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Utica shale and fracking news
- Ohio injection well operator fights state action
- Muskingum district sells more water from reservoir for use in fracking
- Utica shale analyzed in Ohio
- Oil ventures could tap Utica shale in Stark, Tuscarawas counties
- Ohio is getting first cryogenic processing plant at Cadiz for natural gas from Utica shale
- Injection wells are efficient for liquid waste disposal from drilling, supporters say
- Gulfport aggressive on Ohio drilling prospects
- Anti-fracking amendment rejected in Youngstown
- New natural gas pipeline could run from Utica shale region through Akron area to Detroit, Ontario
- Anti-fracking amendment on ballot in Youngstown
Utica and Marcellus shale web sites
Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management State agency Web site.ODNR Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management. State drilling permits. List is updated weekly.
ODNR Division of Geological Survey.
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
Ohio State University Extension.
Ohio Farm Bureau.
Ohio Oil and Gas Association, a Granville-based group that represents 1,500 Ohio energy-related companies.
Ohio Oil & Gas Energy Education Program.
Energy In Depth, a trade group.
Marcellus and Utica Shale Resource Center by Ohio law firm Bricker & Eckler.
Utica Shale, a compilation of Utica shale activities.
Landman Report Card, a site that looks at companies involved in gas and oil leases.FracFocus, a compilation of chemicals used in fracking individual wells as reported voluntarily by some drillers.
Chesapeake Energy Corp,the Oklahoma-based firm is the No. 1 driller in Ohio.
Rig Count Interactive Map by Baker Hughes, an energy services company.
Shale Sheet Fracking, a Youngstown Vindicator blog.
National Geographic's The Great Shale Rush.
The Ohio Environmental Council, a statewide eco-group based in Columbus.
Earthjustice, a national eco-group.
People's Oil and Gas Collaborative-Ohio, a grass-roots group in Northeast Ohio.
Concerned Citizens of Medina County, a grass-roots group.
No Frack Ohio, a Columbus-based grass-roots group.
Fracking: Gas Drilling's Environmental Threat by ProPublica, an online journalism site.
Pipeline, blog from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Marcellus shale drilling.
Allegheny Front, environmental public radio for Western Pennsylvania.
Will shale revolution lead to oil finds larger than Eagle Ford?
How many more major shale fields remain to be discovered and tapped in the United States?
Starr Spencer at Platts' The Barrel blog thinks it's likely lots more significant shale discoveries will be made in the very near future.
To read more or comment...
Don't let fracking ruin Germany's beer industry
Finally, a genuine reason to want to ban fracking: It theatens Germany's beer makers. (OK, don't shoot the snarky/tongue-in-cheek blog-post messenger!)
The Telegraph newspaper in Great Britain writes: "The [German] Brauer-Bund beer association is worried that fracking for shale gas, which involves pumping water and chemicals at high pressure into the ground, could pollute water used for brewing and break a 500-year-old industry rule on water purity."
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U.S. racing against shale gas clock
Exporting liquified natural gas created from fracked shale in the United States will lead to economic benefits even as some warn shale does not have a long-term future, writes Daniel Graeber at OilPrice.com.
"MIT physicist Ernest Moniz became the new energy secretary this week after sailing through the nomination process relatively unscathed.
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How shale energy forecasts changed the world sooner than we thought
Too wrong for too long? Production predictions just two years ago about shale energy have proven to be way off, writes Sandy Fielden at RBN Energy LLC.
Fielden: "If we look back to see what folk were forecasting for North American energy markets two years ago in 2011 and then compare that to today's actual data and forecast, what would that tell us about the changing pace of North American energy production?
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S&P looks at shale impact on industries
Standard & Poor's has a new report out on the impact of shale energy on various industrial sectors.
S&P says in a press release: "A report released by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, titled 'Game Changer: Industry Winners And Losers From The U.S. Shale Revolution,' looks at the effects of the shale boom--whether they be positive, negative, or mixed--on a variety of industries.
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Groups criticize Environmental Defense Fund on fracking support
Environmental groups that oppose shale fracking have sent a letter to the Environmental Defense Fund saying they disapprove of the group supporting the Center for Sustainable Shale Development.
