Changes

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli is urging the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to adopt his proposal for an industry-funded program that would help pay for possible damages attributed to development in the Marcellus Shale.

People living near Barnett Shale gas production facilities could be at risk for immune system damage from toxic air emissions, and the risk is likely understated by an air quality study completed for the city of Fort Worth earlier this year, a state lawmaker warned Mayor Betsy Price in a letter.

Responding to complaints that its findings were biased in favor of drilling, a consulting firm that studied the socioeconomic impact of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in New York has been asked to go back and do more research.

Commerce City, CO, has invoked a 30-day “time out” on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to give city officials time to further discuss their concerns with the oil and gas industry. City officials took the action late Monday in lieu of a proposed six-month ban on fracking.

Corbett wants an impact fee, but his proposal is closer to the House version. Still, following the Senate vote, he offered limited praise for the measure, calling it “a significant step forward toward finalizing a strong and sensible Marcellus Shale legislative package…While productive discussions are ongoing and continue to resolve the various issues related to the Marcellus Shale, [Wednesday’s] action reaffirms the strong commitment of the Senate to achieve out common goals of safe and responsible natural gas development in Pennsylvania.”

The board of directors of Range Resources Corp. has approved several management changes in preparation for the transition of CEO John Pinkerton to the role of executive chairman on Jan. 1. Current COO Jeff Ventura previously was named the new CEO. In addition, the board has promoted Ray Walker to senior vice president and COO. Walker is to oversee all of Range’s operations and would continue to lead the company’s environmental, safety, regulatory and best practices programs. Alan Farquharson has been promoted to senior vice president of reservoir engineering and economics. Farquharson is to oversee the corporate reservoir engineering as well as the long-range planning function. Ralph Tijerina has been promoted to vice president of safety and environmental. Mark Whitley, promoted to senior vice president of the Northern Appalachia and Southwest Division, is to continue to oversee operations of the Marcellus Shale along with Range activities in Texas and New Mexico.

Milder weather trends continue in the South, while temperature changes are mixed in various parts of the Midwest. Nevertheless, the continuation of winter-like conditions in much of the North American market assured that this week’s overall price advance extended into its third day Wednesday.

In terms of oilfield services supply and demand conditions, Halliburton Co. CEO Dave Lesar sees the U.S. unconventional basins in black-and-white terms: oversupplied, undersupplied or neutral.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is getting a lukewarm reception for his proposed changes to state shale policy, which largely mimic the recommendations his Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission made three months ago (see Shale Daily, Oct. 4).