Began

CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Co. (CEGT), an indirect unit of Houston-based CenterPoint Energy Inc., notified FERC Monday that it began emergency right-of-way (ROW) remediation activities to stabilize an area of a landslide on its system in an effort to avoid disruption of service to customers.

Consol Energy Inc. began its shift toward liquids in the first quarter, moving into the wet-gas portions of the Marcellus and Utica shales of southwestern Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.

Consol Energy Inc. began its shift toward liquids in the first quarter, moving into the wet-gas portions of the Marcellus and Utica shales of southwestern Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.

Rex Energy Corp. recently spud it first Utica Shale well in Carroll County, OH.

Representatives from a unit of BP plc began signing agreements with landowners in Trumbull County, OH, as the company readies to begin exploring its Utica/Point Pleasant Shale leasehold in 2013. In March BP completed an agreement with the Associated Landowners of the Ohio Valley to lease close to 84,000 acres in an unexplored area of the county, which is in the northeastern part of the state (see Shale Daily, March 28). With the agreements now in place, BP is executing individual terms with landowners, which may take up to six months. BP’s Ohio shale purchase moved it into ninth place among Utica/Point Pleasant leaseholders, according to data compiled from company reports by NGI’s Shale Daily. The top leaseholder is Chesapeake Energy Corp., which has an estimated 1.2 million net acres, followed by EnerVest and EV Energy Partners, which together lease an estimated 760,000 net acres. Chevron Corp. follows with 600,000 net acres.

Although only two of its counties overlay the Marcellus Shale, Maryland could earn on average about $441 million in severance taxes over a 30-year period if drilling were permitted there, according to a report released Thursday by the Maryland Petroleum Council (MPC).

U.S. imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) last year continued the downward trend that began in 2009, according to data compiled by Pan EurAsian Enterprises Inc. Last year’s imports were well less than half of what they were in 2007, the peak year for imports, and they were slightly less than the level seen in 2008.

A state official said a bill advancing in the Pennsylvania General Assembly that offers tax breaks to large businesses could also be used to help the state lure an ethane cracker and the thousands of jobs it would provide.

Marathon Oil Corp., which began 2012 as a pure-play exploration and production (E&P) company, has its sights trained on two big shale plays in the United States: the Eagle Ford and the Bakken, company officials said Wednesday.