Marcellus Drilling News

Energy Companies | EQT Corp

EQT Corp Sells Kentucky Gas Pipeline to Invest in More Marcellus Shale Drilling – On Track to Drill 100 Marcellus Wells This Year
May 12, 2011May 12, 2011

EQT Corporation has just sold a gas pipeline in Kentucky for $390 million to Spectra Energy Partners so it can invest the money in Marcellus (and Huron) shale gas drilling. From EQT’s press announcement about the sale we also learn EQT is on track to drill 100 Marcellus gas wells this year. EQT has revised their projected shale gas output upward from 180 billion cubic feet equivalent (Bcfe) to 185-190 Bcfe for 2011, and expects output to grow to 250 Bcfe in 2012.

Read More “EQT Corp Sells Kentucky Gas Pipeline to Invest in More Marcellus Shale Drilling – On Track to Drill 100 Marcellus Wells This Year”
Energy Services | Heckmann | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Wastewater

Wastewater Company Heckmann Corp. Makes Major Expansion in Shale Gas Regions, Including the Marcellus
May 12, 2011May 12, 2011

Heckmann Corporation, a water solutions company focused on water issues and, in particular, oil and natural gas exploration and production, has completed four acquisitions that substantially expand the Company’s water solutions for energy development business segment, including a major presence in the Marcellus Shale region. Within the past year, the California-based company has grown from 30 employees to over 750, and from $8.6 million in revenue for the first quarter of 2010 to $23.8 million for the first quarter of 2011.(1) Heckmann has a small but rapidly growing operational base in Pittsburgh for it’s Marcellus Shale operations.

Read More “Wastewater Company Heckmann Corp. Makes Major Expansion in Shale Gas Regions, Including the Marcellus”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

Former PA DEP Officials, Industry Group Point Out Problems with Duke University Study Linking Methane in Water with Fracking
May 11, 2011May 11, 2011

More questions cast doubt on the Duke study which claims to prove there is a link between gas drilling and high concentrations of methane in nearby well water, including from someone quoted in the Duke study itself:

Read More “Former PA DEP Officials, Industry Group Point Out Problems with Duke University Study Linking Methane in Water with Fracking”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Patriot Water Treatment | Trumbull County | Wastewater

Ohio’s First Marcellus Shale Wastewater Treatment Plant Now Open for Business
May 11, 2011May 11, 2011

The first Marcellus Shale wastewater treatment plant in Ohio (Trumbull County) is now open for business, with more on the way:

Read More “Ohio’s First Marcellus Shale Wastewater Treatment Plant Now Open for Business”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Two Environmental Groups Propose List of Changes to PA Oil & Gas Act to Tighten Controls on Marcellus Drilling
May 11, 2011May 11, 2011

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) provided a detailed prescription of amendments they say “must be made” to the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Act so that state law can effectively regulate and manage deep shale and unconventional drilling techniques that were never contemplated when the law was enacted. Called the “Marcellus Shale Amendments to the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Act,” the proposal was provided to PA Gov. Corbett’s Marcellus Shale Commission and members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly in separate meetings on Tuesday.

Among the 50 proposed changes in the PA Oil and Gas Act proposed by the two groups:

Read More “Two Environmental Groups Propose List of Changes to PA Oil & Gas Act to Tighten Controls on Marcellus Drilling”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

MDN In-depth: Duke University Study Links Marcellus Shale Gas Drilling with Methane Contamination of Water Wells
May 10, 2011May 10, 2011

A peer-reviewed study by Duke University researchers claims to show a link between natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale that uses horizontal drilling with hydraulic fracturing and an increased level of methane (natural gas) in water wells that are within 1,000 feet of the drilling. The report, titled “Methane contamination of drinking water accompanying gas-well drilling and hydraulic fracturing,” was published Monday online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. A full copy of the five page report is embedded below so you can read it for yourself.

Duke researchers tested 68 water wells in Pennsylvania and New York, finding elevated levels of methane in 85% of the wells.

Read More “MDN In-depth: Duke University Study Links Marcellus Shale Gas Drilling with Methane Contamination of Water Wells”
Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Utica Shale

Finding Utica Shale Gas in Eastern PA Not Likely According to Experts
May 10, 2011

Penn State University professor of geosciences and Marcellus Shale expert Terry Engelder says the Utica Shale that sits below the Marcellus in eastern Pennsylvania will likely not produce much in the way of natural gas:

Read More “Finding Utica Shale Gas in Eastern PA Not Likely According to Experts”
Chesapeake Energy | Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Exxon Mobil | New York | Schlumberger | Shell | Southwestern Energy | Statewide NY

Surprise! New York State’s Pension Fund Invests $1 Billion in Shale Gas Drilling Companies
May 9, 2011May 9, 2011

In an interesting (some would say hypocritical) twist on New York State’s moratorium against drilling in the Marcellus Shale because of environmental concerns, it seems the state’s comptroller has no problem investing some of the state’s huge $140 billion pension fund in shale gas drilling operations, to the tune of $1 billion:

Read More “Surprise! New York State’s Pension Fund Invests $1 Billion in Shale Gas Drilling Companies”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

Federal Department of Energy Appoints Panel to Draft Shale Gas Drilling “Best Practices” (ie New Mandates)
May 9, 2011May 9, 2011

The federal government just can’t keep itself out of the states’ affairs when it comes to gas drilling. The federal Department of Energy (DOE) has convened a panel of seven experts to create a list of industry “best practices” (which will no doubt become mandates) for how gas drillers should drill in the Marcellus and other shale formations. Immediate steps they identify “to improve the safety and environmental performance of hydraulic fracturing” are due in a report in 90 days. The complete press release from the DOE is included below.

