Expects

Pennsylvania may be water-rich, but factors like permitting and geography make water increasingly difficult to come by for drilling operations, several Marcellus Shale players told a Pittsburgh-area audience on Wednesday.

Apache Corp. said Friday it expects to have a compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling station in service in two to three months to serve a fleet of 30 buses that carry passengers to and from Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport.

The industry has just “scratched the surface” of the unconventional gas potential of Appalachia, according to the head of one of the first companies to operate in the play, but producers need to partner if they hope to realize its full potential.

Better-than-expected performance in the Marcellus Shale helped Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.’s shareholders kick the stock almost 13% higher on Wednesday.

Maryland, whose far western panhandle is within the Marcellus Shale, should place a moratorium on drilling permits until it “can put in place the regulations and enforcement capacity to ensure that we keep our water safe,” according to state Delegate Heather Mizeur (D-Montgomery County).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expects to release in a month or two the details of how it will carry out its study of the risks of hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) to water quality and public heath, said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. She signaled that federal regulation of the well stimulation technique may not be needed.

In a report released last Tuesday, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) said since the end of October, when it issued an initial report, it has confirmed an additional 21 “Grade 1” leaks on its system, bringing the total number of leaks that required immediate action to 59, all of which have been repaired.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expects to release in a month or two the details of how it will carry out its study of the risks of hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) to water quality and public heath, said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. She signaled that federal regulation of the well stimulation technique may not be needed.

Stone Energy Corp. grew its estimated proved reserves last year by 15% and said Monday it expects to spend about half of its 2011 budget in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).