The City of Dallas Plan Commission late Thursday voted unanimously to deny without prejudice an application by Trinity East Energy LLC for specific use permits to perform the first natural gas drilling within the city limits. The commission refused to recommend to Dallas City Council approval of the company’s plans to drill on two city-owned sites and one private site in northwest Dallas. The city-owned sites are in a floodplain, and the private site is near where a soccer complex is being developed. Drilling in a floodplain is against city ordinance, and council would need to amend the city’s floodplain ordinance before voting on zoning approvals for drilling. The city has yet to adopt a new ordinance to deal with gas drilling despite the completion earlier this year of a set of recommendations developed by the Dallas Gas Drilling Task Force (see Shale Daily, Dec. 10). Dallas City Council next month is expected to have the final say on Trinity’s request.
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Articles from Plan
Drilling Downturn Impacts North American Oilfield Sector
Schlumberger Ltd. and Baker Hughes Inc. said they plan to report lower-than-expected profits for the final quarter of 2012 because of a slowdown in North American drilling activity and overcapacity in pressure pumping services.
Industry Brief
The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has developed a Internet-based mapping tool to help community officials plan for road maintenance, dust control and other traffic-related problems that accompany expanded oil and natural gas development in the Bakken Shale and adjacent formations. The enhanced mapping includes information and locations for “permit status before spud” to provide the pre-drilling status for newly permitted well sites. It provides a new layer to the DMR oil/gas division’s GIS mapping system, enabling planners to identify where truck traffic could be most concentrated for a given period. “Users will be able to identify the operator of the rig and or well, as well as possible time frames when permits could be drilled,” said Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem. The GIS map server is available at the DMR website as part of the North Dakota Industrial Commission (www.dmr.nd.gov/oilgas).
Explorers Target San Joaquin Basin
East West Petroleum Corp. and Lani LLC on Monday said they jointly plan to explore two prospective areas in California’s San Joaquin Basin, the Tejon Extension and Tejon Main.
Shell CEO: Natural Gas Plays to Strengths
Royal Dutch Shell plc’s management team laid out its strategy plan last week, which remains laser focused on global natural gas.
Shell CEO: Natural Gas Plays to Technology, Financial Strength
Royal Dutch Shell plc’s management team laid out its strategy plan on Wednesday, which will continue to be focused on global natural gas.
Methanex Near Contract for U.S. Methanol Plant, CEO Says
Methanex Corp. is moving closer to inking a long-term supply contract for its previously announced plan to relocate a large production plant to Louisiana, CEO Bruce Aitken told financial analysts recently.
Chesapeake Fined $600,000 for Violating Clean Water Act
A Chesapeake Energy Corp. subsidiary on Friday was fined $600,000 and placed on probation for two years after pleading guilty in federal court to violating the Clean Water Act (CWA) in order to build a roadway to a natural gas drilling site in northern West Virginia.
BNSF Railway Williston Basin Capacity Now 1 Million Barrels A Day
The pipeline industry is a bit behind the times in capitalizing on the Williston Basin shale oil boom, but railroads like BNSF Railway are happy to accommodate oil producers with a means to get their product to market.
Advisory Council Says Pennsylvania Needs Energy Plan
Pennsylvania’s manufacturing sector would benefit from the development of a statewide energy plan, according to a report from Gov. Tom Corbett’s Manufacturing Advisory Council (GMAC).
