Marcellus Drilling News

Clearfield County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Wastewater

EPA Issues “Final” Permit for PA Injection Well, Then Rescinds It
May 23, 2014May 23, 2014

Looks like the word “final” doesn’t really mean “final”–at least for the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA issued a “final permit” to Windfall Oil and Gas to drill a wastewater injection well near Dubois (Clearfield County), PA in February (see New Wastewater Injection Well Approved in Clearfield County, PA). The EPA’s exact language when issuing the permit after 18 months of evaluation: “Based on all of the public comments received, EPA is issuing a final permit to Windfall Oil and Gas.” The “final” permit allows Windfall to operate the well until 2019 (see a copy of the permit below). But then anti-drillers got involved and pressured the EPA. So the EPA has just taken the “unusual step” of withdrawing it’s “final” approval for the injection well. What’s it called when someone changes his or her mind on a whim? Oh yeah, flaky…
Read More “EPA Issues “Final” Permit for PA Injection Well, Then Rescinds It”
Industrywide Issues | Landfills | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide PA

PIOGA Issues “Plea” to Drillers for Drill Cutting Samples for Study
May 23, 2014May 23, 2014

The Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association (PIOGA) is putting out “a plea” for drillers in PA to lend a hand. PIOGA wants to prove to the state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) that drill cuttings are not radioactive and not “laced” with dangerous chemicals. Why do they want to prove it? So that drill cuttings (leftover rock and dirt when the borehole is drilled) can be recycled and used as fill on drilling sites, and as fill for construction sites in general. Problem is, the drillers are not cooperating…
Read More “PIOGA Issues “Plea” to Drillers for Drill Cutting Samples for Study”
Belmont County | Industrywide Issues | Landfills | Ohio | Statewide OH

ODNR Allows Drill Cuttings to be Used for Construction, Roads
May 23, 2014May 23, 2014

An interesting juxtaposition for MDN. We reported in a story today that PIOGA has put out a plea for drill cutting samples so they can perform a study that will prove to the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) that drill cuttings are not radioactive or laced with chemicals and that it’s safe to recycle them for use in things like fill for construction sites–and even road work. Recycling is good! The juxtaposition is Ohio, where the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) already allows the use of drill cuttings for such purposes–with a permit of course…
Read More “ODNR Allows Drill Cuttings to be Used for Construction, Roads”
American Energy Partners | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Utica Shale

Aubrey McClendon Raises Huge $8.7B for Shale Drilling…So Far
May 23, 2014May 23, 2014

Aubrey McClendon certainly has not let getting fired from the company he co-founded, Chesapeake Energy, slow him down. Aubrey has now raised an eye-popping $8.7 billion in capital to fund oil and gas drilling–much of it in the Utica Shale. Nearly half of that, around $4 billion, is coming in deals aimed at the Permian Basin (in Texas) and the Marcellus Shale. Those deals, according to an interview granted by McClendon last week at a conference in Houston, are still not “announced” nor “detailed”. He plans to announce the deals by the end of summer…
Read More “Aubrey McClendon Raises Huge $8.7B for Shale Drilling…So Far”
Industrywide Issues | Research | Soil

Earth to Mars: We’re Coming to Frack You!
May 23, 2014May 23, 2014

No, this is not a spoof nor a joke. A petroleum engineer and professor at the Colorado School of Mines, Alfred William Eustes III, will address a meeting of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in Aberdeen, United Kingdom on May 28th. The topic of his discussion? How oil and gas drilling techniques developed here on earth may help us discover whether or not there currently is or previously has been life under the surface on Mars…
Read More “Earth to Mars: We’re Coming to Frack You!”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Fri, May 23, 2014
May 23, 2014May 23, 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: Fri, May 23, 2014”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA | Taxation

PA Democrat Primary Results & Possible Impact on the Marcellus
May 22, 2014May 22, 2014

Results from yesterday’s Pennsylvania primary to report that have potential consequences for the Marcellus Shale. In particular, the race for governor and the race for anyone but Jesse White for the PA House in Washington County…
Read More “PA Democrat Primary Results & Possible Impact on the Marcellus”
Energy Companies | Lease & Royalty Payments | Ohio | Protege Energy | Utica Shale | Washington County (OH)

