Wrangling

Dramatically increasing the production of domestic natural gas, oil and coal offers the United States its best opportunity to create sustainable jobs, but political wrangling stands in the way of achieving that goal, according to a new report from the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.

Dramatically increasing the production of domestic natural gas, oil and coal offers the United States its best opportunity to create sustainable jobs, but political wrangling stands in the way of achieving that goal, according to a new report from the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.

When the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed Act 13, its omnibus Marcellus Shale law, in February, it marked the end of three years of legislative wrangling and the beginning of a period of legal interpretation.

After more than three years of wrangling, Pennsylvania lawmakers have passed an impact fee on unconventional gas drilling, but as the bill awaits an anticipated signature from Gov. Tom Corbett, it is garnering plenty of disdain from detractors and backhanded compliments from supporters.

Following years of legal wrangling, coalbed methane (CBM) development in Montana’s Powder River Basin may be a go. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) last week issued a carefully worded Record of Decision (ROD) to permit more than 18,000 natural gas wells to be drilled in the basin over the next 20 years.

Following years of legal wrangling, coalbed methane (CBM) development in Montana’s Powder River Basin may be a go. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tuesday issued a carefully worded Record of Decision (ROD), which would permit more than 18,000 natural gas wells to be drilled in the basin over the next 20 years.

After months of competition, wrangling and revised merger proposals, Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc., parent of the 109-year-old Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), and CBOT Holdings Inc., parent of the 159-year-old Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), announced last week that shareholders of both companies have approved their proposed merger and the transaction is complete. The companies said the merger has made the combined company the world’s largest and most diverse exchange, providing products in all major benchmark asset classes.

After months of competition, wrangling and revised merger proposals, Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc., parent of the 109-year-old Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), and CBOT Holdings Inc., parent of the 159-year-old Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), announced Monday that preliminary results indicate the shareholders of both companies have approved their proposed merger and the transaction could be completed in days. The companies said the merger will form the world’s largest and most diverse exchange, providing products in all major benchmark asset classes.

Plenty of political wrangling remains before an agreement is struck to commercialize Alaska’s North Slope gas reserves with transport to the Lower 48 (see NGI, Sept. 11). However, getting Alaska gas to Canada and then the United States is something TransCanada Corp. has been thinking about for a long time. And the company has some definite ideas about what it would like its role to be in the effort.