Spend

Midstream operations in the Marcellus Shale are significantly expanding for Penn Virginia Resource Partners LP (PVR), after the partnership inked agreements with four of the biggest natural gas producers to extend its Lycoming County, PA, pipeline system to provide access to multiple markets.

Consol Energy Inc. began its shift toward liquids in the first quarter, moving into the wet-gas portions of the Marcellus and Utica shales of southwestern Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.

MarkWest Utica EMG LLC said Tuesday it has an agreement in principle with Gulfport Energy Corp. and some undisclosed producers to develop extensive midstream infrastructure in the liquids-rich portion of eastern Ohio’s Utica Shale.

What does the largest North American natural gas producer do when prices aren’t going its way? Move rigs to liquids plays, ExxonMobil investor relations chief David Rosenthal said Tuesday.

North America’s land rig count is expected to be flat this year, with natural gas-directed drilling on the decline while liquids and oil drilling will strengthen, Schlumberger Ltd.’s CEO said Friday.

Southwestern Energy Co. said it will spend slightly less next year in the Fayetteville Shale while it nearly doubles spending in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania. Overall, Southwestern’s 2012 capital program is pegged at $2.3 billion, up from about $2.1 billion in 2011. Production is expected to climb about 15% from this year.

With new liquids-rich properties in pocket, Linn Energy LLC said Monday it plans to spend $880 million in capital expenditures (capex) in 2012, with more than half allocated to the unconventional Granite Wash formation in Texas.

ConocoPhillips, which is readying a spinoff of its refinery operations to reemerge as the largest pure-play explorer in North America, is planning to spend $15.5 billion for its capital program in 2012 and repurchase up to $10 billion more of its common stock.

Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp. says it plans to spend $585 million on capital expenditures (capex) in 2012, with $550 million going toward drilling and completing of 73 gross (51 net wells) in the Williston Basin, $25 million for infrastructure and $10 million for miscellaneous acreage acquisitions.