Marcellus Drilling News

Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA

API Says PA Needs Fed Permitting Reform to Build Pipes, Power Plants
October 16, 2025October 16, 2025

We’re not big fans of the American Petroleum Institute (API), which tends to do the bidding of the Big Oil companies that fund it. Big Oil’s aims are sometimes at odds with those of smaller, independent oil and gas producers—the innovators who discovered shale drilling. Yet there are state chapters of the API that do a good job. One of them is the Pennsylvania API chapter. The executive director of PA API, Stephanie Catarino Wissman, recently published an excellent article in Broad+Liberty that calls for fast-tracking the effort to pass federal permit reform so Pennsylvania can get back to building. Read More “API Says PA Needs Fed Permitting Reform to Build Pipes, Power Plants”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY’s Jan. 1 Ban on New Gas Hookups Already Blocking New Construction
October 16, 2025October 16, 2025

Unintended (but entirely predictable) consequences are now happening in New York State. In January 2023, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a leftist Democrat, floated a plan to ban natural gas hookups in every single new home and business across the “Empire” State (see NY Gov. Hochul Loses Her Mind – Wants to Ban Gas in New Buildings). She even wanted to ban gas in existing homes, but that was too much to stomach even for NY’s leftwing Democrats (see New York Legislators Block Hochul NatGas Ban for Existing Homes). As part of the 2023-2024 budget deal, Hochul got her statewide ban for new hookups (see NY State has Fallen – Gas Stoves & Peaker Plants Banned in Budget). So, beginning in 2026, new homes (or businesses) in New York State will not be allowed to connect to an existing natural gas pipeline system. The coming ban is ALREADY causing construction projects to be placed on hold or outright canceled. Read More “NY’s Jan. 1 Ban on New Gas Hookups Already Blocking New Construction”
Best of the Rest

MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Oct 16, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]
October 16, 2025October 16, 2025

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Panelists warn data centers, oil and gas threaten water resources; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Long Island Senate GOP delegation urges Gov. Hochul to advance NESE; N.Y. Democrats urge Hochul to reject NESE pipeline over climate concerns; NATIONAL: U.S. natural gas futures slip ahead of storage data; America confronts its next great energy crisis – rare earth minerals; INTERNATIONAL: Oil slips to five-month low; Gunvor CEO says oil oversupply finally emerging; Oxy CEO sees tight oil price range through 2026; UK sanctions major Russian oil producers; Who’s afraid of American LNG?; Net-zero squeeze on oil firms ‘losing steam’, says energy executive. Read More “MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Oct 16, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]”
Chester County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

PA DEP Issues Permits for NESE Projects in Chester, Lancaster Cos.
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

In August, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) reissued a certificate for the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project, a billion-dollar-plus project designed to increase Transco pipeline capacity and flows of Marcellus gas heading into New York City and other northeastern markets by an extra 400 MMcf/d (see FERC Reissues NESE Pipeline Project Certificate for NY, NJ). NESE has several components, but the key element, the heart of the project, is a new 23-mile pipeline from the shore of New Jersey into (on the bottom of) the Raritan Bay, running parallel to the existing Transco pipeline before connecting to the Transco pipeline offshore in New York waters. There are also several components in New Jersey, including small pipeline segments and a new compressor station. However, did you know that there are NESE components in Pennsylvania? Read More “PA DEP Issues Permits for NESE Projects in Chester, Lancaster Cos.”
Bradford County | Energy Services | Eureka Resources | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Wastewater

PA DEP Signals It Won’t Renew Permit for Eureka Wastewater Plant
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

On August 17, Eureka Resources’ Williamsport Second Street facility (one of the three wastewater treatment plants previously operated by Eureka) leaked some of its stored untreated frack wastewater, which ended up in the nearby Susquehanna River via a storm drain (see ‘Black Goop’ Spills into Susquehanna River from Closed Eureka Plant). That event led to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) launching an investigation into all three of Eureka’s shuttered plants, two in Williamsport (Lycoming County), and one in Bradford County. The DEP found untreated wastewater stored at each facility—over 4.6 million gallons in total—and demanded Eureka dispose of it within 90 days. In September, Eureka outlined a plan to do just that (see Eureka Proposes Plan to Clean Up, Close All 3 PA Wastewater Plants). Disposal, at least in Bradford County, has just become more difficult and expensive for Eureka. Read More “PA DEP Signals It Won’t Renew Permit for Eureka Wastewater Plant”
Delaware County (PA) | Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Ethane | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | NGLs | Pennsylvania

