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Dominion Resources Inc. announced Monday that it plans to close and decommission a nuclear power plant in Wisconsin next year, a decision the company said was made in part due to continuing low natural gas prices.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper responded Thursday to criticism from local elected officials in his state who are upset over his government taking the city of Longmont, CO, to court over its oil and natural gas drilling rules. Legal action was what Hickenlooper called a “last resort” in a letter he sent to various local officials considering similar local drilling rules.

Crude oil production from the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas has overtaken gas production, which is increasing the shale’s profitability, a recent analysis of the play has found.

To build its “shale-related businesses,” Houston-based oilfield services operator FMC Technologies Inc., better known for its subsea business, is acquiring Calgary’s Pure Energy Services Ltd. for US$285 million.

Houston-based Rosetta Resources Inc. grew net income and revenues during the second quarter, thanks to more production that was more heavily weighted to liquids. Where one goes to get that in Texas — as everyone knows — is the Eagle Ford Shale. As it continues to develop its core Gates Ranch area there, Rosetta is stepping out as well.

Australia’s BHP Billiton Ltd. is taking a US$2.84 billion pre-tax charge against the value of dry gas assets in the Fayetteville Shale that it acquired just last year due to weak natural gas prices and oversupply.

Citing continued downward pressure on natural gas prices, Houston-based Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. on Wednesday reported a 40% increase in production but decreased earnings in the second quarter from a year ago. Both natural gas and liquids production continued to soar, up 37% and 96%, respectively, CEO Dan Dinges said during a conference call with financial analysts.

Chesapeake Midstream Partners LP has become Access Midstream Partners LP and is trading under the ticker ACMP on the New York Stock Exchange. A new website, www.accessmidstream.com, also was launched. In June Global Infrastructure Partners acquired the midstream partnership from Chesapeake Energy Corp. (see Daily GPI, July 3). New board members CEO J. Mike Stice, COO Robert S. Purgason and GIP principal William J. Brilliant join David A. Daberko, Domenic J. Dell’Osso Jr., Philip L. Frederickson, Matthew C. Harris, Suedeen G. Kelly and William A. Woodburn.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said it estimates that shale formations in the United States contain 483 Tcf of unproved technically recoverable natural gas and 33.2 billion bbl of unproved technically recoverable tight oil.