Said

Princeton, NJ-based NRG Energy Inc. and Houston-based GenOn Energy Inc. said Friday that their respective shareholders have approved a proposed merger that has implications for the nation’s mix of natural gas- and coal-fired generation plants (see Daily GPI, Aug. 10). When completed, the NRG-GenOn combination would create the nation’s largest competitive electric generator with nearly 47,000 MW of capacity, spanning gas, coal, solar, nuclear and wind facilities. The merger still needs approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the New York Public Service Commission, among others. “An overwhelming shareholder vote” for the combination reflects the fact that the merger is a “win-win for everyone,” according to NRG CEO David Crane. GenOn CEO Edward Muller pointed to “substantial cost savings and efficiency benefits” from the merger.

Houston-based land driller Sidewinder Drilling Inc. management on Monday said it now holds about 92% of the outstanding shares of Union Drilling Inc., which allows the unconventional oilfield service operators to move forward with their merger, first announced in September.

Tennessee Gas Pipeline has filed an application at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission seeking to boost the compression capacity along its 300 Line to meet the growing demand for interstate natural gas transportation service in the northeastern United States and Canada.

Penn Virginia Corp. has acquired about 4,100 net Eagle Ford Shale acres in Gonzales and Lavaca counties, TX, for about $10 million. Under existing joint venture agreements, other nonoperated working interest owners are expected to acquire 17% of the net acreage in Gonzales County and 46% of the net acreage in Lavaca County, increasing Penn Virginia’s Eagle Ford acreage position by about 3,000 net acres to a total of 30,000 net acres (40,100 gross). The acquired 3,200 net acres of leasehold in Gonzales County is adjacent to Penn Virginia’s development area and is estimated to contain 20 horizontal well locations, excluding any down-spaced drilling opportunities. The acquired 895 net acres of leasehold in Lavaca County is complementary to existing leasehold in nine units, with an estimated addition of 10 horizontal well locations, the company said.

Construction of Millennium Pipeline Co. LLC’s Minisink Compressor project has been approved by FERC “after a long and intensive review,” the company said. The project, which consists of two 6,130 hp compressors in Minisink, NY, would increase deliverability to the eastern end of the pipeline to about 675,000 Dth/d. Millennium filed for the project in July 2011. Southwestern Energy Services Co., an anchor shipper, urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve the expansion by Feb. 1 so that it could be in operation by the start of the winter heating season, Nov. 1. However, Commission staff sought consideration of an alternative compressor station site (see Daily GPI, Jan. 9).

The number of operating unconventional rigs increased by seven (1%) in the week ending Sept. 14 but was down significantly (140 rigs, or 14%) compared to last year, according to NGI’s Shale Daily Unconventional Rig Count.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) said Monday that natural gas producers have paid most of about $206 million owed under the drilling impact fee enacted under Act 13, surging past the $180 million the state thought it would take in this year from its new omnibus Marcellus Shale law.

In the story published Wednesday, “IHS: Technology to Push Domestic Reserves ‘Well Over’ 3,000 Tcf” (see Daily GPI, Aug. 15), IHS Inc.’s Pete Stark was misquoted. He said the United States today was “talking about launching U.S. exports,” not imports. NGI regrets the error.

The head of Wyoming’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is retiring, and Gov. Matt Mead said on Monday that he is starting a search for a replacement. DEQ Director John Corra, who has headed the department for two different governors since 2003, will stay on the job until October. Mead lauded Corra for setting “a standard for effective and balanced regulation with fiscal prudence.” Mead has asked for interested candidates to submit a letter of interest and resume to his office (2090 W. 24th St. Cheyenne, WY, 82002).