Read More “Federal Department of Energy Appoints Panel to Draft Shale Gas Drilling “Best Practices” (ie New Mandates)”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

PA Municipalities that Ban Drilling Will Not See any Revenue from Impact Fee
May 9, 2011May 9, 2011

Municipalities in Pennsylvania that ban drilling will not get any share of a coming “impact fee” from Marcellus Shale drilling under a new proposed law by Republican State Senator Joe Scarnati:

Read More “PA Municipalities that Ban Drilling Will Not See any Revenue from Impact Fee”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Statewide OH

Interesting Comments on Shale Gas Drilling from Director of Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program
May 9, 2011May 9, 2011

Rhonda Reda, executive director of the non-profit group Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program, recently spoke to a small audience at Columbiana High School (Columbiana, Ohio). Reda had some interesting facts and figures to share with the audience. She said that hydraulic fracturing was first used in Ohio to frack a well in 1951. Some of her other comments:

Read More “Interesting Comments on Shale Gas Drilling from Director of Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program”
MDN Weekly Update

MDN Weekly Update – May 8, 2011
May 8, 2011

MDN is pleased to announce a new site feature this week: The Weekly Poll. I’ve been around websites, building them and maintaining them, since the mid-1990s. I’ve seen polls come and polls go—most of the time they are useless. So why try a poll on MDN? Seems to me with a monthly reading audience that now exceeds 18,000 people (“uniques” as it’s called in biz), MDN has a great core of people that represent a healthy cross-section of those interested in this important topic. I think it would be good to regularly understand what people are thinking on a given drilling-related issue of the day. My intent is to drill down (pun intended) into specific issues and “take the temperature” of MDN readers.

For this first question, we’ll keep it simple: Are you in favor of shale gas drilling? Just go to any page on the MDN website and along the right-hand side of the page you’ll see “Weekly Poll”. Check an answer and click the Vote button.

Once you’ve voted you’ll see the results of all votes by both percentage and actual number of votes cast. Every time you return to the MDN site, or even click to view a new page, the numbers will automatically update. You can only vote once for a given poll. When a new poll is posted, you’ll be able to vote for that poll once. How does MDN keep track of whether or not you’ve voted? A cookie (or little snip of code) is placed in your web browser’s cache. You may or may not realize it, but almost every website you visit does the same thing. A cookie is nothing to fear, and it’s completely anonymous—MDN is not tracking who you are, what other websites you visit, etc. The cookie only says, “hey, this person has already voted for this poll” and that’s it.

It is possible to “game” the poll and try to influence the results by deleting your cookies and re-voting again and again. I guess if you’re up for that, you have a lot of time on your hands and a very small existence. Hopefully we can be adults and appreciate the outcome, no matter what it is, for any given opinion poll. And a further comment: The poll is in no way scientific. It is only intended to be a reflection of those who are visiting and reading the MDN website.

So, for those who subscribe to the daily email, and for those who just happen by and read this posting, please vote! I’ll report on the results the following week when I post a new question.

Below you’ll find the “top 5” lists and this week’s calendar listings.

Happy reading,
Jim Willis, Editor

Read More “MDN Weekly Update – May 8, 2011”
Air Quality | Industrywide Issues

British Global Warming Policy Foundation Publishes New Report Supporting Shale Gas Drilling
May 6, 2011May 6, 2011

Our friends across the pond, the Brits, recognize the importance of shale gas. Science writer Matt Ridley has written a new report for the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF) called The Shale Gas Shock. The report, released on May 4, provides an even-handed analysis of the benefits and potential problems with shale gas and comes down on the side that shale gas’ pluses outweigh its minuses.

Below is a description of the report from the GWPF’s website, along with a link to download the 36-page report for free.

Read More “British Global Warming Policy Foundation Publishes New Report Supporting Shale Gas Drilling”
Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines | Statewide OH

Ohio Manufacturer Investing More Than a Half Billion Dollars on New Plant to Produce Marcellus Shale Pipelines
May 6, 2011May 6, 2011

One of the issues facing energy companies who want to drill in the Marcellus Shale is how to get gas from the well to a processing facility, and from there to an interstate gas pipeline so it can make its way to market. Getting the gas from here to there requires pipelines. Without pipeline infrastructure, nothing happens.

One of the companies manufacturing pipelines for the Marcellus is V&M Star, based in Youngstown, Ohio. V&M Star, a subsidiary of France-based Vallourec & Mannesmann Tubes, is in the midst of a major expansion, building a new plant which will allow it to manufacture more pipelines for the Marcellus Shale.

Read More “Ohio Manufacturer Investing More Than a Half Billion Dollars on New Plant to Produce Marcellus Shale Pipelines”
Energy Companies | Monongalia County | Northeast Natural Energy | West Virginia

Two New Marcellus Shale Gas Wells to be Drilled Close to Morgantown, WV
May 6, 2011May 6, 2011

Northeast Natural Energy is set to drill two new Marcellus Shale gas wells just across the river from Morgantown, WV:

Read More “Two New Marcellus Shale Gas Wells to be Drilled Close to Morgantown, WV”
Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Collier Township, PA Officials Pass New Conditional-Use Ordinance Restricting Marcellus Shale Drilling
May 6, 2011May 6, 2011

On Wednesday, commissioners for Collier Township (Allegheny County), PA approved a new conditional-use Marcellus Shale drilling ordinance which restricts drilling in the Township:

Read More “Collier Township, PA Officials Pass New Conditional-Use Ordinance Restricting Marcellus Shale Drilling”