The letter in part reads: "Those of us concerned with charting a rational and sustainable energy policy for the United States were disheartened to see the Environmental Defense Fund lend its name and support to an entity called the Center for Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD). The very use of the word sustainable in the name is misleading, because there is nothing sustainable about shale oil or shale gas. These are fossil fuels, and their extraction and consumption will inevitably degrade our environment and contribute to climate change. Hydraulic fracturing, the method used to extract them, will permanently remove huge quantities of water from the hydrological cycle, pollute the air, contaminate drinking water, and release high levels of methane into the atmosphere. It should be eminently clear to everyone that an economy based on fossil fuels is unsustainable." …
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Utica shale continues to show promise
Sandy Fielden at RBN Energy LLC writes that the Utica shale production numbers released last week "disappointed investors hoping for evidence of another Bakken or Eagle Ford. But the state data does not tell the whole story.
Fielden: "Utica shale is not going to produce as much oil as the Bakken or Eagle Ford in the short term.
To read more or comment...
Is the Utica shale a bust?
Don't despair over the new production figures from the Utica shale in Ohio, writes John Kingston at Platt's blog The Barrel.
Kingston: "The release of Ohio's 2012 production figures last week by the state hit the market with a thud, disappointing just about any analyst who checked in with their views. 'Bust' was a commonly-heard theme about the Utica, supposedly the next-great US shale play.
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EID Ohio: Natural gas pipeline concerns largely unfounded
Energy In Depth Ohio says that natural gas pipeline construction is largely environmentally safe and, when finished, typically not noticed by the general public.
Shawn Bennett, director of corporate and community affairs for Energy In Depth Ohio, writes: "Pipelines are nothing new to us in Ohio, or anywhere across the United States for that matter. In fact, nearly 2.1 million miles of natural gas pipelines crisscross the country. To put that in perspective, if you laid 2.1 million miles of pipe end to end, you would have enough pipe to stretch to the moon and back — more than four times! Even more impressive? Most people couldn't tell you where a pipeline is laid after it has been there for a couple months. Those targeting pipelines as some sort of eyesore are just looking for any reason possible to be against oil and gas development, no matter how silly their claims are.
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Energy predictions difficult, especially about the future
Everyone needs to keep in mind that predictions about energy production often prove wrong, writes Kurt Gobb at The Christian Science Monitor's EnergyVoices blog.
He notes physicist Niels Bohr's tongue-in-cheek observation, "Predictions are very difficult, especially about the future."
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Frack, baby, frack = jobs and revenue
Fracked energy from the United States is changing the global energy market and driving down prices as it increases supply, writes Mark Green at The EnergyTomorrow blog.
Green writes: " ... the head of the federal agency that analyzes energy data says the recent growth in U.S. production has helped reduce the price of Brent crude, a leading global benchmark, by about $25 a barrel. That's big, because the cost of crude oil is the single biggest factor in the price of gasoline ..."
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The big lie on natural gas exports
Carl Pope, the former head of the Sierra Club, isn't buying into the arguments that exporting shale-derived natural gas is in the best interest of the nation or consumers. He argues against exporting energy at the Energy Experts Blog at NationalJournal.com
Pope says in part: "All informed participants know – and almost all conceal – that the primary purpose of building export infrastructure like the Keystone Pipeline or LNG terminals is to raise energy prices in North America. What is mystifying is why almost all of America's political class is willing to support a set of policy decisions whose outcomes will be to impoverish most Americans and weaken the nation."
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America's energy opportunity is more than shale
Michael Levi in Foreign Affairs magazine makes a strong case for an "all of the above" approach when it comes to developing and using new sources of energy in the United states.
Levi, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, writes in part: "The truth is that the best way to strengthen the American economy, bolster national security, and protect the environment is for the country to take advantage of all the new energy opportunities.
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Chesapeake Energy names Lawler to be new CEO
From the Associated Press:
Chesapeake Energy has named Anadarko Petroleum executive Robert Douglas Lawler as its new CEO.
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Southwestern closes on 162,000 acres in Marcellus shale
From the PR News Wire on Friday:
HOUSTON, May 17, 2013 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Southwestern Energy Company (NYSE: SWN) announced today that it has closed its recently announced acquisition of approximately 162,000 net acres in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania. The properties were acquired from Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE: CHK) and its partner for approximately $93 million, excluding purchase price adjustments. Southwestern has financed the acquisition with its revolving credit facility.
