Marcellus Drilling News

Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Education | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania

PA Teachers: Free Climate Change/Energy Course Courtesy Cabot O&G
July 8, 2013July 8, 2013

Cabot Oil & Gas is serious about helping the local Pennsylvania communities in which they operate. A case in point previously highlighted on MDN: Cabot’s key fundraising role that got a 20 year-old stalled project of building a new hospital in rural Montrose, PA off the ground (see Cabot Effort Raises $4.4 Million for PA Physicians Clinic).

And now, yet another example: Because of Cabot’s generous donation, the normal $300 fee to attend Keystone College’s “summer camp” for 7-12 grade teachers (July 22-26) to study climate change and energy is now free! Continuing education credits available. Here’s the low-down on the program and how teachers (and other interested members of the community) may attend:
Read More “PA Teachers: Free Climate Change/Energy Course Courtesy Cabot O&G”
Boardwalk Pipeline Partners | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | NGLs | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Williams

Bluegrass NGL Pipeline Recap, Builders Eye LNG Exports Too
July 8, 2013July 8, 2013

An update on the proposed new natural gas liquids (NGL) Bluegrass Pipeline, a joint venture between Williams Partners and Boardwalk Pipeline Partners. As MDN previously reported, the Bluegrass will run from Ohio/Pennsylvania all the way to the Gulf Coast (see Williams, Boardwalk Announce Marcellus-to-Gulf Coast NGL Pipeline).

The update below, courtesy of the Akron Beacon Journal, does a good job of recapping what we do and don’t know about the pipeline project and where it will be built. The update also includes new information: In addition to gas liquids going to the Gulf, Williams and Boardwalk are eyeing LNG export terminals along the Gulf Coast as a market for the methane portion of what they’ll pipeline from the Utica/Marcellus…
Read More “Bluegrass NGL Pipeline Recap, Builders Eye LNG Exports Too”
Industrywide Issues | Research

The Changing Picture of America’s Energy Sources – 1776-2012
July 8, 2013July 8, 2013

An interesting look, courtesy the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), at the energy sources used in the United States throughout our history–from 1776 to the present…
Read More “The Changing Picture of America’s Energy Sources – 1776-2012”
About MDN | Calendar

Calendar of Events for Jul 8-21, 2013 [Free]
July 8, 2013July 8, 2013

Below are upcoming events for this week and next.
Read More “Calendar of Events for Jul 8-21, 2013 [Free]”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Mon, Jul 8, 2013
July 8, 2013July 8, 2013

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 8, 2013”
Blue Racer Midstream | Caiman Energy | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | NGLs | Processing Plants | West Virginia

Blue Racer Midstream’s Natrium, WV NGL Plant Now Up & Running
July 5, 2013

Blue Racer Midstream, a joint venture between Dominion and Caiman Energy, was supposed to have a new $500 million wet gas (natural gas liquids) processing plant online in Natrium, WV last December (see Dominion $500M NGL Processing Plant in WV to Open in December). The date was then changed to “late spring” (see Natrium, WV NGL Plant Behind Schedule, Will Open “Late Spring”). Blue Racer finally stopped predicting when the plant would open, but MDN told you in late May the signs were there for an “imminent” opening (see Natrium, WV NGL Processing Plant Start-up Close).

Strike up the band! Even though Blue Racer has decided not to make a public announcement, the Akron Beacon Journal is reporting the plant has been up and “quietly” operating for the past several weeks…
Read More “Blue Racer Midstream’s Natrium, WV NGL Plant Now Up & Running”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Broome County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pennsylvania | Susquehanna County

AP Presents Anti-Fracking Zealots as Harmless Old Ladies
July 5, 2013July 5, 2013

Attempting to make heroes out of rabid, frothing-at-the-mouth anti-drillers from MDN’s neck of the woods (the Southern Tier of NY and Susquehanna County, PA), an AP article appearing on the USA Today website (and in numerous newspapers) begins this way:
Read More “AP Presents Anti-Fracking Zealots as Harmless Old Ladies”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Cayuga County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation

Niles, NY Turns Off NatGas Spigot for Everyone in Hasty Vote
July 5, 2013July 5, 2013

Oops. Looks like the town board of Niles (Cayuga County), NY has just voted to turn off the natural gas spigot for everyone in the town. Guess they’ll now have to heat with oil or wood or coal–or maybe stick up a windmill or a solar panel. On June 13, the town board of Niles voted to institute “a permanent ban on the drilling, storage, transfer and/or treatment of natural gas within town lines.” Guess what folks–storing and transferring natural gas includes moving gas through existing underground pipelines the local gas utility operates that connect to homes and businesses in the town. It also prohibits propane trucks from delivering gas to homes, and it prohibits people from throwing the backyard barbecue grill tank into the car to get it filled up.

No storage, no transfer. We’d sure hate to live in Niles…
Read More “Niles, NY Turns Off NatGas Spigot for Everyone in Hasty Vote”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Crawford County | Education | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

Allegheny College Faces Green Monster of Its Own Making
July 5, 2013July 5, 2013

This is truly rich. Allegheny College, a private, exclusive, rich coeducational liberal arts college (2,100 students, tuition $38,750/year) in the northwestern PA town of Meadville has been a national leader in ~~brainwashing~~ teaching young college kids about the morally superior ways of so-called sustainability and worshiping Mother Earth and all things “green.” But dang, some of those nasty fossil fuel companies are waving big bucks in front of Allegheny College to lease some of the college’s land. Specifically, drillers want to lease, wait for it… the 283-acre Allegheny College Environmental Research Reserve. Talk about ironic! Like taking a bite from the apple all those years ago in Eden, it seems the temptation is just too much for Allegheny.

