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A nonprofit organization that conducts reviews of state oil and natural gas regulations has concluded that North Carolina’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has experienced staff but is not adequately prepared to regulate oil and natural gas activities.

Natural gas-weighted Quicksilver Resources Inc., which has seen its shares trading lately at less than one-third of their 52-week high, last week announced a capital budget and drilling plan intended to hold the fort while it transitions to oil/liquids and shops for joint venture (JV) partners in the Horn River Basin and in West Texas.

Natural gas-weighted Quicksilver Resources Inc., which has seen its shares trading lately at less than one-third of their 52-week high, Tuesday announced a capital budget and drilling plan intended to hold the fort while it transitions to oil/liquids and shops for joint venture (JV) partners in the Horn River Basin and in West Texas.

As Pennsylvania legislators continue to work out a compromise on natural gas drilling impact fee legislation, the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) on Friday urged leaders in Harrisburg “to avoid the temptation of crafting policy in a vacuum and instead design a fee and regulatory structure that not only provides heightened safeguards to the public, but also a competitive investment climate.”

While the debate over hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the Cumnock Formation stalls in the North Carolina General Assembly, two municipalities have taken steps to regulate the practice locally.

Southwestern Energy Co. said it will spend slightly less next year in the Fayetteville Shale while it nearly doubles spending in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania. Overall, Southwestern’s 2012 capital program is pegged at $2.3 billion, up from about $2.1 billion in 2011. Production is expected to climb about 15% from this year.

By the end of the decade capacity to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Western Canada will be 3-5 Bcf/d, which isn’t much less than total exports of Canadian gas to the United States, about 5.5 Bcf/d, according to analysts at Arc Financial Corp.

While natural gas prices continue to languish, it’s likely that most producers care less than they did a year ago, thanks to the migration/stampede to liquids-rich production. The shift to liquids is expected by Barclays Capital analysts to continue, with a continuing effect on producer revenues.

While natural gas prices continue to languish, it’s likely that most producers care less than they did a year ago, thanks to the migration/stampede to liquids-rich production. The shift to liquids is expected by Barclays Capital analysts to continue, with a continuing effect on producer revenues.