Almost half of the drilling in the U.S. onshore now is being done on multi-well pads, further moving attention from the rig and well count and more to horizontal footage drilled and the number of fractured stages per well, Halliburton Co. CEO Dave Lesar said Monday.
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Industry Briefs
The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) has a new $6 million grant program to help companies replace their older forklifts and medium- and heavy-duty diesel vehicles with ultra low-emission natural gas- and propane-fueled equipment. The grant program is funded by the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Since 2005, the RRC has awarded $39.5 million in grants to Texas companies and school districts, and has reduced emissions of smog-forming nitrogen oxides by nearly 5,000 tons. To be eligible for the grants, new equipment must meet the latest emissions standards and operate in one of the 43 counties designated by the TCEQ as having substandard air quality. The grant amount averages $9,500. For more information, visit www.altenergy.rrc.state.tx.us.
New Mexico Still Attracting Interest Despite Less Production
While Mexico’s gas-rich San Juan Basin turned up another declining year of natural gas production in 2012, state officials and some exploration and production (E&P) companies are maintaining interest in the state’s overall oil, liquids and gas businesses.
North Dakota Continues to Set Production Records
After a record-setting 2011, North Dakota continues to set all-time highs in oil and natural gas production, producing wells and rig counts, according to the latest statistics from the state’s Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).
Fracking Market Still Strong, but Won’t Match 2011
The global market for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) services continues to grow at a double-digit pace but not nearly as much as in 2011 since natural gas prices have begun to discourage exploration, according to a survey by Spears & Associates Inc.
Correction
In the article “Senate Passes Pipeline Safety Reauthorization Bill” (see Daily GPI, Oct. 19), NGI incorrectly stated that a provision that would have grandfathered older pipelines from having to install certain safety devices had been removed from S. 275. In fact, senators included in the bill an amendment calling “for testing to confirm the material strength of previously untested natural gas pipelines located in certain areas.” The amendment would require tests on pipelines operating at more than 30% of specified minimum yield strength in densely populated or environmentally sensitive areas. Language requiring the use of automatic or remote-controlled shut-off valves “on transmission pipelines constructed or entirely replaced” after a final rule is issued remains in the legislation. NGI regrets the error.
Canada’s NEB to Crack Down on Shale Gas Regulations
U.S. safety and environmental concerns are spreading north across the border into Canada, where the National Energy Board (NEB) is stepping up scrutiny of natural gas and oil operations from exploration to transportation.
MIT Scientists Press Case for Natural Gas
Natural gas will be a leader in reducing U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the next several decades, mostly by replacing older, inefficient coal plants with combined-cycle gas generation, according to a comprehensive study issued Friday by a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study group.
MIT Scientists Press Case for Natural Gas
Natural gas will be a leader in reducing U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the next several decades, mostly by replacing older, inefficient coal plants with combined-cycle gas generation, according to a comprehensive study issued Friday by a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study group.
U.S. GOM Rig Count Shows Big Gains
The rig count in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GOM) climbed 25% in the first three months from a year ago, led by drillers looking for oil, FBR Capital Markets analysts said Friday. Gas drilling offshore has been “muted,” the team said.