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After hitting a low point five years ago, associated gas is projected to grow to more than 12 Bcf/d, or about 15% of the North American natural gas supplies in 2020, according to a report released Tuesday by Canadian-based Ziff Energy.

MSC also released a longer video on social media channels and is asking viewers to submit their questions about natural gas production and use. The video includes a series of clips from a variety of news programs detailing the economic benefits of developing the Marcellus Shale.

An interim study committee in the South Dakota state legislature has agreed to pursue as many as eight different bills this year covering oil and natural drilling, including one aimed at hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

Natural gas prices in the various North American shale basins rose about 50 cents, or close to 20%, year-to-year from Jan. 1, 2012 to Jan. 1, 2013, moving mainly from the $2.80s to the $3.30s per MMBtu. At the same time, operating rigs in the same basins dropped 21%, according to surveys conducted throughout the year for NGI’s Shale Daily.

A subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc has been given another six months to decide whether to purchase property in western Pennsylvania for a proposed “world scale” ethane cracker in the heart of the Marcellus Shale.

EV Energy Partners LP (EVEP) said that although it has received offers for its acreage in the Utica Shale, the company does not expect to announce an agreement before the end of the year.

Dominion and Caiman Energy II LLC on Thursday said they are forming Blue Racer Midstream LLC, a $1.5 billion joint venture (JV) that would provide midstream services to natural gas producers operating in the Utica Shale in Ohio and portions of Pennsylvania.

Cash prices on average skidded about another dime overall on Friday as surging prices at a couple of points in the Northeast couldn’t balance an overall weak tenor to an oversupplied market. Midwest points slipped less than a dime, but Gulf and eastern points suffered double digit losses. At the close of trading January futures had made it five straight losses in a row for the week and settled at $3.314, down 3.3 cents and February lost 3.1 cents to $3.358. January crude oil added 84 cents to $86.73.

The San Antonio, TX, metropolitan area has gained about 4,000 jobs from the Eagle Ford shale Play, and its upcoming major road improvements could tap up to $12 million annually from the oil/gas development, according to a report released Tuesday by the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation.