Japan Wants a Piece of WV Petchem Industry – Just Like China?
The Japanese recently found out more about the Marcellus/Utica and the region in the Mid-Ohio Valley called the “Shale Crescent.” In June 2016, MDN told you about an economic development group of business and government leaders from Ohio and West Virginia (the Mid-Ohio Valley) called Shale Crescent (see Group Promotes Mid-Ohio Valley for Petrochem: Shale Crescent USA). The group was two years in the making and officially launched in June at a public event in Washington County, OH. The aim of the group is to attract manufacturers–petrochemical manufacturers–to set up shop in the region. Now, nearly two years later, the Japanese are interested–particularly in West Virginia. Why?…
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We recently dodged a couple of legal bullets with respect to building pipeline projects. A recent Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals case brought by anti-fossil fuelers against the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) would have gutted the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) ability to grant eminent domain powers to pipeline companies. Whew, dodged that bullet. In Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court, THE Delaware Riverkeeper and other antis tried to upend the centuries-old principle that federal law trumps state law, and state law trumps local law. Riverkeeper argued local laws should stop the Mariner East 2 project. Whew, dodged that bullet too…
Last week MDN editor Jim Willis had the pleasure of moderating two panels at the 2018 Northeast Oil & Gas Awards’ Northeast Industry Summit. As in the past, we enjoyed the opportunity to meeting the pros in our industry, to say hello so a number of MDN subscribers, and in general soak up knowledge about this great industry. The evening was a gala ceremony to recognize and announce this year’s winners of the 2018 O&G Awards. A hearty congratulations to all of the winners. We have the full list of who won…
Events related (or of interest) to the Marcellus and Utica Shale, primarily pro-drilling events. To have your event included (or if you are aware of a worthy event you believe should be on this page), please send the details and/or a link to have it included to the calendar@marcellusdrilling.com email address. Thank you!
The “best of the rest”–stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading: PA DEP wants comments on Risberg Pipeline project in Erie County; Maryland governor’s “support” for natgas sparks new battle; two national labs work together to boost natgas production; Mass. Senators have chutzpah to blame Trump for Russian LNG coming to their state!; dump fossil fuel investment movement comes to Illinois to “help”; EPA begins to dismantle horrible Obama methane rules re fracking wells; and more!
Earlier this week MDN told you the ship that would carry the very first cargo of LNG from Cove Point LNG had docked (see 
Southern LNG, a unit of Kinder Morgan, filed a request with the Dept. of Energy yesterday asking the DOE for “blanket authorization” to export LNG from the Elba Island LNG plant in Georgia beginning in the third quarter of this year…
Earlier this week Eclipse Resources, an Ohio Utica-focused driller based in State College, PA, released its fourth quarter and full year 2017 update. Eclipse is one of our personal favorites, known for drilling “super laterals”–wells nearly four miles long. They’ve drilled the three longest onshore horizontal wells in the world–all in Ohio! So what did the Eclipse report reveal? A lot…
Well looky at this. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has pulled his head out of his…political fugue…and has reversed course on his opposition to the existing co-tenancy bill that’s near final passage. Justice previously threatened to veto the bill if it should hit his desk…
Two weeks after an XTO Energy well in Belmont County, Ohio exploded (not hurting anyone, blessedly), the neighbors have moved back–all but four homes closest to the pad. However, the well remains uncapped. Although it’s an unfortunate event that has caused a major upset for around 100 people, one Belmont County commissioner waxed philosophical by saying, “accidents happen.” What’s the latest on this accident and the cleanup effort by XTO?…
It seems that all new Marcellus/Utica pipelines run through West Virginia, at one point or another. That means there are (and will be) a lot of jobs available for those trained to work on them. The question is, how do you get trained? According to a recent article, there’s two potential pathways to training, and getting a job, in the midstream industry, in WV. One way is to get an associates (two-year) degree in petroleum or welding technology–like the degrees offered by West Virginia Northern Community College (WVNCC). The other way is to get training from a labor union, like the International Union of Operating Engineers…