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Gulf of Mexico operator McMoRan Exploration Co. on Friday reported a big loss in the final three months of 2012 because of impairments and a sharp revenue decrease related in part to its gassy shallow-water operations.

Elected officials in the Town of Chenango, NY, voted 3-2 to reject a moratorium on local ordinances that, if enacted, would have delayed permitting for oil and natural gas activities, including hydraulic fracturing (fracking), within the Broome County town’s limits.

Noble Energy Inc. is considering a move to larger offices in the Marcellus Shale to accommodate its growing presence in the play.

The United States will become the top producer of oil globally within five years, a net exporter of natural gas by 2020 and an oil exporter by close to 2030, all thanks to its massive unconventional resources, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Monday in its annual flagship publication, the World Energy Outlook (WEO).

Natural gas well completions during the third quarter were down considerably from the same period a year ago, according to the American Petroleum Institute’s latest report on well completions, which was released Monday.

Following a turbulent three-year period in which offshore drilling companies were hit by the impacts of the financial crisis and the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) drilling moratorium, the sector is showing signs of “recovery and reinvestment,” in large part because of rising day rates and demand for deepwater drilling services, according to IHS Inc.

Midland, TX-based Escondido Resources II LLC touted Wednesday what it said is the highest-producing natural gas well to date in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas: its Spohn Ranch 1H well in the Hawkville Field in Webb County.

Enterprise Products Partners LP is holding a binding open commitment period through Sept. 27 for capacity on the Appalachia-to-Texas (Atex Express) pipeline. The 1,230-mile system will deliver ethane from the Marcellus and Utica shale areas of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio to Mont Belvieu, TX (see Shale Daily, Jan. 5). “While the long-term commitments we already have are more than sufficient to proceed with the development of Atex Express pipeline, we continue to receive steady interest from other producers seeking long-term transportation capacity,” said Jim Teague, chief operating officer of Enterprise’s general partner. For information contact Russ Kovin at (713)381-7925, or rkovin@eprod.com.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has notified Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. that the company has satisfied the terms of a 2010 settlement and may resume hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and completion activities at seven Marcellus Shale natural gas wells in Dimock Township. However, the producer is still barred from drilling new wells in the area.