Pennsylvania

Anti-Drilling Trout Unlimited Crying Over $180M in Frozen Funds

For more than 13 years MDN has harped on the fact that groups like Trout Unlimited are filled with extremist anti-drillers (see our article Anti-Drilling Close-up: Trout Unlimited from October 2012). In February 2014, a national organization aimed a spotlight on Trout Unlimited and several other so-called “conservation” groups (see Trout Unlimited, Other Groups Outted…

Read More...

Trump Admin Considers Strategies to Overturn DRBC Fracking Ban

On Sunday, March 2, MDN friend Tom Shepstone (who writes the must-read Energy Security and Freedom website) participated in a meeting with new EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Congressman Rob Bresnahan, several state elected officials, as well as labor and others regarding energy and other critical issues in Northeast Pennsylvania. While the meeting discussed what is…

Read More...

EQT Sues Union Township (Washington County, PA) for Extortion

Here’s an explosive allegation. EQT Corporation and its pipeline subsidiary EQM Gathering are suing Union Township (located in Washington County, PA). Also named in the lawsuit are the town’s five supervisors. EQT’s allegation is that the town (and its supervisors) are attempting to extort big money from EQT to allow the company to connect gathering…

Read More...

16 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Feb 24 – Mar 2

For the week of Feb 24 – Mar 2, the number of permits issued in the Marcellus/Utica to drill new shale wells increased by a couple. Four weeks ago, 24 new permits were issued. Three weeks ago, the number increased to 36 new permits. Two weeks ago, the number deflated, going down to 14. Last…

Read More...

Shocker: Shell Considers Selling Beaver County, PA Ethane Cracker

According to the Wall Street Journal, Shell is “exploring a potential sale of its chemicals assets in Europe and the U.S.,” according to “people familiar with the matter.” The review and potential sale are part of a continuing drive to refocus the company’s business on its most profitable operations. One of the petchem assets that…

Read More...

National Rig Count Gains 1 @ 593; M-U Rig Count Even @ 35

For the fifth week in a row, the Baker Hughes U.S. rig count added rigs—the first time that has happened since May 2022. Last week, the count added a single new rig for a new total of 593. The national count remained in a tight range of 581-589 for much of last year. We’ve officially…

Read More...

Small Wastewater Spill at Coterra Energy Well Pad in Northeast Pa.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) reports an estimated 300 barrels (12,600 gallons) of brine wastewater leaked at the Diaz Family Shale Gas Drilling Well Pad 2 owned by Coterra Energy, Inc. in Bridgewater Township, Susquehanna County. Unfortunately, some of the fluid escaped containment and seeped into surrounding areas outside the well pad. The…

Read More...

Gas-Fired Cryptocurrency Data Center Coming to Venango County, PA

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) published a notice in the March 1 Pennsylvania Bulletin announcing that the agency has approved an Air Quality Permit for a new cryptocurrency data center in Venango County, PA. Venango is in the northwestern part of the state. The permit was issued to a company we had not previously…

Read More...

PA Gov. STILL Threatening to Leave PJM & Commit Energy Suicide

Wow! Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is an even bigger bully (and dunce) than we gave him credit for. He’s not only mean and vindictive, he’s energy suicidal. Shapiro is threatening the 12 other states (plus the District of Columbia) that belong to the PJM Interconnection, saying that he may cut them off from 25% of…

Read More...

14 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Feb 17 – 23

For the week of Feb 17 – 23, the number of permits issued in the Marcellus/Utica to drill new shale wells fell back to earth. Three weeks ago, 24 new permits were issued. Two weeks ago, the number increased to 36 new permits. Last week the number deflated, going down to 14. The Keystone State…

Read More...

Fed Judge Tosses Landowner Lawsuit Against DRBC for Frack Ban

Earlier this month U.S. District Judge Robert D. Mariani dismissed the Wayne Land and Mineral Group (WLMG) v. Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) lawsuit that argued the DRBC had “taken” the property rights of landowners in eastern Pennsylvania, robbing them of their right to allow shale drilling on and under their land. It’s a sad…

Read More...

Chord Energy Considers Selling Non-Op Marcellus in Northeast Pa.

In late 2022, MDN told you that Canadian-based Enerplus, with sizable non-operated assets in the northeast Pennsylvania Marcellus, had sold certain Canadian assets so it could concentrate most of its activity on drilling in the North Dakota Bakken (see Enerplus Sells Rest of Canada Assets – Focus on Bakken, Marcellus). Enerplus kept its non-op Marcellus…

Read More...

Trump Intent on Building Constitution Pipeline from PA into NY & New England

Two weeks ago, MDN brought you the exciting news that President Trump pledged to get the long-dead Pennsylvania Marcellus to New York State Constitution Pipeline built (see Stop Press! Trump Pledges to Revive PA-to-NY Constitution Pipeline). Since then, we’ve eagerly monitored the news to see if there has been any indication that the builder, Williams,…

Read More...