Alpha

Rice Energy Inc. said late Tuesday it has made a $200 million stalking horse bid for Marcellus Shale acreage in Pennsylvania owned by a subsidiary of bankrupt coal producer Alpha Natural Resources Inc.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said this week that it has fined three Rice Energy Inc. subsidiaries for violating 17 state environmental regulations that date back to 2012.

Cheniere Energy Inc.’s Sabine Pass liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal in Louisiana is creeping closer to sending out its first cargo, according to Genscape Inc., which has been monitoring commissioning and gas delivery activity at the project. “Since commissioning began last Oct. 1 2015, Sabine has received a total of 4.55 Bcf in commissioning gas from the Creole Trail and NGPL pipelines,” Genscape said in note Tuesday. “It has also boiled off 1.92 Bcf from its regasification side that was cycled back as some of this commissioning gas. All of this gas delivered to the facility has been either flared or used to run the compressors in commissioning.” More recently, a receipt location on Creole Trail, “Sabine Pass LNG,” which was representative of the boil off gas has flipped and is now delivering small feed gas volumes (about 8 MMcf/d) to Sabine, according to Genscape, which also said in its note that first liquefaction is likely to “soon take place.” The terminal was to have sent out its first cargo earlier this year, but that was delayed by technical difficulties at the facility (see Daily GPI,Jan. 14).

Coal producer Alpha Natural Resources Inc., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in August, has reached an agreement with its lenders to sell a core group of assets, including its holdings in the Marcellus Shale of Southwest Pennsylvania.

Coal producer Alpha Natural Resources Inc. has increased its stake in Appalachian natural gas with the $126 million acquisition of its French partner’s 50% interest in a Marcellus Shale joint venture in southwest Pennsylvania.

Coal producer Alpha Natural Resources Inc. has increased its stake in Appalachian natural gas with the $126 million acquisition of its French partner's 50% interest in a Marcellus Shale joint venture in southwest Pennsylvania.

The pace of drilling in Pennsylvania has declined by 35% in the first month and a half of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012, but counties rich in liquids and oil are faring better.

Alberta has long been the alpha dog of Canada’s natural gas exploration, but British Columbia is quickly proving it can run with the pack. Nexen Inc. last week became the latest of several pedigreed gas producers to track down success in the emerging shale prospects in the Horn River Basin.

Alberta has long been the alpha dog of Canada’s natural gas exploration, but British Columbia is quickly proving it can run with the pack. Nexen Inc. this week became the latest of several pedigreed gas producers to track down success in the emerging shale prospects in the Horn River Basin.