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Frack chic to spread to designer clothing?
Fracking as haute couture? Possibly, according to this somewhat tongue-in-chic ... er, tongue-in-cheek report.
The Via Meadia blog notes a Wall Street Journal story: "Flame-resistant overalls are the latest reason to be optimistic about America's future. The US shale boom is creating plenty of new jobs in the oil and gas industry, but it's having a number of knock-on effects as well. Energy-intensive industries have been bolstered by the influx of cheap natural gas, for example. And a new sector has appeared to help support the rapidly growing number of oil and gas workers in America. Firms that feed, house, and, as the the WSJ reports, clothe these workers are capitalizing on this energy revolution, too."
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President enrages greens with new fracking rules
The Obama administration may be softening its stance on fracking, writes Walter Russell Mead at his blog, Via Meadia.
Mead: "The Interior Department has just released long-awaited revisions to proposed rules governing fracking on federal land. The new rules are meant to replace a thirty-year-old set of regulations that are now hopelessly out of step with current technology.
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Marcellus coalition is becoming regional drilling force
The Pittsburgh-based Marcellus Shale Coalition, a pro-drilling industry group, is becoming a power in Pennsylvania.
Its influences are also being felt in Ohio, West Virginia and New York, according to EnertWire.
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API questions proposed federal fracking rules
From the American Petroleum Institute:
WASHINGTON, May 16, 2013 – Erik Milito, API director of upstream and industry operations questioned the Bureau of Land Management's proposed rules regulating hydraulic fracturing on federally-controlled land. He said rigorous state rules and state-based tools, such as FracFocus.org, are already in place to ensure responsible oil and natural gas development.
"States have led the way in regulating hydraulic fracturing operations while protecting communities and the environment for decades. While changes to the proposed rule attempt to better acknowledge the state role, BLM has yet to answer the question why BLM is moving forward with these requirements in the first place.
A few tidbits on Ohio's 2012 Utica production data
Here are a few interesting tidbits from Ohio's presentation and report on Ohio's Utica shale and 2012 production data from 87 wells:
1. Chesapeake Energy reported on 53 wells that were in production in calendar year 2012.
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Ohio data shows big energy increase in Utica shale
The Columbus Dispatch was at Ohio's "State of the State" presentation in Columbus on Thursday to provide Utica shale production data.
Click here to read the story.
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Ohio sees Utica shale produce big 2012 production numbers
From the Ohio Department of Natural Resources on Thursday on Utica shale production data:
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ODNR makes "State of the Play" available online
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is making its "State of the Play" update on Thursday from Columbus on the Utica shale available online.
ODNR Director James Zehringer, Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management Chief Rick Simmers and JobsOhio Managing Director David Mustine offered an update on the development of the Utica shale play in Ohio during the release of the 2012 well production results.\
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Sierra Club knocks new BLM fracking rules
From the Sierra Club on Thursday:
Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Dept. of Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced its latest fracking rules for shale drilling on federal lands, which were last revised in 1988. These draft rules completely fail to honor President Obama's 2013 State of the Union address where he pledged to do more to combat climate change for the sake of our children and our future.
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Eco-group is unhappy with Moniz confirmation
From Food & Water Watch on Thursday:
Washington, D.C.—"We are disappointed that the Senate has confirmed fracking proponent Dr. Ernest Moniz as Secretary of Energy. In his new position, Dr. Moniz will have the power to influence our nation's energy future, helping to determine the forms of power that will light up America's energy grids. He will also play a role in regulating oil and gas extraction and determining whether these resources are used here at home or shipped abroad. Dr. Moniz has significant ties to the the oil and gas industry and his confirmation makes it all the more important for President Obama to exercise leadership and reject dirty energy sources and pursue a clean energy future.
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Earthjustice not satisfied with federal fracking rules
From Earthjustice on Thursday:
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposed an updated set of rules governing hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," on public lands today. The controversial oil and gas development technique -- in which drillers blast millions of gallons of chemically treated water into the earth to force oil and gas from underground deposits – has been linked to air and water pollution and public health problems.
