Marcellus Drilling News

Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Investigation: Delaware Riverkeeper Violates Non-Profit Charter
March 18, 2015March 18, 2015

Two days ago MDN brought you the story that two Philadelphia-area so-called non-profit organizations–THE Delaware Riverkeeper and the Clean Air Council–are not only interfering in a town on the opposite side of the state, they’ve caused the residents of that town to pay (so far) over $35,000 in legal fees (see Dela. RiverKeeper, Clean Air Council Cost Middlesex Residents $35K+). Our good friend Tom Shepstone from the always-excellent Natural Gas Now website did some digging and has found Delaware Riverkeeper is violating the terms of their non-profit charter by doing what they’re doing in Middlesex–something the IRS should investigate post haste…
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Butler County | Carroll County | Energy Companies | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Rex Energy

Rex Energy 1Q15 Update: 6 New Wells Online in Butler County
March 18, 2015March 18, 2015

The first quarter of 2015 hasn’t quite come to an end just yet (that happens on March 31)–but it’s not stopping Rex Energy from issuing a first quarter operational update. Rex, headquartered in State College, PA, is mainly focused on drilling in the Marcellus/Utica–in Butler County, PA and Carroll County, OH. According to Monday’s update, Rex placed six more wells (on two pads) in Butler County into sales during 1Q15. Because of problems with a Blue Racer compressor station, Rex reports production in Carroll County was constrained in 1Q15–but they’re quick to add those problems are over and the gas is now flowing again. Here’s yesterday’s update…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Marathon Petroleum | NGLs | Ohio | Pipelines | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

Marathon Utica Wet Gas Pipeline Extends Open Season Extra 30 Days
March 18, 2015March 18, 2015

In December 2013 Marathon Petroleum, Ohio’s largest refiner, announced they would build a new Utica Shale pipeline, called Cornerstone (see Marathon Petroleum’s Newly Announced “Cornerstone” Utica Pipeline). Cornerstone will stretch nearly 50 miles from the MarkWest cryogenic processing plant in Cadiz, OH, heading northwest and connecting to M3’s fractionator plant in Scio and M3’s cryogenic processing plant in Leesville on its way to connecting with and terminating at Marathon’s refinery in Canton, OH. The pipeline will flow crude oil, condensate and natural gasoline. In February, Marathon launched an open season to sign up shippers for the new pipeline (see Marathon Announces Open Season on New Wet Gas Pipelines). The open season was due to end on March 13, but Marathon has extended it an extra month–a sign that there may not be as much interest as originally thought for this project (although Marathon says the extra time allows them to handle “significant interest” in the project)…
Read More “Marathon Utica Wet Gas Pipeline Extends Open Season Extra 30 Days”
Energy Services | Enterprise Products Partners

Enterprise Products Partners Just Raised $100M from Itself
March 18, 2015March 18, 2015

Enterprise Products Partners is a very big midstream company (pipelines and processing plants). They are the builder of the Appalachia-to-Texas Express (ATEX) ethane pipeline, which stretches from the Marcellus all the way to the Gulf Coast. Enterprise joins a list of companies doing creative things to bring cash through the door. On Monday, Enterprise announced that one division (or affiliate) of the company has purchased 3.2 million “units” (think shares of stock) in another division–bringing in $100 million that Enterprise will use “to fund a portion of its growth capital investments and for general company purposes.” That is, one set of investors just handed over $100 million to another set of investors in essentially the same company. Kind of mind-bender…
Read More “Enterprise Products Partners Just Raised $100M from Itself”
Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Ohio | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

Chesapeake: Next Few Years Will Separate Weak & Strong in Utica
March 18, 2015March 18, 2015

Chris Doyle is executive vice president of operations for Chesapeake Energy’s northern division. He previously held a similar position with Anadarko Petroleum. Doyle recently spoke to Columbus Business First about Chessy’s prospects, indeed everyone’s prospects, in the Ohio Utica Shale. Sounding rather Darwinian, Doyle said we’re now entering a phase in the Utica where the strong will survive, and the weak won’t. Obviously he believes Chesapeake is in the “strong” category…
Read More “Chesapeake: Next Few Years Will Separate Weak & Strong in Utica”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Cuyahoga County | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Ohio | Regulation | Statewide OH

