Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Tuesday signed a record of decision (ROD) giving Anadarko Petroleum Corp. the green light to proceed with a major natural gas development project in eastern Utah.
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Williams Partners Buys Caiman’s Midstream Unit, Plans Utica JV
Williams Partners LP on Monday agreed to pay $2.5 billion to buy Caiman Energy’s midstream business, giving it a much bigger footprint in the natural gas liquids (NGL) portion of the Marcellus Shale in northern West Virginia, southwestern Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. The two companies also are teaming up to build a midstream business in the Utica Shale.
Pennsylvania Impact Fee Becomes Law Following Three-Year Slog
Pennsylvania is on its way to officially charging a fee for Marcellus Shale drilling. Gov. Tom Corbett signed House Bill 1950 on Monday evening, giving shale gas-rich counties in the state the ability to impose a 15-year impact fee on unconventional gas wells; now it’s up to the locals.
It’s a Wet, Oily World, Says Raymond James
The “perma-bulls” at Raymond James & Associates Inc. have dialed back their assumptions for the U.S. natural gas rig count and giving in to the inevitable: low prices are taking down rigs in the gas patch. The good news: there’s “blistering” growth for oil and liquids drillers.
Halliburton Sees Challenges in Move from Gas to Liquids Plays
A combination of fit-for-purpose technology with solid execution in drilling horizontal wells using hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is giving Halliburton Co. confidence that it can deliver on its “frack-of-the-future” strategic initiatives, a company executive said Monday.
Industry Briefs
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett signed a bill recently giving state regulators authority over gathering lines. The law makes the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) the “state agent” of the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, a designation shared by the regulatory body in every natural gas producing state except Alaska. With the authority the PUC can now inspect and investigate pipelines that are not public utilities. Because the law only allows the PUC to enforce federal regulations, it does not give the agency oversight over pipelines in sparsely populated corners of the state, known as “Class I” gathering lines. But the law does allow the PUC to hire at least 12 additional inspectors to ease the increased workload, with the positions paid for by a combination of federal funds and industry fees.
SM Energy, Mitsui Close Eagle Ford Pact
SM Energy Co. and Mitsui & Co. Ltd. unit Mitsui E&P Texas LP have closed their acquisition and development agreement (ADA), giving Mitsui E&P a 12.5% working interest in SM Energy’s nonoperated Eagle Ford Shale acreage.
Pennsylvania Township Sued Over Marcellus Ordinance
Range Resources Corp. has filed suit against a Pennsylvania township, alleging that the municipality violated state meetings law by not giving proper notice before making sweeping, prohibitive changes to its Marcellus Shale drilling ordinance.
Range Sues One Pennsylvania Township, Awaits Another’s Next Move
Range Resources Corp. has filed suit against a Pennsylvania township, alleging that the municipality violated state meetings law by not giving proper notice before making sweeping, prohibitive changes to its Marcellus Shale drilling ordinance.
Louisiana: Brown Dense Play Drawing Interest
The Pelican State has another oil and gas shale play in the works. Known as the Lower Smackover Brown Dense, the play spans portions of North Louisiana and southern Arkansas.