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Group disappointed by proposed federal fracking rules
From the Center for Effective Government on Thursday:
Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a revised proposed rule covering hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on federal lands. The Center for Effective Government's Sofia Plagakis has a new blog post up reacting to the rule.
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Ceremonies on May 20 for new Towpath Trail bridge
Groundbreaking ceremonies are scheduled on May 20 for a new bridge on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in Northeast Ohio.
The Tuscarawas River Aqueduct Bridge lies on the border between Stark and Tuscarawas counties near Bolivar.
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West Virginia eco-groups want tracers in fracking fluids
A coalition of West Virginia eco-groups is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to adopt a better mthod of detecting fracking fluids used in shale gas drilling.
The groups are involved in the Monongahela National Forest that falls under the agriculture department.
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Report says LNG exports will create jobs, not impact domestic prices
From the American Petroleum Institute, a national trade group:
WASHINGTON, May 15, 2013 – U.S. LNG exports could create tens of thousands of domestic jobs while having only minimal impacts on domestic U.S. natural gas prices, a new report for API by ICF International finds. The report also concludes that LNG exports would spur strong growth in U.S. GDP but that U.S. companies would face considerable competition for LNG sales abroad, with at least 63 international LNG export projects currently planned or under construction.
"Increasing LNG exports is clearly in our national interest and will help the U.S. reach the president's goal to double U.S. exports," API President and CEO Jack Gerard said. "The industry is ready to invest in American infrastructure to create jobs and produce more domestic energy as soon as the Department of Energy moves forward with the approval of LNG export applications. Timely approval of LNG exports is crucial if we want to be competitive with international projects rushing to be first to market."
U.S. LNG Exports: Impacts on Energy Markets and the Economy studies the energy market and economic impacts of LNG export levels of up to 4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcfd), 8 Bcfd, and 16 Bcfd by 2035. Among the report's findings:
Illinois close to vote on new fracking rules
From the Associated Press:
Supporters of high-volume oil and gas drilling said Wednesday that they hope for a quick vote on a bill to regulate the practice in Illinois after reaching agreements on hiring and environmental concerns.
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Gulfport Energy buying water from Piedmont Reservoir for fracking
Gulfport Energy Corp. is buying more water from the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District.
The district is also looking into whether water could be sold to natural gas drillers from six more of its reservoirs in east-central Ohio. It also tightened its policy on short-term water sales.
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MWCD adopts new policy on short-term water sales to drillers
Here is the press release from the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District on its new policy on short-term water sales:
A policy containing upgraded guidelines for the short-term sales of water from the lakes of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) that includes provisions for supplies for the oil and gas industry has been approved and will go into effect immediately.
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Chemical disclosure will be part of new federal fracking rules
From the Associated Press:
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said today it will require companies that drill for oil and natural gas on federal lands to publicly disclose chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations. The new "fracking" rule replaces a draft proposed last year that was withdrawn amid industry complaints that federal regulation could hinder an ongoing boom in natural gas production.
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State says Ohio Utica shale to produce "staggering" amounts of oil, gas
Ohio says the Utica shale is living up to its promise. The state announced well production results Thursday afternoon in a live press conference.
Oil production out of 87 wells in 2012 was 635,896 barrels.
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Ohio to unveil 2012 Utica shale production numbers today
The state of Ohio has scheduled what it calls the "State of the Play" event today, May 16, in Columbus to unveil 2012 Utica shale production numbers at 2 p.m..
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has data on 87 wells that were in production as of Dec. 31, 2012.
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Grass-roots group to collect air samples in southeast Ohio
Ohio is joining the Bucket Brigade.
That's the name given to the air-testing system organized by the California-based Global Community Monitor that relies on citizen volunteers, said organizer Teresa Mills.
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Protestors unhappy with plans for Wheeling wastewater facility
A grass-roots group is unhappy with Green Hunter Water's plans for a drilling wastewater facility in Wheeling, W. Va.
The group, Wheeling Water Warriors, protested the company's plans this week.
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Shale will keep natural gas prices low for 10 years, Moody's says
From Moody's Investors Services earlier this week:
North America's shale drilling revolution is now permanent and will keep natural gas selling at historically low prices for at least the next decade, Moody's Investors Service says in a new report. And while low natural gas prices will have long-term benefits for some sectors and companies, they will hurt other types of businesses, the agency says.
