Courts

Two separate decisions in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York came down mostly on the side of shale play giant Chesapeake Energy Corp. in a year-old dispute over the extension of leases from landowners at below-market prices. Landowners in parts of four counties in New York state’s portion of the Marcellus Shale filed lawsuits against the Oklahoma-based shale operator.

The Marcellus Shale boom does not appear to be driving up crime rates in Pennsylvania, but more research is needed to gauge the actual impact, according to a Pennsylvania State University report.

Grounds are being staked out for appeals to the courts even before the National Energy Board (NEB) finishes its forthcoming decision on Canada’s arctic natural gas production and pipeline project.

Barring appeals to the courts, the last regulatory hurdle has been removed from obstructing an approval ruling on Canada’s entry in the Arctic pipeline race, the C$16.2 billion Mackenzie Gas Project (MGP).

Barring appeals to the courts, the last regulatory hurdle has been removed from obstructing an approval ruling on Canada’s entry in the Arctic pipeline race, the C$16.2 billion Mackenzie Gas Project (MGP).

In an attempt to mollify the courts, Dominion Cove Point LP and Washington Gas Light (WGL), FERC last Tuesday split the baby in a much-anticipated order, giving Dominion Cove Point the go-ahead to resume expansion of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal on Maryland’s eastern shore, while at the same time barring the flow of the additional expansion-related LNG volumes to WGL to shield its distribution system from further system leaks.

In an attempt to mollify the courts, Dominion Cove Point LP and Washington Gas Light (WGL), FERC Tuesday split the baby in a much-anticipated order, giving Dominion Cove Point the go-ahead to resume expansion of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal on Maryland’s eastern shore, while at the same time barring the delivery of any additional LNG volumes to WGL to shield it from further system leaks.

A new setback in the courts has sent Canadian natural gas producers a message that they still have far to go to find a formula for efficient northern expansion in aboriginal territory.

U.S. energy companies make the big bucks, and that in turn makes them a big target for lawsuits. The average U.S. energy company now has around 364 separate lawsuits pending in U.S. courts, and 59% faced at least one $20 million-plus lawsuit last year, law firm Fulbright & Jaworski reported in its third annual survey.