Construction Underway at Marcus Hook to Expand M-U Ethane Exports
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

Ethane Crystal

In February 2024, Energy Transfer co-CEO Tom Long announced a project to add more ethane refrigeration and storage at Marcus Hook, leading to more exports of ethane from the facility (see Record High NGL Exports from Marcus Hook, ET Expanding Facility). Fast forward, and construction is currently underway, with completion expected by the end of this year. When done, the Marcus Hook Terminal Optimization project will add 900,000 barrels (Bbls) of refrigerated ethane storage capacity and approximately 20,000 Bbls/d of incremental ethane chilling capacity. Translation: an additional 20,000 Bbls/d of Marcellus/Utica ethane export capacity is on the way at Marcus Hook, near Philadelphia. Read More “Construction Underway at Marcus Hook to Expand M-U Ethane Exports”
Berkshire Hathaway | CNG/LNG | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland

Cove Point LNG Back Online After 22 Days of Maintenance
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

Each fall, typically in September/October, Cove Point LNG (along the shore of Maryland) shuts down for a few weeks for annual maintenance. According to a notice posted on the Berkshire Hathaway Energy Informational Postings website, reductions in flows to the Cove Point facility would happen between Monday, September 15, and Friday, October 10 (see Cove Point LNG Offline for Annual Maintenance Until Mid-October). Reuters reports that Cove Point came back online over the weekend, on Sunday, October 12. Read More “Cove Point LNG Back Online After 22 Days of Maintenance”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Litigation

THE Delaware Riverkeeper Sues DRBC re NJ LNG Export Dock
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

In September 2022, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), a dysfunctional, hot mess of an organization, voted to extend a permit to build a special LNG export dock along the shoreline of the Delaware River in New Jersey by an extra three years (see DRBC Gives LNG Export Dock in Dela. River Extra 3 Yrs to Build). That action sent the enviro-left, including THE Delaware Riverkeeper (Maya van Rossum), into apoplectic fits. Three years later (in September of this year), at the end of the original time extension, the five members of the DRBC voted unanimously to extend the deadline *another* five years (see DRBC Gives LNG Export Dock in Dela. River Extra 5 Yrs to Build). Van Rossum and the Riverkeeper gang have sued to block the time extension. Read More “THE Delaware Riverkeeper Sues DRBC re NJ LNG Export Dock”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Litigation

La. State Court Tosses Building Permit for Commonwealth LNG
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

Commonwealth LNG is developing a 9.5 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal project located near Cameron, Louisiana. In September, Commonwealth announced it had signed a deal with EQT Corporation to provide 1.0 MTPA of LNG for EQT to resell (see EQT Signs Third Deal to *Buy* LNG – This One Commonwealth LNG). Commonwealth, in its press release, stated that with the EQT deal, it now has sufficient commitments (5.0 out of 9.5 MTPA) to proceed with a final investment decision (FID), which it plans to make by the end of this year. However, a Louisiana state court has just vacated (overturned) a coastal-use permit for the project in response to a lawsuit brought by the odious Sierra Club. Read More “La. State Court Tosses Building Permit for Commonwealth LNG”
Chevron | CNG/LNG | Energy Companies | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

Chevron Complains that VG’s Plaquemines LNG to Delay Startup
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

Don’t say we didn’t warn them, because we did. Chevron is complaining that Venture Global is behaving like Venture Global—screwing over its contracted customers so it can make billions by selling LNG to uncontracted customers while pretending its LNG export facility isn’t commercially ready. We have to ask, what the heck did Chevron *think* would happen? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice… Read More “Chevron Complains that VG’s Plaquemines LNG to Delay Startup”
Best of the Rest

MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Wed, Oct 15, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]
October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: $250K available to help PA fire, rescue & EMS prepare for gas well incidents; Energy and conservation is a win-win for Pennsylvania’s game lands; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: In some CT towns, clouds form over new solar developments; Hawaii enters agreement with top Japanese buyer of liquefied natural gas; NATIONAL: Weaker demand outlook and milder weather push US natural gas futures lower; US oil futures backwardation narrows to 20-month low on mounting fears of a glut; Trump gets it right on AI; How Baker Hughes is gearing its business for the age of gas; INTERNATIONAL: Crude near $59 on surplus fears; Oil tankers avoid sanctioned China port. Read More “MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Wed, Oct 15, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]”
Baker Hughes | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Research | West Virginia

U.S. Rig Count Drops 2 @ 547; Marcellus/Utica Remains Even @ 37
October 14, 2025October 14, 2025

