Scrum master. Agile coach. Data scientist. Cloud architect. Those are jobs young people typically seek in Silicon Valley, working for companies like Google, Apple and Facebook. However, those are jobs available *right now* in the shale oil and gas industry. There is a perception that oil and gas does not use high tech. Not so!
Read More ““Digital Roughnecks” – Shale Becomes Hotbed for High Tech Jobs”
Our favorite government agency, the U.S. Energy Information Administration, brings us news that (so far) the lamestream press refuses to share. In September the United States exported 89,000 barrels per day (b/d) more petroleum (crude oil and petroleum products) than it imported. That’s the first month this has happened since monthly records began in 1973! The first time in recorded history! But not a peep from the press or their Big Green overlords. This is ALL due to the miracle of shale drilling.
Read More “U.S. Exports More Oil than Imports for First Time in Half Century”
MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Future of oil and gas in Ohio Valley looks bright; NATIONAL: Analysis: US oil, gas rig count falls by 4 to 691, Permian totals slide; N. American shale primed for growth despite possible oil price declines; Gas lobby group goes on attack to halt move to ban new hook-ups; Natural gas outpaced renewable energy in reducing greenhouse gases; Moore’s Law misapplied (video); INTERNATIONAL: As Lopez Obrador focuses on oil, U.S. natural gas exports to Mexico soar; Europe was favored destination for US LNG in November amid activity ramp-up.
Read More “Shale Energy Stories of Interest: Fri, Dec 6, 2019”
In an impressive feat of financial jiu-jitsu, Chesapeake Energy has just snapped closed the mouths of those who said the company was imminently heading for bankruptcy following the company’s third quarter update (see Chesapeake Energy 3Q – Slash Drilling 30%, Bankruptcy Possible). Yesterday Chessy issued three press releases to announce it has swapped out some of its old debt for 70 cents on the dollar, and has arranged a 4 1/2 year loan for $1.5 billion. Chesapeake stock soared 17% higher on the news.
Read More “Chesapeake Arranges $1.5B Loan to Pay Off Old Debt, Stock Soars”
Near the end the year for the past 3-4 years we inevitably hear that PTT Global Chemical will not, as promised or implied, make a final investment decision (FID) about building a multi-billion dollar ethane cracker in Belmont County, Ohio, but that the FID will instead happen “next year.” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (RINO) met with PTT representatives yesterday to discuss the project. No announcements. No new promises. No FID announced. Another disappointment (cue George Michael song “Last Christmas”).
Read More “Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine Meets with PTT re Cracker – Still No FID”
Today wraps up the Hart Energy Marcellus-Utica Midstream Conference being held in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately MDN editor Jim Willis could not attend this year. But Pittsburgh Business Times‘ ace reporter Paul Gough did attend, and he’s reporting some interesting comments at yesterday’s sessions. Pipeline companies offered frank and sobering comments. Times are not good for Marcellus/Utica drillers right now due to low low prices, and that translates into times being not good for pipeline companies too. But, “we’ve been here before” said one speaker, and better days are ahead…when prices once again increase.
Read More “M-U Drillers Tell Pipeline Companies to Lower Fees, or Else”
Dominion Energy’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) previously filed a request with the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit that judicially creates a new law stipulating pipelines can’t cross under the Appalachian Trail without (no kidding) an Act of Congress. The Supremes get 8,000 such requests each year, and accept maybe 80 (or 1%). Lightning struck. The ACP case was accepted by the Supremes in October (see U.S. Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Atlantic Coast Pipeline Case). Briefs by ACP and the Trump administration were filed on Monday.
Read More “Gov’t & Atlantic Coast Pipe File Briefs with U.S. Supreme Court”
For some time we’ve been concerned about competition for Marcellus/Utica gas coming from western Canada being piped to Canada’s East Coast (see TC Energy Plan to Move Western Canadian Gas to East Coast Approved). TC Energy’s (formerly TransCanada) plan to haul gas over 1,000 miles across the continent at steeply discounted rates seemed like it was working (see TC Energy Cuts Rates 3rd Time to Sell W. Canada Gas to New England). Maybe we worried for nothing. S&P Global Platts is reporting Canada’s net imports of U.S. gas at the Dawn Hub have surged.