OH Antis Handed Crushing Defeat in Broadview Hghts Home Rule Case
March 18, 2015March 18, 2015

We’ve commented before on the lawless tendencies of anti-drillers, particularly in Ohio where, when they lose a court case, they declare the government is illegitimate (see OH Anti-Drillers on Rampage after Supreme Court Home Rule Decision). It hasn’t been a full month since the Ohio Supreme Court ruling and now a second, crushing defeat for anti-fossil fuelers. Last week a Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court judge struck down the Cleveland suburb of Broadview Heights’ so-called community bill of rights that bans all, including shale drilling. Once again, as with the Supreme Court “Munroe Falls” case, we see what sore losers anti-drillers are. If a court case like Broadview Heights doesn’t go their way, they immediately start talking about anarchy–that the government has “ceased to be legitimate.” These are not only stupid people, they’re dangerous too…
Read More “OH Antis Handed Crushing Defeat in Broadview Hghts Home Rule Case”
Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Kathleen “Wag the Dog” Kane Says Chessy Investigation Almost Done
March 18, 2015March 18, 2015

One of the Democrats’ favorite tactics: When the spotlight is on you because of your own criminal behavior, try to turn it elsewhere. Quick, anywhere! Bill Clinton tried it when he was being dogged by the Monica Lewinsky scandal–he bombed an aspirin factory in the Sudan. It’s called Wag the Dog–as in create a new issue to distract people from the old issue you don’t want them to focus on any more. Apparently Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, Kathleen Kane, is using the same tactic. A grand jury says Kane broke the law herself in her role as AG by committing perjury (see PA Grand Jury Finds Anti-Drilling AG Kathleen Kane Lied Under Oath). Kane is fighting the charge in court by using Bill Clinton’s lawyer attack dog Lanny Davis. Apparently Lanny is now advising Kane to Wag that Dog too. So Kane is saying her investigation of Chesapeake Energy over shorting landowners out of royalties due to them is “almost wrapped up”–which of course has everyone buzzing and forgetting about her own criminal behavior…
Read More “Kathleen “Wag the Dog” Kane Says Chessy Investigation Almost Done”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation

Marcellus Pipeline Likely Coming to S Jersey, Confirmation Vote
March 18, 2015March 18, 2015

Since early 2014, MDN has chronicled the almost impossible task that utility company South Jersey Gas set before themselves–running a very short 22 miles of pipeline to an electric generating plant that has been ordered to switch from burning dirty coal to burning clean Marcellus Shale gas (see Sierra Club, LWV Chooses Coal over NatGas in South Jersey). It’s an almost impossible task because the pipeline would need to run through 10 miles of scrub pine trees that some in the region believe are sacred. In particular, the NJ Sierra Club and the League of [Liberal Democrat] Women Voters are opposed to the plan and pressured the Pinelands Commission, the state regulatory body that oversees the area, to not approve the plan. NJ Gov. Christie then booted two of the members of the Pinelands Commission last May and nominated two new members, bringing us a step closer to achieving the impossible (see Marcellus Pipeline May Come to South Jersey After All). It’s taken almost a year, but the NJ Senate has just confirmed the second of those two new members, which most people read to mean that the Pinelands Commission will now vote to approve the South Jersey Gas pipeline…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Commodity Price | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

OPEC Says American Shale Boom Over by End of 2015
March 18, 2015March 18, 2015

It seems that our enemies–countries that belong to OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) are gloating they believe their strategy of allowing the price of oil to collapse is “working” and that they are driving shale drillers in the U.S. out of business. OPEC is predicting the shale boom will be “over by the end of 2015,” after previously predicting the same thing by the end of 2018. Excuse us while we pick ourselves up off the floor after laughing so hard! Will these people never stop underestimating American ingenuity and resilience? Will they always misunderstand and pooh-pooh American exceptionalism–that we are the exception to the rule, virtually the only country in history where liberty and acknowledgment of God-given rights for individuals allows those individuals freedom to pursue their dreams, creating a country free of government tyranny and unleashing creativity and passion so intense it results in achievements in this country that surpass those of all other countries combined? Fortunately for us, it seems the members of OPEC are obtuse and fail to grasp the true nature of the shale boom–how it got started, and why it will continue long after we’re all dead and gone…
Read More “OPEC Says American Shale Boom Over by End of 2015”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Wed, Mar 18, 2015
March 18, 2015March 18, 2015

