Marcellus Drilling News

Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Devon Energy | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | M&A

Rumor Mill Lights Up: Coterra Considers Merger with Devon Energy
January 16, 2026January 16, 2026

The rumor mill is in overdrive today with news that Coterra Energy is in serious talks with Devon Energy exploring a potential merger “that would be among the biggest oil and gas deals in years.” While the primary driver of this deal is gaining massive scale in the Permian Basin, Coterra’s substantial Marcellus Shale assets in northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) are a major point of speculation for analysts and investors. It appears possible (likely?) that a combined company would sell off the PA Marcellus assets. Read More “Rumor Mill Lights Up: Coterra Considers Merger with Devon Energy”
Antero Resources | Ascent Resources | CNX Resources | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Greene County (PA) | Harrison County | HG Energy | Jefferson County (OH) | Lewis County | Lycoming County | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Repsol | Seneca Resources | Tioga County (PA) | Washington County | Weekly Permits | West Virginia

21 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Jan 5 – 11
January 16, 2026January 16, 2026

A return to normalcy last week for permits issued to drill new shale wells in the Marcellus/Utica. Two weeks ago, we reported that just one new permit was issued (see M-U Issues Just One New Permit Last Week, Dec 29 – Jan 4). As promised, we double-checked to be sure there wasn’t a lag in posting permits by the various environmental agencies. There were no new permits (except the one) for two weeks ago. As for last week, Jan. 5 – 11, Pennsylvania issued 12 new permits, Ohio issued 2, and West Virginia issued 7. Among the drillers receiving new permits last week: Antero, Ascent, CNX, EQT, HG Energy, Repsol, and Seneca Resources. Read More “21 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Jan 5 – 11”
Hydrogen | Industrywide Issues | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV’s ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub “Stalled” Due to Lack of H2 Buyers
January 16, 2026January 16, 2026

Sorry, Field of Dreams, but if you build it, they don’t necessarily come. That’s the hard lesson for one of the biggest boondoggles of the Biden years—seven hydrogen hub projects (from 33 finalists) promised a collective $7 billion in federal funding (see Hydrogen Hub Winners Announced – WV Takes Prize in M-U Region). Among the winners was the West Virginia-led Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2), which is a project that will use Marcellus/Utica natural gas as the feedstock to produce “blue” hydrogen, which is hydrogen made from natgas where carbon dioxide from the process is captured and either used or stored underground. ARCH2 qualified for up to $925 million of taxpayer money. But then Donald Trump was elected, and he can sniff out a grifting boondoggle a mile away, putting some of the projects (but not ARCH2) on hold (see ARCH2 and MACH2 Hydrogen Hub Projects Keep Fed Funding, For Now). Read More “WV’s ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub “Stalled” Due to Lack of H2 Buyers”
Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Ohio | Research | Statewide OH

Ohio Utica Shale Attracted $114+ Billion Investment by End of 2024
January 16, 2026January 16, 2026

JobsOhio, a private, nonprofit corporation that works on behalf of the state to drive job creation and new capital investment in Ohio by attracting business, contracts its economic research to Cleveland State University (CSU) to keep tabs on the Utica Shale industry. JobsOhio released the latest CSU updated report earlier this week (full copy below), showing that more than $114.6 billion has been invested in Ohio across natural gas, natural gas liquids, and petrochemical supply chain industries since 2011. Ohio’s shale energy sector drew approximately $3.5 billion in fresh capital between July and December 2024. Read More “Ohio Utica Shale Attracted $114+ Billion Investment by End of 2024”
Duke Energy | Electrical Generation | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | North Carolina

Duke Energy Considers 1,360-MW Gas Plant for Davidson County, NC
January 16, 2026January 16, 2026

Duke Energy is considering constructing a 1,360-megawatt natural gas power plant on 1,600 acres in Davidson County, North Carolina. This is the first we’ve heard of this project, and judging by our research, the first anyone has heard of it. Prior to this, we were aware of two Duke gas-fired projects in N.C.—one in Person County and one in Catawba County (see NC Approves Duke Energy Replacing Coal Plants with Natural Gas). We now have a third large gas-fired plant, potentially, on the board for Duke. Read More “Duke Energy Considers 1,360-MW Gas Plant for Davidson County, NC”
Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | M&A

Talen Picks Up Another 3 Gas-Fired Power Plants in PJM for $3.45B
January 16, 2026January 17, 2026

At the end of November, Talen Energy, a leading energy producer in the U.S. (owns and operates approximately 13.1 gigawatts (GW) of power infrastructure) completed the acquisition of two gas-fired power plants for $3.8 billion: one located near Wilkes-Barre in northeastern Pennsylvania, and the other in Guernsey County, in eastern Ohio (see Talen Completes Purchase of M-U Gas-Powered Plants in PA, OH). Talen loves the Marcellus/Utica. The company is buying three more gas-fired plants, two in Ohio and one in Indiana, for $3.45 billion. The three plants will add a cumulative 2.6 GW of electricity to Talen’s existing 13.1 GW. Read More “Talen Picks Up Another 3 Gas-Fired Power Plants in PJM for $3.45B”
Best of the Rest

MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Fri, Jan 16, 2026 [FREE ACCESS]
January 16, 2026January 16, 2026

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Luzerne County Community College hosts data center information session; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: From start to finish, ‘The Land of Sacrifice’ misleads on New Mexico oil & gas; Canceling California’s war on U.S. truckers; Hydrogen used to power data centers is taxable in Texas; Virginia no longer the No. 1 electricity importer in the country; Trump Administration sues California over oil and gas drilling regulations; NATIONAL: U.S. natural gas futures settle mixed; Ethane, propane exports diverged in 2025; INTERNATIONAL: Oil falls sharply as U.S. pauses Iran action; European gas price climbs on cold snap, tight inventories. Read More “MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Fri, Jan 16, 2026 [FREE ACCESS]”
Commodity Price | Industrywide Issues | Research

EIA Jan. STEO Predicts HH Spot Price Avg $3.46 2026, $4.59 2027
January 15, 2026January 15, 2026

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) issued its latest monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) on Tuesday. The STEO is the agency’s monthly best estimate of where energy prices and production will head over the next 12 months. The EIA published its first energy-sector forecasts through 2027. For natural gas, the EIA predicts the U.S. benchmark Henry Hub spot price to decrease about 2% to just under $3.50 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2026, then rise sharply in 2027 to just under $4.60/MMBtu. The reason for the sharp increase next year? Growth in demand—led by expanding LNG exports and more natural gas consumption in the electric power sector—will outpace production growth. Read More “EIA Jan. STEO Predicts HH Spot Price Avg $3.46 2026, $4.59 2027”
American Energy Partners Inc. | Belmont County | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Ohio | Regulation | Wastewater

Ohio Judge Adds $28M in Fines Against Austin Master Services
January 15, 2026January 15, 2026

One of the significant stories of 2024 in the Ohio Utica was about Austin Master Services (AMS), a radiological waste management solutions company in Martins Ferry, Ohio, that processes and transports fracking waste for disposal. AMS ran into trouble when it ran out of money. The Martins Ferry facility in Belmont County, where waste is temporarily stored, had vastly exceeded its permitted limit of 600 tons (storing over 10,000 tons), resulting in a permit violation. The Ohio Attorney General’s office filed a lawsuit against the company in March 2024 to compel compliance and require the company to clean up the facility. After the company didn’t perform, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) stepped in to handle the cleanup (see Austin Master Services Ohio Frack Waste Cleanup Complete Today). The AG’s office sued for $6 million to cover the cost of cleanup, and last November, a Belmont County court ruled in favor of the state (see Ohio Judge Rules Against Austin Master Services for $6.2 Million). The judge has just issued a second ruling imposing a $ 10,000-per-day fine for the time the facility was out of compliance. It adds up to another $28+ million. Read More “Ohio Judge Adds $28M in Fines Against Austin Master Services”
Antero Resources | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | M&A

Antero Floats $750M in IOUs to Help Fund Purchase of HG Energy
January 15, 2026January 15, 2026

In December, MDN brought you the news that Antero Resources, the country’s fifth-largest natural gas producer and largest producer in West Virginia, had cut a deal to buy WV driller and midstreamer HG Energy II for a combined (upstream & midstream) $3.9 billion (see Antero Resources Buys HG Energy II in Deal Worth $3.9 Billion). The deal will add a massive 385,000 net acres to Antero’s existing ~475,000 net core Marcellus acreage position, bringing with it another 850 MMcfe/d in production. The same day, we told you that Antero was selling its considerable Ohio Utica assets for $1.2 billion, which will help fund the purchase (see NOG & INR Partner to Buy Antero Resources’ Ohio Utica for $1.2B). The company still needs cash to buy HG Energy, so on Tuesday, Antero announced it will issue a new round of IOUs (“senior notes”) to raise another $750 million. Read More “Antero Floats $750M in IOUs to Help Fund Purchase of HG Energy”
Energy Companies | Energy Services | EQT Corp | Equitrans/EQT Midstream | Health Impacts | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | West Virginia | Wetzel County

EQT Asks Fed Court to Dismiss Health Lawsuit Filed by 4 WV Kids
January 15, 2026January 15, 2026

In August, the parents of four children under the age of 18 (from three families) filed a lawsuit on their kids’ behalf against EQT subsidiaries EQT Production Company and EQT XL Midstream Operating, claiming that emissions from a nearby compressor station and nearby shale wells operated by EQT have led to severe health-related problems for the kids (see 4 WV Kids Sue EQT Claiming Compressor, Wells Caused Illness). The families used to live in the rural hamlet of Knob Fork in Wetzel County, WV. They all have since moved. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and money for ongoing monitoring of the kids’ health. In November, EQT filed a motion to dismiss the case. In December, the plaintiffs (parents/kids’ lawyers) filed a response opposing the motion to dismiss. EQT quickly followed with its own response, replying to their opposition to the dismissal of the case. Read More “EQT Asks Fed Court to Dismiss Health Lawsuit Filed by 4 WV Kids”
AI | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Regulation | Statewide OH

