Stringent

The U.S. unconventional boom is far from over, but exploration and production (E&P) operators face a “reality check” from an increasingly stringent regulatory environment and “very real limitations” to domestic natural gas and oil infrastructure, according to BDO USA LLP.

Dubbing it the nation’s most stringent, the Illinois state Senate on Friday passed oil and natural gas drilling regulations (SB 1715), sending the proposed provisions to Gov. Pat Quinn for his signature. The governor is expected to sign the bipartisan legislation.

Officials in the Canadian province of New Brunswick unveiled new rules for oil and natural gas development in the prospective Frederick Brook Shale on Friday, including a requirement that operators disclose all of the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

Last month Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joseph Martens said he anticipated an eventual legal challenge to any rules the agency creates for regulating HVHF in the state, and he asked Health Commissioner Nirav Shah to conduct a health impact analysis of the practice (see Shale Daily, Sept. 24). The newspaper said it agreed with the observation by DEC officials and drilling supporters: that Martens’ decision would probably cause enough of a delay to require an additional public comment period (see Shale Daily, Oct. 4; Oct. 2).

Supporters of President Obama are twice as likely to want stringent regulation on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) than Mitt Romney backers, according to a Bloomberg National Poll released Thursday.

Dave Neslin, who has helmed the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) for five years and who helped to shape and then implement more stringent statewide natural gas and oil regulations, is resigning effective March 1 to join Denver law firm Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP. Neslin, who joined the COGCC on an interim basis in late 2007, was instrumental in implementing the controversial drilling regulations that increased scrutiny of gas and oil production in 2009. Neslin was appointed to his current position in April 2009. Prior to joining the commission Neslin, an attorney, had been a partner in Denver law firm Arnold & Porter. No replacement has been named by the commission.

Dave Neslin, who has headed the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) for five years and who helped to shape and then implement more stringent statewide natural gas and oil regulations, said he is resigning effective March 1 to join Denver law firm Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP. Neslin, who joined the COGCC on an interim basis in late 2007, was instrumental in implementing the controversial regulations that increased scrutiny of gas and oil production in the state in 2009. Neslin was appointed to his current position in April 2009. Prior to joining the commission Neslin, an attorney, had been a partner in Denver law firm Arnold & Porter. No replacement has been named by the commission.

Citing more stringent federal mercury and air toxic standards (MATS), Akron, OH-based FirstEnergy said Thursday it plans to retire six older coal-fired electric generation plants representing 2,689 MW by Sept. 1.

BP plc on Friday promised to operate under more stringent self-imposed standards in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) deepwater to demonstrate its commitment to U.S. officials that it could operate safely in the aftermath of the Macondo well blowout last year.