NATIONAL: With supply abundant and demand easing, natural gas futures falter again; Is CO2 truly a pollutant? We break down the debate; Time to stop endangerment of developing economies with CO2 regulation; INTERNATIONAL: Oil falls as Trump pushes summit; LNG demand, prices to rise further this year, O’Neill says. Read More “MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Wed, Aug 20, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]”
Once upon a time, Eureka Resources operated three shale wastewater recycling facilities in the Marcellus region, one in Bradford County, PA, and two in the Williamsport, PA, area (Lycoming County). One year ago, MDN brought you the news that Eureka had “temporarily” closed the Bradford site and had permanently closed the two sites in Williamsport (see Eureka Temporarily Idles Bradford County Shale Wastewater Plant). In June, MDN reached out to the company for comment on why it had not resumed operation at the Bradford site. We got no response. Now comes word that one of the closed facilities in Williamsport is leaking an “oily substance” that found its way into a storm drain and from there, into the nearby Susquehanna River. A fisherman reported it looked like a “black goop” when reeling in his line. Read More “‘Black Goop’ Spills into Susquehanna River from Closed Eureka Plant”
We’ve been tracking a story that we consider an ongoing tragedy for more than a decade. American Water Management Services (AWMS) owns a wastewater injection well in Trumbull County, Ohio, that supposedly caused a low-level earthquake (that nobody could feel) in 2014. Actually, there are two injection wells located at the site, both operated by AWMS. They were both “temporarily” shut down by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) following the quake nobody could feel (see ODNR Temporarily Shuts Down Injection Wells After Low-Level Quake). ODNR allowed AWMS to reopen one of the injection wells but denied it the right to reopen the second well. AWMS said it makes no economic sense to reopen just one of the wells and has been locked in a legal battle to reopen the shuttered well and get compensated by the state for forcing it out of business (missed revenues). The Ohio Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case tomorrow—for a third time. Read More “OH Supreme Court to Hear Case of Closed AWMS Injection Well, Again”
DT Midstream (DTM), headquartered in Detroit, owns major assets in the Marcellus/Utica region and in other regions, such as Haynesville. The company recently issued its second quarter report with some interesting updates on new pipeline projects coming. We’ll discuss those below. However, it was comments about a potential expansion of capacity along the DT-owned Millennium Pipeline (which flows Marcellus molecules) that caught our attention. The company announced an open season in May for added capacity along the Millennium (see Millennium Pipe Open Season for Expanded Capacity in NY, New England). Where does that stand now? Has the company decided to move forward? Read More “DT Midstream Says NYS Must Support Millennium Expansion Before FID”
We spotted an interesting court ruling in Virginia with the potential to impact midstream (pipeline) companies in the state. The case is Zinner v. Washington Gas Light Co. On July 1, the Court of Appeals of Virginia ruled that a proposed Washington Gas Light (WGL) natural gas pipeline project is a “distribution” and not a “transmission” pipeline project. In Virginia, distribution pipelines are exempt from needing to conform to local municipal ordinances, while transmission lines are subject to such ordinances. Read More “Va. Court Rules on What Defines Distribution vs Transmission Pipe”
In January, three leftist judges who sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (DC Circuit), one appointed by Joementia, one by Lord Obama, and a third by George H.W. Bush (Bush the 1st), threw out a rule the U.S. Department of Transportation had adopted during President Trump’s first term which allowed liquefied natural gas (LNG) to be transported by train (see DC Circuit Dems Overturn LNG-by-Rail Reg from Trump’s 1st Term). The law-abiding Trump administration recently published changes to its LNG rules to comply with the court’s order. However, Big Green is VERY concerned that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has (1) carved out a loophole, and (2) is looking to reintroduce a full-blown LNG by rail regulation that this time would pass muster in the courts. Read More “PHMSA Looks to Get Biden-Derailed LNG by Rail Back on Track”
Shipping giant Crowley’s newest LNG-powered containership, Torogoz, commenced its inaugural service last week, offering faster and larger options for timely ocean cargo transport from the U.S. to Central America. Torogoz features container capacity for 1,400 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units), including 300 refrigerated units. The Torogoz is the fourth and final ship in Crowley’s new, state-of-the-art LNG-powered Avance Class vessels. We’ve reported on previous Avance vessels (see our stories here). The Torogoz is designed and equipped to quickly and frequently deliver cargo, including apparel, fresh produce, food products, pharmaceuticals, and textiles, between the U.S and El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Yes, there is a connection to the Marcellus/Utica. Read More “Crowley Adds Fourth LNG-Powered Container Ship in Port Everglades”