Delay in Leasing City-Owned Land Costs Marietta, OH Big $
May 22, 2014May 22, 2014

The mayor of Marietta, OH says the city probably missed the boat to lease 95 acres of city-owned land for Utica Shale drilling–and he blames city council for dithering about getting an ad placed to announce the land is available (death by committee). But perhaps all is not lost…
Read More “Delay in Leasing City-Owned Land Costs Marietta, OH Big $”
Industrywide Issues | Pipelines

Marcellus Pipeline May Come to South Jersey After All
May 22, 2014May 22, 2014

In January MDN brought you the story that due to incessant nagging from the NJ Sierra Club and the NJ League of [Liberal Democrat] Women Voters the Pinelands Commission, which oversees a stand of scrub pines in South Jersey, nixed a plan for a new natural gas pipeline to bring cheap, clean, abundant Marcellus Shale natural gas to South Jersey (see Sierra Club, LWV Chooses Coal over NatGas in South Jersey). NJ Gov. Chris Christie has just appointed two new members to the Pinelands Commission, replacing two who voted against the plan. Re-vote time?…
Read More “Marcellus Pipeline May Come to South Jersey After All”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lebanon County | Luzerne County | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

Williams Open House Sheds more Light on Transco Atlantic Sunrise
May 22, 2014May 22, 2014

On Tuesday night Williams held the first of 10 open houses (this one in Luzerne County) on their roadshow to discuss the proposed Atlantic Sunrise Project includes new and reversed pipeline flows for the mighty Transco (see Williams Plans $2.1B Transco Pipeline Expansion, 100% Sold Already). The Transco, built 50 years ago, as always brought gas from the southwest to the northeast. Under Williams’ plan, new pipes will carry gas to the northeast/New England markets, but the vast majority of the existing pipeline will become bidirectional–able to flow gas in either direction–carrying cheap Marcellus Shale gas to southern markets…
Read More “Williams Open House Sheds more Light on Transco Atlantic Sunrise”
Commodity Price | Industrywide Issues

Platts Launches New Daily Price Assessments for Shale Value Chain
May 22, 2014May 22, 2014

On Tuesday, Platts announced six new “daily price assessments” for the shale “value chain.” These are price indices–price calculations of various kinds (think the Dow Jones Industrial Average) that can be used to better understand what factors are driving the shale market up or down. Who will use these new indices and why?…
Read More “Platts Launches New Daily Price Assessments for Shale Value Chain”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Spell Fracking with a “k”? Merriam-Webster Says Frack Yes!
May 22, 2014May 22, 2014

Will this settle the debate? For years MDN editor Jim Willis has received sometimes good natured, sometimes irate feedback that “fracking” should be spelled “fracing”–without the “k”. The “proper” way to spell it is without the “k” according to many in the Houston area (according to one MDN source). The “k” was introduced by anti-drillers who want to make the word sound like another f-word, in an attempt to smear it. Merriam-Webster has just added 150 new new words and definitions to their 2014 edition–and fracking, with the “k”–is in the list. Case closed?…
Read More “Spell Fracking with a “k”? Merriam-Webster Says Frack Yes!”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, May 22, 2014
May 22, 2014May 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: Thu, May 22, 2014”
About MDN | Allegheny County | MDN Resources | Meetings | Pennsylvania

Oil & Gas Awards “Northeast Conference for Excellence” Now on MDN
May 21, 2014August 5, 2014

In a bit of a departure from our normal “all news all the time” format, MDN is excited to bring you the recorded video sessions from the recent Oil & Gas Awards “Northeast Conference for Excellence.” All of them! You may recall that the Oil & Gas Awards held their annual Northeast conference and awards ceremony in Pittsburgh on Thursday, March 20. MDN editor Jim Willis was honored to be a part of the event, moderating two panels for the conference. We wrote up our impressions of this top-notch event here: Oil & Gas Awards – List of Winners, Bang-up Time!

