The Town Council of Chapel Hill, NC, has approved a resolution voicing its opposition “absent guaranteed public health and environmental protections” to hydraulic fracturing (fracking) because of potential threats to local water supplies. Creedmoor, NC, and the Town of Cary, NC, have also taken steps to regulate fracking locally (see Shale Daily, Jan. 9). In separate statements, North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue and the state’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources have said they believe fracking can be done safely if it is properly regulated (see Shale Daily, March 26; March 19). The North Carolina Geological Survey believes that technically recoverable gas exists in the state’s Sanford sub-basin (including Lee, Chatham and Moore counties in central North Carolina) and possibly the Dan River sub-basin (including Stokes and Rockingham counties in northern North Carolina).
Northern
Articles from Northern
North Carolina Environmental Agency: Fracking ‘Can be Done Safely’
Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) can be done safely “as long as the right protections are in place prior to issuance of any permits for the practice,” according to a draft report from North Carolina’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
FERC Approves Sawgrass Storage Project in Louisiana
FERC Thursday issued Sawgrass Storage LLC a certificate to convert a depleted natural gas reservoir in northern Louisiana to an interstate gas storage facility that would serve gas and power markets in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana.
Crestwood Buys Marcellus Midstream Assets from Antero
A new joint venture formed by Crestwood Midstream Partners LP and Crestwood Holdings Partners LLC has acquired a Marcellus Shale gathering system in northern West Virginia owned by Antero Resources Appalachian Corp., the companies announced Monday.
Pennsylvania DEP Fines Chesapeake $565K for Multiple Incidents
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has fined a Chesapeake Energy Corp. subsidiary $565,000 for three incidents that occurred in the northern part of the state in the Marcellus Shale, including a blowout at a Bradford County well last April (see Shale Daily, April 25, 2011).
Transportation Notes
Northern Natural Gas allowed a System Overrun Limitation for all zones to expire Saturday.
Small California E&P Makes Big Play in Alaska Shale
San Diego, CA-based Royale Energy Inc., a publicly held exploration and production (E&P) independent with about 15 MMcf/d of gas production, mostly in Northern California, was the biggest bidder for Alaska North Slope shale oil plays offered last month in a state lease sale.
EPA Seeks Experts for ‘Unbiased Review’ of WY Water Quality Report
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking nominations of nationally and/or internationally recognized scientists or engineers to conduct a “thorough and unbiased review” of a draft agency report released in December, which found that groundwater in Pavillion, WY, may be polluted by natural gas drilling and well stimulation practices (including hydraulic fracturing).
Pipeline Risks Identified in Northern Wyoming
Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead acknowledged Tuesday that there are some petroleum and other pipelines in the northern part of his state that have been identified by federal inspectors as being potentially at risk for failures at river and stream crossings that could have catastrophic effects on the state’s waterways. Mead is mindful of the incident in July with an ExxonMobil Corp. oil pipeline spill in the Yellowstone River in central Montana.
Marcellus, Utica Drilling Heated Up in October
Marcellus Shale drilling rebounded in October, according to recently released figures.
