Marcellus Drilling News

Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Mahoning County | Ohio | Supply Chain | Valerus

Another 30 Jobs in Fracking Supply Chain Coming to Youngstown, OH
June 28, 2013June 28, 2013

Last November, MDN told you about another 30 jobs on the way in Youngstown, OH thanks to fracking and shale drilling in the Utica/Marcellus Shale (see New Gas Equipment Plant Coming to Youngstown, OH). On Wednesday, Valerus and Brilex Industries held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate their joint venture in expanding the Brilex manufacturing facility in Youngstown. Valerus manufactures and sells equipment for the midstream. Brilex is a local Youngstown machine shop/manufacturer.

The partnership invested $1.5 million to expand the Brilex facility to manufacture equipment for Valerus. At the ceremony on Wednesday, Brilex president Brian Benyo said 10 jobs have already been created and another 20 are on the way–in fabrication, pipe fitting, welding and mechanical assembly.
Read More “Another 30 Jobs in Fracking Supply Chain Coming to Youngstown, OH”
Energy Services | GreenHunter Resources | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | Wastewater | West Virginia

GreenHunter’s Wheeling Frack Wastewater Plant Up for Vote July 8
June 28, 2013June 28, 2013

As MDN told you in early June, the Wheeling (WV) City Council delayed a vote to allow GreenHunter Water to begin construction of a new fracking wastewater recycling facility at a site in the Warwood section of Wheeling–along the Ohio River (see Wheeling Delays Vote on GreenHunter’s Frack Wastewater Plant). After an initial misstep by GreenHunter in not pre-briefing City Council members and the resulting bumpy relationship with some of them, it seems GreenHunter worked hard to address their concerns (see Wheeling Councilwoman Softens Stand Against Frack Wastewater Plant).

The Warwood wastewater recycling facility will once again be on City Council’s docket for a vote at their July 8 meeting:
Read More “GreenHunter’s Wheeling Frack Wastewater Plant Up for Vote July 8”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Fri, Jun 28, 2013
June 28, 2013June 28, 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, Jun 28, 2013”
Economic Impact | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Marshall County | NGLs | Processing Plants | West Virginia | Williams

Williams Invests $4.5B on Midstream Plants in a Single WV County
June 27, 2013

Williams Partners–one of the largest midstream companies operating in both the Marcellus and Utica Shale–is investing a massive $4.5 billion on three processing facilities in Marshall County, WV. A single county! Pennsylvania is still hoping Shell will proceed with building an ethane cracker plant in Beaver County, PA and they’re gaga over the prospect of a $2 billion investment to build that plant. But right across the border in Marshall County, Williams is right now spending $4.5 billion ($2.2B of it on upgrades and new construction).

The three facilities are the Fort Beeler processing plant, the Oak Grove processing plant, and the Moundsville fractionation plant. Here is an update on those three plants and Williams’ massive investment:
Read More “Williams Invests $4.5B on Midstream Plants in a Single WV County”
Air Quality | Alternative Energy | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

BHO Sacrifices Liberty and Freedom in the Name of Climate Change
June 27, 2013June 27, 2013

On Tuesday, President Barack Hussein Obama delivered a speech at Georgetown University (full copy embedded below) in which he said, essentially, that he doesn’t have the patience for this messy thing called democracy and freedom and the will of the people when it comes to so-called Climate Change. Therefore he, BHO, in order to save the planet from itself, will charge forward with draconian measures that he’s sure will be unpopular, but according to him, necessary.
Read More “BHO Sacrifices Liberty and Freedom in the Name of Climate Change”
Belmont County | Energy Companies | Guernsey County | Harrison County | Hess | Jefferson County (OH) | Ohio | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

Hess: Frackin’ and Flarin’ in Eastern Ohio
June 27, 2013June 27, 2013

It looks like Hess has come alive in Ohio’s Utica Shale. According to the Marcellus and Utica Shale Databook – Volume 1, Hess received 2 permits to drill in Belmont County for the period January – April, 2013. They also received 5 permits to drill in Guernsey County, and 8 permits to drill 3 wells in Harrison County for the same period. Hess recently completed drilling one of the Belmont wells and that well is now being flared.