After gaining rigs for four weeks in a row, the Baker Hughes U.S. national rig count stayed even two weeks ago, neither gaining nor (more importantly) losing any rigs (see U.S. Rig Count Remained Even @ 549; Pa. Lost 1 Marcellus Rig). Last week we returned to losing rigs, with the national count down by two to 547. Pennsylvania lost one rig two weeks ago, from 18 to 17, after maintaining its count for 10 consecutive weeks. Last week, PA remained static at 17. Ohio kept 13 rigs in the Utica for a third week. West Virginia kept its seven active rigs, the same number since May 30. The combined M-U count was 37 rigs, with 23 rigs targeting the Marcellus layer and 14 targeting the Utica. Read More “U.S. Rig Count Drops 2 @ 547; Marcellus/Utica Remains Even @ 37”
Blackhill Energy | Bradford County | Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Electrical Generation | Energy Companies | Expand Energy | Greylock Energy | Industrywide Issues | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania General Energy | Regulation | Repsol | Sabre Energy | Tioga County (PA) | Wyoming County (PA)

SRBC Approves 11 Shale Gas, 2 Gas-Fired Power Plant Water Permits
October 14, 2025October 14, 2025

The highly functional and responsible Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), unlike its highly dysfunctional and irresponsible counterpart, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), continues to support the shale energy industry by approving water withdrawals and consumptive use requests for responsible and safe shale drilling. The SRBC published a notice in the October 11 Pennsylvania Bulletin that the commission voted to approve 11 water withdrawal requests related to shale gas development and two for gas-fired power plants. Read More “SRBC Approves 11 Shale Gas, 2 Gas-Fired Power Plant Water Permits”
Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | INR/Infinity Natural Resources | M&A | Ohio | Pennsylvania

INR Sees a Bright Future in the Utica Shale Despite EOG/Encino Deal
October 14, 2025October 14, 2025

Infinity Natural Resources (INR), headquartered in Morgantown, WV, focuses 100% on the Marcellus/Utica. The company went public earlier this year with a $265 million ($20/share) initial public offering, giving INR a $1.18 billion market capitalization (see INR IPO Does Better than Expected, Stock Trading Pops 10% Higher). An INR competitor in the Utica is EOG Resources, one of the largest oil and gas drillers in the U.S. (with international operations in several other countries) and a Fortune 500 company, which closed on the $5.6 billion purchase of Encino Energy in August, adding 675,000 net acres in the Utica and over 1,000 operating shale wells (see EOG Closes on $5.6B Purchase of Encino Assets in Ohio Utica). EOG now owns over 1 million acres with active drilling operations, including five rigs and three completion crews, working in the Ohio Utica. The EOG/Encino tie-up doesn’t concern INR. Read More “INR Sees a Bright Future in the Utica Shale Despite EOG/Encino Deal”
Industrywide Issues | Montgomery County | Pennsylvania | Supply Chain

Texas O&G Tank Manufacturer Opening New Plant in Ohio
October 14, 2025October 14, 2025

Fox Tank Company is one of the leading oil storage tank manufacturers in Texas, serving the growing oil field production needs of the Eagle Ford Shale, Permian Basin, and Bakken Shale areas. Chip Rogers, president of Fox Tank, traveled to Coshocton, OH, for an equipment auction at the former Crozier Welding in March. He liked what he saw and decided to stay. Fox is interested in servicing the Marcellus/Utica region. The company leased the former Crozier Welding site in June after being welcomed “with open arms” by local officials.

UPDATE: The original version of this post incorrectly attributed the location as Coschocton, PA. It is, in fact, Coshocton, OH. We have edited this post to be correct. Sorry!
Read More “Texas O&G Tank Manufacturer Opening New Plant in Ohio”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

NJ DEP Ponders Approving NESE Pipe Permit – Antis Go Nuts Waiting
October 14, 2025October 14, 2025

Radical environmentalists once again have their knickers in a twist. When don’t they? In August, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) reissued a certificate for the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project, a billion-dollar-plus project designed to increase Transco pipeline capacity and flows of Marcellus gas heading into New York City and other northeastern markets by an extra 400 MMcf/d (see FERC Reissues NESE Pipeline Project Certificate for NY, NJ). In addition to FERC, both the New York and New Jersey environmental agencies will need to sign off on permits for the project. NY has signaled it will do so (see NY PSC Votes to Approve National Grid Gas Plan, Including NESE Pipe), although we’re still waiting for the NY Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to issue the actual permits. What about the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)? What’s the situation in that state? Read More “NJ DEP Ponders Approving NESE Pipe Permit – Antis Go Nuts Waiting”