Oral

A panel of seven Commonwealth Court judges heard oral arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit filed by seven Pennsylvania municipalities and others that claim parts of Act 13, the state’s new omnibus Marcellus Shale law, are unconstitutional.

A panel of seven Commonwealth Court judges heard oral arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit filed by seven Pennsylvania municipalities and others that claim parts of Act 13, the state’s new omnibus Marcellus Shale law, are unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court on Nov. 27 will hear oral arguments from attorneys for New Jersey and Delaware over a jurisdictional dispute involving a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal along the Delaware River in Logan Township, NJ.

The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear oral arguments from attorneys for New Jersey and Delaware over a jurisdictional dispute involving a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal along the Delaware River in Logan Township, NJ.

The Wyoming office of the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Tuesday will offer a total of 162,476 acres in 184 state parcels for lease in an oral oil and natural gas auction.

The Wyoming Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will offer 207,381 acres of federal land in an oral oil and gas lease auction on Aug. 7 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Cheyenne. The sale involves 179 parcels with more than 50% of the acreage located in Natrona, Washakie and Weston counties. Leases are for a primary term of 10 years and “will continue beyond the primary term as long as long as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities on or for the benefit of the lease.” The complete list of parcels is available on the Wyoming BLM website, http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/programs/energy/Oil_and_Gas/Leasing.html. Protests of the Aug. 7, oil and gas lease auction are due at the BLM Wyoming State Office by 4 p.m. on July 23. The BLM has tentatively scheduled its next lease auction for Oct 7.

The Montana/Dakotas Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will offer 337,869 acres of federal land in an oral oil and gas lease auction on July 31 at the BLM Montana State Office in Billings. The sale involves 197 parcels totaling 337,869 acres. Montana parcels are located in Pondera, Garfield, Carbon, Powder River, Carter, McCone and Richland counties. North Dakota parcels are located in Divide, Burke, Mountrail, McKenzie, Bowman, Ward and Williams counties. Leases are for a primary term of 10 years and “will continue beyond the primary term as long as the lease is producing in paying quantities or receiving production from another source.” The complete list of parcels is available on the Montana/Dakotas BLM website, http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en.html. Protests of the July 31 lease auction are due at the BLM Montana State Office by 4 p.m. on July 16. The BLM has tentatively scheduled its next lease auction for Oct. 9.

The Colorado division of the Bureau of Land Management will offer 86,599 acres of federal land in an oral oil and gas lease auction on Aug. 9 at the BLM Colorado State Office in Lakewood. The sale includes a total of 109 parcels, including 75 parcels totaling 43,471 acres that are held in split-estate ownership. The BLM said it is notifying the public of the sale 60 days in advance, rather than the legally required 45-day notice. The auction rules call for a $2 per acre minimum bid in bonuses on any parcel plus an administrative fee of $130 per parcel. The buyer will pay the bid price for the right to obtain the federal lease, in addition to a standard $1.50 per acre rental for the first five years and $2.00 per acre thereafter. If and when a lease becomes producing, a royalty of 12.5% will be collected by the federal government. Leases are for a primary term of 10 years and “will continue beyond [their] primary term as long as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities,” BLM said. Lynn Rust, Colorado BLM deputy state director, noted that “while energy development on Colorado’s federal lands continues to play an important part in meeting our nation’s energy needs, our focus is on smart planning and working with industry to use best practices to reduce environmental impacts on public and private lands.” The complete list of parcels is available on the Colorado BLM website, http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Programs/oilandgas/leasing.html. Protests for the Aug. 9, oil and gas lease auction are due at the BLM Colorado State Office by 4 p.m. on July 25. The BLM has tentatively scheduled its next lease auction for Nov. 8.

The Colorado division of the Bureau of Land Management will offer 86,599 acres of federal land in an oral oil and gas lease auction on Aug. 9 at the BLM Colorado State Office in Lakewood. The sale includes a total of 109 parcels, including 75 parcels totaling 43,471 acres that are held in split-estate ownership. The BLM said it is notifying the public of the sale 60 days in advance, rather than the legally required 45-day notice. The auction rules call for a $2 per acre minimum bid in bonuses on any parcel plus an administrative fee of $130 per parcel. The buyer will pay the bid price for the right to obtain the federal lease, in addition to a standard $1.50 per acre rental for the first five years and $2.00 per acre thereafter. If and when a lease becomes producing, a royalty of 12.5% will be collected by the federal government. Leases are for a primary term of 10 years and “will continue beyond [their] primary term as long as oil or gas is produced in paying quantities,” BLM said. Lynn Rust, Colorado BLM deputy state director, noted that “while energy development on Colorado’s federal lands continues to play an important part in meeting our nation’s energy needs, our focus is on smart planning and working with industry to use best practices to reduce environmental impacts on public and private lands.” The complete list of parcels is available on the Colorado BLM website, http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Programs/oilandgas/leasing.html. Protests for the Aug. 9, oil and gas lease auction are due at the BLM Colorado State Office by 4 p.m. on July 25. The BLM has tentatively scheduled its next lease auction for Nov. 8.