Monday

North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple on Monday signed into law a measure (HB 1134) offering tax breaks to oil and natural gas operators as an incentive to cut flaring of associated gas at the wellhead on oil wells. HB 1134 was passed last week by the North Dakota legislature. It will be effective July 1.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on Monday concluded a 16-month investigation by announcing that high levels of methane found in three water wells in Franklin Township in Susquehanna County “cannot be attributed to natural gas drilling activity in that geographical area.”

Southwestern Energy Co., which has proved time and again that making money is possible in some of the onshore natural gas plays, on Monday cut a bargain deal that will nearly double its gassy acreage position in the Marcellus Shale of Pennsylvania.

Natural gas cash prices jumped an average 15 cents Monday for Tuesday delivery as a strong screen provided a firm platform for buyers, and utilities commenced with early summer buying. The advance was widespread and nearly every point posted double-digit gains. A handful of locations were up by 20 cents or more.

The Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative (EIPC) on Monday said that while it has completed a transmission analyses as part of an electric system transmission planning effort funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the government agency has now asked the working group to look into whether the country’s natural gas infrastructure is up to the challenges posed by increased gas-fired power generation.

President Obama Monday tapped Anthony Foxx, the mayor of Charlotte, NC, to succeed Ray LaHood as secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT), which oversees the safety of the nation’s natural gas and hazardous pipeline infrastructure, as well as roads, airports and railways.

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, who is in her second week on the job, signaled Monday that new rules governing federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) are imminent.

A settlement was announced Monday among federal authorities, the Sierra Club and Madison, WI-based Alliant Energy Corp.’s Wisconsin Power and Light (WPL) utility that eventually may result in replacing 270 MW of coal-fired electric generation with natural gas-fired units.

The lower House in the Colorado state legislature on Monday gave its approval to a proposal (HB 1267) to greatly increase the fines against oil and natural gas operators responsible for damaging the environment.