Although NatGas Prices Soar, Major M-U Drillers Lose Money
An article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette highlights and focuses on the financial performance for four of the Marcellus/Utica’s largest publicly-traded companies, including EQT Corp., Antero Resources, Range Resources, and CNX Resources, during first quarter 2022. Even though the price natural gas is fetching is higher than it’s been in 14 years, M-U drillers are losing money. Why? Hedges and derivatives–bad bets on where the price of gas would go and locking in prices much lower than what the market currently supports.
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Reuters has noticed that the rate of growth in the production of natural gas has slowed nationally, even though the price for natural gas is at a 14-year high and even though other countries, particularly Europe, are begging for our gas. Why? Lack of pipelines. We have the ability to produce far more natural gas than we do now, but Big Green (funded in part by foreign countries and bad actors) successfully defeats new pipeline projects with a barrage of lawsuits.
A group of 16 delusional anti-Americans who serve in Congress, including Alexandria “Occasional-Cortex” Ocasio-Cortez and Adam “Shifty” Schiff, sent a letter to more than a dozen large insurance companies in an attempt to stop the companies from underwriting any new fossil energy projects. All in the name of mythical global warming.
Anything that aids or assists fossil energy in becoming “cleaner” and “better” for the environment is now a target of the irrational left in this country. It’s quite comical to behold. If there’s a new technology that makes fossil fuel emissions cleaner (healthier for the climate and humans), the left is against it. They demand their way–total renewables and NOTHING ELSE–or they viciously attack and oppose it–no matter how worthy and beneficial. We previously told you how the left is turning against hydrogen energy (see
OTHER U.S. REGIONS: As natural gas prices hit 14-year high, shale awaits; NATIONAL: America’s energy answers are right at home; why look elsewhere?
Banpu is Thailand’s largest coal mining company. But Banpu is far more than just a coal company. It has multiple subsidiaries in various energy industries scattered around the globe. For example, here in the U.S. Banpu partners with Kalnin Ventures and operates BKV Corporation (Banpu Kalnin Ventures), the American shale drilling arm of Banpu. Reuters is reporting rumors that BKV has begun preparations for an initial public offering (IPO). Reuters is almost always right about these things.
Last week Philadelphia released a so-called “Greenhouse Gas Inventory” report (full copy below) comparing emissions from 2019, the most recent pre-pandemic data, to a baseline in 2006. The report shows citywide emissions have dropped 20% since 2006. In reporting done by the lefties at PBS about this news, you have to read down to the fifth paragraph before you locate the reason for the 20% drop in Philly’s emissions: using Marcellus Shale gas to generate electricity.
In March Joe Biden announced a deal with Europe to deliver more LNG to the Continent, starting this year (see
Yesterday EQT Corporation released its first quarter 2022 update and held a conference call with analysts. The big news came from CEO Toby Rice, who said in his opening remarks, “We are currently in discussions with LNG end-users across various geographies and are contemplating equity investment opportunities in LNG export facilities.” Later in the call, in response to a question, Rice added, “Our ultimate prize that we’re looking for here at EQT is to get exposure to international markets…One of the ways that we get more flexibility towards accessing those contracts is to take an investment in the LNG facility itself.”
Antero Resources, one of the largest drillers in the Marcellus/Utica (with major assets in West Virginia) issued its first quarter 2022 update yesterday. We’ve often marveled at Antero’s ability to make money on its natural gas and NGLs with hedging–preselling gas and NGLs at prices that beat whatever the current market price is at the time (see
CNX Resources issued its first quarter 2022 update yesterday, and boy what an update! CEO Nick DeIuliis took direct aim at leftist anti-fossil fuel policies that are harming the human race. He spared no words! Policies including PA Gov. Tom Wolf’s RGGI carbon tax and the so-called Paris Climate Accord came in for a round of attacks by Nick. Love it! But what about the company’s performance in 1Q22? How did CNX fare financially and operationally?
Three cheers for Big Coal! We’re not all that thrilled with using coal in power plants given there is a much more environmentally-friendly option–natural gas. But we’re certainly not against coal energy and we’re all for free enterprise and competition among fuel sources. The coal industry in Pennsylvania has our respect and admiration for standing up for itself and suing the state to block the insane Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) carbon tax. PA Gov. Tom Wolf is forcing his state to join RGGI, which will assess huge new taxes on both coal and gas-fired power plants, threatening to drive both out of business.