From this news account, we get more insight into Hess’ recent Utica Shale drilling activities and production:
Read More “Hess: Frackin’ and Flarin’ in Eastern Ohio”
Energy Companies | EnerVest | EV Energy Partners | Ohio | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

EV Energy: Changing from Big Deals to Small for Utica Land Sale
June 27, 2013June 27, 2013

In September last year, EV Energy Partners/EnerVest put more than a half million acres of Utica Shale acreage on the market. A deal for 104,000 of those acres seemed to be almost done, but in April of this year, the deal fell apart (see EV Energy Partners Deal to Sell 104K Utica Acres Dead, What Now?). According to EVEP’s president and CEO, Mark Houser, last year everyone wanted deals for large blocks of acreage. This year? People want small acreage deals. So EVEP is changing their strategy in order to dump some of their Utica Shale holdings.

Houser gave a presentation yesterday at the Credit Suisse MLP and Energy Logistics Conference. In his speech and the following Q&A, he gave a comprehensive update on EVEP’s Utica Shale program. MDN has extracted out his comments about the Utica (see below), and grabbed the slide deck he refers to (embedded below)…
Read More “EV Energy: Changing from Big Deals to Small for Utica Land Sale”
Allegany County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD

Maryland Releases Draft “Best Practices” in Shale Drilling Report
June 27, 2013June 27, 2013

On Tuesday, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released a draft report (dated August 2013) of “best practices for drilling and production that should be required” if (really big if) horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing for natural gas is permitted in the Marcellus shale in Maryland (full copy of the draft report is embedded below). At least one county official in one of the two Maryland counties that actually has Marcellus Shale under it is concerned that drillers will take one look at the proposed regulations and say “no thanks” to Maryland when it comes to drilling. He’s right to be concerned…
Read More “Maryland Releases Draft “Best Practices” in Shale Drilling Report”
Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Trumbull County | Utica Shale

New Utica Rail Transloading Facility Opens in Trumbull County, OH
June 27, 2013June 27, 2013

MDN recently told you about a revitalization coming to the Lordstown rail yard in Trumbull County, OH thanks to Utica Shale drilling (see Revamped Trumbull County, OH Rail Yard Coming for Utica Shale). That effort has now borne fruit with the launch of a new bulk material handling and rail transloading service from Savage to handle oil and gas field products…
Read More “New Utica Rail Transloading Facility Opens in Trumbull County, OH”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Jun 27, 2013
June 27, 2013June 27, 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: Thu, Jun 27, 2013”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA | Taxation

Rendell Paints Hanger into Corner on PA Democrat Moratorium Vote
June 26, 2013June 26, 2013

Finally (finally!) some news outlets grudgingly, dragging their feet every step of the way, had to cover one of the biggest stories to ever come from the Marcellus Shale region: Two weeks ago the Pennsylvania Democrat party voted to support a statewide moratorium on all Marcellus drilling–in effect, an ongoing ban. They want to shut down drilling in the state. MDN stood alone for days in making this news known (see PA Democrat Party Votes to End Marcellus Shale Drilling Statewide). Finally, the Harrisburg Patriot-News and Associated Press covered the story when former PA governor (and Democrat) Gov. Ed Rendell spoke out against the vote, calling it “ill-advised.”

In his comments, Rendell painted his former Secretary of the Dept. of Environmental Protection, John Hanger, into a corner (see below). Shockingly, Hanger has still not renounced this act of political suicide by his fellow Democrats. In fact, he refuses to criticize the eco-nuts in his own party, preferring to sit on the fence with regard to a moratorium (see his equivocating response below). We’d call that a “stunning fact,” John. Wouldn’t you?
Read More “Rendell Paints Hanger into Corner on PA Democrat Moratorium Vote”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide PA

Duke Study #2: Drilling Causes Methane Migration in Water Wells?
June 26, 2013June 26, 2013

Two years ago researchers at Duke University, funded by the anti-drilling Park Foundation (i.e. agenda-driven science), released research that supposedly showed a link between Marcellus Shale drilling and methane (natural gas) contamination of nearby water wells (see MDN In-depth: Duke University Study Links Marcellus Shale Gas Drilling with Methane Contamination of Water Wells). The research was later shown to be shoddy (see Former PA DEP Officials, Industry Group Point Out Problems with Duke University Study Linking Methane in Water with Fracking).

