Issue

Industry Briefs

Eagle Rock Energy Partners LP and Apache Corp. have struck a new fee-based gas gathering, processing and purchasing agreement in support of Apache’s drilling in the Texas Panhandle. Apache has dedicated all existing and future wells drilled within an area encompassing more than 106,000 gross acres in Hemphill, Lipscomb, Ochiltree, Roberts, Hansford and Sherman counties under market-based terms. The agreement supersedes and expands on previous agreements between Eagle Rock and Apache. The dedicated acreage covers the Granite Wash, Hogshooter, Tonkawa, Marmaton and Cleveland plays in the Anadarko Basin. The associated Apache production will be gathered and processed at one or more of the partnership’s cryogenic processing plants in the Panhandle. Eagle Rock’s Panhandle assets consist of 6,500 miles of gathering pipeline and more than 480 MMcf/d of processing capacity, with an additional 60 MMcf/d of processing capacity expected to come online in the second quarter.

March 8, 2013

Wyoming Lowers Bar for Oil/Gas Supervisor

Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead on Wednesday signed a new law changing the requirements for the state’s oil and natural gas supervisor, a post that has been vacant since June. Senate Enrolled Act 3 changes the criteria for the top oil/gas spot in the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (OGCC).

February 19, 2013

Pennsylvania PUC Issues Final Rulemaking for Natural Gas Suppliers

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) voted 5-0 on Wednesday to issue a final rulemaking order for marketing and sales practices used by natural gas suppliers.

October 26, 2012

API: USGS Results in Pavillion Cast Doubt on EPA Water Tests

Results from recent U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) water quality testing in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitoring wells in Pavillion, WY, “raise serious questions about the adequacy of EPA practices in drilling monitoring wells and testing water samples,” said Erik Milito, American Petroleum Institute (API) upstream director.

October 22, 2012
Poland Readies Draft Shale Gas Regulations

Poland Readies Draft Shale Gas Regulations

The government of Poland plans to issue draft rules covering shale gas extraction within a week, the next step to help the country take advantage of what may be vast quantities of natural gas, authorities said Tuesday.

October 12, 2012

PwC Survey: Energy Industry Playing Catch Up on Cyber Security

As the federal government and industry players pay more attention to the issue, cyber security problems lurk for the oil and natural gas industry, and greater levels of risk assessment and a “new way of thinking” about information security are needed, according to a global survey released Monday by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

September 25, 2012

Flaring Will Remain Part of Bakken, Analyst Says

Even with a multi-billion-dollar natural gas gathering and processing infrastructure buildout ongoing, North Dakota is not likely to greatly reduce the volumes of gas being flared as an offshoot of its accelerated oil boom, according to an analysis released Thursday by RBN Energy LLC.

September 10, 2012

Raymond James: Marcellus Gas Shale ‘King’ by 2015

Based on production data verifiable to date, the Marcellus Shale will become the “King of the Gas Shales” by 2015 at the latest, U.S. energy analysts with Raymond James & Associates Inc. said in a new report.

September 5, 2012

Wisconsin Energy Shifts Milwaukee Coal Plant to Gas

Coal-to-natural gas switching became a live issue for Wisconsin Energy’s major utility, We Energies, with the decision Friday to switch a long-time coal-fired cogeneration facility serving downtown Milwaukee to natural gas. The Valley Power Plant is a 280 MW facility providing steam and electricity.

August 20, 2012

Cabot, Dimock Families Near Settlement

Most of the Dimock Township, PA, residents who filed a lawsuit against Cabot Oil & Gas Corp., alleging the company contaminated their water wells, have agreed to an undisclosed settlement, according to documents filed in federal court on Monday.

August 16, 2012