Interests

There is “significant concern” among oil and gas interests that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court could deadlock in a 3-3 tie over the constitutionality of Act 13 because the high court’s newest appointee will not participate in the case challenging the law.

Denver-based SM Energy Co. is marketing all of its properties in the Anadarko Basin, including its Granite Wash interests. The sale of the gas-weighted assets is part of normal high-grading activities, the company said. Proceeds could be spent in the Permian Basin or in the Eagle Ford Shale, analysts speculated last week.

Denver-based SM Energy Co. is marketing all of its properties in the Anadarko Basin, including its Granite Wash interests. The sale of the gas-weighted assets is part of normal high-grading activities, the company said Wednesday. Proceeds could be spent in the Permian Basin or in the Eagle Ford Shale, analysts speculated Wednesday.

Any U.S. oil and gas wildcatter looking for a way to get on the Forbes annual Billionaires list might take a hint from some of the interests among those who made this year’s list, published Monday. They like oil and they like natural gas, and many of them especially like shale.

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has allowed itself “to be co-opted by industry interests on the issue of hydraulic fracturing [fracking] for shale gas,” and does not speak for local communities on the issue, representatives of 67 grassroots organizations said Wednesday.

Market dynamics have built big windows for North American natural gas projects, which international interests and big producers are ready to open, the Williams CEO said Tuesday.

Tulsa-based midstream operator SemGroup on Wednesday agreed to a $300 million cash price for Chesapeake Energy Corp.’s interests in subsidiary Mid-America Midstream Gas Services LLC, that comes with a 20-year gathering and processing contract for 540,000 net acres in the Mississippian Lime play.

Midland, TX-based Clayton Williams Energy Inc. (CWEI) has struck a deal with a financial investor to monetize 95% of its Wolfberry oil and gas reserves, leasehold interests and facilities in Andrews County, TX, for $214 million. Proceeds will be used to reduce debt.

After relying on industry voluntary actions regarding drilling setback and water sampling approaches, Colorado regulators are poised to establish new mandatory rules covering exploration and production (E&P) companies.