Markwest

Operations were back to normal on Wednesday in the Appalachian Basin, only days after MarkWest Energy Partners LP declared a force majeure following an operational issue at its Hopedale Fractionation Facility in southeast Ohio that knocked out a large amount of natural gas production.

Range Resources Corp. said Monday that it lost 10 Bcfe of production during the fourth quarter due to unspecified operational issues at two natural gas processing facilities in southwest Pennsylvania operated by MarkWest Energy Partners LP.

Four people were injured late Thursday when storage tanks caught fire at MarkWest Energy Partners LP’s Houston Processing and Fractionation facility in southwest Pennsylvania, according to the company.

An MPLX LP subsidiary launched a binding open season on Wednesday for commitments on a natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline that would serve growing volumes in the Appalachian Basin.

MPLX affiliates MarkWest Liberty Midstream Resources LLC and Ohio Gathering Co. LLC will perform a trio of environmental projects and pay a $610,000 civil penalty for air emission violations at natural gas facilities in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania through a settlement with the Department of Justice, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Smith Township supervisors in Pennsylvania have signed-off on MPLX LP subsidiary MarkWest Energy Partners LP’s plans to build a 200 MMcf/d natural gas processing facility, but the company is still waiting on an air permit from state regulators to begin construction.

MPLX LP Subsidiary MarkWest Energy Partners LP plans to start construction on a 200 MMcf/d natural gas processing facility in southwest Pennsylvania this month, according to plans submitted to local authorities.

Antero Midstream Partners LP (AM) said late Monday that it would buy in to the largest natural gas liquids infrastructure system in the Appalachian Basin through a unique 50/50 joint venture with MarkWest Energy Partners LP.

Marathon Petroleum Corp. (MPC) announced Wednesday that John Mollenkopf, COO for MarkWest operations following the merger between MPC’s midstream limited partnership, MPLX LP, and MarkWest Energy Partners LP, has decided to retire after a 33-year career in the energy industry (see Shale Daily,July 13, 2015;May 13, 2015). “John’s impact on MarkWest will be recognized long after he retires, particularly in the influential leadership role he played in growing the company’s operations and facilities, which have provided best-in-class service to our customers for over a decade,” MPC CEO Gary Heminger said in a statement. Gregory Floerke, the current chief commercial officer (CCO) for MarkWest Assets, will assume Mollenkopf’s post and report to MPLX President Donald Templin (see Shale Daily,April 9, 2014). Randy Nickerson, who currently serves as MPC’s executive vice president for corporate strategy, will be appointed CCO for MarkWest Assets and also report to Templin. Nickerson will continue in his role to develop overall strategy around midstream assets as they relate to MarkWest, MPLX and MPC. Both Floerke and Nickerson will maintain offices in Denver. The changes will take effect on Oct. 1.