MARCELLUS/UTICA REGION: Stacy Garrity seeks to challenge PA Gov. Josh Shapiro’s reelection bid; OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Gas demand at two of the top US LNG plants declines; Gas outflows to Mexico high on strong Permian production; Give up the green delusions, Albany — battery sites are too risky for New York; NATIONAL: LNG slump, cooler weather data snuff out rally in natural gas futures; Environmental groups sue over DOE report downplaying climate change; US DOE plans $1B funding to support critical minerals, materials production; U.S. natural gas storage levels remain above average through injection season; When energy policy turns hostile, communities pay; Wind turbines and solar panels ONLY generate electricity; ‘Drill, baby, drill’ is working; INTERNATIONAL: Oil rises as ceasefire hopes fade; Qatar to supply 40% of new global LNG by 2030 amid geopolitical tug-of-war; European gas hits 15-month low. Read More “MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Tue, Aug 19, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]”
Last week, the Baker Hughes U.S. rig count halted its downward trend, maintaining the same overall number of rigs as the week before: 539 active rigs nationwide. The count has been down (bleeding) 14 of the last 16 weeks. Has the bleeding now stopped? We hope so. The Marcellus/Utica count remained the same for the past four weeks at a combined 36 active rigs. PA operates 18 active rigs. OH is running 11 rigs. And WV is operating 7 rigs. Twenty-four rigs targeted the Marcellus and 12 rigs targeted the Utica last week. Read More “Baker Hughes U.S. Rig Count Bleeding has Stopped, For Now”
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) issued its latest monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) last week. The STEO is the agency’s monthly best guess about where energy prices and production will head in the next 12 months. We joke about the predictions coming from a dartboard, given their seemingly random ups and downs. In this latest assessment, EIA dropped its estimates for the Henry Hub spot price for 2025, again. The agency expects the HH price to average $3.60 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2025, $0.10 lower than last month’s forecast. EIA also dropped its 2026 forecast, now believing the gas price will average $4.30/MMBtu, down $0.10 from last month’s $4.40 (and WAY down from the estimate two months ago of $4.90 next year). Read More “EIA’s August STEO Cuts NatGas Spot Price Another $0.10 in ’25”
“Well, way down yonder on the Chattahoochee, it gets hotter than a hoochie coochie…” Whoops! There we go again, singing Alan Jackson’s song Chattahoochee. We got in the mood when seeing a press release announcing that Georgia Power has just received the first of three giant gas-fired turbines delivered to its Plant Yates, located on approximately 2,400 acres on the east bank of the Chattahoochee River in Coweta County, Georgia, southwest of Atlanta. We told you last August that the Georgia Public Service Commission voted 5-0 to approve Georgia Power Co.’s plan to expand Plant Yates by installing three new gas-fired units (see Georgia PSC Approves 3 New Gas-Fired Power Plants Near Atlanta). Read More “Georgia Power Receives 1st of 3 Gas Turbines at Chattahoochee Plant”
We’ve extensively covered the Williams Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project over the years, including its death in May 2024 (see Sad Day: NY Assassinates Another Williams Pipeline Project – NESE), and now, its resurrection in 2025 (see Trump Deal Trades NY Offshore Wind for Constitution, NESE Pipes). Most of the press over the years, and this year, surrounding the project, has focused on New York State blocking the project. However, New Jersey has also played a role. And now, you can play a role in convincing NJ to issue permits for the project. Read More “NJDEP Virtual Hearing on Permit for Williams NESE Project Sept. 10”
ECA Marcellus Trust I, the royalty interest holder in some of the wells drilled and maintained by Greylock Energy in Greene County, PA, announced on Friday that it will issue a 2-cent dividend to unitholders for the second quarter of 2025. The company continues to hold back some profits ($90,000 in 2Q25) to build a cash reserve for “future known, anticipated or contingent expenses or liabilities.” Read More “ECA Marcellus Trust I Gives Investors 2 Cents Dividend for 2Q25”
The nation’s largest LNG exporter, Cheniere Energy, is sounding the alarm that massive investments in and quick construction of natural gas infrastructure (namely, new pipelines) are needed to feed the LNG beast. LNG exports are due to double, to roughly 30 Bcf/d (billion cubic feet per day) by 2030—just five years away. The pipelines we have now are pretty much maxed out. We need new pipelines, and we need to start building them NOW. Read More “Pipeline Warning from Cheniere, Which Uses 8% of U.S. NatGas for LNG”
OTHER U.S. REGIONS: New Yorkers fighting against massive battery storage plants find new ally in EPA chief; Insane energy policies are set to burn Democrats in New Jersey, New York; NATIONAL: The climate industrial complex shifts to Plan B with climate lawfare; Celebrating a big beautiful victory with America First energy policies; AI means farewell to ‘net-zero’ fantasy; Treasury tightens tax credit eligibility for wind, solar projects; Summers are hot, obviously, but winters are the killers; INTERNATIONAL: Oil market awaits Trump-Putin summit as prices drift lower; BlackRock’s GIP leads $11B deal for Saudi gas assets; EU GHG emissions up 3.4 percent YoY in 1Q. Read More “MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Mon, Aug 18, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]”
For the week of August 4 – 10, the number of permits issued to drill new wells in the Marcellus/Utica dropped like a rock from the previous week. It was lousy. There were 10 new permits issued across the three M-U states last week, 24 fewer than the 34 issued two weeks ago. Pennsylvania was the only state to issue new permits. Both Ohio and West Virginia got skunked with ZERO new permits. The story in PA is the story of a single well pad. Nine of the 10 permits issued in PA were for a series of wells on a single pad in Greene County for EQT (under the name of Rice Drilling). The other permit was issued to Campbell Oil & Gas for a well in Clearfield County. Read More “10 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Aug 4 – 10”