The city of Corpus Christi, TX, is appealing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to grant it the right to decide whether to sell water to oil and gas producers for hydraulic fracturing and other purposes in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas. One company has approached the city to buy water for industrial purposes, according to Corpus Christi Water Director Gus Gonzalez, as reported by the city’s Caller-Times newspaper. If the TCEQ agrees, the city would be allowed to divert surface water from the Choke Canyon reservoir for mining activities. “If [city] council approves any contract water sales, then all revenues generated will be deposited to the water fund and used to either reduce rates or fund future water supplies,” according to a city document related to the matter.
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Natural gas is seen as a fuel of the future by the authors of Statoil’s “Energy Perspectives 2012” report. “Global gas demand is projected to increase by 60% by 2040. Positive drivers include significant new available supply at moderate costs and environmental policies,” said Chief Analyst Eirik Waerness. Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel, and Statoil believes that natural gas will serve as an important and cost-efficient means to meet the challenge of global warming, he said. In aggregate, the fossil fuel share of the global energy mix is expected to drop from 81% in 2010 to 73% in 2040: “In OECD Europe, renewables is expected to more than double towards 2040, and becoming the second most important fuel with a 24% share of the energy mix in the region,” said Waerness. This development is driven by climate and environmental policies, energy security concerns, as well as price and cost developments, he said.
Bakken Shale Did Heavy Lifting Last Year
If U.S. shale plays were students in a classroom, the one blowing the curve on the oil production test would be named Bakken.
NGV Roadway Getting Smoother, Advocate Claims
With survey data indicating steady future growth, the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel is gaining momentum in a variety of fleet vehicle operations in four key areas — economics, manufacture of vehicles, fueling infrastructure and public policy support, according to Richard Kolodziej, president of Washington, DC-based NGVAmerica.
Former Presidents Are Stars of New Natural Gas Industry Ad Campaign
Six former presidents will be appearing in commercials supporting natural gas that will air in theaters before motion pictures this summer, thanks to a new advertising campaign by the American Clean Skies Foundation (ACSF), a nonprofit natural gas advocacy group.
With Asset Sale Complete, Norse Turns Focus to New York’s Marcellus, Utica
Banking on the possibility that New York will lift its moratorium on high-volume hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the near future, Norse Energy Corp. ASA on Thursday completed a $37 million sale of operated production and other assets in the Empire State to EmKey Resources LLC (see Shale Daily, March 19), giving it cash to focus on core properties in the Marcellus and Utica shales in central New York.
Chesapeake CEO Confident of Asset Sales; Shares Strengthen
Chesapeake Energy Corp.’s stock price jumped on Monday after the company secured a $3 billion term loan and CEO Aubrey McClendon expressed confidence in the company’s ability to complete planned property sales this year to bridge an estimated $10 billion funding gap. In addition, an estimated $1 billion volumetric production payment (VPP) in the Eagle Ford Shale has been sidelined in favor of more noncore asset sales.
Illinois Fracking Law Moving Faster than Shale Rush
Betting that a shale gas industry may develop in the state in the future, the Illinois Senate on Thursday passed 54-0 a measure (SB 3280) to regulate hydraulic fracturing (fracking), which would require the disclosure of chemicals used in fracking operations.
PA Bill Would Require Real-Time Well, Pipeline Monitoring
A Pennsylvania lawmaker is proposing legislation that would require real-time monitoring of all natural gas wells and pipelines in the state.
People
Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture) recently appointed George Jugovic Jr. president and CEO. Jugovic replaces Jan Jarrett, who resigned after 13 years with the statewide environmental organization. Jugovic previously served as a senior attorney for PennFuture. Before joining the organization, he served as the southwest regional director for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in Pittsburgh.
