Mike

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is urging state lawmakers to enact tougher regulations on the oil and gas industry, including higher penalties for violations and requiring operators to not only disclose what chemicals are used for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) but also their precise formulations.

After more than three years, Pennsylvania lawmakers have passed an impact fee on gas drilling. The bill awaits Gov. Tom Corbett’s signature.

With the prospect for thousands of construction and manufacturing jobs, legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate Wednesday to speed up a final federal decision on the stalled C$7 billion, 1,700-mile Keystone XL oil pipeline proposed to run from Alberta, Canada to Gulf of Mexico (GOM) refineries in the United States.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is working to “more consistently” enforce natural gas drilling regulations in various regions of the state, DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said Thursday.

At the direction of Republican Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, acting Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Mike Krancer last Tuesday called on all drilling operators to stop delivering wastewater from Marcellus Shale gas extraction by May 19 to 15 facilities currently accepting it, citing newly revised total dissolved solids (TDS) regulations.

At the direction of Republican Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, acting Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Mike Krancer on Tuesday called on all drilling operators to stop delivering wastewater from Marcellus Shale gas extraction by May 19 to 15 facilities currently accepting it, citing newly revised total dissolved solids (TDS) regulations.

The rich gas corridor of the Marcellus Shale is attracting producers even at low natural gas prices, but while most natural gas liquids (NGL) command a premium in the Northeast, the lack of ethane markets in the region is a challenge, according to several industry players.

Former natural gas industry executive Sheffield Nelson has filed a ballot initiative in Arkansas to raise the state’s severance tax on natural gas production to 7% from the current 5% of market value.

Linn Energy LLC has appointed Mark Ellis as president and CEO. Mike Linn, who founded the company in 2003, will remain executive chairman of the board of directors and will focus on the long-term strategy of the company and board leadership. Ellis joined the Houston-based producer in December 2006 and has served as president and COO since December 2007. Ellis has more than 30 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry. Prior to joining Linn Energy, Ellis served as president of the Lower 48 states for ConocoPhillips and previously was senior vice president of North American production for Burlington Resources Corp.