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Marcellus Shale natural gas production leaped to nearly 4 Bcf/d in just three years, and even though it remains the most economical gas play in Lower 48 states, producers already are moving rigs to more liquids-prone targets, according to Barclays Capital energy analysts.

In an attempt to bring uniformity to the exploration and production of oil and natural gas in the shale plays of the Appalachian Basin, a consortium of 11 producers Tuesday released recommended standards and practices on everything from the preparation of a regional spill and emergency response plan to the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) fluids, as well as for local relations and well site selection.

While there were assurances Monday that the idled San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (Songs) is not going to be closed permanently, there also were no indications when at least one of its two units may be back online. As a result, California energy planners need to assume stepped-up natural gas-fired generation will be needed to make up for the 2,200 MW nuclear facility’s absence this summer.

A district court judge in Texas has ruled that oil and natural gas production equipment used “below ground” is exempt from state sales taxes on extraction equipment.

The Blackfeet Nation in Montana and Florida-based Ecosphere Technologies said Tuesday they have agreed for Ecosphere to provide water treatment services to oil/gas operators using hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on portions of the Native American tribe’s 3,000-square-mile reservation.

Chesapeake Energy Corp., through affiliates of Chesapeake Midstream Development LP (CMD), is partnering with M3 Midstream LLC (Momentum) and EV Energy Partners LP to develop what it claimed will be the largest integrated midstream service complex in eastern Ohio to serve Utica Shale production.

Preliminary data released indicates that North Dakota oil and gas production continued to soar in January and the state now ranks third nationally in average daily oil production, surpassing California and following only Texas and Alaska. With the Bakken formation, North Dakota continues to ride the shale boom.

The stature of Anadarko Petroleum Corp.’s shale operations in the United States grew substantially last year, the company said. Going forward, emphasis at home will continue to be on shales and liquids-rich production.

Demand for drilling equipment in North America’s onshore continues to be strong, with the backlog of capital equipment orders in rig technology in the final three months of 2011 double year-ago levels, National Oilwell Varco Inc. (NOV) reported Thursday.