2 OH State Republicans Float Bill to Study Pros/Cons of Data Centers
January 15, 2026January 15, 2026

Ohio State Representatives Gary Click and Kellie Deeter have introduced legislation to establish a 13-member bipartisan Ohio Data Center Study Commission. This initiative responds to the rapid expansion of approximately 200 data centers across the state, which has sparked community concerns regarding agricultural land use, noise pollution, water consumption, and energy demands. The commission aims to provide a platform for public dialogue and develop a comprehensive report to guide future development. By evaluating these impacts, lawmakers hope to encourage smart, balanced growth that potentially prioritizes brownfield redevelopment over rural green spaces while ensuring long-term resource stability. Read More “2 OH State Republicans Float Bill to Study Pros/Cons of Data Centers”
AI | Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues

WSJ Op-Ed: Data Center Moratoriums are the New Fracking Bans
January 15, 2026January 15, 2026

MDN was among the first to tell readers that so-called environmental groups were quickly morphing from anti-fracking to anti-data center. Over the past three months, we’ve observed in various posts how opposition to data centers (from the same people who oppose fracking and shale energy) has gone from local and regional anti groups (see More Evidence that PA’s Anti-Frackers are Now Anti-Data Center and Antis in Ohio Join the Chorus Bashing AI Data Centers) to national groups (see 200 Enviro Groups Want Freeze on Building ALL New Data Centers). The usual bought-and-paid-for suspects in Congress have joined the cause, blaming data centers for high electricity costs and calling for the construction of all-new data centers to be blocked (see Congressional Dems Blame AI Data Centers for High Electric Prices). An op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal echoes our observations. The title of the op-ed: “They’re Coming for Our Data Centers.” Read More “WSJ Op-Ed: Data Center Moratoriums are the New Fracking Bans”
Best of the Rest

MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Jan 15, 2026 [FREE ACCESS]
January 15, 2026January 15, 2026

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Gov. Shapiro, lawmakers tout benefits of PA’s natural gas impact fee; Woman arrested for incident outside Utica Shale Academy; NATIONAL: U.S. natural gas futures sink ahead of storage report; Climate activists push insurance bills that hike costs for consumers; State of American energy 2026; Blocking the sun – the folly of solar geoengineering; When it comes to C3, think in thirds; 2026 Energy Outlook: grid strains, price pressure, geopolitical shifts; Congress can predict our energy future by creating it; Trump says tech giants must bear cost of data center electricity; INTERNATIONAL: Oil slips after Trump signals Iran de-escalation; BP sees up to $5B impairments tied to low-carbon assets. Read More “MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Jan 15, 2026 [FREE ACCESS]”
Commodity Price | Energy Companies | Expand Energy | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

Expand Energy CEO: Drillers Won’t Add New Production at $3.50 Gas
January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

Expand Energy CEO Nick Dell’Osso

Expand Energy CEO Nick Dell’Osso was recently interviewed at the Goldman Sachs Energy, Clean Tech & Utilities Conference held in Miami, Florida, on Jan. 6. During the talk, Dell’Osso outlined Expand’s strategy following the merger of Chesapeake Energy and Southwestern Energy, emphasizing that even if natural gas prices reached the $3.50/MMBtu range, the company would remain disciplined and likely prioritize shareholder returns (such as dividends and buybacks) over aggressive production growth. With respect to the price of gas, he said this of producers in general: “But if we continue to have pricing that hangs around $3.50, I just don’t think you have a producer that is motivated for growth. I think the marginal breakeven for growth in this country is above $3.50.” Read More “Expand Energy CEO: Drillers Won’t Add New Production at $3.50 Gas”
Accidents | Bradford County | Energy Services | Eureka Resources | Industrywide Issues | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Wastewater

Cleanup Stalled: Frack Wastewater Lingers at 3 Eureka Plants in PA
January 14, 2026January 14, 2026

On August 17, Eureka Resources’ Williamsport Second Street facility (one of the three wastewater treatment plants previously operated by Eureka) leaked some of its stored untreated frack wastewater, which ended up in the nearby Susquehanna River via a storm drain (see ‘Black Goop’ Spills into Susquehanna River from Closed Eureka Plant). That event led the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to launch an investigation into all three of Eureka’s shuttered plants: two in Williamsport (Lycoming County) and one in Bradford County. The DEP found untreated wastewater stored at each facility—over 4.6 million gallons in total—and demanded Eureka dispose of it within 90 days. In September, Eureka outlined a plan to do just that (see Eureka Proposes Plan to Clean Up, Close All 3 PA Wastewater Plants). The 90-day period has expired. The DEP reinspected and found that some progress has made, but wastewater is still stored at each site. Read More “Cleanup Stalled: Frack Wastewater Lingers at 3 Eureka Plants in PA”