Marcellus Drilling News

Allegheny County | Education | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

PTI Welcomes First Class of Welding Associate Degree Students
July 16, 2014July 16, 2014

Responding to the urgent and ongoing need for skilled welders in the Marcellus and Utica Shale, Pittsburgh Technical Institute announced yesterday a new associates degree in welding to train pipe and structural welders. The first class in the new degree program will begin on July 21 and another cohort will begin in October. PTI says they expect both classes to be filled to capacity…
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Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Wed, Jul 16, 2014
July 16, 2014July 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: Wed, Jul 16, 2014”
Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Norse Energy | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY Pro-Drillers Lose 2nd Important Shale Drilling Court Case
July 15, 2014July 15, 2014

Yet another defeat for shale drilling in anti-drilling New York. First, the most important case that will hamper drilling in the Empire State was lost just a few weeks ago (see Shale Drilling in NY is Over – High Court Upholds Town Bans). Yesterday, a lower court decided to toss out the “Article 78” lawsuit brought by the 70,000-member Joint Landowners Coalition of New York and Norse Energy against Gov. Andy Cuomo, DEC Sec. Joe Martens, and former Dept. of Health Sec. Nirav Shah (see D-Day: JLCNY Files Lawsuit Today Against Cuomo, Martens, Shah). The Article 78 lawsuit would have forced them to finally release new drilling rules as they are obviously colluding to stop the release. Other states take two years or less to review and allow shale drilling (see today’s story about North Carolina). It’s been over six years in New York, and with this decision, there is literally no end in sight…
Read More “NY Pro-Drillers Lose 2nd Important Shale Drilling Court Case”
Accidents | CNX Resources | CONSOL Energy | Energy Companies | Greene County (PA) | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

Fire at CONSOL Well Pad Site in Greene County, PA
July 15, 2014July 15, 2014

CONSOL Energy experienced a small fire yesterday around 3:30 pm at their Green Hill 11 drill pad near Waynesburg (Greene County), PA. There are precious few details, but we know that no one was injured, and the fire was out and the fire department left the scene within two hours–meaning it was fairly minor…
Read More “Fire at CONSOL Well Pad Site in Greene County, PA”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

North Carolina Shames New York: Fracking Begins in 2015
July 15, 2014July 15, 2014

It’s taken six long years and New York State still has no regulations in place to allow high volume hydraulic fracturing–to it’s utter shame and the shame of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. When it is allowed (and it will be allowed at some point, you can bank on it), the fight will go local because of a bone-headed decision by the state’s highest court (see Shale Drilling in NY is Over – High Court Upholds Town Bans). By this time next year, North Carolina will have active fracking and shale drilling. How long did it take that state? Two years from the time they placed a moratorium on fracking (in 2012) until last week when the Republican governor of North Carolina signed a law to allow it by next year…
Read More “North Carolina Shames New York: Fracking Begins in 2015”
Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies

Chesapeake Sells Off Another 162 Compressor Plants for $135M
July 15, 2014July 15, 2014

In February of this year, Chesapeake sold off a boatload of compressor plants. They sold 103 “compression units” in the Marcellus/Utica to Access Midstream (Access is now being bought by Williams). At the time, they sold another 334 compressors to Exterran Partners. Proceeds of that fire sale were $520 million for Carl Icahn’s pocket (see Chesapeake Fire Sale Continues: Marcellus/Utica Compressor Plants). Word came yesterday that Chessy isn’t done with selling off their compressor plants. They’ve now sold another 162 units for $135 million to Exterran…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | CNG/LNG | Crime | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

24 Anti-Drilling Protesters Arrested by Homeland Security in DC
July 15, 2014July 15, 2014

MDN reported yesterday on the massive flop of a protest in Washington, DC against the Cove Point, Maryland LNG export facility (see Anti-Cove Point LNG Protest in DC Flops Bigtime). The so-called protest literally got no coverage from the media–except for the terrorist-loving Al Jazeera America network. What to do? Some of the more virulent protesters desperately craved some media attention, so they did what they often do–break the law. More than 30 anti-drilling “protesters” locked arms and blocked the entrance to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission building in downtown DC yesterday. Homeland Security arrested 24 of them…
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CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Statewide MD

Dominion to Begin Cove Point LNG Construction in Next 2 Mos
July 15, 2014July 15, 2014

Despite the best protest efforts by anti-drillers against the Cove Point, Maryland LNG export facility in Washington (see our stories from yesterday and today), Dominion waits for final approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory commission (FERC) to begin construction. Dominion previously got a green light from the Dept. of Energy last September (see Celebrate! Dominion Wins DOE Approval for MD LNG Export Facility). Dominion also got an initial green light from FERC (see FERC Final EIS: Cove Point Won’t Hurt Environment). However, Dominion needs a final approval from FERC before they can begin construction. They expect that approval very soon…
Read More “Dominion to Begin Cove Point LNG Construction in Next 2 Mos”
CONSOL Energy | Energy Companies | Utica Shale

CONSOL Update: Gas Production Up 34%, New Utica Wells Online
July 15, 2014July 15, 2014

