Levels

Pennsylvania may be water-rich, but factors like permitting and geography make water increasingly difficult to come by for drilling operations, several Marcellus Shale players told a Pittsburgh-area audience on Wednesday.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is ordering water treatment plants in the state to immediately test for radioactivity and other contaminants from Marcellus Shale wastewater.

Canadian natural gas exports to the United States are stabilizing at reduced levels after four lean years of decline, show trade records of the National Energy Board (NEB).

What a difference a year makes in shale gas drilling. NGI’s Shale Daily Unconventional Rig Count dramatically demonstrates the ascendance of oil and oily gas shale plays as the Bakken Shale/Sanish/Three Forks claimed the top spot on the chart for the greatest number of active rigs with 170, up from 102 and third place a year ago.

Canadian natural gas exports to the United States are stabilizing at reduced levels after four lean years of decline, show trade records of the National Energy Board (NEB).

Oil and natural gas production at Royal Dutch Shell plc is on track to grow by almost 12% from 2010 levels over the coming three years, with a big boost from North American onshore and deepwater projects, CEO Peter Voser said last week.

Oil and natural gas production at Royal Dutch Shell plc is on track to grow by almost 12% from 2010 levels over the coming three years, with a big boost from North American onshore and deepwater projects, CEO Peter Voser said Tuesday.

April natural gas futures worked lower Tuesday as traders continued to focus on expected production levels rather than near-term weather or storage. Near-term weather forecasts signal the end of what has been a very cold heating season, and short-term analysts have a $3.50 target in their sights. At the close April futures were down 6.3 cents to $3.864 and May lost 6.0 cents to $3.924. April crude oil declined 42 cents to $105.02/bbl.

The more one learns about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) investigation of alleged well water contamination in North Texas by Barnett Shale gas wells drilled by Range Resources Corp., the more something smells, an industry newsletter publisher claims. After examining evidence presented in the case, Gene Powell Jr. said a congressional investigation of the EPA’s action is in order.