Correction: Injection Well in McKean County Did NOT Fail Tests
We have an important update to share. On Feb. 19, MDN published a post about a Catalyst Energy wastewater injection well in Keating Township, McKean County, PA (see Wastewater Injection Well in McKean County Fails 2 Integrity Tests). That post used news from a local newspaper that made what is now known as a false claim that the Catalyst well had “failed DEP mechanical integrity tests twice.” That statement was 100% untrue. MDN doesn’t get things wrong often, but this time, we did, and we are publishing this follow-up post to correct the record. Our sincere apologies to Catalyst. Read More “Correction: Injection Well in McKean County Did NOT Fail Tests”
For the week of Mar 24 – 30, the number of permits issued in the Marcellus/Utica to drill new shale wells dropped by three from the previous week. Last week, 19 new permits were issued, with 15 going to the Keystone State (PA). Seneca Resources received the lion’s share, 13 of the 15 permits, all in Tioga County spread across three different pads. One permit was issued to EQT (Rice Drilling) in Greene County, and one was issued to Campbell Oil & Gas in Westmoreland County. 
An important decision was recently issued in a federal court case (in Ohio) that potentially affects landowners and drillers with shale leases throughout the Marcellus/Utica. At least, we believe it has broader implications. The case, The Grissoms, LLC v. Antero Resources Corporation, was decided by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (6th Circuit) on April 2, 2025. The case involves a dispute between a certified class of 370 Ohio landowners and Antero. The landowners alleged that Antero underpaid them $10 million in natural gas royalties by improperly deducting certain processing and fractionation costs from their royalty payments, violating their lease agreements. In 2023, the landowners won against Antero in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division (see 
Earlier this week, MDN told you about a mineral/royalty rights purchase made by WhiteHawk Energy, increasing its ownership interest in 475,000 gross acres in the Marcellus Shale for $118 million (see 
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) represent the largest source of natural gas demand growth this year. LNG gross exports are expected to increase by 19% to 14.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2025 and by 15% to 16.4 Bcf/d in 2026. The start-up timing of two new LNG export facilities—Plaquemines LNG Phase 2 (consisting of 18 midscale trains) and Golden Pass LNG—could significantly affect EIA’s forecasting because these facilities represent 19% of incremental U.S. LNG export capacity in 2025–26. 
OTHER U.S. REGIONS: North Carolina looks to repeal GHG law; NYC wins in court re banning natgas in new buildings; Texas oil and gas industry continues to dominate job growth; NATIONAL: BKV appoints Dilanka Seimon as company’s first Chief Commercial Officer; U.S. Energy Sec. Wright says climate change alarmism has hurt energy dev; Gas producers appear ready to ease off the brakes; Why the U.S. shouldn’t be importing electricity from Canada; Trump cancels Biden grants to China-tied think tank behind war on gas stoves; INTERNATIONAL: Oil prices dive on Trump tariffs and OPEC surprise; The great unwinding begins at OPEC+ amid Trump tariff hikes; Why European natural gas prices are falling. 
In January 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in THE most consequential lawsuit for Marcellus Shale drilling we’ve seen, a case called Briggs v Southwestern Energy (see 
A Washington County, PA, man and his anti-fossil fuel lawyer won a victory with the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board (EHB), a special court in PA set up to hear appeals of Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) decisions. The man, Bryan Latkanich, alleges Chevron used PFAS “forever chemicals” in fracking fluids in 2011-2012 when Chevron drilled two wells some 500 feet from his home. Latkanich claims his water well was damaged, as well as his health and the health of family members who drank the “contaminated” water. EQT now owns the wells. 
Ten years ago, MDN told you that Chesapeake Utilities, a diversified energy company with businesses in natural gas distribution, transmission and marketing, electricity distribution, propane distribution and wholesale marketing (nothing to do with Chesapeake Energy) had purchased a small midstream company in Ohio—Gatherco, Inc (see 
Another record bites the dust. According to data from LSEG, the U.S. exported a record high amount of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in March, selling 9.3 million metric tons (MT). The previous record was 8.6 MT in December 2023. March’s record “smashed” the old record, and there’s no sign that the higher volumes will retreat. There’s no going back! 
Two weeks ago, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) staff issued the agency’s annual State of the Markets report for 2024 (full copy below) to provide the industry and public with key information on market conditions and emerging issues in natural gas and electricity markets as well as significant market trends and fundamentals for the year. According to FERC Chairman Mark Christie, “The combination of rapidly increasing electricity demand, driven by hyperscale customers such as data centers, paired with the alarming rate of base load generation retirements and lack of new dispatchable generation, is not sustainable and must be addressed.” FERC is sounding the alarm that more dispatchable (i.e., natural gas) power generation is urgently needed. 
This is VERY exciting news! Boardwalk Pipeline Partners announced yesterday an open season to offer an extra 2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of capacity along its 5,975-mile Texas Gas Transmission pipeline network that stretches from Ohio to Louisiana, running through Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Arkansas along the way. According to the announcement, the expanded capacity’s express purpose is to connect Marcellus/Utica gas supplies with growing demand from electric utilities, LNG exporters, industrial users, and data centers in the Midwest and Gulf Coast.