and construction will now begin…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

FERC Approves Williams Leidy Southeast Project in PA/NJ
December 22, 2014December 22, 2014

Since January 2013, Williams has been working on a project called Leidy Southeast that will create several new loops in northeast Pennsylvania and in New Jersey (including new compressor stations) to bump up the capacity of the Williams Transco interstate gas pipeline (see Williams Takes Next Step with Transco Leidy Pipeline Expansion). In August, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) said there would be no significant impacts to the environment, a good sign that the project would get the green light (see FERC Says “No Significant Impact” from Leidy Southeast Pipeline). The green light came last Thursday when FERC gave final approval for the project…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Health Impacts | Industrialization | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Partisan Attack on Shale Drilling by PA Budget & Policy Center
December 22, 2014December 22, 2014

The virulently leftist, anti-drilling and partisan so-called non-profit Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (kook lefties) released a report last week, funded by the Park Foundation and Mamma Teresa Heinz Kerry’s Heinz Endowments, that says shale drilling in Pennsylvania is responsible for just about everything bad: high deaths due to traffic accidents, high rents, crime, and (don’t laugh), even sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Who knows–maybe even the Black Plague, ebola, sun spots, stray comets and other calamities can also be laid at the feet of shale drilling…
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Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Unemployment “Plummets” in SWPA, Thanks to the Marcellus
December 22, 2014December 22, 2014

All we heard about, endlessly, from mainstream media in Pennsylvania during the 2014 PA campaign for governor is how Corbett (Satan himself) can’t do anything right, and even his so-called best buddies in the energy industry couldn’t cover up the fact that Pennsylvania is losing jobs like crazy. Unemployment in the Keystone State sucks. Where are all those promised shale jobs? Yada yada yada. So went the narrative. But that was then, this is now. Now that the media’s candidate (Tom Wolf) has won, it’s time to start telling the truth again. The truth? In places where there’s active drilling, like southwestern PA, unemployment numbers are way down, at historic lows…
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New York | Tioga County (NY)

Remembering NY Pro-Gas Fighter Nick Schoonover
December 22, 2014December 23, 2014

Nicholas J. “Nick” Schoonover, of Tioga Center, NY was a beloved son, husband, father, grandfather, brother-in-law, uncle and dedicated pro-driller. Nick passed away on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton after a courageous 26 month battle with chronic lyme disease. We are cross-posting an article from Tom Shepstone’s excellent Natural Gas Now website to commemorate Nick. We didn’t personally know Nick, but MDN friend Vic Furman did, and Vic writes a great post about a man who was instrumental in the fight to allow fracking in New York…
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New York | Pennsylvania | Statewide NY | Statewide PA

Shale Gas News Radio – December 20, 2014 [Audio]
December 22, 2014December 22, 2014

Every Saturday the one-hour Shale Gas News show airs on Scranton, PA’s 94.3 FM “The Talker” radio station. The show is co-hosted by Kevin Lynn of Linde Corporation and Bill desRosiers from Cabot Oil & Gas. MDN editor Jim Willis knows Bill and counts him as a friend. Bill asked Jim to join he and Kevin on this past Saturday’s program to discuss the New York decision to ban shale drilling. Below is the lineup for the show (Jim appeared at the beginning of the program), along with an option to listen to a recording of the full hour. MDN will bring you the latest program show notes and recordings for Shale Gas News each week (well worth your time to listen)…
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Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Mon, Dec 22, 2014
December 22, 2014December 22, 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: Mon, Dec 22, 2014”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY Gov Cuomo Takes Heat, Questions from Reporters Over Frack Ban
December 19, 2014December 19, 2014

New York State remains closed for business. It is the single most business unfriendly state in the union, we’re ashamed to admit. But face the truth we must. Yesterday, NY Gov. Andrew “spineless” Cuomo took heat and questions from reporters over his decision to ban fracking in the Empire State. It was a shameful performance–he once again tried to hide behind the skirts of his health and environmental commissioners. Here’s some of his comments to reporters:
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | New York | Regulation | Statewide MD | Statewide NY

Anti-Drillers Seek Domino Effect in More States After NY Frack Ban
December 19, 2014December 19, 2014

On the day New York Gov. Andrew “spineless” Cuomo announced, via his proxies, that the Empire State will ban fracking, MDN warned you that anti-fossil fuelers would use it as a rallying cry to try to force their will on other states (see Antis to Take Frack Ban Campaigns National with NY “Success”). We hate it when we’re right–in this case anyway. Calling New York a “turning point,” a bevy of nutters and agitators are now gushing on every reporter who will listen how they’re now aiming to shut down or prevent fracking other states, including California, Illinois, Maryland, and North Carolina…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

