The Texas Petro Index (TPI), an indicator of upstream oil and gas activity in Texas, increased modestly but steadily during the first half of the year, beginning July a scant 1.2% from matching the peak index achieved nearly five years ago, according to data released Monday. As has been the case for a while, oil production is the big story, but casinghead gas is lending support to natural gas output.
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Colorado Joins Industry Lawsuit on City Fracking Ban
Following threats earlier in the year from Gov. John Hickenlooper, Colorado’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (OGCC) has joined a lawsuit by the Colorado Oil & Gas Association (COGA) against the city of Longmont’s ban last year on hydraulic fracturing (fracking).
Midland, TX, Office Tower to Sprout from Fertile Permian Basin
The skyline of Midland, TX (pop. 114,000) has a long way to go before it can rival those of Houston or Dallas, but the rebirth of the Permian Basin has sparked plans to develop what would be the sixth-tallest building in the Lone Star State.
Researchers Differ Over Shale’s Impact on Ohio Housing
Researchers commissioned by state government agencies have offered differing opinions over whether a housing shortage is on the horizon in eastern Ohio, where development is ramping up in the state’s portions of the Marcellus and Utica shales.
Pennsylvania Landowner’s Group Threatens to Sue DRBC
A coalition of landowners in Wayne County, PA, is threatening to file a lawsuit against the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) over a continuing delay in either enacting natural gas regulations in the basin or deferring regulation to its four member states.
Pennsylvania Governor Urges DRBC Action to Lift Moratorium
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is urging the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to proceed with a proposal to revise water quality regulations, a move that could ultimately open the basin to expanded Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling.
Shell Granted Another Extension on Proposed Cracker Site
A subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc has signed a second, six-month extension that gives it more time to decide whether to purchase property in western Pennsylvania that could ultimately be used for a “world scale” ethane cracker in the heart of the Marcellus Shale region.

Industrial Sector Rocketing NatGas Prices Longterm, Says Raymond James
The revival of the U.S. industrial sector will be “the most significant driver” to higher long-term natural gas prices, lifted by new ethylene crackers, ammonia plants and natural gas-to-liquids (GTL) facilities fed by unconventional natural gas, according to an analysis by Raymond James & Associates Inc.
Natural Resource Partners Enters Bakken with Abraxas Deal
Natural Resource Partners LP (NRP) is buying nonoperated working interests in Bakken/Three Forks producing oil and gas properties from Abraxas Petroleum Corp. for $35.3 million in cash, marking its entry into the Bakken Shale.
Shales Are a Means, Not an End, Says CERA Co-Founder
The shale gas and oil revolution has created a 20-year opportunity for technology and sustainable economic development, but to realize its full potential, the people who think about energy will have to adopt a new mindset, Deloitte’s Joseph Stanislaw said in a new whitepaper, in which he argues that shale resources should be a bridge to a lower-carbon future.