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Marcellus Drilling News
  • Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania General Energy | Pipelines

    Meeting Reveals Details re PGE’s Loyalsock Creek Pipe Project

    December 13, 2018December 13, 2018

    Pennsylvania General Energy drills in several PA counties, including Lycoming County in the north central of the state. According to the Marcellus & Utica Shale Upstream Almanac 2018, PA General Energy is the fourth-largest driller in Lycoming County, with 103 producing wells and 42.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas production in 2017. PA General Energy wants to drill more wells in Lycoming. Those wells will need a gathering pipeline connected to them, and a water pipeline to provide water for drilling and fracking. Even though a water pipeline would save an estimated 126,000 truck trips on local roads, some residents are opposed (see Lycoming County Residents Oppose Loyalsock Creek Gathering Pipe). Last night residents got to hear more details about the project at a meeting organized by PA State Rep. Garth Everett.
    Read More “Meeting Reveals Details re PGE’s Loyalsock Creek Pipe Project”

  • Enbridge | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pipelines | Spectra Energy

    Battle Over Weymouth, MA Compressor Stn Continues in Fed Court

    December 13, 2018December 13, 2018
    Credit: YouTube

    In January 2017 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted final approval for the $452 million Atlantic Bridge expansion project (see FERC Approves Atlantic Bridge Project for New England/Canada). The Spectra Energy/Enbridge project beefs up capacity along the Algonquin Pipeline, along with more capacity for Spectra Energy’s Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, to carry more Marcellus/Utica gas into New England and (eventually) all the way to Nova Scotia, Canada. Most of the project is now done–except in Massachusetts where a critical compressor station planned for Weymouth is stalled.
    Read More “Battle Over Weymouth, MA Compressor Stn Continues in Fed Court”

  • Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Equitrans/EQT Midstream | Industrywide Issues | North Carolina | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide VA | Virginia

    Colluding Big Green Groups File FERC Motion to Block MVP Southgate

    December 13, 2018December 13, 2018

    Every square inch of every new (even every repurposed/existing) pipeline will be opposed in court. You can bet your life on it. Radical environmentalists have made pipelines the new evil incarnate in the modern world. Never mind without pipelines we’d all live in the Stone Age again. The point, on the part of Big Green, is not to actually stop these projects–but make them pay big money. And make them a poster child for fundraising campaigns. Even though some of the 300-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) is on hold due to court delays over stream crossing permits (see 4th Circuit Court Cancels Mountain Valley Pipe Nationwide Permit), some work does continue on the project. And although the project is far from built, EQT Midstream, the builder, has filed plans with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend the pipeline another 70 miles south into North Carolina, called the MVP Southgate project (see EQT Makes it Official, Files with FERC to Extend MVP into NC). On Monday, a group of six Big Green groups filed with FERC to “intervene” and stop the MVP Southgate project.
    Read More “Colluding Big Green Groups File FERC Motion to Block MVP Southgate”

  • Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

    Proposed New O&G Emissions Regs Will Disadvantage PA Drillers

    December 13, 2018December 13, 2018

    The liberal PA Gov. Tom Wolf administration continues to tinker with (i.e. destroy) the Marcellus miracle in the Keystone State. In August the Wolf Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) finally, after years of work, implemented onerous new regulations to cut down on so-called fugitive methane emissions from new drilling and pipelines (see PA Harms Drillers, Pipelines with Over-Strict Methane Rules). Existing well pads and pipelines are now in Wolf’s crosshairs. The DEP has, for some time, considered requiring new regulations to further reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions at existing oil and gas sites. The DEP recently released a draft of those regs, and is meeting TODAY to discuss the new proposed regulations (see PA DEP Releasing Expensive New O&G Emissions Reg). The question is, since the federal EPA is “relaxing” the standards on which these onerous new PA standards are based, will PA, by adopting these new standards, make itself uncompetitive against other shale drilling states? PA DEP Sec. Pat McDonnell seems to think so.
    Read More “Proposed New O&G Emissions Regs Will Disadvantage PA Drillers”

  • Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research

    Pitt Researchers Discover Cheaper Way to Convert NGLs to Plastics

    December 13, 2018December 13, 2018
    Pitt research appears on cover of journal

    Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh may have just discovered a way to turn “light alkanes” (i.e. propane, butane) into raw plastics that is cheaper than cracking ethane. At least, that’s what we think they’ve discovered. It’s hard to tell. In a research paper recently published titled, “Structure–Activity Relationships in Alkane Dehydrogenation on ?-Al2O3: Site-Dependent Reactions,” Pitt researchers say they’ve discovered a way to produce olefins using “the nonoxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes on metal oxides, taking advantage of the Lewis acid?base surface functionalities of the oxides.” Er, right. What we do know is that the Pitt researchers are excited about their discovery, and say, “We now have a better tool to develop active catalysts for alkane-olefin conversion, which could be a game-changer in the petrochemical and polymer industries.” Below is a write-up from Pitt about the new research, in lay language, along with an abstract from the paper.
    Read More “Pitt Researchers Discover Cheaper Way to Convert NGLs to Plastics”

  • Best of the Rest

    Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Dec 13, 2018

    December 13, 2018December 13, 2018

    The “best of the rest”–stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading: 13 well permits approved in Ohio’s Utica; Westmoreland natural gas plant nears opening date; Barrett questions gas safety consultant’s ties to industry; Going green with natural gas vehicles; WV Sen. Joe Manchin becomes Ranking Member of Energy Ctte; Could U.S. natural gas stocks catch up this winter?; Growing dependent on Russia: the gas routes in Europe; US lawmakers officially condemn Russia’s natural gas pipeline into Germany.
    Read More “Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Dec 13, 2018”

  • Berks County | DTE Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation

    FERC Approves Birdsboro Pipe Near Philly to Begin Service

    December 12, 2018December 12, 2018
    Birdsboro Pipeline route (click for larger version)

    That was fast! Construction began on a new 14-mile pipeline from the Texas Eastern Transmission (Tetco) mainline in Rockland Township, to a natural gas-fired power plant under construction in Birdsboro in Berks County, near Philadelphia, in June (see Construction Begins for 14-Mile Pipe to Feed Berks Gas-Fired Plant). DTE Midstream is building the pipeline to feed Marcellus gas to the new, under-construction gas-fired Birdsboro Power plant being built by EmberClear. The pipeline itself was done in November and DTE asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for permission to start it up on Nov. 19. That permission was finally granted on Monday, Dec. 10. But wait! The power plant won’t be done and online until the middle of 2019…so why start up the pipeline now?
    Read More “FERC Approves Birdsboro Pipe Near Philly to Begin Service”

  • Monroe County | Ohio

    Fed Gov’t Gives $20M Grant to Monroe, OH Shale-to-Rail Project

    December 12, 2018December 12, 2018
    Long Ridge Energy Terminal (click for larger version)

    We suppose if the money we pay in taxes to the federal government is going to be used for corporate welfare, this is the kind of welfare we’d like to see. Mind you, we don’t endorse nor like corporate welfare of any kind (whether it’s money for so-called renewable projects, or money for fossil fuel projects). But corporate welfare is a fact in our screwed up world, so let’s put it to good use by throwing what amounts to a rounding error in our federal budget, $20 million, to the Long Ridge Energy Terminal in Monroe County, OH for “rail and pipeline infrastructure improvements” to move more shale gas, oil and NGLs to market. The Long Ridge Energy Terminal, which used to be called the Center Port Transload Facility, completed an upgrade in July that allows more “unit trains” to be loaded/unloaded at the same time (see Former Ormet Site in OH Handles 3 Frac Sand Unit Trains at a Time). The new grant money will add a pipeline-to-rail transloading facility to the terminal.
    Read More “Fed Gov’t Gives $20M Grant to Monroe, OH Shale-to-Rail Project”

  • Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide PA | Sunoco Logistics

    Big Loss for Big Green – PUC Judge Won’t Shut Down ME1 & 2 Pipes

    December 12, 2018December 12, 2018

    Big Green forces who pinned their hopes of stopping the Mariner East 1 and 2 pipelines on a rogue PA Public Utility Commission (PUC) administrative law judge had those hopes dashed yesterday. In May of this year, Elizabeth Barnes, PUC administration law judge, unilaterally ordered Sunoco Logistics Partners to “cease and desist all current operation, construction, including drilling activities on the Mariner East 1, 2 and Mariner East 2X pipeline” in West Whiteland Township in Chester County, PA (see Antis Get Lib Judge to Shut Down All Mariner East Pipes, Dems Rejoice). The judge also shut down all operations of the currently operating Mariner East 1 across the entire state. Barnes’ closure of ME1 and ME2 was later overturned by the full PUC (see PA PUC Overrules Lib Judge – Mariner East 1 Returns to Service and PA PUC Allows ME2 Pipeline Work to Restart Near Philly). In early December, a ginned up “emergency relief petition” was aired before Barnes. Same deal. Antis want to shut down ALL of the Mariner East projects–permanently. Barnes was the judge hearing the “testimony” of the antis, along with a vigorous defense by Sunoco. Apparently she learned her lesson. Yesterday Barnes rejected the emergency petition.
    Read More “Big Loss for Big Green – PUC Judge Won’t Shut Down ME1 & 2 Pipes”

  • Industrywide Issues | Regulation

    EPA Proposes Revised, Common Sense “Waters of the U.S.” Rule

    December 12, 2018December 12, 2018

    The days of radical, wild overregulation on the part of the federal Environmental Protection Agency are, thankfully, over. At least while Donald Trump is in office. One of the worst examples of regulatory abuse under the Obama Administration was the EPA’s redefinition of what is called Waters of the United States (WOTUS). The Obamadroids redefined WOTUS to mean everything down to mud puddles–and no, we’re not exaggerating (see EPA Power Grab: Redefines Waters of the U.S. to Include Everything). When Trump took office, his EPA tried to rescind the Obama WOTUS damage, but liberal judges in various courts have done their best to protect the swamp (see Fed Judge Revives Obama Waters of US Tragedy in 26 States). We now, finally, have a replacement for WOTUS–a replacement which the courts will have a much harder time blocking. Another brilliant move by Team Trump. Best of all, the new definition is common sense. It still protects the environment without micromanaging every farmer’s mud puddle, and without regulating every square foot of every drill pad.
    Read More “EPA Proposes Revised, Common Sense “Waters of the U.S.” Rule”

  • Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

    Paid Protesters Present DRB Frack Ban Petitions to NY, NJ Govs

    December 12, 2018December 12, 2018

    A small group of paid protesters from Big Green groups colluded with sycophantic liberal reporters in Albany and Trenton to stage a fake rally where they “delivered” form-generated “petitions,” supposedly with 100,000 signatures (no doubt many of them faked), given to Govenors Cuomo and Murphy, respectively, demanding that the governors support a permanent ban on fracking in the Delaware River Basin. NY and NJ are two of five members of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), a rogue group that has pledged to permanently ban fracking in the Basin based on baseless fears fracking may contaminate New York City and Philadelphia drinking water supplies. Total bogus B.S.–but that’s the fearmongering used by people with no ethics. There’s one teeny tiny problem with the DRBC’s proposed ban: A U.S. District Court is currently considering whether or not the DRBC has the legal authority to ban fracking, even if it wants to (see Major Federal Court Decision Opens Door to Stop DRBC Frack Ban). The evidence strongly suggests the DRBC doesn’t have the legal power to block fracking, no matter what Cuomo and Murphy and the other voting members of the DRBC decide to do.
    Read More “Paid Protesters Present DRB Frack Ban Petitions to NY, NJ Govs”

  • Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

    PA Gov. Wolf Seriously Considers Marcellus-Killing Cap & Trade

    December 12, 2018December 12, 2018

    On November 27, a variety of Big Green groups including the Clean Air Council, Widener University Environmental Law and Sustainability Center, eco(n)law LLC and 61 others submitted a “rulemaking petition” (407-page plan) to the Pennsylvania Environment Quality Board requesting the Board and PA Gov. Tom Wolf establish a cap-and-trade greenhouse gas emission reduction program to eliminate carbon emissions from major sources by 2052. It’s a bizarre plan, meant to eliminate fossil fuel production and use, including Marcellus Shale production. The kicker is that Wolf is actually thinking about doing it. Hey PA residents–still glad you reelected Wolf?
    Read More “PA Gov. Wolf Seriously Considers Marcellus-Killing Cap & Trade”

  • Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | TC Energy/TransCanada

    More Lowball Western Canadian Natgas Coming East to M-U

    December 12, 2018December 12, 2018

    TransCanada, one of Canada’s leading midstream/pipeline companies, cooked up a deal in 2016 to pipe natural gas from Canada’s West Coast to the East Coast in order to fend off cheap supplies of Marcellus/Utica gas that will flow into Canada from the NEXUS and Rover pipelines (see TransCanada Pipe Drops Price 42% to Compete with Marcellus/Utica). TransCanada dropped their pipeline price to lure drillers by (theoretically) making it less expensive to get gas from Western Canada, some 2,400 miles away, than from the Marcellus, just 400 miles away. Following a couple of open seasons and stiff regulatory hurdles, the plan was adopted and went into service in November 2017 (see TransCanada Pipe Begins Lowball Shipping to Compete with Marc/Utica).
    Read More “More Lowball Western Canadian Natgas Coming East to M-U”

  • Best of the Rest

    Energy Stories of Interest: Wed, Dec 12, 2018

    December 12, 2018December 12, 2018

    The “best of the rest”–stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading: EQT postpones conference call to discuss 2019 guidance and updated analyst presentation; A push to make fracking waste water usable in agriculture – even for drinking; Cheniere ships first Corpus Christi LNG commissioning cargo; Sleepless nights for U.S. gas traders as volatility surges; Yamal LNG ramps up to full capacity; Cuadrilla pauses gas fracking at English site after more tremors.
    Read More “Energy Stories of Interest: Wed, Dec 12, 2018”

  • Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Rice Energy

    Rice Brothers Attempt to Take Over EQT, Install Toby as CEO

    December 11, 2018December 11, 2018

    “Well, the EQT situation is a total mess.” So began a super secret email to MDN from a highly-placed source we implicitly trust. Not long after receiving that email, we spotted a press release from the Rice brothers, Toby and Derek, who along with their other two brothers, previously founded and built Rice Energy into a major Marcellus/Utica operator. The Rice brothers sold their company to EQT last year for $8.2 billion (see EQT Buys Rice Energy in $8.2B Deal, Becomes #1 Gas Producer in US). As part of the deal, the boys took 80% of their compensation in the form of EQT stock. The Rice boys now say EQT and its stock performance ain’t doin’ so hot. They (the Rice boys) think they have the solution. The solution is to install Rice leadership at EQT. Wouldn’t that be the ultimate head fake? Sell your company to a much larger company, creating the the largest natgas producer in the U.S.–then take it ALL over. A reverse takeover. Dan Rice III didn’t raise stupid boys.
    Read More “Rice Brothers Attempt to Take Over EQT, Install Toby as CEO”

  • Ashtabula County | Crawford County | Energy Services | Erie County | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | RH energytrans

    FERC Approves PA to OH Risberg Pipeline to Begin Construction

    December 11, 2018December 11, 2018
    Click for larger version

    FERC has finally come out of its funk. At least with respect to the RH energytrans Risberg Line project. We have been waiting and waiting and waiting to bring you this exciting news: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has given final approval for the Risberg Line project to begin construction! Risberg is a 60-mile, $86 million pipeline from Crawford County, PA through Erie County and into Ashtabula County, OH. According to FERC’s own schedule, an OK for the project was due no later than Sept. 27, which didn’t happen. In October, RH energytrans was diplomatic and said, “It may take a little longer than we might hope” (see FERC Stuck in Slow Mo – Late Approving PA to OH Risberg Project). The folks at RH are far more patient than we are. Their patience has paid off. On Friday, FERC pulled the trigger and sent final approval. RH says construction will begin “by the end of this year,” which is now just over two weeks away.
    Read More “FERC Approves PA to OH Risberg Pipeline to Begin Construction”

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