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Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) best practices need to be improved, but the drilling practice can be done safely, according to Stanford University’s Steven Chu, who served as Energy Secretary during the first Obama administration.

The first of 16 methane emissions studies focusing on unconventional natural gas production and organized by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has been published and says that industry efforts to control emissions at well sites are having a significant impact.

TransCanada Corp. raised C$296 million in the first use of its freedom to charge as much as the market for transportation services will bear at the eastern end of the natural gas Mainline from Alberta to Ontario, Quebec and connections to northeastern U.S. markets.

A Canadian energy entrepreneur on Thursday unveiled plans to build an underground transmission project linking natural gas and renewable energy resources in Ontario (ON) to Pennsylvania.

TheU.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) said in aFederal Registerposting it has drawn its inquiry to a formal close regarding alleged groundwater contamination from natural gas wells drilled near Pavillion, WY. EPA discontinued the public comment period of the draft report “Investigation of Ground Water Contaminations near Pavillion, WY,” prepared by the National Risk Management Research Laboratory within the EPA Office of Research and Development, and EPA Region 8. The notice comes nearly three months after Wyoming officials said they would take the lead in the continuing investigation with the cooperation of the EPA. WyomingGov. Matt Meadsaid, “EPA’s reliance on Wyoming regulators and the fact that it is discontinuing work on its draft report shows that the science on this issue did not support a continuing federal role in Pavillion.” Mead said the state intends to conclude its investigation involving as many as 14 water wells by Sept. 30, 2014.

With up to 18 Bcf/d of natural gas supplies expected by 2018 from the Marcellus and Utica shales, the logical place to carry excess gas is west, according to Rockies Express Pipeline LLC (REX) CEO Bill Moler.

TheDelaware River Basin Commission(DRBC), which has played a key role in the de facto moratorium on oil and gas drilling in the basin, will soon begin a search for a new executive director, followingCarol Collier’s announcement that she will retire March 12, 2014. Collier was sworn in as the commission’s third executive director in 1998, becoming the first woman to head an interstate-federal compact agency, according to DRBC. Prior to taking the top staff position with DRBC, Collier served as executive director forPennsylvania’s 21st Century Environment Commission, was regional director of thePennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Southeast Regionand worked 19 years withBCM Environmental Engineers. She is currently the national president of theAmerican Water Resources Association. The multi-state commission has regulatory jurisdiction over the 13,539-square mile Delaware River watershed in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware. The commission is represented by the governors of the four states, as well as a representative of theArmy Corps of Engineers.

Encana Corp., one of North America’s natural gas stalwarts, may be ready to slim down and sell some of its estimable dry gas portfolio to ready for the future, CEO Doug Suttles signaled on Thursday.

A Canadian energy entrepreneur last week unveiled plans to build an underground transmission project linking natural gas and renewable energy resources in Ontario (ON) to Pennsylvania.