Producing

Utica Shale operators are discovering that with some patience and seasoning, estimated ultimate recoveries (EUR) for liquids reserves appear to move higher.

Despite producing less wastewater per unit of natural gas produced compared with conventional wells, the enormity of the Marcellus Shale’s growth has increased total wastewater generated in the region by about 570% since 2004, “overwhelming current wastewater disposal infrastructure capacity,” according to a study by researchers at Duke and Kent State universities.

Dow Chemical Co. began producing on-spec ethylene in late December at its St. Charles Olefins 2 Plant near Hahnville, LA, the company said. “The start-up of our St. Charles ethylene plant represents the first major milestone within our U.S. Gulf Coast investment strategy,” said Brian Ames, president, of Dow’s olefins, aromatics and alternatives business. “This action further reduces the company’s purchased ethylene, lowering costs and strengthening the competitiveness of our high-margin, high-growth derivatives businesses.” Restart of the plant had been previously announced and is part of the company’s plan to further connect its U.S. operations with cost-advantaged feedstocks from U.S. shale gas (see Shale Daily, Dec. 13, 2012). “Plans to increase ethylene and propylene supply and ethane cracking capabilities at existing U.S. Gulf Coast facilities strengthen the competitiveness of Dow’s performance plastics, performance products and advanced materials businesses and enable profitable growth in the Americas,” the company said. The St. Charles plant was idled in January 2009 and is now expected to deliver a $150 million increase in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization this year.

An interim study committee in the South Dakota state legislature has agreed to pursue as many as eight different bills this year covering oil and natural drilling, including one aimed at hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

Audi AG held a topping-out ceremony recently for a new plant in Germany that will be the world’s first manufacturing facility for producing synthetic methane, or “e-gas,” along with renewable electricity. The facility is scheduled to begin operations early in 2013 and begin feeding e-gas into the local natural gas distribution network by summer.

Colorado producers on Friday raised the ante in their concerns about a state agency’s efforts to establish new rules on setbacks for oil and natural gas drilling operators, gaining support from local business groups for a fact sheet citing the economic benefits that resource production brings to the state.

SM Energy said Wednesday that next year it will spend 90% of its planned drilling and completions budget of $1.2 billion on its Eagle Ford, Bakken/Three Forks and Permian Basin programs.

For 2013, Southwestern Energy Co. is dialing down spending by $100 million but expects to increase net natural gas and oil production by 11-13% from this year. Drilling is increasing on the eastern side of the Fayetteville Shale, and new pipeline infrastructure is taking more gas to market from the Marcellus Shale, the company said.

The physical market lost a dime on average Thursday, but it was a mixed performance with gains in producing regions such as the Gulf Coast, Midcontinent and Rockies unable to offset free-falling prices in the Northeast and East.