The college has assembled a ~~white-wash~~ working committee of faculty, staff and students to try, somehow, desperately, to justify selling their souls to the fracking devil so they can take those piles of money. Problem is, the college has created a legion of true green believers who now feel violated, betrayed, confused that the very institution they pay $38,750/year to teach them to hate all fossil fuels would possibly consider changing course for filthy lucre…
Read More “Allegheny College Faces Green Monster of Its Own Making”
Uncategorized

Solyndra 2: DOE Pushes $8B in Loans for New Fracking Technology
July 5, 2013July 5, 2013

The U.S. Dept. of Energy just launched a new program to encourage research into “advanced resource development” in fossil fuels to reduce carbon emissions (what utter folly). Regardless, the feds have $8 billion of taxpayer money they want to give out in loan guarantees for companies willing to come up with new and improved ways of drilling and fracking…
Read More “Solyndra 2: DOE Pushes $8B in Loans for New Fracking Technology”
Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation

Obama Nominates CO Democrat for FERC Chairman
July 5, 2013July 5, 2013

President Obama just nominated Ron Binz to serve as the next Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC, as you may know, is the federal agency in charge of approving new interstate natural gas pipeline construction in the U.S. Pipelines are a critical component of getting natural gas and gas liquids from point A to point B. A slow-down in pipeline construction would be a disaster for shale drilling. Although Binz has been a “strong proponent” of renewable energy, based on his background and history in Colorado, he seems like an OK choice for FERC and the shale drilling industry (as good as you get from an extreme leftist like Obama)…
Read More “Obama Nominates CO Democrat for FERC Chairman”
Energy Companies | Questerre Energy | Utica Shale

Questerre Gets $26.5M Loan for Drilling, Still Hopeful for Utica
July 5, 2013July 5, 2013

Canadian driller Questerre Energy has just secured a $26.5 million line of credit with an unidentified Canadian bank which they plan to use for shale drilling operations. One of those operations they dearly want to use it for is drilling in the Canadian Utica Shale–a portion of the Utica which lies under Quebec. If only the Quebec government would just allow it. Like New York State, Quebec has had a moratorium on fracking in the province for a number of years now. At various points Questerre has been critical in chiding the Quebec government (see Questerre Energy Points Out Quebec’s Hypocrisy on Fracking), and more subdued and hopeful in their tone (see Questerre Energy Hopeful Quebec will Lift Fracking Moratorium).

The latest announcement from Questerre once again strikes the more subdued and hopeful tone…
Read More “Questerre Gets $26.5M Loan for Drilling, Still Hopeful for Utica”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Fri, Jul 5, 2013
July 5, 2013July 5, 2013

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, Jul 5, 2013”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Cuomo: NatGas is Good. Fracking? Who Knows (He Sure Doesn’t)
July 3, 2013July 3, 2013

Mealy mouthed: 1. hesitant to state facts or opinions simply and directly as from e.g. timidity or hypocrisy; 2. NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Bet you didn’t know that Cuomo’s name is now in the dictionary under the definition for “mealy mouthed.” The latest example of Lord Andrew’s mealy mouthedness on the topic of shale drilling and fracking in New York comes in response to a reporter’s question about Cuomo’s fellow Democrat, Pres. B.H. Obama calling natural gas “an effective transition fuel.” Lord Andy’s mealy mouthed response:
Read More “Cuomo: NatGas is Good. Fracking? Who Knows (He Sure Doesn’t)”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Rabobank Bans Loans to Shale Industry & Farmers Who Allow Drilling
July 3, 2013July 3, 2013

Preferring to believe a lie over believing the truth (shale drilling is “evil”), Rabobank–a huge bank headquartered in The Netherlands but with major operations in the U.S.–has just announced it will not loan money to businesses involved with shale drilling. They’ll also ban loans to farmers who lease their land for drilling.

Rabobank’s action is outrageous and perhaps even illegal. We encourage you to cease doing all business with Rabobank and if you have an account with them, withdraw your money immediately. Let them know why you’re leaving their institution…
Read More “Rabobank Bans Loans to Shale Industry & Farmers Who Allow Drilling”
Access Midstream Partners | Carroll County | Columbiana County | Energy Companies | Energy Services | EV Energy Partners | Harrison County | Industrywide Issues | M3 Midstream | Ohio | Processing Plants | Statewide OH

M3 to Build Heliports at OH Processing Plants “Just in Case”
July 3, 2013July 3, 2013

Utica East Ohio Midstream–a joint venture between M3 Midstream, Access Midstream and EV Energy Partners–is in the process of building three natural gas processing plants in eastern Ohio. Two of the plants–Leesville (in Carroll County) and Kensington (in Columbiana County) will be cryogenic plants used to separate natural gas liquids from methane. MDN recently told you about delays in building the Kensignton plant (see M3 Midstream’s Kensington, OH NGL Plant Launch Date Slips). The third facility, located in Scio (Harrison County), will be a fractionation plant used to further separate NGLs from Kensington and Leesville into their constituent compounds, like ethane, propane and butane. Both Kensington and Scio are scheduled to go online sometime “this summer” (see Scio fractionation plant scheduled to go online this summer).

This story, however, is not about schedules for the launch of Utica East Ohio’s plants. It is about M3’s plans to build heliports at the Kensington and Scio plants…
Read More “M3 to Build Heliports at OH Processing Plants “Just in Case””