Picked

Atlas Resource Partners LP (ARP) has picked up its third big leasehold this year in the Barnett Shale by agreeing to pay $255 million to DTE Energy Co. for an affiliate that owns close to 35 million boe of proved reserves in the Fort Worth Basin and in the Marble Falls, TX, area.

In Tuesday’s election, Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) Chairman Barry Smitherman, a Republican, retained his seat, and Republican Christi Craddick was picked by voters over Democratic challenger Dale Henry.

Next-day gas prices continued to erode Thursday except for in the Northeast, where a handful of points picked up between 10 to 20 cents. Weakness was widespread but was most pronounced at Wyoming points and locations eastward into the Midcontinent. Increases in the Northeast were only partially able to offset the general decline. Futures bears were pleased with the 10:30 a.m. EST storage report, which showed a withdrawal somewhat less than expectations.

Oil’s share of the global energy supply will continue to fall, with the slack picked up mostly by natural gas, Total SA exploration chief Yves-Louis Darricarrere said Tuesday.

Aboriginal entrepreneurs picked up a share in Canada’s budding energy trade with Asia when the National Energy Board (NEB) granted a 20-year export license to BC LNG Export Co-operative Ltd. The permit enables the C$600 million project to load up tankers with 250 MMcf/d of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a terminal on British Columbia’s (BC) north Pacific coast at Kitimat.

Aboriginal entrepreneurs picked up a share in Canada’s budding energy trade with Asia when the National Energy Board (NEB) granted a 20-year export license to BC LNG Export Co-operative Ltd. The permit enables the C$600-million (U.S. dollar at par) project to load up tankers with 250 MMcf/d of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a terminal on British Columbia’s (BC) north Pacific coast at Kitimat.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett is asking state lawmakers to hold firm on local zoning restrictions included in legislation to impose an impact fee on natural gas drillers.

While the state picked up three Canadian provinces, California’s effort to start a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is proving to be a lonely, uphill battle. Legal and political challenges continue as an increasing head wind builds against the state’s efforts.

Oil- and liquids-rich natural gas plays marched to the forefront of drilling activity in the past year with the Niobrara, Eagle Ford and Bakken leading a 38% increase in active rigs from 684 active rigs a year ago to 947 rigs as of Jan. 7, according to a shale basin rig count compiled by NGI’s Shale Daily.