In Light of NY Frack Ban, What Happens to Signed Leases?
December 19, 2014December 19, 2014

What happens to New York landowners who already signed leases with drilling companies, now that fracking has been banned by New York Gov. Cuomo? Will those leases expire? Could drillers decide to drill a vertical-only well?…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

IOGANY Weighs in on Cuomo’s NY Frack Ban
December 19, 2014December 19, 2014

MDN is a member of the Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York (IOGANY). We joined to support oil and gas drilling in New York State–our home. So we receive emails to the membership from Brad Gill, executive director of IOGANY. (Brad is an MDN friend, by the way. A really great guy.) Anywho, we don’t want to belabor the bad news of New York’s frack ban, but Brad sent around a summary yesterday of what happened during the Cuomo cabinet meeting/announcement, along with his own critique. We found Brad’s viewpoint useful and thought you would too…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide NY | Statewide PA

Dela. Riverkeeper Maya van Rossum Takes Credit for NY Frack Ban
December 19, 2014December 19, 2014

Talk about breathtaking arrogance. We always knew THE Delaware Riverkeeper, Maya van Rossum, had a high opinion of herself. But we didn’t fully know, until now, just how arrogant she truly is. Get this: van Rossum is taking credit for New York’s decision to ban fracking. Delusions of grandeur, anyone? Trying to puff up your own importance when relatively few know you even exist? According to van Rossum, the decision to allow fracking in Pennsylvania is all political, and the decision to ban fracking in New York is all based on science. Can anyone say LMAO?…
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CNG/LNG | Energy Companies | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Range Resources Corp

Cheniere Deal Means Some Marcellus Gas Will Go to Portugal
December 19, 2014December 19, 2014

At least one Marcellus Shale producer, Range Resources, will send Marcellus gas all the way to the Gulf Coast and Cheniere Energy’s LNG export facility in Sabine Pass near Corpus Christi, TX (see Range Announces Multiple Agreements to Sell Natgas & Ethane). It’s quite probable other producers will also ship Marcellus and Utica gas to the Cheniere facility for export as well (see More Marcellus Gas Going to Cheniere LNG Export Facility in TX?). So who will be buying at least some of that Marcellus gas? Yesterday, Cheniere announced a 20-year deal to sell LNG to Portuguese utility company EDP…
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CNG/LNG | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Wyoming County (PA)

P&G Plant in NEPA Adds Marcellus CNG Filling Station
December 19, 2014December 19, 2014

One of the most overlooked stories of the past few years in MDN’s opinion is the story of Proctor & Gamble in Wyoming County, PA (near Wilkes-Barre). P&G has some 150 massive manufacturing plants worldwide to make their products. The plant in Wyoming County makes Pampers and Luvs diapers, and Charmin toilet paper. Like the other P&G plants, the massive Wyoming plant consumes a LOT of electricity–800 billion killowatt hours, enough energy to run 40,000 homes. However, as of last year, all of the electricity P&G needs at the Wyoming plant is produced by P&G–using Marcellus gas to power its own electric plant (see P&G’s Only Energy Self-Sufficient Plant is Powered by Marcellus). It is the only P&G plant worldwide that is 100% energy self-sufficient–right in northeast PA. Now, Marcellus gas from the P&G property will also be used to feed a compressed natural gas (CNG) filling station located at the plant…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV’s Top Wheeling Water Warrior Hangs up Her Cape
December 19, 2014December 19, 2014

It is a sad day. The proud Wheeling Water Warriors–with their super hero capes flapping in the breeze–are now reduced in rank by one. The top Warrior, the woman who started it all–Robin Mahonen–is hanging up her cape and leaving West Virginia. You may recall MDN talking about the Warriors, formed in 2013 to oppose a proposed frack wastewater treatment/barge facility in Wheeling (see “Wheeling Water Warriors” Oppose GreenHunter Wastewater Facility). We’ve had some fun poking fun at this group of anti-drilling nutters over the past year and a half (see our stories here). It seems that WV Democrat Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s plan to drill under the Ohio River was the last straw for Ms. Mahonen, who sent the following “open letter” to the governor to protest drilling under the river and to let Tomblin know why she’s leaving the state…
Read More “WV’s Top Wheeling Water Warrior Hangs up Her Cape”