Legislature

With the legislature looking at adjournment May 8, a bill (HB 1269) that would restrict oil and natural gas representation and participation on the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (OGCC) passed out of committee on a partisan 3-2 vote late Monday night, worrying industry backers.

The lower House in the Colorado state legislature on Monday gave its approval to a proposal (HB 1267) to greatly increase the fines against oil and natural gas operators responsible for damaging the environment.

Companion bills in the Florida legislature would tax providers of natural gas as a transportation fuel, rather than taxing natural gas vehicle (NGV) operators as is currently done. The measures would enact a 4-cent tax/motor fuel gallon equivalent of natural gas.

The Colorado state legislature is weighing a number of bills related to oil and natural gas drilling that have some industry association members worried.

The chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management (DOGRM) has issued a unitization order for Chesapeake Energy Corp. in Carroll County, putting forced pooling into effect for a second time in the emerging Utica Shale.

As one of the hottest growing hydrocarbon areas in North America, North Dakota’s legislature has been immersed this year with various proposals to deal with oil and natural gas-related issues. So far, the stakeholders embroiled in the debate are not sure which, if any, bills will make it through the legislative meat grinder.

As one of the hottest growing hydrocarbon areas in North America, North Dakota’s legislature has been immersed this year with various proposals to deal with oil and natural gas-related issues. So far, the stakeholders embroiled in the debate are not sure which, if any, bills will make it through the legislative meat grinder.

A joint committee of the Wyoming legislature on Wednesday heard a variety of proposals that are supposed to offer the state more revenues from its vast coal and natural gas resources while lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Ultimately, the schemes could involve integration of the two fossil fuels to nuclear power.

Another proposal has emerged in the North Dakota state legislature seeking to eliminate exemptions from the state’s current one-year limit for oil production wells flaring associated natural gas.