Most of the same researchers are back with a second study titled “Increased stray gas abundance in a subset of drinking water wells near Marcellus shale gas extraction” (see full copy embedded below). This time the Duke researchers were sure to keep Park Foundation funding well hidden with no direct grants (to layer on a veneer of impartiality), and on Monday they released a new study with new methodologies and new tests and oh-so-much that is new…and guess what? Same old conclusions. And, same old problems and weaknesses with the research and its conclusions…
Read More “Duke Study #2: Drilling Causes Methane Migration in Water Wells?”
Crime | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Mahoning County | Ohio | Wastewater

OH Wastewater Dumper D&L Energy Gets Business Death Sentence
June 26, 2013June 26, 2013

The sad story of D&L Energy, a Youngstown, OH operator of several wastewater injection wells, has come to an ignominious end. It’s owner was (is?) Ben Lupo, who also owns sister company Hardrock Excavating, operating both companies under the D&L Energy Group umbrella. Starting last September, Lupo instructed a Hardrock employee to dump untreated fracking wastewater down a sewer drain that emptied into the Mahoning River. Lupo and the driver were found out earlier this year (see Youngstown Business Dumped >200K Gal of Untreated Wastewater).

The Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) promptly shut down both D&L Energy and Hardrock in February (see OH Company Dumping Frack Wastewater in Drain May Appeal Shut-Down). The shut-down led to a filing for bankruptcy in a desperate attempt to re-open and keep D&L afloat. Lupo appealed the ODNR ruling claiming D&L Energy is separate from Hardrock and just because he behaved badly at Hardrock does not mean D&L should be punished too. The Ohio Oil & Gas Commission (OOGC) has now ruled on that appeal…
Read More “OH Wastewater Dumper D&L Energy Gets Business Death Sentence”
Crime | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Mahoning County | Ohio | Wastewater

Youngstown Democrat Gets “Return to Sender” Over D&L Letters
June 26, 2013June 26, 2013

An interesting story related to the business death sentence handed down to D&L Energy by the Ohio Oil & Gas Commission (see today’s related story). State Rep. Robert Hagan (Democrat from Youngstown) tried to improperly influence the OOGC, technically a court body, by sending letters directly to members ruling on the D&L appeal. He requested that they reject the appeal. The OOGC didn’t fall for it and instead sent the letters on to the OOGC attorney and the attorney for D&L. That is, Hagan got a “return to sender” from the OOGC, along with a rap on the knuckles. He was (eventually) cleared of wrongdoing by the Ohio Ethics Commission.

Oh, this is the same Rep. Robert Hagan who wants to more than double the oil and gas drilling tax in Ohio (see Youngstown Democrat State Rep Wants to Hike Severance Tax to 7.5%). Here’s the D&L/Hagan kerfuffle:
Read More “Youngstown Democrat Gets “Return to Sender” Over D&L Letters”
Energy Companies | Ohio | Rex Energy | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

Rex Energy Production Numbers/Update for Utica Shale
June 26, 2013June 26, 2013

Late last week, Rex Energy released production information for the wells they’ve recently drilled in Ohio’s Utica Shale, along with an operational update:
Read More “Rex Energy Production Numbers/Update for Utica Shale”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Pittsburgh Paper Takes Soros Group to Task over CSSD & Heinz
June 26, 2013June 26, 2013

A few weeks ago, MDN told you about a sham report from the George Soros-backed (and anti-drilling) Public Accountability Initiative (PAI), which took aim at the new Center for Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD) claiming to “out” the head of the Heniz Endowments–one of the environmentalist organizations in the CSSD–as having deep ties to the drilling industry (see Heinz Endowments President Owns $1.2M in Kinder Morgan Stock). The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has (surprisingly) taken aim at PAI’s criticism of the CSSD. Summarizing the tone of the P-G editorial (our words): “Everybody already knew Bobby Vagt of the Heniz Endowments gets industry money–lighten up PAI. The CSSD is a good thing.”

Here’s part of the P-G editorial:
Read More “Pittsburgh Paper Takes Soros Group to Task over CSSD & Heinz”