Marcellus Drilling News

Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Ohio | Statewide OH

OH Makes $150K Grant to Union to Train Utica/Marcellus Welders
July 7, 2014July 7, 2014

More highly skilled (and highly paid) welders will be on the way soon in the Utica and Marcellus Shale thanks to a $150,000 training grant by the State of Ohio to the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 396. The grant, from the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, will train (or retrain) 40 union welders over the next one year. The money will put Ohioans back to work by working in the gas fields (no “foreigners” need apply). Here’s the official announcement:
Read More “OH Makes $150K Grant to Union to Train Utica/Marcellus Welders”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues

Some So-Called Churches Vote to Divest from Fossil Fuel Companies
July 7, 2014July 7, 2014

Once again so-called church denominations, including the United Church of Christ and more recently the Unitarian Universalist Association (they’re “so-called” because they’re about as far you can get from being a church in the classic sense of that word) are divesting their considerable investments from any company they deem to promote the use of fossil fuels. No more ExxonMobil stocks in their portfolios–eventually. They won’t divest all at once because that may cost them their precious filthy lucre…
Read More “Some So-Called Churches Vote to Divest from Fossil Fuel Companies”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide PA | Sunoco Logistics

Branding Squabble Among Sunoco Siblings over Mariner East Project
July 7, 2014July 7, 2014

For MDN, an interesting story in the Philadelphia Inquirer tackles the tricky issue of branding and the very visible brand of Sunoco. It seems Sunoco that sells you your gasoline at filling stations across the country is often confused with Sunoco Logistics, the company that builds pipelines, like the Mariner East pipeline. Mariner East would repurpose a pipeline that crosses the state of Pennsylvania from west to southeast and would deliver natural gas liquids, including propane, to the Marcus Hook refinery near Philadelphia. Mariner East has faced still opposition (see More Pushback from PA Residents on Proposed Mariner East Pipeline). Anti-drillers are trying to tarnish the Sunoco name and that has Sunoco the filling station company concerned…
Read More “Branding Squabble Among Sunoco Siblings over Mariner East Project”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Mon, Jul 7, 2014
July 7, 2014July 7, 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, Jul 7, 2014”
Ohio | Statewide OH

OH Natgas Production Doubles from 2012 to 2013 Thx to the Utica
July 3, 2014July 3, 2014

Yesterday the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) released production numbers for 2013 and the numbers were truly impressive. ODNR says all oil and gas wells (conventional and unconventional/shale) in Ohio produced 8 million barrels of oil and 171 billion cubic feet of gas in 2013. Compared to 2012, Ohio’s total oil production increased by 62% and natural gas production increased by 97%. The increase in natural gas is due almost entirely to the Utica Shale…
Read More “OH Natgas Production Doubles from 2012 to 2013 Thx to the Utica”
Ohio | Statewide OH

Ohio Utica’s Top 10 Gas Wells & Top 10 Oil Wells 1Q14
July 3, 2014July 3, 2014

The Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources not only released 2013 full year oil and gas production figures yesterday, they also released first quarter 2014 production figures. For 1Q14 the state’s Utica wells produced almost 2 million barrels of oil and 67 billion cubic feet of natural gas from 418 operating wells (out of 476 completed wells). Below MDN has assmebled the Top 10 natural gas producing wells for 1Q14, the top 10 oil wells, and stats by county and by driller. It paints a fascinating picture…
Read More “Ohio Utica’s Top 10 Gas Wells & Top 10 Oil Wells 1Q14”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

Chains & Old Ladies: Kinky Protest Talk in Lancaster County, PA
July 3, 2014July 3, 2014

We’ve pointed out the hardened anti-drillers who oppose the Williams Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project in Lebanon County, PA only number around 50 people–out of a population of 133,568 residents in that fine county (see Lebanon County Anti-Pipeline Meeting Yields a Surprise). When denied a public forum to spew and spout, they sit on the floor and behave like babies (see Williams’ Smart Open House in Lebanon County Confounds Antis). And when they still can’t get their way, they bring in lawyers (see Lebanon PA Anti-Drillers Plot Ordinance Against Williams Pipeline). In neighboring Lancaster County, they have a small anti-pipeline contingent too–but interestingly they were able to get 75 anti-drillers to turn out for a protest last weekend–a full 50% more than Lenanon County has been able to muster…
Read More “Chains & Old Ladies: Kinky Protest Talk in Lancaster County, PA”
Lease & Royalty Payments | Ohio | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

MWCD Reinvesting $300M of Utica Shale Revenue over Next 10 Yrs
July 3, 2014July 3, 2014

The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) covers more than 8,000 square miles of rivers, reservoirs and creeks that drain into the Muskingum River. It is the largest wholly contained watershed in the state of Ohio, covering about 20% of the state. MWCD owns 54,000 acres of land. Early in the Utica Shale boom in Ohio the MWCD was scared off from participating (see Muskingum Watershed Reverses Decision to Sell Water to Drillers). But it wasn’t long before the MWCD board found their resolve and started to not only sell water for Utica fracking, they started leasing land like crazy (see Antero Pays $15K/Acre, 20% Royalties for MWCD Piedmont Lake Lease). All of those water sales and leases for drilling are now paying off for MWCD rate payers and indeed for all Ohioans…
Read More “MWCD Reinvesting $300M of Utica Shale Revenue over Next 10 Yrs”
Guernsey County | Ohio | Utica Shale

