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Ascent Resources Marcellus Holdings LLC (ARM) and its subsidiaries have emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing was a negotiated agreement reached with first and second lien term loan holders to restructure the balance sheet, reduce long-term debt and improve liquidity. The company owed more than $1 billion on the loans. The bankruptcy proceedings did not involve Ascent Resources LLC or other affiliates that oversee Utica Shale operations in Ohio. ARM operates more than 40,000 acres in West Virginia.

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) on Monday added two hearings and extended the comment period on proposed regulations regarding hydraulic fracturing activities, giving the public another month to weigh in.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) launched a 30-day public comment on Friday (Sept. 22) for a preliminary environmental assessment (EA) and a Determination of National Environmental Policy Act Adequacy (DNA) that evaluates about 51,400 acres of federal minerals in southeastern Utah for oil and gas leasing. The proposal includes 43 parcels in Grand and San Juan counties. The EA, DNA, maps and lease stipulations are available for review online, where comments may be submitted by Oct. 23. BLM received more than 500 comments during the public scoping period to identify issues to be addressed in the environmental documents. Comments also may be submitted via email at BLM_UT_MB_Comments@blm.gov, or by mail to BLM Moab Field Office, 82 East Dogwood, Moab, UT 84532. For more information, contact Doug Rowles at (435) 259-2100.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Monday launched a public comment period for a proposed oil and natural gas leasing sale in December that covers 28 parcels in northwestern Colorado within the Piceance Basin.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has opened a 45-day public comment period for input on two permits it’s been drafting and a new well site inspection protocol. The new general permit for unconventional well sites (GP-5A) and revisions for the general permit for natural gas compressor stations (GP-5) are part of Gov. Tom Wolf’s plans to reduce oil and gas industry emissions. The proposals would also affect remote pigging stations, transmission stations and processing plants. DEP said they establish best available technology for leak detection and repair, recordkeeping and reporting requirements, among other things. The proposal also would require natural gas operators to inspect the installation of well pads within 30 days and quarterly after wells are put into production. The comment period opened on Feb. 4 and will close on March 22. The proposals are available on the agency’s website.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) for theSabine Pass Expansion Project. Comments in Docket No.CP17-22 are to be filed by Feb. 24. Commenters filing comments before the docket’s opening on Dec. 13 need to refile. The project includes modifications of existing facilities and construction/operation of new facilities by Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline LLC in Cameron, Evangeline and Acadia Parishes in Louisiana in order to serve Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass liquefied natural gas export terminal.

In an article in Friday’s edition of Daily GPI titled Forecasts Undersell Future of North American LNG, Say Terminal Backers, a comment regarding the move to a global liquefied natural gas market was incorrectly attributed to Golden Pass Products project executive Bill Davis. The comment was actually made by LNG Ltd. CEO Greg Vesey. NGI regrets the error.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is expected to propose a master leasing plan (MLP) in October for the Tres Rios region in southwestern Colorado that would include provisions allowing oil and natural gas development, but some local industry are skeptical about the prospect.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has called for nominations and comments on available tracts to be considered for its fall 2016 oil and gas lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). A notice in the Federal Register announced a 30-day period in which interested parties may nominate or comment on available tracts. The notice is the first step in the process leading up to the next oil and gas lease sale, which is tentatively scheduled for fall of 2016. BLM Alaska must receive all nominations and comments on the tracts for consideration by May 2. “This Call for Nominations and Comments gives industry, conservation groups, and other stakeholders the opportunity to provide input into which tracts should be included in or excluded from the sale,” said BLM Alaska State Director Bud Cribley. To select which tracts will be available for the oil and gas lease sale, BLM will consider the results from the call for nominations and comments, existing natural resource and environmental data, the location of existing leases, multiple-use conflicts, resource potential, industry interest, and other available information. There are 949 tracts on about 10.7 million acres that will be available for nomination and comment under the lease sale. Currently, there are 134 authorized oil and gas leases totaling 867,320 acres in the NPR-A. A map showing available areas is available on the BLM website,www.blm.gov/ak.