Marcellus

Oil and gas companies could be showing more interest in drilling wells targeting the Marcellus Shale in Wyoming County, PA, after having hired a seismic contractor to perform tests across nearly half of the county on their behalf.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Shell Appalachia are investigating a methane gas migration issue first discovered last week in Tioga County, PA.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. has agreed to settle a lawsuit with a group of landowners in Bradford County, PA, who allege the company’s Marcellus Shale drilling operations contaminated their groundwater supplies.

Regulators with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) plan to file a legislative rule governing horizontal natural gas drilling that they hope may be adopted by state lawmakers next year.

Shale and tight oil plays are key components of the North American portfolio of Norway’s Statoil ASA, executives told investors in New York City Wednesday. The company also has announced a farm-in agreement that gives it early entry into an Australian shale play.

Peregrine Keystone Gas Pipeline LLC has abandoned its plans for a gathering system in the Marcellus Shale of southwest Pennsylvania, the final chapter in the efforts of three companies that had sought public utility status for projects in the state.

Antero Resources disturbed an aquifer while attempting to dislodge a stuck drillbit at a new Marcellus Shale natural gas well in West Virginia’s Harrison County on Wednesday morning, causing blowouts at four abandoned private water wells.

ExxonMobil Chemical recently made a regulatory filing to add a multi-billion-dollar ethane cracker and other facilities at its Baytown, TX, chemicals complex with the intention of taking advantage of cheap ethane being thrown off by liquids-rich shale gas plays.

Regulators with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said permit applications for oil and natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale are taking about four months to process — about three months longer than they should take compared with past permitting.