Tests

Range Resources unit Range Production Co. may depose an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official on Tuesday (Jan. 25), a federal judge in Austin, TX, ruled last week. The agency has accused the company of contaminating water wells with its Barnett Shale drilling activities, a claim Range disputes.

Canada’s Corridor Resources Inc. saw its stock lose almost one-third of its value on Monday after announcing “unexpected and perplexing” results from a shale gas appraisal program in New Brunswick.

Chevron Corp. has declared a force majeure on a Hercules Offshore jackup rig operating in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) — just one day after Apache Corp. declared a force majeure on a Rowan Cos Inc. jackup rig.

The British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission has enacted new rules for inline well tests and will launch a “fact-finding program” in May to study air quality in the Peace River area, where natural gas shale exploration programs are booming, the minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources said Thursday.

The British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission has enacted new rules for inline well tests and will launch a “fact-finding program” in May to study air quality in the Peace River area, where natural gas shale exploration programs are booming, the minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources said Thursday.

Maverick Energy Group Ltd., a member of Z2 LLC, said it began construction and repair work on the gas gathering system at the Big Foot Field in Texas. Preliminary tests indicate the field could deliver 300-500 Mcf/d to the first purchaser of the supply once the work is completed. Maverick said it should finalize a gas contract within the next two weeks.

In discussing its 2006 Gulf of Mexico exploration activities on Thursday, New Orleans-based McMoRan Exploration Co. announced successful production tests at the Liberty Canal and King of the Hill discovery wells, updated the status of two additional exploration prospects in progress and outlined development activities, including the establishment of initial production from the Long Point No. 1 and No. 2 wells.

Kern River Gas Transmission said it is following through on plans to test the market for interest in a 200,000-500,000 Dth/d expansion of its 1,679-mile mainline, which extends from southwestern Wyoming through Utah, Nevada and into California.

Kern River Gas Transmission said it is following through on plans to test the market for interest in a 200,000-500,000 Dth/d expansion of its 1,679-mile mainline, which extends from southwestern Wyoming through Utah, Nevada and into California.