Read More “Rover, NEXUS NatGas Exports to Canada Currently “Maxed Out””
In October MDN reported that Equitrans (formerly EQT Midstream) had settled an outstanding issue with the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) over the company’s failure to produce a “verified statement” that proves they have turned over every rock and branch looking for old conventional wells that are not mapped in a natural gas storage field in Greene County, PA (see PA DEP Fines Equitrans $650K for SWPA Gas Storage Field Violation). According to law firm Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, gas storage is “no longer under the radar” in PA.
Read More “PA DEP Targeting NatGas Storage Operators Using Act 13 Law”
The mafiosi at FirstEnergy lost their lawsuit filed with the Ohio Supreme Court in a bid to block a referendum aimed at giving all Ohio residents the right to vote to overturn an ill-conceived corporate welfare law passed that puts $1 billion into FirstEnergy’s pocket in order to keep two failing nuclear power plants open. Although they lost the case, FirstEnergy claims the Supreme Court decision is a “victory” for their attempt to keep their grubby hands on taxpayer’s money. How does that work?
Read More “FirstEnergy Loses OH Supreme Court Case to Block Referendum”
MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: PA EQB to consider regulations controlling methane emissions from existing oil & gas operations; Cracker plant workers, companies donate $40K to local charities; Center Township food pantry receives donation from pipeline company; Families to receive Toys for Tots; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: ExxonMobil moves Massachusetts AG’s “political” lawsuit to federal court; Rev. Jesse Jackson, activists push for natural gas pipeline to Pembroke Township; Colorado city extends moratorium on drilling permits; NATIONAL: Hedge funds pile into petroleum on rosier economic outlook; INTERNATIONAL: The world’s top 10 carbon dioxide emitters.
Read More “Shale Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Dec 5, 2019”
In what has to be the outrage of the century, Chester County, PA District Attorney Tom Hogan, drunk on his own power, has falsely charged both Energy Transfer (Sunoco Logistics Partners) and several PA constables (essentially off duty police officers) with bribery and conspiracy because the off-duty officers had the gall to moonlight as security to protect Mariner East pipeline workers from anti-fossil fuel crazies and wackos.
Read More “SEPA DA Charges Off-Duty Police w/Crime for Providing Pipe Security”
Yesterday the Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released their latest quarterly Natural Gas Production Report for July through September 2019 (full copy below). It shows natgas production in PA rose 9.1% compared to the same period last year–to yet another new all-time high of 1,715 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas. Put another way, that’s 1.7 TRILLION cubic feet of gas produced over a three-month period. There has now been an unbroken chain of quarter-over-quarter increases in horizontal shale gas production in PA for 13 consecutive quarters (more than three years running).
Read More “IFO: PA Natural Gas Production Hits New All-Time High in 3Q19”
One of the selling points to make big interstate pipeline projects more palatable to the general public, at least in Ohio, has been the fact they pay annual property taxes. We can tell you from personal experience that a small pipeline in the Town of Windsor (NY, yes! NY) has meant lower property tax bills for MDN editor Jim Willis. Two very large pipeline projects in Ohio, Rover and NEXUS, are asking Stark County to reduce their assessments so they can pay less in taxes–up to 50% less.
Read More “NEXUS and Rover Pipes Ask Stark County, OH for BIG Tax Cut”
We’re always delighted to discover a new (for us) company involved in the supply chain–providing goods and/or services to the shale industry, including the downstream petrochemicals industry. Elliott Group is one of those companies not previously on our radar. Elliott’s U.S. headquarters is located in Westmoreland County, near Pittsburgh. The company designs, manufactures, and services turbomachinery, including centrifugal and axial compressors, steam turbines, and power recovery expanders. Elliott broke ground yesterday on a new facility in Jeannette where they will test their recently acquired product line of cryogenic pumps and expanders–equipment used in LNG plants.
Read More “Elliot Group Breaks Ground on LNG Equipment Plant in Southwest PA”
A group of 10 community colleges scattered throughout southwestern Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia have formed the Tristate Energy and Advanced Manufacturing Consortium, or TEAM, with the aim of training skilled workers for cracker plants and other petrochemical-related manufacturing operations. The cooperative has crafted a “stackable-credentials model” that offers “a career pathway from certifications to post-secondary degrees, up to and including a master’s degree.” Forwarding thinking!
Read More “10 Colleges in PA-OH-WV Form Program to Train Cracker/Mfg Workers”