While it remains to be seen whether the Obama White House will be more friendly towards oil and natural gas in its second term, it appears to have become more coordinated on oil and gas issues, said a spokesman for the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA).
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New York Assembly Passes Two-Year Moratorium on Fracking
In a stunning setback for shale development in the Empire State, the New York State Assembly voted 95-40 on Wednesday to enact a two-year moratorium on high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF). The bill, A5424, now moves to the state Senate.
A ‘Miss’ in Lime Sale for Chesapeake? Operators Remain Optimistic
The deal that Chesapeake Energy Corp. made on Monday to sell half its leasehold in the Mississippian Lime was calculated at around $2,500/acre gross, or less than $1,000/acre net, not necessarily the price that the market had been expecting. The lower expected price may be attributed to several things, said analysts: foreign firms getting more savvy about undeveloped leaseholds, the value of the formation, or Chesapeake’s hurry to fix its balance sheet.

BLM Pulls in $4.1M in Utah Lease Sale
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received bonus oil and natural gas bids totaling $4.068 million for 26 parcels in Utah that cover 37,414 acres in the latest quarterly lease sale, officials reported Tuesday.
In Asia, More LNG Demand Seen in Southeast
Southeast Asian markets are growing in attractiveness to would-be liquefied natural gas (LNG) suppliers while India might not offer all that some would think, a Wood Mackenzie analyst said.
Ten Fracking Protesters Arrested After Employees ‘Held Hostage’ in Ohio
Opposition to hydraulic fracturing flared up in Ohio this week as about 100 protestors stormed an office and a water handling facility in one Ohio town, while an oil and gas service company threatened to take its business elsewhere if another town set itself up in opposition to drilling.
Eight U.S. LNG Export Projects in the Lead
While the Department of Energy (DOE) has yet to decide whether to approve widespread exports of liquefied domestic natural gas, it has already handicapped the field of proposed projects should it decide to proceed. First in line are eight of the 23 project proposals received by DOE that also are currently being reviewed by FERC.
Eight U.S. LNG Export Projects in the Lead
While the Department of Energy (DOE) has yet to decide whether to approve widespread exports of liquefied domestic natural gas, it has already handicapped the field of proposed projects should it decide to proceed. First in line are eight of the 23 project proposals received by DOE that also are currently being reviewed by FERC.

Wyoming Eyes Baseline Water Tests for Drillers
Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead is considering a pre-drilling water testing requirement for oil and natural gas operators in the state.

Attorneys: Draft California Frack Rules Protect Trade Secrets
While other stakeholders have been critical of California’s preliminary draft hydraulic fracturing (fracking) rules, two energy attorneys with the firm of K&L Gates consider the rules’ proposed protections for trade secrets to be adequate for shielding exploration and production (E&P) operators’ proprietary information tied to fracking.