Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Cumberland County | Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Sunoco Logistics
Anti Wins ME2 Pipe Victory but Still Not Happy, Wants In-Person Mtg
Mainstream media is spinning the story of a Cumberland County, PA man who doesn’t feel safe living 1,000 feet away from the Mariner East pipeline into a David and Goliath cliche. The man won a small victory from a left-leaning, Sunoco-hating administrative law judge last December (see PA Judge Fines Mariner East Pipe $1K for Scaring Homeowner). As part of his “victory,” the man won a Sunoco public information session in his area. A session where folks can gripe and moan and carry on. Because of COVID-19, the session will be virtual. He doesn’t like it.
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A truly bipartisan bill ensuring only those people in Pennsylvania who actually need pipeline safety information have access to it was signed into law last week by Gov. Tom Wolf. PA House Bill (HB) 2293 requires pipeline operators to provide emergency response plans upon request to the secretary of the Public Utility Commission, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, and the Emergency Management Director for each county where the pipeline runs through a densely populated area.
West Virginia has two main oil and gas industry groups: Independent Oil & Gas Association of West Virginia (IOGAWV) and West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association (WVONGA). Both groups recently commented on how the incoming Biden administration will affect the oil and gas industry in WV and beyond. You might think both groups would have similar views. They do not.
MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Wolf vetoes bill on conventional oil and gas industry; Hilcorp awarded 11 new well permits in Columbiana County; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: NM needs a waiver from and federal ban on drilling; U.S., Japan inch toward unlocking vast new source of natural gas; NATIONAL: Congressman warns Biden oil industry transition could soon halt new plants, hike energy costs; U.S. natural gas prices to average $3.30 in 2021, with summer even higher, says BofA; U.S. shale firms amp up natural gas output as futures signal more gains; The oil industry starts climbing out of a hole; INTERNATIONAL: It took a global pandemic for OPEC to slam the door on U.S. shale; EU to use market rules and targets to destroy hydrocarbons demand.
Each year Marcellus Drilling News takes Thanksgiving and the day after off to rest and relax with family. We will be sure to keep an eye on the news and if there is anything earth-shattering, we will bring you that news. Otherwise, we’ll see you next Monday. Have a great Thanksgiving! – Jim Willis, Editor
Yesterday Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released its latest quarterly Natural Gas Production Report–for July through September 2020 (full copy below). The report shows natgas production in PA rose 2.0% compared to the same period last year, which is the lowest increase on record since the shale revolution began. The number of new wells spud (drilled) in 3Q20 was 111, down 18% over 3Q19.
In September MDN brought you the news that pipeline company Enbridge is building a solar farm to provide electricity to power (in part) a Texas Eastern Transmission Pipeline Company (TETCO) compressor station in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, which is a first (see 
Nuverra Environmental Solutions (formerly Heckmann) is one of the largest companies in the United States that handles transportation and disposal of shale drilling wastewater and leftover rock and dirt from drilling. The company has major operations in the Marcellus/Utica region. Nuverra announced yesterday it has stitched together several different deals in order to raise $32.8 million (new debt) in order to pay off older, coming-due debt.
There are those in the non-thinking, arrogant, ignorant Big Green movement who demand (they always demand) that everyone (except themselves) stop using fossil fuels. Now. Or the earth is dead in 10-20 years. (It’s always 10-20 years, ever notice that?) And then there are those who kind of believe there may be something to man-made global warming who are looking for ways to reduce carbon emissions realistically. Those in the latter camp, people who actually think rationally, say there is one way to reduce CO2 emissions over the next 30 years: by using more (not less) natural gas.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) has finally grown a backbone. Maybe. Back on Nov. 7, the API welcomed, 
Last week Pennsylvania issued 11 new shale well drilling permits, all but one of them in the northeastern (dry gas) part of the state. Ohio issued one new permit, and West Virginia issued 2 new shale well permits.
Pipeline giant Williams has cut a deal outside of bankruptcy court with Chesapeake Energy. The deal means Williams will continue to gather Chesapeake’s production in the Marcellus, Eagle Ford, and Midcontinent shale regions. Chessy has also committed to buying up to 150 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of capacity on Williams’ new Transco Regional Energy Access project which will flow Marcellus gas to customers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Every now and again we hear from MDN readers who mildly (or strongly) disagree with our politics and view of the leftwing Democrat Party and the frail, mentally-challenged Joe Biden (who won’t last two years in office before he’s pushed out for medical and/or mental reasons). They tell us a Biden presidency isn’t the end of oil and gas, and maybe he will even help our industry! (Even though Biden promised to “transition away from oil” in his last debate appearance.) We’re mystified that anyone can hold the view that Biden will be good for O&G, but there are people (in our audience) who do hold that view. The article below does a good job of capturing their viewpoint and thinking about the incoming Biden administration.