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North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple on Monday signed into law a measure (HB 1134) offering tax breaks to oil and natural gas operators as an incentive to cut flaring of associated gas at the wellhead on oil wells. HB 1134 was passed last week by the North Dakota legislature. It will be effective July 1.

Randy L. Limbacher, former chairman, CEO and president of Rosetta Resources Inc., is taking the helm of Tulsa onshore operator Samson Resources Corp. Limbacher, who has 32 years in the exploration business, ran Rosetta from November 2007 until the end of February. He previously was president of exploration and production in the Americas for ConocoPhillips and worked at predecessor Burlington Resources Inc. for 20 years. “With positions in some of the best plays in North America, a dedicated team of talented executives, and the backing of leading energy investors, Samson is well positioned to begin its next phase of growth,” said Limbacher.

California state oil/natural gas officials have scheduled the first in a series of all-day public workshops for Feb. 19 in Los Angeles to gain feedback on draft hydraulic fracturing (fracking) rules for the state.

FERC has approved Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line’s (Transco) request to abandon four of seven caverns at its Eminence Salt Dome Storage Field in South Central Mississippi.

Comstock Resources Inc. announced Monday that it plans to spend about $420 million on exploration and development activities in 2013, with a drilling program focused on its oil-weighted holdings in South and West Texas — in the Eagle Ford Shale and Wolfbone and Wolfcamp formations in the Permian Basin, respectively.

A coalition of seven states, led by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, last week threatened to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to address methane emissions from oil and gas operations in violation of the Clean Air Act.

A coalition of seven states, led by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Tuesday told the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) it will sue the agency for failing to address methane emissions from oil and gas operations in violation of the Clean Air Act.

Teak Midstream LLC’s 200 MMcf/d Silver Oak cryogenic gas processing plant is now online in South Texas, along with 250 miles of gathering and residue delivery pipelines, the company said Tuesday.

The University at Buffalo (UB) will close its Shale Resources and Society Institute (SRSI), which during its seven-month life issued a hydraulic fracturing (fracking) study that was the target of criticism from several areas, including some UB staff, university President Satish Tripathi said last week.