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Minnesota reaches compromise on managing frack sand
From the Associated Press:
A Minnesota lawmaker says a compromise has been reached on regulating frack sand mining in Minnesota.
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Colorado talk, rap at school trigger angry reaction
It is the fracking story that keeps growing.
Two brothers repesenting a youth-based eco-group, Earth Guardians, gave a presentation and sang a rap against fracking at Evergreen Middle School in Boulder, Colo.
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Pennsylvanians favor drilling but also want moratorium, survey says
A new survey shows that Pennsylvania residents support shale drilling but are also in favor of a drilling moratorium, according to NPR's StateImpact Pennsylvania.
The survey by the University of Michigan, in cooperation with the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, said that 49 percent of those surveyed are in favor of drlling.
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Texas company acquires frack sand company in Utica, Marcellus shales
From Texas-based Hi-Crush Partners:
Houston, Texas - May 14, 2013 - Hi-Crush Partners LP (NYSE: HCLP), or Hi-Crush, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire independent frac sand distributor D&I Silica, LLC (D&I), transforming Hi-Crush into an integrated producer, transporter, marketer and distributor of high-quality Northern White frac sand.
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Pennsylvania testing air quality in Susquehanna County
Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection is testing air quality this week in Susquehanna County, acording to NPR's StateImpact Pennsylvania.
The initial results show no major problems but the full results wil take a month to analyze.
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Drilling tax rates are under scrutiny in Pennsylvania
From the Associated Press:
A boom in natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania is generating billions of dollars for companies and private landowners, but some experts question whether the state's low effective tax on the bounty makes long-term sense.
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Shale boom will trigger 'shockwaves' through global oil trade
From Bloomberg News:
The U.S. shale boom will send "shockwaves" through the global oil trade over the next five years, benefiting the nation's refiners and displacing OPEC as the driver of supply growth, the IEA said.
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ODNR approves 22 new Utica shale permits
It was a busy week for Utuica shale permits in Ohio.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management issued 22 new permits in the week ending May 11.
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Windham Twp. road vacation rejected by commissioners
The Portage County Commissioners on Tuesday rejected a request to abandon a planned street in Windham Township.
Landowner Dale Soinski made the request to vacate two sections of Frasier Road that only exist on paper south of Silica Sand Road.
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MarkWest Energy tops survey of midstream providers
From EnergyPoint Research on its survey results:
HOUSTON (May 15, 2013) – Today EnergyPoint Research announces that MarkWest Energy, Williams and Sunoco Logistics captured the top three rankings, respectively, in the EnergyPoint Research's 2013 Midstream Services Customer Satisfaction Survey. The biennial survey is the leading independently conducted benchmark study focusing on the oil and gas industry's satisfaction with midstream service providers.
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Study finds no water contamination from drilling in Arkansas
From Duke University:
DURHAM, N.C. -- A new study by scientists at Duke University and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) finds no evidence of groundwater contamination from shale gas production in Arkansas.
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Radioactive waste from drilling hot topic with Ohio eco-groups
Antero Resources has two rigs drilling in Ohio's Utica shale
From Antero Resources, a Colorado-based driller that is getting more active on Ohio's Utica shale:
The information is from a company report issed Monday on first quarter 2013 operations and finances.
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Oil trains heading from North Dakota shale to Pacific Northwest
Oil trains, also called pipelines on wheels, are rumbling from North Daokta's Bakken shale to the Pacific Northwest, reports the Portland Oregonian.
The mile-long oil trains are heading to refineries and ports in Washington and Oregon.
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Penn State's Engelder is a Marcellus shale star
Dr. Terry Engelder of Penn State University is a shale star.
He is widely hailed as geologist and professor whose research provided key information on the Marcellus shale in Pennsylvania. He has defended the drilling as safe and been an advocate for Marcellus shale development.
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Marcellus shale acre worth at least $80,000, maybe more
How much is an acre of Marcellus shale land worth?
The answer is at least $80,000 and perhaps as much as as $160,000, says David McMahon of Charleston, W. Va., an attorney and co-founder of the West Virginia Surface owners Rights Group.
