An affiliate of Chesapeake Energy Corp. is being sued by the U.S. government for failing to pay taxes in 2001 through 2003. Chesapeake Appalachia LLC is the successor company of Triana Energy Inc., which Chesapeake purchased in 2005 as part of a transaction with Columbia Natural Resources LLC. The deal gave Chesapeake entry into the relatively unexplored Marcellus Shale, with acreage in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, New York and Kentucky. According to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, the United States assessed taxes against Triana in 2001 through 2003 for a total of $431,988, which as of May 17 it “has failed, neglected or refused to pay” (U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia at Charleston, No. 2:13-cv-11988). Federal officials are seeking the tax assessment and statutory additions accrued.
Statutory
Articles from Statutory
Industry Wants Texas Court to Revisit Eminent Domain Decision
The Texas Supreme Court may soon decide on a request to revisit a 2011 opinion on the use of eminent domain that some industry representatives say could stymie the efforts of companies trying to build oil and gas pipelines to service growing production in the state’s shale plays.
Pennsylvania Considering Pipeline Safety Measures
A new proposal in Pennsylvania aims to protect natural gas gathering lines in the quick growing Marcellus Shale region from accidentally getting damaged during excavation.
West Virginia Bill Would Allow Pooling for Marcellus Wells
Legislation being drafted by West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s administration includes a statutory pooling provision for shallow horizontal wells, which would include Marcellus Shale drilling in the state, according to Nick Casey, a member of the Lewis Glasser Casey & Rollins law firm in Charleston, WV.
Senate Panel Seeks to Curb Speculation in Natural Gas Markets
Congress needs to take steps to regulate all natural gas commodity markets equally, impose a limit on traders’ positions, enforce the statutory prohibition against excessive speculation and give the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) a bigger budget to prevent a replay of the Amaranth hedge fund collapse last year, which took a major toll on consumers, said the chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations last Monday.
Senate Panel Seeks Congressional Action to Prevent Amaranth Replay
Congress needs to take steps to regulate all natural gas markets equally, impose a limit on traders’ positions, enforce the statutory prohibition against excessive speculation and give the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) a bigger budget to prevent a replay of the Amaranth hedge fund collapse last year, which took a major toll on consumers, said the chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Monday.
DOE’s Poor Record on Efficiency Standards to Cost Consumers Billions
The Department of Energy (DOE) gets a failing grade when it comes to meeting its statutory obligation to issue rules on minimum energy efficiency standards for consumer products and industrial equipment, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The poor performance could cost the nation billions of dollars in lost savings, it said.
DOE’s Poor Record on Efficiency Standards to Cost Consumers Billions
The Department of Energy (DOE) gets a failing grade when it comes to meeting its statutory obligation to issue rules on minimum energy efficiency standards for consumer products and industrial equipment, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The poor performance could cost the nation billions in lost savings, it said.
