Addition

Tennessee Gas Pipeline received regulatory approval Monday to use its facilities to export Marcellus Shale gas through its facilities at the U.S.-Canada border.

Natural gas found in North Texas water wells did not come from the Barnett Shale but rather the gas-bearing Strawn formation, which is closer to the surface, hearing examiners at the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) said in a report released Monday. If accepted by commissioners, the finding would exonerate Range Resources Corp., which had been accused of contaminating the wells with its Barnett drilling activities.

The Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) on Thursday elected a new leadership team to helm the executive committee and announced the addition of almost three dozen associate member companies.

National Fuel Gas Co.’s exploration subsidiary is adding 42 Bcfe of proved natural gas reserves to its Marcellus Shale holdings in a deal with joint venture (JV) partner EOG Resources Inc.

Magnum Hunter Resources Corp. subsidiary Triad Hunter LLC is acquiring oil and gas properties and leasehold mineral interests in Wetzel and Lewis counties, WV, in the Marcellus Shale from Oklahoma City-based PostRock Energy Corp.

In addition to announcing a significant shift in its shale strategy, Fort Worth-based Range Resources said this week that it has trimmed its quarterly losses from $29.8 million, or 19 cents/share during 3Q2009 to $8.2 million, or 5 cents/share for 3Q2010.

Due to the limited availability of high-pressure pumping services, Comstock Resources Inc. said it continues to experience significant delays in completing its Haynesville or Bossier shale wells in North Louisiana. As a result, along with the relatively low price of dry natural gas, Comstock said it might put more focus on its liquids-rich Eagle Ford drilling program next year.

The value of global oil and gas deals reached $85 billion during 3Q2010, but U.S. shale gas deals in the quarter lost the momentum from the first half of the year, according to a survey by Evaluate Energy Inc., which tracks global merger and acquisition (M&A) activity on a daily basis.

Houston’s Apache Corp. is in talks to buy $10-12 billion of BP plc’s properties, including some of its Alaskan assets, two people familiar with the discussions told NGI.