Marcellus Drilling News

Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Marion County | West Virginia | XTO

Judge Rescinds Request for WV Supremes to Rule on Surface Rights
May 29, 2013May 29, 2013

In early April, MDN told you about a case referred to the West Virginia Supreme Court by a federal district court judge. Judge Irene Keeley requested the WV Supreme Court rule in a case over whether or not a driller can build a drill pad on a surface owner’s land for the purpose of getting the gas underneath a neighbor’s property (for background, see District Court Judge Asks WV Supremes to Rule in Surface Rights Case).

We have a new development in the case. Judge Keeley has changed her mind and told the supremes to forget about it–at least for now. She wants the lawyers for both sides in the case to submit more “facts” before she decides on whether she’ll rule or resubmit it to the high court…
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Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

The Most Popular Shale Play in America? The Marcellus!
May 29, 2013May 29, 2013

A recent article on The Motley Fool investors website christened the Marcellus Shale as, “The most popular natural gas play in America.” Cool. Here’s why they say that:
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Energy Companies | Halcon Resources | Ohio | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

Halcón Resources Issues Utica Shale Well Production Update
May 29, 2013May 29, 2013

Last week Halcón Resources issued an operational update for their Utica Shale wells. The company attempted to put a good spin on the news, but since then, some analysts have reacted with less than glowing remarks about the performance of the wells (see NGI’s Shale Daily article: Halcon’s Utica Test Wells Disappoint Analysts; EVEP Charges On).

Here is the Utica update from Halcón from last week, along with a handy map of their well locations:
Read More “Halcón Resources Issues Utica Shale Well Production Update”
Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Research

ACC: Shale-Related Petrochem Projects Mean $72B Invest, 530K Jobs
May 29, 2013May 29, 2013

Last week the American Chemistry Council (ACC) released the third report in a series that examines the economic benefits of U.S. chemical industry investments linked to abundant and affordable supplies of shale gas. The latest report, titled “Shale Gas, Competitiveness, and New U.S. Chemical Industry Investment—An Analysis of Announced Projects” (full copy embedded below), analyzes 97 chemical industry investment projects that have been announced through the end of March 2013.

According to ACC, in just five short years the U.S. has gone from one of the world’s highest-cost producers of petrochemicals to one of the world’s lowest-cost producers–thanks to the miracle of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. The economic implications are as astonishing as they are profound. According to the report, the U.S. is on track for $71.7 billion in investment and more than half a million permanent new jobs due to just 97 chemical industry projects related to shale gas.
Read More “ACC: Shale-Related Petrochem Projects Mean $72B Invest, 530K Jobs”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | New York | Statewide MD | Statewide NY

Americans Against Fracking Targets/Pressures Democrat Governors
May 29, 2013May 29, 2013

With apologies to the inimitable Judy Collins: Where are the clowns, Send in the clowns, Don’t bother, They’re here…

MDN recently introduced you to the confederation of mostly small and single-member “groups” flying under the banner of Americans Against Fracking (see 100 “Americans Against Fracking” Badmouth Energy Nominee Moniz). The clowns are at it again. In an undated but recent press release (we assume from May 23), the so-called Americans Against Fracking (AAF) targeted five Democrat governors and the Democratic Governors Association–accusing the DGA of taking $3.5 million of “dirty” money from legitimate American corporations (oil and gas companies).
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Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Wed, May 29, 2013
May 29, 2013May 29, 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: Wed, May 29, 2013”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Gov. Cuomo Delivers 2-Punch Bad News to NY Landowners
May 28, 2013May 28, 2013

Two stories from last week are harbingers of bad news for landowners and businesses who want to see fracking begin in New York: (1) Gov. Andy “Ditherer” Cuomo told the Syracuse Post-Standard editorial board he’s pushing off a decision on fracking until next year’s 2014 elections, and (2) when Gov. Ditherer was asked by public radio about whether or not fracking would be part of his attempted resurrection of upstate from the economic dead, he said “no.” He’d rather dither around with casinos and using something you never, ever thought you’d hear from a Democrat’s mouth: tax free zones.

His comments about delaying the fracking decision until 2014:
Read More “Gov. Cuomo Delivers 2-Punch Bad News to NY Landowners”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Scranton Newspaper Plays Both Sides of Fracking – For Profit?
May 28, 2013

Last week MDN told you about a non-story story written by the Scranton Times-Tribune which was immediately picked up and amplified by the AP (see AP’s Non-Story About PA Water Wells “Contaminated” by Drilling). The story tries (and fails) to say Marcellus drilling is causing a huge number of instances of methane contamination of water supplies in PA. We debunked it of course. But now we may know the real reason for that story. The owner of the Times-Tribune recently purchased an environmental services company that supposedly investigates and fixes such water-related issues. What a racket: Scare the *#$! out of people, then sell them a fix for their fears.

We get the story about this slimy setup by the Times-Tribune from a Wayne County landowner writing on the Natural Gas Now blog site:
Read More “Scranton Newspaper Plays Both Sides of Fracking – For Profit?”
Energy Services | GreenHunter Resources | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | Wastewater | West Virginia

GreenHunter to Offer “Free” Recycled Frackwater at Wheeling Plant
May 28, 2013May 28, 2013

An article in The State Journal (WV) says the new shale wastewater treatment facility GreenHunter Water wants to build in Wheeling will grant generous discounts–in essence a rebate–to drillers who haul their wastewater to the facility and on the same trip fill up with recycled wastewater to haul back for re-use in drilling and fracking operations. GreenHunter will save money because they won’t have to pay to haul it away for disposal, and drillers get what is, in essence, free water for use in drilling. It’s a win/win for everyone:
Read More “GreenHunter to Offer “Free” Recycled Frackwater at Wheeling Plant”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

How Much Does Water Cost to Drill a Single Marcellus Well?
May 28, 2013May 28, 2013

How much money do drillers spend to acquire, truck and dispose of water for drilling and fracking a single Marcellus Shale well? The exact number varies by driller. However, we get a general estimate from an article published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram–and the number may shock you (as it did us):
Read More “How Much Does Water Cost to Drill a Single Marcellus Well?”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Ontario County | Regulation

Canandaigua, NY Extends Frack Ban with Aim to Make it Permanent
May 28, 2013May 28, 2013

The Town of Canandaigua, NY (Ontario County, between Syracuse and Rochester) voted last week to extend a moratorium on fracking. A similar moratorium signed into law by failed Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan was tossed out by a judge last October (see NY Judge Throws Out Binghamton Fracking Moratorium). Apparently judicial precedent holds no sway with the wizards of smart on Canandaigua’s town board. They want to try their own moratorium–even though there is no drilling in New York. However, the real aim, according to the town’s director of development, is a permanent ban, i.e., the stripping away of landowners’ Constitutional rights.

Hopefully the taxpayers of Canandaigua will enjoy paying higher taxes to defend the indefensible in court:
Read More “Canandaigua, NY Extends Frack Ban with Aim to Make it Permanent”
Blue Racer Midstream | Caiman Energy | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | NGLs | Processing Plants | West Virginia

Natrium, WV NGL Processing Plant Start-up Close
May 28, 2013May 28, 2013

Processing plants in the Marcellus and Utica Shale region are a critical component of the drilling picture that frankly is holding up further development right now. Without the ability to separate “wet gas” (gas containing compounds in addition to methane, like ethane, butane, propane and pentane), drillers in wet gas areas are either drilling and capping their wells, or not drilling them in the first place. All eyes are on infrastructure projects like the processing plant in Natrium, WV being built by Blue Racer Midstream, a joint venture between Dominion and Caiman Energy.

The $500 million Natrium plant was due to be finished last December. Then the start-up date was changed to be “late spring” of this year (see Natrium, WV NGL Plant Behind Schedule, Will Open “Late Spring”). It’s almost summer and the plant is still not open. However, the signs point to an imminent start:
Read More “Natrium, WV NGL Processing Plant Start-up Close”
Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Roads | Statewide OH

Who Owns the Mineral Rights Under Lakes and Roads in Ohio?
May 28, 2013May 28, 2013

In Ohio, who owns the mineral rights (for natural gas and oil development) underneath bodies of water like lakes and rivers? And who owns the mineral rights underneath public roads?

Both are very good questions that are answered in a pair of posts by the lawyers at Porter Wright Morris & Arthur on their Oil & Gas Law Report…
Read More “Who Owns the Mineral Rights Under Lakes and Roads in Ohio?”
Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Ohio | Statewide OH

Veterans in Ohio Get Free Training for NatGas Jobs Courtesy ANGA
May 28, 2013May 28, 2013

Veterans looking for a job in the rapidly expanding natural gas industry in Ohio are getting a boost from America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA). ANGA recently made a $50,000 donation to the Support Our Troops Education Fund, money that will help fund training for 40 veterans to train them for high-paying jobs in Ohio’s natural gas industry…
Read More “Veterans in Ohio Get Free Training for NatGas Jobs Courtesy ANGA”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Tue, May 28, 2013
May 28, 2013May 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: Tue, May 28, 2013”
Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Susquehanna County

Cabot O&G Builds a Cash-Generating Machine in NE PA Marcellus
May 24, 2013May 24, 2013

An article on the Investors Business Daily website published yesterday chronicles how Cabot Oil & Gas has built a cash-generating asset (a virtual money machine) with their Marcellus Shale wells in Susquehanna County, PA. One of the analysts quoted in the article says the numbers for Cabot are “wildly economic,” and another wonders what they’ll do with all their available cash!

The interesting tidbit from the article for MDN is an estimate for how much it costs Cabot per thousand cubic feet (Mcf) to get the gas from those Susquehanna County Marcellus wells. Previous numbers we’ve seen thrown around as the breakeven price for Marcellus drilling in northeastern PA are from $2.88 – $3.44 per Mcf. However, the analysts say that for Cabot, the number is MUCH lower…
Read More “Cabot O&G Builds a Cash-Generating Machine in NE PA Marcellus”