The folks at the Oil & Gas Awards recorded the conference sessions in Pittsburgh and have made them available exclusively to MDN for our subscribers (never a better time to subscribe!). For today’s daily email/stories, we have included separate articles for each session–describing who the the speakers are, and what they talk about during the session. It give you a handy way to zero in on just the content you may be most interested in hearing. But having said that, let me encourage you to–as you have time–listen and watch the entire thing! It’s all here. I felt each session was weighty–with loads of good information and intelligence for those with an interest in the Marcellus and Utica Shale. You won’t be bored.

So break out the popcorn, stick the earplugs into your computer, get a pad and pen handy and watch and learn. You’ll get a first-class education from this conference.

Jim Willis, Editor
Marcellus Drilling News

List of sessions:

OGA 1: Keynote Address – Gary Evans, Magnum Hunter Resources

OGA 2: Panel Discussion – Marcellus/Utica Midstream Update

OGA 3: Market Update – Greg Lorson, TEEMCO

OGA 4: Panel Discussion – Drilling & Completions (Jim Willis moderates)

OGA 5: Keynote Address – Chad Zamarin, NiSource Midstream

OGA 6: Panel Discussion – Health & Safety (Jim Willis moderates)

OGA 7: Panel Discussion – Environmental Protection

OGA 8: Keynote Address – John Applegath, Range Resources

OGA 9: Panel Discussion – Community Engagement

P.S. We’ve included one extra story because it’s time sensitive–for our fellow New Yorkers. President Obama will be visiting Cooperstown, NY on Thursday, May 22nd. The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York has put out the word to have pro-drilling New Yorkers show up to welcome the president and let him know (via peaceful signs) that Cuomo needs some encouragement to get off the dime with shale drilling in NY.
About MDN | Allegheny County | Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Energy Companies | MDN Resources | Meetings | Pennsylvania | Video

OGA 1: Keynote Address – Gary Evans, Magnum Hunter Resources
May 21, 2014May 20, 2014
Keynote Address: Magnum Hunter and the Unconventional Shale Plays
- Discussing the changing balance between production and import of crude in the United States
- Highlighting the importance of growing crude production to reduce the US trade deficit
- Detailing the impact of shale gas on the US energy & chemical markets
- Focusing on the Marcellus Shale region current and predicted production in 2014
Gary C. Evans, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Magnum Hunter Resources Corporation
Read More “OGA 1: Keynote Address – Gary Evans, Magnum Hunter Resources”
About MDN | Allegheny County | Blue Racer Midstream | Columbia Pipeline Group | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | MDN Resources | Meetings | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Processing Plants | PVR Midstream | PVR Partners | Video

OGA 2: Panel Discussion – Marcellus/Utica Midstream Update
May 21, 2014May 20, 2014
Panel I: Marcellus/Utica Midstream Update – 2014 and Beyond
- Discussing how much infrastructure is actually needed in the Marcellus/Utica region and the current balance between supply and demand?
- Targeting methods for managing pricing variation, overcoming takeaway chokepoints in areas with depressed prices
- Detailing NGL takeaway issues and the cost/benefit analysis for pipeline expansion
- Addressing the impact of ethane crackers on the Marcellus/Utica midstream
- Assessing midstream investment in the northeast, looking ahead to the major projects for 2014
- Offering insight to the challenge of sourcing skilled labor with understanding of the midstream sector, highlighting the impact of the midstream sector on the Northeast labor market
- Comparing the differences/unique requirements between wet gas & dry gas gathering infrastructure
Moderator: Michael L. Krancer, Energy, Petrochemical and Natural Resources Practice Group Leader, Blank Rome LLP
Speakers: Brent Breon, Vice President Business Development, Blue Racer Midstream
Tony Blando, Vice President Marketing, NiSource Midstream Services, Columbia Pipeline Group
Aubrey Harper, Vice President Business Development, IPS Engineering / EPC
Brett Nixon, Director of Business Development, PVR Partners
Read More “OGA 2: Panel Discussion – Marcellus/Utica Midstream Update”