Whole

Researchers at Columbia University said earthquakes that occur on the other side of the world could create smaller temblors near wastewater injection sites in the United States.

Driven primarily by the continued success of its drilling program in the Marcellus Shale, Range Resources Corp. saw its production volumes surge to a record high of 910 MMcfe/d in 2Q2013, a 27% increase over 2Q2012, the Forth Worth, TX-based company said. Production during the quarter was 79% natural gas, 15% natural gas liquids (NGL) and 6% crude oil and condensate. Oil and condensate production increased 39% compared with 2Q2012, NGL production rose 35% and natural gas production increased 24%, Range said. Total 2Q2013 production exceeded the high end of Range’s guidance of 880-890 MMcfe/d due to the timing of turning wells to production and continued positive performance of wells in the Marcellus Shale. Range’s production number came in “well ahead of both Street and our estimate of 904 MMcfe/d,” said Wells Fargo Securities analysts, who added that they are looking for an update from the company on Marcellus infrastructure and pricing.

Natural gas and oil production is vulnerable to decreasing water availability and operations in Arctic Alaska to thawing permafrost, both of which are potential impacts of climate change, according to a report issued Thursday by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

For those visionaries that want a clean transportation fuel without the additional vehicle and fueling infrastructure costs associated with natural gas vehicles, a small privately held New Jersey-based company, Primus Green Energy, wants to market natural gas-derived gasoline.

Dry natural gas production in the United States, boosted by stronger pipeline flows from the Marcellus Shale, led Goldman Sachs analysts on Monday to revise their forecasts down for prices and lift expectations for end-of-summer storage levels.

Former FBI Director Louis Freeh was appointed last week as a special master to investigate apparent misconduct by one of the lawyers who helped manage BP plc’s $7.8 billion settlement fund with Gulf Coast plaintiffs over the deepwater Macondo well blowout in April 2010.

Alberta natural gas royalties, a health benchmark of the Canadian supply industry, plunged to their lowest level in a generation in the government fiscal year that ended March 31.

As part of President Obama’s climate action plan (see NGI, July 1), the Department of Energy (DOE) last Tuesday announced a draft $8 billion loan guarantee solicitation to develop advanced technologies aimed at avoiding and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil fuels.

Forced back into action following the Thursday Independence Day Holiday, physical gas traders in quiet trading Friday for weekend and Monday delivery managed to push most price point averages higher by a few cents, except for in the Northeast and California. Coming off dollar-plus losses on Wednesday, a number of Marcellus Shale-related points reversed course Friday to gain 80 cents or more. California was the only area in the red, with multiple points dropping a nickel to 15 cents.