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Shale gas may account for 45 percent of Europe's energy by 2035
From Bloomberg News:
Shale gas may account for 45 percent of production of the fuel in Europe excluding Norway by 2035, management consultant A.T. Kearney said, citing a study.
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MarkWest seeks new office space at Cadiz in Harrison County
MarkWest Energy Partners has plans to build a new office facility in Ohio's Harrison County.
The firm has outgrown its administrative offices on Main Street in Cadiz and will build on five acres at the Harrison County Industrial Park at Cadiz, the Herald-Star reported.
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Wyoming unveils new state energy policy; state wants to be key energy exporter
From the Associated Press:
Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead on Monday unveiled a state energy policy two years in the making that calls for maintaining Wyoming's position as the top energy-exporting state while preserving its wild, scenic and pristine landscapes.
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Price of oil rises with U.S. oil sales increase in April
From the Associated Press:
The price of oil rose Tuesday after U.S. retail sales unexpectedly increased in April.
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Pipeline boom starting to impact residents in eastern Ohio
The burgeoning pipeline system being developed in eastern Ohio's Utica shale is starting to impact counties, local communities and residents, says the Columbus Dispatch.
Reporter Spencer Hunt visited Scio in Harrison County and filed a report.
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May 15 talk in Ashtabula County on injection wells
Ohio anti-fracking activist Teresa Mills will speak at 6 p.m. May 15 in southwest Ashtabula County.
She will speak on injection wells used to get rid of liquid drilling wastes at the Windsor Community Center, 5340 Mayfield Road.
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McClendon's future plans back in the spotlight
What former Chesapeake Enery Corp. CEO Aubrey McClendon plans to do in the future is very much in the news, especially in Oklahoma where Chesapeake is based.
Click here to see what's been reported recently at the Chesapeake Power Play blog.
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Radiation in drilling wastes still a growing concern
When a garbage truck from a shale gas well set off radiation detectors at a South Huntingdon landfill in southwest Pennsylvania on April 19, it drew attention from township officials.
But they aren't the only ones watching what has become a growing issue all over Pennsylvania.
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API unhappy with BLM's delay in California leasing
From the American Petroleum Institute:
WASHINGTON, May 9, 2013 – A recent decision by BLM to delay oil and natural gas leasing in California is an example of counterproductive government policy that will hurt the economy and weaken U.S. energy security, API Chief Economist John Felmy told reporters this morning:
"America has a game changing opportunity to build a stronger economy and to secure a brighter energy future thanks to our vast supplies of newly accessible oil and natural gas. Full development of these resources could mean millions more jobs, stronger and more rapid economic growth, and trillions in added tax revenue, all while strengthening our position vis-à-vis the geopolitics of oil and natural gas markets. Unfortunately, current federal policy continues to prevent our nation from taking full advantage of this opportunity. The most recent example of this is BLM's decision to postpone oil and natural gas lease sales in California until the fall, at the earliest.
"For the last several years, the federal government has shown virtually no interest in promoting new energy development. Today, eighty-seven percent of federal offshore areas remain off limits to oil and natural gas production. And where development is possible in federal areas, permitting and leasing is a slow and cumbersome process. According to the Department of the Interior, from 2008 to 2012, the number of drilling permits issued on federally controlled onshore land dropped over 36 percent while the actual number of wells drilled dropped 40 percent, which depresses production.
"As we look ahead we know that our nation has the workforce, the innovative and the entrepreneurial spirit to make the most of the energy renaissance created by the energy from the shale revolution. We also know that all too often, what's lacking is political leadership and vision. We therefore urge lawmakers on all levels to work together to create a fact-based energy policy, so that our nation can take full advantage of its bright energy future and secure its place as a 21st century global energy leader."
API is a national trade association that represents all segments of America's technology-driven oil and natural gas industry. Its more than 500 members – including large integrated companies, exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms – provide most of the nation's energy. The industry also supports 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers $85 million a day in revenue to our government, and, since 2000, has invested over $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.
Bank files appeal in Chesapeake Energy bond case
From Bloomberg News:
Bank of New York Mellon Corp., the world's biggest custody bank, is appealing a ruling allowing Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) to proceed today with redeeming $1.3 billion in bonds six years early at 100 cents on the dollar.
