Marcellus Drilling News

Diversified Energy | Energy Companies

Diversified Energy Deploys Innovative Methane Measurement Equipment
April 13, 2022April 20, 2022

Diversified Energy (formerly Diversified Gas & Oil) owns close to 8 million acres of leases with some 67,000 (mostly) conventional oil and gas wells. Most of Diversified’s assets are located in the Appalachian region. This morning the company announced it has purchased and will deploy the Opgal EyeCGas 2.0 system (special handheld camera), with companion EyeCSite Tablet software, along with the SEMTECH® HI-FLOW 2 sampler. The two systems working together are state-of-the-art emissions measurement equipment capable of not only detecting fugitive methane emissions but also estimating the amount of the emissions.
Read More “Diversified Energy Deploys Innovative Methane Measurement Equipment”
Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Wyoming County (PA)

Marcellus Industry Tells U.S. Sen. Toomey “We Need More Workers”
April 13, 2022April 20, 2022

Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senator Pat Toomey visited the Lackawanna College School of Petroleum and Natural Gas (PNG) near Tunkhannock (Wyoming County), PA yesterday. What struck us about coverage of the event is that PNG officials said they don’t have enough students to fill all of the available, open positions for graduates and that people from the industry said they don’t have enough workers to fill jobs in the Marcellus Shale.
Read More “Marcellus Industry Tells U.S. Sen. Toomey “We Need More Workers””
CNG/LNG | Commodity Price | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

Global LNG Prices Now the Dog, U.S. NatGas Prices the Wagged Tail?
April 13, 2022April 20, 2022

Traditionally the United States has largely been insulated from conditions (and prices) in other parts of the world that affects prices in our own domestic natural gas markets. At least that’s been the case since the miracle of fracking took off and changed energy dynamics roughly 15 years ago. Once upon a time the U.S. had to import natural gas to meet all of our needs. Then shale happened, and now we export our gas to other countries (we have so much of it!). However, once again the U.S. appears to increasingly be part of a global dynamic whereby events in other parts of the world DO affect our natural gas prices. At least, that’s the view we’re beginning to read. LNG is fingered as the reason for it.
Read More “Global LNG Prices Now the Dog, U.S. NatGas Prices the Wagged Tail?”
Antero Resources | Ascent Resources | Bradford County | Doddridge County | Energy Companies | HG Energy | Jefferson County (OH) | Marshall County | Ohio | Ohio County | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Repsol | Ritchie County | Seneca Resources | Southwestern Energy | Tioga County (PA) | Washington County | Weekly Permits | West Virginia

34 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Apr 4-10
April 13, 2022April 20, 2022

Last week Pennsylvania issued 15 new shale well permits (up one from the prior week), with Repsol taking five, and both Range Resources and Seneca Energy grabbing four each. All permits for each of the three were on a single pad. Ohio issued five new permits last week, with all five going to Ascent Resources. West Virginia issued a big 14 permits (after issuing no permits in the prior week). Antero Resource received six permits, with Southwestern Energy and HG Energy each receiving four permits in WV.
Read More “34 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Apr 4-10”
Best of the Rest

Other Stories of Interest: Wed, Apr 13, 2022
April 13, 2022April 20, 2022

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Peregrine adds mineral rights in Pennsylvania, West Virginia; NATIONAL: Time to tear down America’s own barriers to energy security; It’s time for transparency of the embedded costs of going “green”; INTERNATIONAL: Ineos lobbying for fracking with shale gas demo site development; China slashes LNG purchases; BofA Global Research maintains $100+ oil forecast.
Read More “Other Stories of Interest: Wed, Apr 13, 2022”
Hydrogen | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Statewide OH

Ohio Consortium Makes a Play to Attract $2 Billion Hydrogen Hub
April 12, 2022April 20, 2022

Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia are all scrambling to form intrastate working groups or other alliances in an attempt to be THE state chosen for one of four regional hydrogen hubs funded by the recently passed so-called Biden infrastructure bill (see WV, OH, PA Compete Against Each Other to Attract $2B Hydrogen Hub). The new law provides $8 billion for four regional hydrogen hubs. We’ve previously told you about the efforts launched by both PA and WV to land a hydrogen hub. We now have more details about the Ohio Clean Hydrogen Hub Alliance, a consortium of Ohio businesses, nonprofits, public officials, and universities seeking to do the same for the Buckeye State.
Read More “Ohio Consortium Makes a Play to Attract $2 Billion Hydrogen Hub”
Commodity Price | Industrywide Issues

NatGas Makes a Run at $7/MMBtu – Highest in 13 Yrs – “Fear Premium”
April 12, 2022April 20, 2022

The “front month” May NYMEX natural gas futures contract “exploded” (poor choice of words?) yesterday, going up 37 cents in a single day to close at $6.64/MMBtu. Yesterday’s price for NYMEX natural gas was the highest in the past 13 years. In trader’s language, “key resistance” has been in the $6.10-$6.30/MMBtu range. Previous price rallies “petered out” after going past $6, never getting by $6.30. That’s all behind us now. So why are prices spiking now with warmer spring weather on the horizon?
Read More “NatGas Makes a Run at $7/MMBtu – Highest in 13 Yrs – “Fear Premium””
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines

Climate Crazies Turn Out in Springfield, MA to Protest Tiny Pipe
April 12, 2022April 20, 2022

A group of nearly 200 protesters from some 60 different wacko anti-fossil fuel groups (an average of 3 1/3 person per “group”) turned out last weekend to protest a tiny 5-mile pipeline proposed in the Springfield, Massachusetts area. It was a coordinated effort by Big Green aimed at shaming local politicians into opposing Eversource’s Western Massachusetts Natural Gas Reliability Project (formerly called the Greater Springfield Reliability Project under previous owner Columbia Gas of Massachusetts). The purpose of the pipeline is to function as a backup, to prevent the gas from being turned off for 58,000 Eversource customers in the region.
Read More “Climate Crazies Turn Out in Springfield, MA to Protest Tiny Pipe”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues

Anti-Drilling Zealots Attack Plans for Small 55 MW MA Peaker Plant
April 12, 2022April 20, 2022

Yesterday MDN told you about anti-fossil fuel zealots in New Jersey who irrationally hate all fossil energy, including natural gas, opposing three new electric power plants planned for the Garden State (see NJ Anti-Drilling Zealots Attack Plans for 3 New Gas-Fired Plants). Massachusetts is a lot like NJ when it comes to liberals who hate fossil energy. The antis in MA, like those in NJ, are taking aim at a small “peaker” power plant that would generate up to 55 megawatts of electricity purely as a backup. The plant will be off most of the time, yet antis are attacking the plant like it’s radioactive.
Read More “Anti-Drilling Zealots Attack Plans for Small 55 MW MA Peaker Plant”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | ESG | Industrywide Issues

Do Gas Drillers Know Anti Groups are Funding ESG Certifications?
April 12, 2022April 20, 2022

Last week MDN brought you the news that MiQ, one of three major certification authorities that put its stamp of approval on “responsible gas” production (i.e. low methane leakage), announced that MiQ’s Digital Registry of Independently Certified Gas currently has 350 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of “responsibly produced gas” ready for buying and selling. MiQ also announced it has launched a new certification service called the Certified Supply Chain (see MiQ Says 350 Bcf Responsible Gas Ready to Buy via Digital Registry). However, did you know that a number of big money, anti-fossil fuel nonprofits are funding MiQ?

The post below was updated with a response from MiQ on April 14, 2022.
Read More “Do Gas Drillers Know Anti Groups are Funding ESG Certifications?”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues

The Earth Needs More Plant-Fertilizing Carbon Dioxide, Not Less
April 12, 2022April 20, 2022

Paul Driessen is the senior policy advisor for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) and author of many books, reports, and articles on energy, climate, and environmental issues. He is one of the top thinkers, speakers, and writers on the issue of so-called global warming. We’ve brought you columns from Driessen before, on occasion. Driessen recently published another fantastic column about the need for MORE carbon dioxide in the atmosphere–not less.
Read More “The Earth Needs More Plant-Fertilizing Carbon Dioxide, Not Less”
Best of the Rest