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: Wed, Mar 18, 2015”
Forced Pooling | Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

The Real Story of Why Forced Pooling Bill Failed in WV
March 17, 2015March 17, 2015

Yesterday MDN reported a story that (so far) few others have bothered to report: West Virginia’s House Bill (HB) 2688 failed to gain passage at literally the eleventh hour–one hour before the annual 60-day session ended (see Republicans (!) Help Defeat WV Forced Pooling at 11th Hour). We believed, and repeated, the reporting we saw on the final vote–that Republicans were largely responsible for the last minute defeat of the bill. That was inaccurate. We were contacted yesterday by Ron Hayhurst, head of the West Virginia Royalty Owners Association, who was himself very much a part of brokering what he believes is the best possible bill (HB2688) to protect mineral rights owners in the Mountain State. Ron told us the last minute change in the House vote had nothing to do with Republicans defecting–and he is right. Although House Del. Pat McGeehan (a Republican) voted “no” both times, he was not the hero of the day, as reported in some media accounts. The truth is this: WV Democrats got their knickers in a twist over losing several other votes last Saturday and they decided to punish the Republicans by denying them passage of this bill. The original House vote was 60-40 in favor of HB2688. The final vote was 49-49 tie (with 2 people missing in action for the final vote). Of the 11 who changed their votes (names below) from “yes” the first time to “no” the second time–all 11 were Democrats. There were two Republicans who changed from an original “no” to vote “yes”–but it wasn’t enough to eke out a win. Hayhurst says when forced pooling is passed (a question of when, not if) the bill may not be as favorable to mineral rights owners as this one was…
Read More “The Real Story of Why Forced Pooling Bill Failed in WV”
Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Susquehanna County

What’s Wrong with the Employment Picture in the Marcellus? Ageism.
March 17, 2015March 17, 2015

This is not an easy story to write. It’s about employment in the Marcellus Shale industry–and about age discrimination. Until late last year, by all accounts the Marcellus Shale industry was, from a jobs perspective, going great guns. Yes, sometimes it was/is necessary to import workers from other states to handle specialized jobs. But increasingly the jobs have been going to local workers and not out-of-staters. Yesterday we received a heartfelt letter (below) from an MDN subscriber. This gentleman is a mechanical engineer with degrees from Penn State and Lafayette College. He has loads of experience in a variety of areas–engineering, contracting, even running a small business. He wants to get involved with the greatest industry on the planet–the Marcellus Shale energy industry. He can paper every room in his house with the number of resumes and job applications he’s filled out. He’s applied for everything from technician to field hand to roustabout (he’s physically fit). In the last five years that he’s been trying, he hasn’t been called for a single interview. Not one. He’s now 52 years old. We don’t like calling attention to stories like this one, but MDN doesn’t shy away from sharing the “bad news” about our beloved industry along with the overwhelming good news…
Read More “What’s Wrong with the Employment Picture in the Marcellus? Ageism.”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

Important & Overlooked Details on PA Gov Wolf’s Severance Tax
March 17, 2015March 17, 2015

More details continue to come out about PA Gov. Tom Wolf’s Marcellus-killing severance tax. For example, did you know that towns and counties that previously received money from the impact fee will continue to get money under this tax–but that the amount they get will be capped? Under the existing impact fee the more drilling in an area the more money that area receives to compensate for the drilling (roads that need repairing, beefing up first responders, etc.). No more. Under Wolf’s plan, there is an upper limit on how much money he’s willing to give those locations that actually see drilling. The rest, you see, must go to pay off campaign debts to teachers unions. Another fatal flaw in Wolf’s severance tax: He calculates the tax based on $2.97 per thousand cubic feet sale price, regardless of what the actual sale price is. Do you know what the sale price for natural gas at the Leidy hub was on March 13th? It was $1.435/Mcf–about half of what Wolf is using as the standard rate. That means the effective tax rate for drillers selling gas for $1.435 is twice what it is for drillers selling at Wolf’s magical $2.97. What do you think drillers in northeast PA (near the Leidy hub) will do? That’s right. Shut in their wells and lay down their rigs…
Read More “Important & Overlooked Details on PA Gov Wolf’s Severance Tax”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Pike County | Regulation | Statewide PA | Wayne County

