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Natural gas and oil drilling in Ohio could create 65,000 jobs and add nearly $5 billion to state coffers by 2014, according to an academic study.

TransCanada Corp. on Monday notified the U.S. State Department that it intends to file in the “near future” a Presidential Permit application for a cross-border permit for part of the original $7 billion, 1,700-mile Keystone XL oil pipeline project running from the U.S.-Canada border in Montana to Steele City, Nebraska. The Calgary-based pipeline company said it eventually would file a supplement to the new application with an alternative route in Nebraska.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) on Wednesday issued a final general air quality permit designed to cover production operations at natural gas wells in the state’s portion of the Marcellus and Utica shales.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has launched a website to track oil and gas operations in the state, including those in the Marcellus Shale. The website includes reports on permitting and drilling figures, well inventories organized by county and operator, and violations. The DEP previously listed permitting and drilling information by month and production information twice each year, but the new website allows the public to view individual inspection reports. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) recently created a website to help pipeline operators comply with new oversight requirements. Gov. Tom Corbett signed Act 127 in late December, making the PUC the “state agent” for the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration in Pennsylvania and giving the PUC oversight over most nonutility natural gas pipelines. Among other things, the act requires the PUC to create a registry of all nonutility gas and hazardous liquids pipelines in the state, and the website includes forms to help operators comply. The act takes effect on Feb. 20.

Calgary’s Pembina Pipeline Corp. and Provident Energy Ltd. agreed last week to merge in a C$3.2 billion ($3.1 billion) transaction that would create a Canadian giant with oil and natural gas pipelines to transport crude and natural gas liquids (NGL), as well as midstream gas processing and an energy marketing arm.

Calgary’s Pembina Pipeline Corp. and Provident Energy Ltd. agreed Monday to merge in a C$3.2 billion ($3.1 billion) transaction that would create a Canadian giant with oil and natural gas pipelines to transport crude and natural gas liquids (NGL), midstream gas processing and an energy marketing arm.

Calgary’s Pembina Pipeline Corp. and Provident Energy Ltd. agreed Monday to merge in a C$3.2 billion ($3.1 billion) transaction that would create a Canadian giant with oil and natural gas pipelines to transport crude and natural gas liquids (NGL), midstream gas processing and an energy marketing arm.

Chesapeake Midstream Partners LP (CHKM) said Wednesday it agreed to pay $865 million to acquire Appalachia Midstream Services LLP, which it said would create the industry’s largest gathering and processing master limited partnership (MLP) as measured by throughput volume.

The Pennsylvania Senate unanimously approved legislation Tuesday to give state regulators oversight over gathering lines in the state.