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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.

Unconventional natural gas and liquids plays account for a larger slice of the gas-directed rig count pie than they did just a short time ago. More horizontal drilling and the emergence of the second generation of shale plays characterize the market today, according to analysts at Barclays Capital.

A deal is on the table and could be completed in the coming weeks to bring in a partner to develop the Eagle Ford Shale, an Anadarko Petroleum Corp. executive said Thursday.

In terms of volatility, the cash market came to a near-standstill Wednesday as gains and losses were approximately even and only a few locations ventured more than a nickel in either direction.

EXCO Resources Inc. grew oil and natural gas production by 70% in the fourth quarter compared to the year-ago period, the company said. In 4Q2010 EXCO produced 32.2 Bcfe, or 350 MMcfe/d. Expectations are that 2011 production will average 520-580 MMcfe/d.

By the middle of this year most of the Eagle Ford Shale region in South Texas will be blanketed with high-speed terrestrial wireless broadband provided by ERF Wireless unit Energy Broadband Inc., the company said.

Calgary-based Talisman Energy Inc. said Tuesday it plans to reduce the number of rigs it operates in the Marcellus Shale by the end of the year, but it will increase development in the Eagle Ford and Farrell Creek shales, which are both liquids-rich.

Laflin, PA-based coal company Silverbrook Anthracite has leased approximately 1,635 acres for Marcellus Shale gas exploration in Lackawanna County, PA, to a Texas land services firm in what county officials are calling the largest such lease ever recorded in the northeastern Pennsylvania county.

Just two days after Gov. Ed Rendell placed a moratorium on drilling on state forest land, Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced a new policy requiring well operators working on state park and forest land to identify all areas of their tracts that will be disturbed by development activities.