Produce

The North Dakota Industrial Commission on Monday delayed for further study a decision on a $1.1 million state grant for a pilot project to turn flared natural gas in the Bakken Shale into fertilizer for the state’s farming industry. The three-member commission of elected officials, including the governor, wants more study of the project’s feasibility.

Driven primarily by continuing record oil production from the Bakken Shale formation, North Dakota’s economy is booming and is on target to produce more than $3.5 billion in tax revenues by the end of the state’s current two-year (2011-2013) fiscal year budget period, according to the state tax commissioner.

Williams late Thursday said it is drawing up plans to build the first propane dehydrogenation (PDH) facility in Canada, which would give it room to increase its polymer-grade propylene production to serve a growing petrochemical market.

The Marcellus Shale’s location near high-consumption centers, its bountiful reserves and its chameleon-like ability to produce wet or dry natural gas in abundance have made it a worthwhile destination for midstream operators, and it should remain so for several years, according to Fitch Ratings.

The Marcellus Shale’s location near high-consumption centers, its bountiful reserves and its chameleon-like ability to produce wet or dry natural gas in abundance have made it a worthwhile destination for midstream operators, and it should remain so for several years, according to Fitch Ratings.

ExxonMobil Corp. has ended its shale natural gas exploration efforts in Poland after two test wells failed to produce “sustained commercial hydrocarbon flow rates,” a spokesman said Monday.

Twenty inspectors with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have filed a grievance with the state, alleging the agency’s plans to hire additional Marcellus Shale inspectors are unfair because the new hires will be paid more and have fewer prerequisites.

Indiana-based Cummins Inc. said Monday it will produce dual fuel natural gas/diesel engines for the high-horsepower market including oil and gas fields throughout the nation. The first in a series of products will be aimed at oil and gas well servicing applications with its production beginning in mid-2013. QSK50 Tier 2 will be the first new dual fuel engine followed by other models in the QSK series of engines, Cummins said. The new products will be capable of meeting new federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 emissions standards. Cummins said the high-horsepower dual fuel engines will operate with common integrated controls that allow what it called a “seamless transition” from diesel to a dual fuel blend of diesel and natural gas operation. Substitution rates using natural gas will vary from 50% to 70%, depending on applications and the duty cycle. The dual fuel option will be available in both the new engines and through retrofit of existing QSK engines.

Rex Energy Corp. recently spud it first Utica Shale well in Carroll County, OH.