Eastern

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. has drilled and is producing from three wells in the eastern Ohio portion of the Utica Shale, the most recent of which delivered more than 9,500 bbl of crude oil and 12 MMcf of natural gas in the first 20 days online, the producer said Thursday.

As oil and gas companies look to hire local workers in eastern Ohio’s booming Marcellus and Utica shales, local and company officials say they are keeping a cautious eye on the issue of drug abuse in the region.

The prospects for expanding natural gas exploration and production (E&P) on federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in eastern Utah were given a boost by the federal agency on Friday, although the action drew strong opposition from environmental groups concerned about the impact on a rugged wilderness area.

A new technology to remotely monitor conditions at gas wells in the Marcellus Shale play to ensure compliance with environmental regulations has been developed through a research partnership funded by the Department of Energy (DOE), according to DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy (FE).

As Appalachian Basin operators cut back dry gas investments to focus on liquids, MarkWest Energy Partners LP is accommodating with a major expansion of its Marcellus, Utica and Huron shale operations.

Hess Corp.’s total crude oil and natural gas production fell in 2011 and it suffered a net loss in the fourth quarter, but company officials said Wednesday they are confident this year will be better as the company commits to developing its growing North American unconventional portfolio.

Two anchor shippers have signed binding agreements for capacity on Texas Eastern Transmission LP’s (Tetco) TEAM 2014 expansion project to carry gas from Appalachia’s shale plays to the Northeast, Midwest and southern United States, the Spectra Energy Corp. pipeline said.

Hess Corp. announced Thursday that it would spend $6.8 billion in global capital expenditures (capex) in 2012, more than one-third of which would target unconventional sources in the United States, specifically the Bakken, Eagle Ford and Utica shales.

ONEOK Partners LP has placed into service its 100 MMcf/d gas processing facility in eastern McKenzie County in North Dakota. The Garden Creek Plant is serving producers in the Bakken Shale region.