E&P

Fourth quarter natural gas production in Ohio’s Utica Shale reached 43.1 Bcf, an increase of 28% from 3Q2013, according to a report released Friday by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

Noble Energy Inc.’s first quarter production from the Marcellus Shale set a company record as Noble continued to drill longer lateral wells.

A natural gas flow interruption caused by an explosion and fire at the Opal hub in Wyoming was partially restored Thursday afternoon by flowing through a different processing plant. Opal had been supplying up to 1 Bcf/d to interstate pipelines before the incident Wednesday at the Williams Partners LP facility.

Supporters of a Pennsylvania bill designed to shield royalty owners from post-production costs say the measure has stalled in the state House of Representatives, and they allege that a handful of gas producers, their allies and others are trying to thwart the bill’s passage.

Natural gas and oil sales, primarily from the United States, beat expectations in the first quarter for conglomerate Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX).

After a nearly three-month nationwide search for a new CEO, Gulfport Energy Corp. on Wednesday named in-house candidate Michael G. Moore to fill the position after an interim period of success since he took over the role from James Palm, who retired in February.

Pennsylvania Republican Gov. Tom Corbett could soon issue an executive order to lift a nearly four-year moratorium on new oil and gas leases in state parks and forests that would continue to bar new leases for surface operations, but offer operators access to the mineral rights under state land from wells on adjoining private land.

Icy weather idled crews and equipment across the United States during the first quarter, but demand for specialized rigs remained strong, Patterson-UTI Energy Inc. (PTEN) management reported Thursday.

Atlas Pipeline Partners LP and Pioneer Natural Resources have expanded an existing gas processing agreement that will lead to the construction of 200 MMcf/d of additional cryogenic capacity to serve production from the Permian Basin in West Texas.