Stop

The City Council of Auburn, NY, voted Thursday to stop accepting wastewater generated from hydraulic fracturing (fracking) at natural gas wells, ending more than a decade of the practice and eliminating a major source of revenue for the city.

Six major producers in the Marcellus Shale say they expect to recycle or inject all of their wastewater by the end of the year, according to information released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday.

Northeast Natural Energy (NNE) has filed suit in circuit court against the City of Morgantown, WV, to prevent the city from enforcing its new ordinance banning hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

July natural gas futures rose sharply on a combination of technical buying ahead of the long weekend and algorithmic traders utilizing buy stop orders to limit losses. At the close July had advanced 15.8 cents to $4.518 and August had risen 15.2 cents to $4.557.

A major Pennsylvania water company said “a full battery of tests” found no harmful impact on supplies from Marcellus Shale development.

The Morgantown City Council is considering a resolution to request that West Virginia stop issuing drilling permits in its portion of the Marcellus Shale “until comprehensive legislation and inspection resources for horizontal well drilling are established to effectively protect public water resources, public health and public safety.” The resolution echoes the sentiments of a group of West Virginia House of Delegates members who have called on the state Department of Environmental Protection to institute a drilling ban until the legislature is called into special session and passes new Marcellus regulations (see Shale Daily, March 21). The legislature failed to pass proposed Marcellus regulations this year, and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has said he isn’t likely to give lawmakers a second chance by calling a special session (see Shale Daily, March 17; March 15). Recently Lewisburg, WV, the county seat of Greenbrier County, also called for a special session to address Marcellus issues. The Morgantown City Council could vote on the resolution Tuesday (April 5).

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has ordered Chesapeake Energy to stop work on a natural gas drilling well pad in rural Potter County for failing to implement required erosion and sediment controls, DEP said Wednesday.

After months of extolling the potential of the Utica Shale to bring jobs and revenue to Quebec, provincial officials on Friday changed course, warning that natural gas development may not be allowed to proceed.

After months of extolling the potential of the Utica Shale to bring jobs and revenue to Quebec, provincial officials on Friday changed course, warning that natural gas development may not be allowed to proceed.