Northern

Constitution Pipeline Co. LLC has filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for approval to build a pipeline to carry natural gas from northern Pennsylvania to Northeast markets, and Iroquois Gas Transmission has filed an application to build a key interconnect project. Constitution, owned by subsidiaries of Williams Partners LP, Cabot Oil & Gas Corp., Piedmont Natural Gas Co. and WGL Holdings, expects to complete the122-mile pipeline by spring 2015 (see NGI, June 3). The 30-inch diameter gas line initially would carry up to 650,000 Dth/d from Susquehanna County, PA, interconnecting with the Iroquois and Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP) systems in Schoharie County, NY. Constitution reached an agreement with Iroquois to expand the Wright compressor station to eliminate the need for a 32,0000 hp compressor facility in Schoharie County, NY (see NGI, Jan. 21). Iroquois requested that FERC issue its certificate by May 1, 2014 to meet an in-service date of March 31, 2015.

Constitution Pipeline Co. LLC, fully subscribed to carry at least 650,000 Dth/d of natural gas from northern Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale to Northeast markets, on Friday gained a new investor.

NorthWestern Energy Corp. has increased its natural gas holdings in northern Montana’s Bear Paw Basin by acquiring some assets from Devon Energy Corp.

Range Resources Corp. has the potential to produce up to 8 Bcf/d from the Marcellus Shale, an executive said Tuesday.

Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has powered the biggest increase since the 1970s in Alberta oil production from flowing wells outside the northern bitumen sands belt, says the provincial Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is raising “environmental objections” to the State Department’s draft environmental impact statement for the northern portion of the $7 billion, 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline that would carry Canadian crude to Cushing, OK. Sponsor TransCanada Corp. had no comment. A southern portion, not requiring a federal review, is under construction between Cushing to the Gulf Coast.

Magnum Hunter Resources Corp. said Friday it has dropped a drillbit into its first Utica Shale horizontal target in Ohio’s northern Washington County.

NET Midstream unit NET Mexico Pipeline LP plans to build a 124-mile, 42-inch diameter natural gas pipeline to carry gas produced in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas to the Texas-Mexico border.

Opponents of TransCanada Corp.’s proposed northern portion of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada running through parts of Nebraska argued last Thursday in state district court in Lancaster County that Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman lacked the authority to approve a proposed route for the project. In January, he approved a new alternative route (see Shale Daily, Jan. 23). Opponents of the project want Heineman’s decision voided by a district court judge because they allege a state pipeline siting act passed last year by Nebraska’s legislature is unconstitutional. The legislation gave the governor the ultimate decision on the route. At the end of last year Lancaster County District Judge Stephanie Stacy rejected the state’s attempt to have the lawsuit dismissed.