PA Gov Tom Wolf Supports DRBC Moratorium on Marcellus Drilling
March 17, 2015March 17, 2015

As we’ve stated a number of times, newly-elected PA Gov. Tom Wolf is a major disappointment–a man out of his depth in attempting to run an entire state. Now comes word that Wolf supports the Delaware River Basin Commission’s (DRBC) anti-drilling policies that prevent drilling in his own state. We previously told you Wolf had employed the former anti-drilling head of the DRBC as a member of his transition team (see PA Gov-Elect Wolf Transition Team Includes DRBC’s Carol Collier). Two weeks ago, Wolf proposed increasing the DRBC’s budget by 73%, while states like New York and New Jersey continue to refuse paying their fair share (see PA Gov Wolf Increases DRBC Funding by 73% to 3/4 Million Bucks). Now he adds insult to injury by saying he supports the drilling ban in Wayne and Pike counties in his own state…
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Economic Impact | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Lebanon County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Research | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

Atlantic Sunrise Will Pump $1.6B into Economy, Create 8K Jobs
March 17, 2015March 17, 2015

Williams pushed out a new economic analysis of their Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project yesterday. The project, if built, will cost $2.1 billion and consist of compression and looping of the Transco Leidy Line in Pennsylvania along with a greenfield pipeline segment, called the Central Penn Line, connecting the northeastern Marcellus producing region to the Transco mainline near Station 195 in southeastern Pennsylvania. Additional existing Transco facilities are being added or modified to allow gas to flow bi-directionally. The preliminary project design includes 178 miles of new greenfield pipe (Central Penn North & Central Penn South), two pipeline loops totaling about 12 miles (Chapman Loop, Unity Loop), 2.5 miles of existing pipeline replacement, two new compressor facilities in PA, and other facility additions or modifications in five states (PA, MD, VA, NC, SC). There’s been some push back by small groups of anti-drillers in places like Lebanon County and Lancaster County (PA) where a phony Indian tribe claims the pipeline will run through ancient burial grounds (see Convicted Lancaster Protesters Taunt Williams After Court Date). Meanwhile, the adults at Williams continue to make progress. The analysis they released yesterday shows the Atlantic Sunrise project will pump $1.6 billion into the economies of the states where it’s built, and create 8,000 jobs…
Read More “Atlantic Sunrise Will Pump $1.6B into Economy, Create 8K Jobs”
Commodity Price | Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Research

Is Natgas a Good Long-Term Fuel to Fire Electric Plants?
March 17, 2015March 17, 2015

Last week MDN told you the Union of So-Called Concerned Scientists had issued a “report” (rather unscientific, written by someone with a political science degree) to say even though Obama’s war on coal has been successful, it’s having the unintended consequence of electric generation power plants switching from coal to natural gas to fire them. UCS and other so-called green groups irrationally hate fossil fuels and want the switching to be from coal to so-called renewables, like solar and wind. So in an effort to besmirch and call into doubt the long-term viability of natural gas as a fuel source to generate electricity, UCS issued a report saying using natural gas to power electric plants is a “gamble” (see UCS “Report” Says Using Natural Gas for Electric Generation Big Gamble). The theory is that natural gas will run out in a few years, or become obscenely expensive, and all of those natgas-fired electric plants will mean super high electric rates. The problem with such “reports” is something called reality. We just noticed a press release from Midland Cogeneration Venture (MCV), the country’s largest natural-gas fired combined heat and electrical power generating plant, located in Michigan. The release was to commemorate an important milestone for MCV–the plant has been up and operating and supplying enough electricity for one million homes PLUS electricity and steam for major industry facilities, for the last 25 years…
Read More “Is Natgas a Good Long-Term Fuel to Fire Electric Plants?”