York

Five years ago utility National Fuel Gas Distribution Corp. put in place a long-term strategy to supply Pennsylvania and New York natural gas utility customers with gas from long-haul pipelines from the Gulf Coast. The Marcellus Shale has since sent that strategy out the window.

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is proposing a permitting program for liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities and LNG transport within the state in light of increasing interest in the development of LNG facilities. Such a move could lift a 40-year ban on new LNG storage in the state.

A snap poll conducted by theSyracuse Post-Standardin New York has found that nearly 88% of respondents believe hydraulic fracturing (fracking) should at least be permitted in certain parts of the state, while only about 10% believe the practice should be banned outright.

Natural gas prices for volumes delivered Thursday fell nationally in Wednesday’s trading, with the steepest declines at Northeast points as temperatures were expected to moderate. Midwest locations were off less than a dime and major market hubs averaged about a nickel lower.

The drilling rights to an estimated 13,000 acres in New York’s Southern Tier will be released and litigation dropped as part of a major settlement reached Monday by Chesapeake Energy Corp. and about 200 landowners.

Bolstered by record production, especially in the southwest Pennsylvania portion of the Marcellus Shale, and revisions to its estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) curves, Range Resources Corp. reported net earnings of nearly $144 million for the second quarter of 2013.

Five people were injured after a Marcellus Shale gas well owned by Antero Resources exploded in Doddridge County, WV, on Sunday morning.

Fort Worth-based Athlon Energy Inc., which is focused on the Wolfberry play in the Permian Basin, has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) expected to be worth $345 million.

FCStone LLC, a New York City-based futures commission merchant (FCM), has been slapped with a $1.5 million civil penalty by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for “failing to diligently supervise its officers and employees” relating to its business as an FCM during 2008 and part of 2009.