Why is Guernsey County Recorder’s Office Still Busy 4 Yrs Later?
July 3, 2014July 3, 2014

MDN has long pointed out an early tip for where drilling is likely to happen is when the county recorder’s (or clerk’s) office gets really busy with landmen and abstractors researching deeds. Sometimes the traffic jam in those small offices can even turn contentious (see Patience Gone: OH County Recorder Threatens to Sue for More Space). The county recorder’s office in Guernsey County, OH was one such place where activity was at a fevered pitch. Drilling is happening in Guernsey–in a big way. However, the recorder’s office, four years later, still hasn’t slowed down–even though almost all property has been bought or leased. Why?…
Read More “Why is Guernsey County Recorder’s Office Still Busy 4 Yrs Later?”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

PA Rep’s Economic Illiteracy On Display re Severance Tax
July 3, 2014July 3, 2014

We have to wonder, is PA State Rep. Rosita C. Youngblood (Democrat from Philadelphia) actually brain dead? At a minimum she’s an economic ignoramus, understanding 0% about economics and business and what it takes to make a successful business. Youngblood had the temerity (stupidity?) to write an editorial for the Philadelphia Weekly Press in which she says casinos in the state are taxed 55% of all money that passes through their hands, and therefore a measly 5% (or even 10%) severance tax on shale drilling is peanuts. Uh, Ms. Youngblood, have you ever heard of the concept of risk in business? Or profit?… Read More “PA Rep’s Economic Illiteracy On Display re Severance Tax”
Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Ohio | Statewide OH

OH Dem Gov Candidate Tries to Outdo “Foreigner Hunter” Kasich
July 3, 2014July 3, 2014

This is interesting. We didn’t even know there is a governor’s race in Ohio this year. The OH race is probably not newsworthy because the Democrat running against John Kasich doesn’t stand a prayer of a chance. Most polls we checked have Kasich trouncing his opponent–Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald–by at least 10 points. However, what’s interesting and noteworthy is that FitzGerald is trying to out-foreigner hunter the foreigner hunter himself, Gov. Kasich. You may recall MDN labeled Kasich “the foreigner hunter” back in 2012 after he started his jingoistic talk labeling out-of-state experts who work on some of Ohio’s drilling rigs and in the Ohio Utica Shale as “foreigners” (see OH Gov. Kasich Continues Trash Talk Out-of-State Workers). Such talk is unbecoming a governor and unbecoming a supposed conservative–and we continue to point it out. Well it seems Democrat FitzGerald is even more extreme than Kasich…
Read More “OH Dem Gov Candidate Tries to Outdo “Foreigner Hunter” Kasich”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Cuyahoga County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Regulation | Utica Shale

Gates Mills, OH Mayor Faces Uphill Battle in Proposed Land Trust
July 3, 2014July 3, 2014

In February MDN reported that an Ohio community near Cleveland had concocted a plan to restrict drilling in their neighborhood by getting residents to sign a restrictive land trust (see Cleveland Suburb’s Socialist Model for Restricting Utica Drilling). As it turns out, MDN was a bit off base in our analysis (yes, we admit when we’re wrong!). The mayor of Gates Mills, Shawn Riley, contacted MDN to set the record straight–something we haven’t had a chance to do, until now…
Read More “Gates Mills, OH Mayor Faces Uphill Battle in Proposed Land Trust”
Industrywide Issues | Regulation

Obama EPA Targets Landfill Fugitive Methane, Compost Piles Next?
July 3, 2014July 3, 2014

A word of warning to all of you anti-drillers who are “back to the land” types–Obama’s EPA is coming for you next. Your own environmental extremism will soon turn around and bite you on the backside. The rogue federal Environmental Protection Agency, since 2009, has targeted fracking and the oil and industry any which way it can, attempting to usurp state regulation (see Rogue Obama EPA Goes on Methane Witch Hunt). We’ve now moved beyond the oil and gas industry. The EPA announced on Tuesday they’re now targeting landfills for methane leakage in their never-ending quest to stop mythical global warming. So we ask: How long will it be before that precious compost pile in your backyard is regulated by the feds?…
Read More “Obama EPA Targets Landfill Fugitive Methane, Compost Piles Next?”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Jul 3, 2014
July 3, 2014July 3, 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: Thu, Jul 3, 2014”
Energy Services | Ergon | Hancock County | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Processing Plants | Washington County (OH) | West Virginia

New Condensate Processing Coming to Utica/Marcellus from Ergon
July 2, 2014July 2, 2014

New condensate processing is on the way later this year from Ergon, Inc.–a company headquartered in Mississippi but with refineries and processing facilities in Ohio and West Virginia (and operations that include western Pennsylvania, Kentucky and New York). Ergon announced yesterday the company has spent over $75 million in the past two years to upgrade facilities, and continues to spend. Coming later this year is a 10,000 barrel per day condensate stabilization facility in Marietta, OH. Coming next year, the same kind of facility (also 10,000 bbl/d) in Newell, WV…
Read More “New Condensate Processing Coming to Utica/Marcellus from Ergon”
Access Midstream Partners | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | M&A | Williams

One Step Closer: Williams Update on Purchase of Access Midstream
July 2, 2014July 2, 2014

On Monday Williams issued a brief press announcement (below) to say they are one important step closer to purchasing and merging in Access Midstream–the former Chesapeake Midstream (see Big News: Williams Partners Buying Access Midstream for $6B). In fact, they’re a LOT closer…
Read More “One Step Closer: Williams Update on Purchase of Access Midstream”