Efficient

Natural gas and oil production is vulnerable to decreasing water availability and operations in Arctic Alaska to thawing permafrost, both of which are potential impacts of climate change, according to a report issued Thursday by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Pioneer Natural Resources Co.’s first horizontal Wolfcamp Shale well in Martin County, TX, — the Mabee K #1H — has been placed on production with an initial rate that the company called “strong,” and an analyst following Pioneer said confirms prospectivity in the county.

SandRidge Energy Inc.’s revamped board of directors is making good on its promise to review the company’s strategy and costs — including a potential decrease in rig count — and allegations made against embattled CEO Tom Ward by hedge fund TPG-Axon Capital.

The New York Independent System Operator (NY-ISO) expects to operate “in an environment of expanded dependency on natural gas-fired generation, renewable generation and retirements of less efficient generation” over the next five years, the electricity grid operator said in its 2013-2017 Strategic Plan.

Plains All American Pipeline LP (PAA) is buying three crude oil rail terminals in the Eagle Ford, Bakken and Niobrara producing regions, as well as various contractual arrangements, from U.S. Development Group (USD) for $500 million.

The different structures of the natural gas and power markets, disparate scheduling cycles and interstate natural gas pipeline constraints are the chief barriers to the efficient coordination of the two markets in the Northeast, regulators and industry officials said Monday.

Although keeping a lid on the details of the deal for now, Rex Energy Corp. said the Utica Shale joint venture it recently entered into with MFC Drilling Inc. and Abarta Oil & Gas Co. Inc. requires it to drill and complete one well and begin drilling two others by Nov. 15, and requires three additional wells each year until the company satisfies the carry obligation. The JV covers a three county region of eastern Ohio.

After a record-setting 2011, North Dakota continues to set all-time highs in oil and natural gas production, producing wells and rig counts, according to the latest statistics from the state’s Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).

Citing growing oil production from shale plays, Enterprise Products Partners LP and Enbridge Inc. said Thursday they plan to construct a pipeline to transport crude oil from the oversupplied hub at Cushing, OK, to the Texas Gulf Coast refining complex. Enterprise recently scrapped plans to pursue a similar project with a different partner.