First Freshwater Stewardship Cert Developed for Oil & Gas Drillers
A number of big Marcellus/Utica drillers (i.e. producers) have gone whole hog on ESG (environmental, social, governance) programs in an attempt to prove to the world natural gas and the way we produce it is green too. One of the companies that popped up over a year ago to help M-U drillers (and drillers in other plays) prove they are clean and green was Independent Energy Standards Corporation (IES) TrustWell™ Responsible Gas Program (see Southwestern Sells 1st Certified “Responsible Gas” to NJ Resources). Since that time Project Canary merged with and took over IES and became the new name on the door for the TrustWell Responsible Gas Program. Project Canary has just released the first-ever Freshwater Stewardship Certification developed for oil and gas producers.
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OTHER U.S. REGIONS: California wises up and chooses natural gas; Permian natural gas growth spurs more processing capacity; NATIONAL: Record plastic prices may go stratospheric; Biden’s infrastructure plan is Solyndra on steroids; Time to rethink Biden’s anti-American energy policies; INTERNATIONAL: OPEC+ seen sticking to plan.
In June MDN brought you the news that Enbridge’s Texas Eastern Transmission (TETCO) pipeline was being flow-restricted by the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA). Some 40% of the Marcellus/Utica molecules that flow through TETCO’s pipeline to destinations in the southeastern U.S. disappeared and were predicted to stay that way until the end of September (see
What’s happening with New Fortress Energy’s (NFE) proposed LNG liquefaction plant planned for Wyalusing, PA? We told you in March the company hasn’t given up on the plan, but for now is focused elsewhere (see
Chester County, PA commissioners are, once again, attempting to instill irrational fear into county residents over the construction and operation of the Mariner East 2 (ME2) pipeline. ME2 runs hundreds of miles across the state, from eastern Ohio all the way to the Marcus Hook refinery near Philadelphia. The pipeline runs through Chester on its way to Marcus Hook. Chester commissioners are preparing to pay big bucks to hire a consultant to help the county draw up emergency plans for the pipeline in case it blows up or leaks. It’s a scare tactic. “The sky is falling!” MDN friend Garland Thompson has written a cogent and devastating response to an article highlighting news of the commissioners’ attempt to amplify people’s fears about ME2. His response offers the bigger (and truer) picture about ME2 safety.
In March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning to enter the public consciousness, some 500 people from labor unions and industry met in Pittsburgh to launch an organization called Pittsburgh Works Together (PWT), dedicated to fighting back against those who want to end southwest PA industries including steel, natural gas, and petrochemicals (see
It’s that time of year again. Annual maintenance along pipelines that feed several major U.S. liquefaction (LNG) facilities will negatively impact gas deliveries to some terminals over the next six weeks according to notices to customers. Pipelines that serve the Cove Point, Maryland LNG facility and the Sabine Pass, Louisiana facility will be affected. Marcellus/Utica gas flows to both facilities.
The latest weekly Enverus U.S. rig count shows total rigs in use faltered slightly and lost ground. For the week ending August 26, the rig count stood at 621, down 3 rigs from the previous week. That’s a slight retreat after last week’s new post-pandemic high. The Marcellus and Utica plays stayed even with the previous week–no rigs gained or lost. Collectively the M-U currently operates 45 rigs.
In February of this year, PTT Global Chemical adamantly claimed a final investment decision (FID) to build the $10 billion ethane cracker plant project in Belmont County, OH would happen by “middle of 2021” (see 
In an effort to flow more Marcellus natural gas to a gas-starved New York City, Kinder Morgan cut a deal with utility company Consolidated Edison in 2019 to beef up capacity along its Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP) that feeds NYC, allowing Con Ed to avoid cutting customers off from natgas hookups (see
Last October the Sisters of the Corn (our name for a group of leftist nuns in Lancaster County, PA) filed yet another frivolous lawsuit against Williams over a pipeline that crosses their land–a pipeline (Atlantic Sunrise) that has been up and running for years (see 
Earlier this month MDN brought you information on the kinds of efforts and initiatives oil and gas companies are adopting to prove to those who hate us that we’re green and good for Mom Earth (see