Marcellus

A five-week air quality study found no air contaminant emission levels indicating problems for residents living near Marcellus Shale natural gas operations in southwestern Pennsylvania’s Greene and Washington counties, the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said last week.

Like its peer Petrohawk Energy Corp. (see related story), SM Energy Co. is focusing more on the Eagle Ford. Plans for its Haynesville holdings are evolving.

A five-week air quality study found no air contaminant emission levels indicating problems for residents living near Marcellus Shale natural gas operations in southwestern Pennsylvania’s Greene and Washington counties, the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said earlier this week.

A five-week air quality study found no air contaminant emission levels indicating problems for residents living near Marcellus Shale natural gas operations in southwestern Pennsylvania’s Greene and Washington counties, the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said Monday.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell on Thursday said the promised natural gas severance tax for Marcellus Shale production “clearly is dead,” blaming the General Assembly’s GOP members for refusing to “negotiate in good faith.”

EQT Corp. has reported double-digit initial production (IP) results for two of its newest natural gas wells in the Pennsylvania portion of the Marcellus Shale. The Cooper 590384 well in Greene County, PA, completed in late July, had an average IP rate of 22 MMcfe/d over 30 days. The well has a total lateral length of 9,000 feet, with 8,411 feet of stimulated pay, and was completed with a 28-stage fracture. The direct well cost was about $7.1 million, with a preliminary estimated ultimate recovery of 18 Bcf, according to EQT. The Rosborough 590259 well in Armstrong County, PA, had a 24-hour IP of 15 MMcfe from 4,060 feet of stimulated pay. EQT holds a 100% working interest and an 87.5% net revenue interest in both wells.

Rex Energy Corp. said it completed its Marcellus Shale joint venture (JV) transaction with Summit Discovery Resources II LLC, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corp. (see Daily GPI, Sept. 1). After final adjustments, Sumitomo paid Rex about $99.5 million in cash for close to 13,000 net acres, a partial interest in some producing wells and associated midstream assets. the cash payment included a $7.5 million reimbursement for drilling-related expenses incurred to date, which was applied against the drilling carry. At closing Sumitomo’s remaining drilling carry balance was about $51.2 million, which will be used to cover 80% of Rex’s costs to drill and complete additional wells within the areas of mutual interest identified in the JV agreement.

EQT Corp. on Wednesday reported double-digit initial production (IP) results for two of its newest natural gas wells in the Pennsylvania portion of the Marcellus Shale.

Range Resources Corp. is developing an office facility in Canonsburg, PA, south of Pittsburgh, to allow it to eventually more than double its Marcellus Shale regional office workforce, which is currently 225. Most of the new jobs are to go to area residents, according to Ray Walker, senior vice president of the Houston-based producer’s Appalachia Shale unit. The five-story building is to include energy efficient measures that include reflective roof material, reflective glass, shade fins, energy management systems and waste recycling. The project is being developed under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification under guidelines set up by the U.S. Green Building Council.