CONSOL Energy reports today results for a number of their Utica wells in Noble County, OH. Their “much anticipated” 3-well NBL19 pad went online last week and initial production for each of the three wells averaged 23 million cubic feet per day or more–very impressive indeed! A CONSOL well near the NBL 19, the NBL16A, is averaging 12 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. However, the 16A is also producing 768 barrels of oil per day! CONSOL’s aggressive program has helped drive production up 34% in second quarter 2014 over 2Q13. Below is CONSOL’s operations update issued this morning…
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Energy Services | GreenHunter Resources | Industrywide Issues | Ohio County | Pipelines | Wastewater | West Virginia

GreenHunter’s Unidentified Barge Facility Pipeline Destination
July 15, 2014July 15, 2014

John Jack, VP of business operations for GreenHunter Water, is being a bit cagey. Two weeks ago GreenHunter announced they will build three new, short pipelines for different purposes: one for frack wastewater/brine, one for fresh water, and one for condensate (see 3 New (Short) Pipelines from GreenHunter in Tri-state Area). Two of the pipelines will originate in southwestern PA and one in WV. All of them will connect with one of GreenHunter’s barge terminals on the Ohio River. That’s what Jack is being cagey about: where will the three pipelines connect? Which barge terminal?…
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Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Reserves (Proved and Unproved)

Magnum Hunter Proved Reserves Up 10.7%, Marcellus/Utica Tops
July 15, 2014July 15, 2014

Magnum Hunter Resources (MHR) provided a mid-year update yesterday that shows the company’s proved reserves increased an impressive 10.7%–just since December 2013. The Marcellus/Utica has also become more important for MHR. As NGI’s Shale Daily points out in a story published yesterday, “Magnum Hunter Resources Corp. said Monday the Appalachian Basin now accounts for approximately 80% of its total proved reserves, up from 70% at the end of last year as it continues to divest non-core assets to focus on developing nearly 200,000 net Marcellus/Utica acres.” Translation: MHR is inching ever closer to becoming a “pure-play” driller. Here’s yesterday’s update from MHR:
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Research

July DPR: Marcellus Production Up 28%, No End in Sight
July 15, 2014July 15, 2014

The Marcellus Shale continues to be a monster for production. Yesterday the Energy Information Administration released their latest monthly Drilling Productivity Report (DPR) and it shows the Marcellus will average 15.235 billion cubic feet a day this month, up 28 percent from a year earlier. The Marcellus now produces 16% of all natural gas in the United States. Below is the full DPR issued yesterday, along with a couple of charts not in the DPR that MDN finds useful…
Read More “July DPR: Marcellus Production Up 28%, No End in Sight”
Meetings

NE Shale Innovators: July 25 Deadline for Shale Insight Showcase
July 15, 2014July 15, 2014

One of the biggest and best Marcellus/Utica conferences will happen, once again, in September. The next edition of Shale Insight changes locations this year–moving from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh for 2014. Once again, for a third year running, MDN editor Jim Willis will be there (more on that in the near future). However, the point of today’s post is to alert suppliers of emerging technologies of an important opportunity to showcase your innovations to natural gas producers, midstreamers and the supply chain community. Like previous years, a Technology Showcase session will be held on the day before the regular conference begins. Here’s some important deadline dates…
Read More “NE Shale Innovators: July 25 Deadline for Shale Insight Showcase”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Tue, Jul 15, 2014
July 15, 2014July 15, 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, Jul 15, 2014”
Concord Energy | Industrywide Issues | NGLs | Trucking | West Virginia | Wood County

New Truck-to-Rail Transload Facility for Condensate/NGLs in WV
July 14, 2014July 14, 2014

Marcellus and Utica Shale drillers who are looking to sell more of their condensate and natural gas liquids (NGLs) have a new option. Concord Energy has just announced they will open a new Utica/Marcellus condensate & NGL transloading facility (truck to rail) in Parkersburg, WV. The new facility, which should be operational by mid-August of this year, will allow Concord to ship up to 150,000 barrels per month of condensate and NGLs. Here’s the particulars…
Read More “New Truck-to-Rail Transload Facility for Condensate/NGLs in WV”
New York | Tioga County (NY)

Pro-Drilling Rally to Support NY Gov Candidate Tomorrow
July 14, 2014July 14, 2014

Rob Astorino is running on the Republican ticket for governor, against Democrat Andy Cuomo. Astorino’s running mate, for Lt. Governor, is Chris Moss. Both are strongly pro-drilling and would move to immediately allow fracking in New York if elected. Of course, they don’t stand a prayer of a chance, much as we’d love to see them elected. (Sorry to be brutally honest, but you know us.) At any rate, pro-drilling landowner coalitions are urging their members to attend a rally where Astorino and Moss will speak–in Owego, NY–tomorrow night (Tuesday, July 14). The rally will be held at Hickories Park from 7:00-8:30 pm. Anti-drilling nutters are encouraging their protest brigade to turn up, so it’s important for pro-drillers to attend and and show your support for drilling in New York…
Read More “Pro-Drilling Rally to Support NY Gov Candidate Tomorrow”