Reserved

The United States continued to crush the global merger and acquisition (M&A) market between April and June, but deal values in the first half of 2013 (1H2013) represented the lowest six-month period since at least 2007, according to a survey by PLS Inc. and partner Derrick Petroleum Services.

Tennessee Gas Pipeline has launched an open season through July 31 for firm natural gas transportation capacity on the Connecticut Expansion Project, which would deliver gas from its existing interconnect with Iroquois Gas Transmission in Wright, NY, to Zone 6 delivery points on Tennessee’s 200 and 300 Lines in Connecticut. The project, which would require upgrades and modifications to the existing pipeline system in New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut, is slated for service by November 2016. Available capacity would be about 72,100 Dth/d. The pipeline has entered into binding precedent agreements with three anchor shippers. Inexpensive shale gas has recently caught the attention of the Constitution State. In June Connecticut gas distribution utilities Yankee Gas, Connecticut Natural Gas and Southern Connecticut Gas, filed a joint gas expansion plan with the state’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (see NGI, June 24). The plan outlines how the utilities would meet expansion goals proposed in the Gov. Dannel Malloy’s comprehensive energy strategy and the the recently enacted HB 6360 (see NGI, March 18). The utilities plan a “structured approach” to add 280,000 new gas heating customers over the next 10 years.

In order to make a living in the shale gas world, Rockies Express Pipeline LLC (REX) wants to offer westbound capacity from the Marcellus/Utica region, but legacy shippers are balking at its plan to offer lower rates for customers headed west on a portion of the pipeline.

Many of the responders to an initial notice of inquiry (NOI) on whether to require quarterly reporting of FERC-jurisdictional next-day and next-month transactions contend that the quarterly reporting requirement would not improve natural gas market transparency.

The Pennsylvania Superior Court has thrown out a lawsuit brought by Fayette County family, which wanted an oil and gas lease agreement voided by claiming that some drilling activities weren’t contemplated when the contract was executed. However, similar lawsuits in the state and in Ohio are facing new scrutiny as well.

The United States could produce 5 million b/d from shale oil deposits by 2017 and may become the world’s largest oil producer — reaching up to 16 million b/d in just a few years by combining shale with conventional oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and biofuels, according to a researcher at Harvard Kennedy School.

Researchers commissioned by state government agencies have offered differing opinions over whether a housing shortage is on the horizon in eastern Ohio, where development is ramping up in the state’s portions of the Marcellus and Utica shales.

Driven primarily by the continued success of its drilling program in the Marcellus Shale, Range Resources Corp. saw its production volumes surge to a record high of 910 MMcfe/d in 2Q2013, a 27% increase over 2Q2012, the Forth Worth, TX-based company said. Production during the quarter was 79% natural gas, 15% natural gas liquids (NGL) and 6% crude oil and condensate. Oil and condensate production increased 39% compared with 2Q2012, NGL production rose 35% and natural gas production increased 24%, Range said. Total 2Q2013 production exceeded the high end of Range’s guidance of 880-890 MMcfe/d due to the timing of turning wells to production and continued positive performance of wells in the Marcellus Shale. Range’s production number came in “well ahead of both Street and our estimate of 904 MMcfe/d,” said Wells Fargo Securities analysts, who added that they are looking for an update from the company on Marcellus infrastructure and pricing.

The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said Thursday it plans to develop a proposed rule requiring companies who make chemical substances and mixtures used in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to report data on the chemicals.