Reports

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is considering revisions to requirements for the Air Quality Standard Permit for Oil and Gas Handling and Production Facilities, which are used to authorize oil and gas facilities in the Barnett Shale of North-Central Texas.

The Ohio House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted in favor of an energy bill that also creates new rules for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the state. The bill is to be sent to Gov. John Kasich for his signature.

A bill that would create rules governing hydraulic fracturing (fracking) passed a key committee in the state House of Representatives on Wednesday and is scheduled to be submitted to the full House for a floor vote on Thursday.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. CEO Aubrey McClendon appeared to take it on the chin Wednesday, refusing to bow down to reports about the “unprecedented scrutiny” of the company and of himself in recent days, and promised shareholders that the management team is focused on becoming a U.S. oil-weighted giant. However, it’s going to take some time, he said, especially because the turnaround has little operational support from its natural gas-weighted portfolio.

A ballot initiative to raise the Arkansas severance tax on natural gas production being promoted by former gas industry executive Sheffield Nelson recently drew a few more foes, according to the energy industry-backed anti-tax group Arkansans for Jobs & Affordable Energy (AJAE). The Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC), the Poultry Federation and the Northwest Arkansas Council recently signed on in opposition to the tax hike on producers. “…[O]ur association believes a natural gas severance tax increase would be harmful for Arkansas counties and for Arkansans,” said Chris Villines, executive director of the AAC.

Natural gas bulls already have seen the writing on the wall for exploration and production (E&P) companies’ earnings reports for 1Q2012. Minus those with gas hedging programs or an already solid turn to liquids and oil basins, it’s not going to be a pretty picture.

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. has drilled and is producing from three wells in the eastern Ohio portion of the Utica Shale, the most recent of which delivered more than 9,500 bbl of crude oil and 12 MMcf of natural gas in the first 20 days online, the producer said Thursday.

A well count “evolution” is taking place across the United States because the “cost of opportunity of drilling shale gas is growing,” said Societe Generale analysts in a note to clients.

Wyoming state lawmakers last Friday passed legislation to help bring a permanent solution to potential drinking water problems in the Pavillion, WY, area. This is where two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) test wells have sparked concerns among residents and environmental activists who are opposed to hydraulic fracturing (fracking).