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The extent of the risks associated with development of shale oil and natural gas is “unknown” because existing studies have not taken into account the potential long-term, cumulative effects of the activity, according to a new report issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Tuesday. The agency in a companion report did not make any recommendations to change environmental and public health requirements in light of advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

It’s too early in the game to know if the productivity power of the Utica/Point Pleasant Shale in Ohio and western Pennsylvania will match other U.S. unconventional plays, but initial natural gas well data is encouraging, and if the oil-prone window is successfully derisked, the play could prove to be a triple-play hydrocarbon monster, according to IHS Inc. researchers.

Honeywell’s UOP business is buying a 70% stake in Thomas Russell Co., a privately held provider of technology and equipment for natural gas processing and treating. UOP provides process technology, materials and equipment to petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries. It will now be able to offer a range of technologies and products that allow shale and conventional natural gas producers to remove contaminants from natural gas and recover high-value natural gas liquids (NGL). Founded in 2002, Tulsa, OK-based Thomas Russell specializes in the design, engineering, fabrication and start-up of skid-mounted modular packaged plants systems for the recovery and upgrading of NGLs. UOP is paying $525 million in cash for the interest and has a right to acquire the remaining 30% stake. Closing, subject to conditions, is expected during the fourth quarter.

California Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday signed into law a bill (SB 1409) to establish closer coordination on energy policy between the state and U.S. military installations located in California. The Energy Security Coordination Act of 2012 directs the governor’s Office of Planning and Research to serve as a liaison between the state and the U.S. Defense Department “to coordinate and collaborate on clean energy policy.” The planning office will work with the California Energy Commission and California Public Utilities Commission to make sure the military bases are part of the state’s future development of energy and environmental policies. Separately, Brown signed 16 other measures dealing with renewable energy, climate change and energy efficiency.

Northwest Pipeline has asked FERC to give it an additional month to complete and place into service the North Seattle Delivery Lateral Expansion to meet the growing demand for gas in the greater Seattle, WA, area. At the same time, it approved Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America’s (NGPL) request for an additional year to complete a project in Oklahoma.

Taking matters into his own hands after the U.S. Congress failed to pass the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 this summer, President Obama appears to be preparing an executive order aimed at protecting critical national infrastructure, including power plants, and natural gas and crude pipelines, from cyber attacks.

Taking matters into his own hands after the U.S. Congress failed to pass the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 this summer, President Obama appears to be preparing an executive order aimed at protecting critical national infrastructure, including power plants, and natural gas and crude pipelines, from cyber attacks.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. is selling legacy properties in the Cana Woodford Shale, including the rights to 298 producing wells, “because it does not have the drilling budget to adequately develop the abundant additional opportunities in the area,” according to a sales listing. Ninety-eight percent of the leases are held by production.

FERC Friday gave Dominion Transmission Inc. (DTI) the go-ahead to place into service its Appalachian Gateway pipeline, which will loosen a bottleneck to allow for the transportation of shale and conventional natural gas production from West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania to growing markets in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The facilities were to begin service on Saturday (Sept. 1), said DTI spokesman Dan Donovan.