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An appellate court in Pennsylvania on Friday ordered a lower court to reconsider a request by two newspapers to have court records in a water contamination case unsealed.

Oklahoma City-based Continental Resources Inc., the Bakken’s largest leaseholder, said Monday it has raised its reserves estimates for parts of the Bakken Three Forks area by 57% to 903 billion bbl following completion of an initial test well.

Lower 48 U.S. natural gas production during September increased by 0.6%, or 0.45 Bcf/d, from August and was up by nearly 3.9%, or 2.73 Bcf/d, from a year ago, according to the most recent data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). September production was 73.05 Bcf/d. The revised figure for August production was 72.6 Bcf/d, and September 2011 production was 70.32 Bcf/d.

Lower 48 U.S. natural gas production during September increased by 0.6%, or 0.45 Bcf/d, from August and was up by nearly 3.9%, or 2.73 Bcf/d, from a year ago, according to the most recent data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Lower-than-expected natural gas inventories have led Moody’s Investors Service to lift its assumptions for North American Henry Hub natural gas spot prices by 50 cents to $3.50/MMBtu in 2013 and $4.00/MMBtu in 2014 and thereafter.

Lower-than-expected natural gas inventories led Moody’s Investors Service to lift its assumptions for North American Henry Hub natural gas spot prices by 50 cents to $3.50/MMBtu in 2013 and $4.00/MMBtu in 2014 and thereafter. Prices sagged in recent years on the unconventional drilling boom and mild weather, which has led to an oversupply, but prices have climbed in 2012 on coal-to-gas switching in the power generation sector and hot weather, and as companies have scaled back their dry gas drilling, Moody’s said. Assumptions for natural gas liquids prices remain unchanged at $34/bbl in 2013, 2014 and thereafter, pegging prices at 40% of West Texas Intermediate prices.

Propelled by its U.S. onshore crude oil and liquids output, EOG Resources Inc. reported better-than-expected profits for the third quarter. Investors in return sent the stock price up 4.37% on Tuesday.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court last week was asked to decide whether to uphold or overturn a lower court ruling in July, which declared that portions of the Act 13, which imposes an impact fee on producers, were unconstitutional see NGI, July 30). Plaintiffs argue that the law limits local zoning rules and violates municipalities’ right to substantive due process ((Robinson Township et al. v. Commonwealth et al., No. 284-MD-2012).

Consol Energy Inc. said Monday that although it reported lower natural gas production for 3Q2012 compared to one year ago, the figure was misleading because of reporting adjustments and its decision in September to idle a southern Virginia coal mine that produced associated gas.