Other Stories of Interest: Tue, Apr 12, 2022
April 12, 2022April 20, 2022

NATIONAL: The new White House rule: Do not talk about Joe Manchin; INTERNATIONAL: Oil down as Covid outbreak reaches record levels in China; Oil worker shortage hits Canada.
Read More “Other Stories of Interest: Tue, Apr 12, 2022”
Energy Services | Equitrans/EQT Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation

FERC Approves MVP Use of HDD Construction at 183 Streams/Wetlands
April 11, 2022April 11, 2022

We didn’t see this one coming! Must be the intense pressure from U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) had the intended effect (see Joe Manchin Tells (Off) Dick Glick: “Do Your Damn Job!” re Pipes). On Friday, FERC commissioners voted (unanimously) to authorize the completion for part of the remaining pieces of construction for the 94% complete, 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project. The order allows MVP to use underground horizontal directional drilling (HDD) to complete the installation of the pipeline below 183 streams and wetlands (swamps). Construction won’t begin just yet, but this ruling definitely helps.
Read More “FERC Approves MVP Use of HDD Construction at 183 Streams/Wetlands”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

PA DEP Tries to Short Circuit Commonwealth Court Block of Carbon Tax
April 11, 2022April 11, 2022

Last Tuesday, Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court ruled that Gov. Tom Wolf’s obscene carbon tax, called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), will not go into effect until “pending further order of the court” (see Yes! PA Commonwealth Court Blocks RGGI Carbon Tax Regs…for Now). In an attempt to short circuit and circumvent Commonwealth Court and the lawsuit playing out there, the Secretary of the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP), Pat McDonnell, followed Gov. Wolf’s orders and appealed the ruling directly to the Democrats of the PA Supreme Court. McDonnell’s lawsuit claims Commonwealth Court erred as a matter of law because it didn’t bother to hold a hearing to listen to McDonnell blather on about global warming nonsense and the urgent need to “do something” via an obscene carbon tax (RGGI).
Read More “PA DEP Tries to Short Circuit Commonwealth Court Block of Carbon Tax”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

RGGI Carbon Tax Scheme Doesn’t Actually Cut CO2 Emissions!
April 11, 2022April 11, 2022

The main reason Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf wants to force his state (against the will of a majority of residents) to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a carbon tax, is that it will supposedly cut down the state’s emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is supposedly causing Mom Earth to toast (see Gov. Wolf Goes Bonkers: EO Destroying Gas-Fired Elec, Carbon Tax). An article from the leftists at POLITICO and its subsidiary E&E News network reveals a bombshell revelation. RGGI, the “nation’s first CO2 cap and trade system,” doesn’t actually lower CO2 emissions! It’s nothing more than a tax, a revenue generator so sleazy politicians can redistribute the wealth from poor people (electric ratepayers) to rich people (those who use so-called renewables and get big government handouts/incentives to do so). That’s what RGGI amounts to–a reverse Robin Hood scheme of giving money from the poor and middle class to the rich. Disgusting.
Read More “RGGI Carbon Tax Scheme Doesn’t Actually Cut CO2 Emissions!”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues

NJ Anti-Drilling Zealots Attack Plans for 3 New Gas-Fired Plants
April 11, 2022April 11, 2022

Anti-fossil fuel zealots who irrationally hate all fossil energy, including natural gas, are beside themselves that three new electric power plants are planned for New Jersey. Two would use natural gas as their fuel source, while the third plant plans to use renewables of some kind. Yet antis are freaking out. Two of the planned plants would be for emergency/backup use only and will sit idle 99% of the time. Doesn’t matter: freak out. The remaining plant would produce 630 megawatts of electricity using Marcellus natgas, a relatively small plant (sitting next to an existing plant). Doesn’t matter: freak out. The solution proposed by the naysayers? Just go without electricity. Sit in the dark. Freeze in the winter and boil in the summer.
Read More “NJ Anti-Drilling Zealots Attack Plans for 3 New Gas-Fired Plants”