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Four environmental groups have filed suit against the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) seeking to reduce the amount of drilling approved for Gasco Energy Inc. in Utah’s remote Uinta Basin shale formation.

Reports posted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) indicate that the state saw substantial growth in natural gas production during the first half of 2012, perhaps more than 82%, although production totals from some operators are missing from the latest report and the reporting criteria had changed.

Despite lower natural gas prices and therefore royalties, the Alberta government isn’t worried. Besides its rainy day fund, the province is doing a booming business in the sale of mineral rights to prospective drillers.

Despite lower natural gas prices and therefore royalties, the Alberta government isn’t worried. Besides its rainy day fund, the province is doing a booming business in the sale of mineral rights to prospective drillers.

Activity in natural gas shale plays has tended to heat up fast, especially when producers get a whiff of liquids-rich gas. Besides buying up acreage, producers are committing to gathering, processing and transportation services, and buyer’s remorse can result from moving too fast, a Range Resources executive warned recently.

Gas-on-gas competition is a concept long established in the industry. How about shale-on-shale competition?

Supporters of Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s reelection bid were more optimistic Friday after the Alaska Division of Elections revealed that besides the more than 11,000 absentee ballots that have come in so far, there are an additional 8,000-plus questioned ballots still to be counted in the Republican primary race Aug. 23 in which Tea Party candidate Joe Miller won the initial precinct count by 1,668 votes (see Daily GPI, Aug. 27).

Tuesday’s overall rebound in the cash market didn’t last very long as quotes fell at all points Wednesday. Besides the drag of a 12.9-cent futures decline a day earlier, Wednesday’s market was forced to acknowledge that already-light weather-based demand was tending to recede even further.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said last week that it was close to a decision on revamping its rules for reporting oil and natural gas reserves. Besides the question of whether proven and unproven reserves should be reported, the SEC is considering recommendations from FERC that a true estimate of natural gas reserves ought to include shale gas and so-called “stranded” natural gas.