Wells

As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeks answers, Chesapeake Energy Corp. said the blowout of one of its Marcellus Shale wells in northeast Pennsylvania is now under control.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman plans to sue the federal government if it does not commit within 30 days to conduct a full environmental review of regulations proposed by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) that would allow natural gas development projects — with conditions — in affected areas of the Marcellus Shale.

With Friday’s deadline approaching to comment on the Delaware River Basin Commission’s (DRBC) draft water quality amendments, the industry-led Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) on Tuesday outlined its concerns and said the proposed rules exceed the multi-state commission’s legal authority and duplicate state jurisdiction.

Even if producers are prevented from hydraulically fracturing (fracking) wells in New York, they may not declare a force majeure and still must pay property owners to hold the leases, a district court judge has ruled.

Even if producers are prevented from hydraulically fracturing (fracking) wells in New York, they may not declare a force majeure and still must pay property owners to hold the leases, a district court judge has ruled.

A review of the Louisiana program regulating the hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) of oil and gas wells has concluded that the program is well managed; however, some recommendations for improvements were made.

Range Resources Corp. said its estimated unproved resource potential at the end of 2010 reached 35-52 Tcfe, versus 2009’s estimate of 24-32 Tcfe, which was fueled by stronger drilling results. By itself, the resource potential in the Marcellus Shale leasehold jumped to 20-31 Tcfe on higher per/well reserves.

Last week’s freezing temperatures in the Southwest, which froze some natural gas wells in Texas’ Barnett Shale and caused rolling blackouts in much of the state, were the most severe test of Texas natural gas deliverability since the winter of 1989, a reliability council representative told the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) Tuesday.

A targeted review by a multi-stakeholder group on Friday said Ohio’s program that regulates hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) of wells is well managed, although some improvements could be made.