Federal Judge Allows EQT Trespass Lawsuit in WV to Advance
The issue of expired leases has once again reared its head for EQT–this time in West Virginia. In 2006 a group of WV landowners/rights owners sued Equitable Production Company (now EQT) claiming, among other things, “damages for improper deductions of post-production expenses from their royalty payments and damages for breach of lease agreements, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, violation of the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act…violation of the flat rate royalty statute… and punitive damages, all related to the improper payment of royalties.” That case was settled in 2010. However, a subgroup within the larger class action group has a new/different claim: that EQT let leases lapse and then reentered and drilled on property out-of-lease. It’s called trespass.
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The Biden-controlled U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has just granted anti-fossil fuel zealots enough rope to strangle the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project, or enough rope to strangle themselves. We hope it’s the latter, we fear it may be the former. The “rope” in this case is time. The Army Corps announced Friday it will give antis an extra 30 days to comment on (complain, manipulate, lie about) a proposed water crossing permit for MVP in West Virginia and Virginia. Even with the extra 30 days antis still are not satisfied.
Here’s an interesting twist on building new oil and gas pipelines in Ohio. Due to a late filing made by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA), from now on interstate pipeline builders will *not* need to seek and receive a federal section 401 water permit under the Clean Water Act from the Ohio EPA to build the pipeline. Instead, the pipeline builder can just ask the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a Nationwide Permit 12 (NWP12). Ohio EPA has been problematic for pipelines in the past (see 
Ohio’s House Bill (HB) 6 law granted billions (plural) of dollars to FirstEnergy in an attempt to prop up the company’s economically failing nuclear power plants. FirstEnergy is accused of bribing state legislators to pass, and keep passed, HB 6 by paying out $61 million (see 
In 2019, a truly dreadful, jobs-killing piece of legislation in New York State was passed (see 
MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Dimock Township, PA receives $95K state investment; Treasurer Riley Moore criticizes reported plans to cut funding for oil, gas industry; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: California governor seeks end to oil drilling in state by 2045; NATIONAL: U.S. LNG terminals seen running at full capacity to meet global demand; Billionaire’s low-carbon frac dream proves a tough sell; How natural gas production has continued to outpace crude since COVID hit; The Green New Deal will impoverish America; There is no climate emergency.
Recently the U.S. EIA (Energy Information Administration) predicted natural gas production in 2021 will increase, slightly, over 2020’s dismal performance (see 
It’s nice to see Pennsylvania’s Republican legislators playing hardball with the out-of-control governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf. Yesterday PA Senate Republicans wrote a letter to Gov. Wolf to advise him they will reject all future nominees to the state Public Utility Commission (PUC) until he withdraws his executive order joining the so-called Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a carbon tax scheme aimed at shutting down coal and natural gas-fired power plants in the state.
MPR Supply Chain Solutions (i.e. Mountaineer Products Inc.) operates a 20-acre transloading facility along the shore of the Ohio River in Belmont County (barge, truck, and rail). In 2015 MDN wrote about MPR expanding its frack sand terminal at that location (see 
Yesterday our illustrious president, Joe Biden, shot off his mouth announcing plans to cut so-called greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in the next 10 years while creating millions of “good-paying, union jobs.” It’s an anti-fossil fuel pig in a poke. Biden announced his latest brainstorm during a “climate summit” with some 40 other world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. We’re pretty sure both Xi Jinping and Putin were snickering at the prospect of America committing energy suicide, something they have no intention of doing.
The Chester County, PA District Attorney, Democrat Deb Ryan, has pressured and bullied Energy Transfer (ET) and its Sunoco Pipeline subsidiary into signing a “consent decree” that guarantees if ET spills one cup of drilling mud or creates any kind of “public nuisance” in finishing up work on the Mariner East pipeline, the DA gets to haul the company into county court and charge it with a crime. The consent decree means in addition to the state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) breathing down their necks, ET now gets a second master (AG Ryan) breathing down their necks too. Joy.
Cabot Oil & Gas hosts a series of in-person and virtual events called Think About Energy (TAE). Since the pandemic, the events have been all virtual (webinars). Earlier this week another virtual TAE event was hosted by Cabot executive director of public relations (and MDN friend), George Stark. George had an interesting discussion with Congressman Fred Keller, Republican from Synder County, PA, and U.S. House Whip Steve Scalise, Republican from Louisiana. The topic? American energy independence and the importance of shale energy to our country’s future.
After four months of steady increases in the U.S. rig count, last week (the week ending April 21) the Enverus U.S. rig count “took a step back” with a decrease in the count. It was the first time this year the count has dropped. Oil rigs fell steeply to 404, down 15 for the week, while natural gas-oriented rigs gained four to 126. The Permian oil-focused play was the biggest loser, dropping five rigs last week.
Happy Earth Day! Yes, we are in favor of being good stewards of the planet God gave to mankind to watch over and protect–every plant, animal, and even other humans. Let’s celebrate this wonderful creation today (and the Creator Who made it). Unfortunately, today you will hear the phrase “climate change” about a bazillion times. We detest that phrase. What they really mean to say, in plain English, is “man-made, catastrophic global warming.” Today we tackle the issue of global warming and whether or not mankind’s activity of burning fossil fuels contributes to it, which is the underlying assumption in the phrase “climate change.” We use real, actual temperature data that we believe will open your eyes and hopefully open your mind and your heart on the issue of global warming.
Analysts with S&P Global Market Intelligence say that shale gas drillers in the Marcellus/Utica region have finally learned their lesson and are sticking to their promise to keep capital spending restrained this year–even with an increase in the price of gas. Both spending and rig counts are predicted to stay low this year as drillers work on boosting free cash flow and improving company share price.