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Texas will provide $1 million to close a deal with Ascend Performance Materials Texas Inc. to build a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) facility near Houston, Gov. Rick Perry said.

Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead on Wednesday signed a new law changing the requirements for the state’s oil and natural gas supervisor, a post that has been vacant since June. Senate Enrolled Act 3 changes the criteria for the top oil/gas spot in the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (OGCC).

Energy analysts and the market weighed in Wednesday on the news that natural gas pioneer and industry cheerleader Aubrey K. McClendon, co-founder, CEO and president of Chesapeake Energy Corp., is retiring effective April 1. His departure would end one point of controversy, but it won’t solve the problems facing the producer, according to some.

The Marcellus and Utica shales aren’t drawing near the attention they have been, according to a review of 4Q2012 mergers and transactions (M&A) in the United States by PwC US.

For the fourth time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the public comment period for its investigation into groundwater contamination near Pavillion, WY, this time until Sept. 30.

For the fourth time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the public comment period for its investigation into groundwater contamination near Pavillion, WY, this time until Sept. 30.

A deep freeze named Brutus hammered North Dakota with a pre-winter force in November, knocking down oil and gas production from all-time record levels the previous month, according to the latest statistics from the state Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).

Endurance Resources Holdings LLC announced Monday that Lime Rock Partners, a global energy-focused private equity firm, had committed $100 million for Endurance to acquire oil-focused assets and additional opportunities in two Southeast New Mexico counties that overlay the Bone Spring formation.

Dow Chemical Co. began producing on-spec ethylene in late December at its St. Charles Olefins 2 Plant near Hahnville, LA, the company said. “The start-up of our St. Charles ethylene plant represents the first major milestone within our U.S. Gulf Coast investment strategy,” said Brian Ames, president, of Dow’s olefins, aromatics and alternatives business. “This action further reduces the company’s purchased ethylene, lowering costs and strengthening the competitiveness of our high-margin, high-growth derivatives businesses.” Restart of the plant had been previously announced and is part of the company’s plan to further connect its U.S. operations with cost-advantaged feedstocks from U.S. shale gas (see Shale Daily, Dec. 13, 2012). “Plans to increase ethylene and propylene supply and ethane cracking capabilities at existing U.S. Gulf Coast facilities strengthen the competitiveness of Dow’s performance plastics, performance products and advanced materials businesses and enable profitable growth in the Americas,” the company said. The St. Charles plant was idled in January 2009 and is now expected to deliver a $150 million increase in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization this year.