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Calgary natural gas producer Bonavista Energy Corp. on Wednesday plans to expand its Western Canadian operations after announcing a deal that would double its land position in the Deep Basin and increase estimated output by 10% through a C$155 million agreement with an undisclosed company.

Erie, CO, officials voted 6-1 Monday night to end a six-month moratorium on new oil and natural gas drilling after securing agreements with producers that place stricter regulations on their operations.

After overcoming a series of technical glitches, the fourth iteration of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) 1H2012 production report issued last week indicated that natural gas production from unconventional wells totaled 894.8 Bcf, a figure that includes Marcellus Shale wells along with some targeting the Utica Shale and other formations. The figure was more than double the 435.1 Bcf in 1H2011, although that figure only included Pennsylvania Marcellus production.

Nearly three weeks after ruling that portions of Pennsylvania’s omnibus Marcellus Shale law, Act 13, were unconstitutional, the state’s Commonwealth Court ordered an injunction against the preemption provision to remain in place pending appeal while a provision affecting setback waivers was lifted.

In an effort to get exploration and production in the Point Thomson Field on the North Slope in Alaska off and running after years of permitting delays, Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell earlier this month reached out to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to exercise his authority to expedite the Record of Decision (ROD) on the project, citing the risk to Alaskan and American jobs if delays continue.

One month after announcing that it was abandoning a potential partnership strategy to help develop its Eagle Ford Shale acreage in favor of a “go-it-alone plan,” Denver-based Forest Oil Corp. said it has entered into an agreement to sell the majority of its East Texas natural gas gathering assets to a subsidiary of Tristate Midstream II LLC for proceeds of $34 million.

Nearly three weeks after ruling that portions of Act 13, Pennsylvania’s new omnibus Marcellus Shale law, were unconstitutional, the Commonwealth Court on Wednesday ordered that an injunction against the law’s preemption provision will remain in place pending appeal, while one affecting setback waivers is lifted.

An investigation has been launched after an accident at an Encana Corp. natural gas drilling site in Colorado killed one person and injured three others. According to law enforcement officials, a high-pressure gas release occurred when four contractors with BGH Gas Test Operating Inc. of Castle Rock, CO, were ramping up production at the well, which is in the Niobrara formation. No explosion or fire occurred at the drilling site, which is near the town of Platteville, about 30 miles north of Denver. Encana has launched an internal investigation; state officials also are conducting an investigation.

In an effort to get exploration and production in the Point Thomson Field on the North Slope in Alaska off and running after years of permitting delays, Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell this past weekend reached out to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to exercise his authority to expedite the Record of Decision (ROD) on the project, citing the risk to Alaskan and American jobs if delays continue.