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Frenzy to export LNG is building in the United States
From the Associated Press:
A domestic natural gas boom already has lowered U.S. energy prices while stoking fears of environmental disaster. Now U.S. producers are poised to ship vast quantities of gas overseas as energy companies seek permits for proposed export projects that could set off a renewed frenzy of fracking.
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Colorado residents wanting to ban fracking sue city
From the Associated Press:
A group of Colorado Springs residents is suing the city in hopes of eventually banning oil and gas drilling, including hydraulic fracturing, within city limits.
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Athens City Council supports ban on injection wells in Ohio
Last Monday, Athens City Council unanimously approved legislation supporting a proposed statewide ban on injection wells.
Legislation has been introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives and the Senate.
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EV Energy Partners to form joint ventures to tap Ohio Utica shale for oil
A Texas-based energy company said on Friday that it intends to determine how to best drill for oil in Stark and Tuscarawas counties in Ohio's Utica shale.
EV Energy Partners said it is seeking to form one or more joint ventures with unnamed companies to determine the best way to get that oil to the surface, said executive chairman John B. Walker in a teleconference on first quarter 2013 earnings and operations.
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Borrowing base for Antero Resources hiked to $1.75 billion
From Antero Resources, a Colorado-based drilling company active in Ohio's Utica shale:
DENVER, May 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Antero Resources announced today that the borrowing base under its bank credit facility has been increased to $1.75 billion. This represents a $530 million increase over Antero's previous borrowing base. In addition, lender commitments under the facility were increased by $500 million to $1.2 billion. The $1.2 billion commitment can be expanded to the full $1.75 billion borrowing base upon bank approval.
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Two House members introduce new fracking rules in Congress
From U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, R-Colo., on Thursday:
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) joined with her colleague Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY) to introduce the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act (FRAC Act), a bipartisan bill that establishes common sense safeguards to protect groundwater from risks associated with the oil and gas drilling technique "hydraulic fracturing," better known as "fracking." The FRAC Act would require disclosure of the chemicals used in fracking fluids and would remove the oil and gas industry's exemption from the Safe Drinking Water Act. Rep. DeGette has introduced the FRAC Act in each Congress since 2008, but today marks the first time it has been introduced on a bipartisan basis.
"As we recognize the need for energy independence and clean tech innovations to power our nation, natural gas is an important economic driver; but we must ensure the process for extracting natural gas is done safely and responsibly," said Rep. DeGette. "I'm proud to introduce the FRAC Act today for the first time as a bipartisan bill. As fracking operations expand, colleagues on both sides of the aisle increasingly recognize we need common-sense legislation to ensure the economic benefits of natural gas do not come at the expense of the health and safety of families and communities."
Over the past decade, the use of fracking has expanded exponentially due to advances in drilling technology, the need for U.S. energy independence, and a move towards utilizing natural gas while the country incorporates renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydropower. While the nation begins to reap the rewards of natural gas, anecdotal evidence has begun to emerge of residents, homeowners, and workers becoming ill after oil and gas operations began in their communities. In promoting the benefits of this cleaner domestic fuel, it is critical to account for the real issues that exist, and any policy developed to support fracking must ensure the health and safety of our citizens.
To address these concerns in a reasonable way, the FRAC Act would:
U.S. Steel, Republic Steel in new joint venture in Lorain County
According to Lorain County's Chronicle-Telegram, the Utica shale boom in Ohio is affecting steelmakers in a big way.
U.S. Steel plans to expand its Lorain operation and it is talking to Republic Steel in Canton about a new joint project.
To read more or comment...
Will fish amendment stop frack sand mining in Minnesota?
From the Associated Press:
Environmentalists are counting on a game and fish amendment as their last, best chance this legislative session to control frack sand mining in Minnesota.
To read more or comment...
Government policy hurting California gas leasing, API says
From the American Petroleum Institute on Thursday:
WASHINGTON, May 9, 2013 – A recent decision by BLM to delay oil and natural gas leasing in California is an example of counterproductive government policy that will hurt the economy and weaken U.S. energy security, API Chief Economist John Felmy told reporters this morning:
"America has a game changing opportunity to build a stronger economy and to secure a brighter energy future thanks to our vast supplies of newly accessible oil and natural gas. Full development of these resources could mean millions more jobs, stronger and more rapid economic growth, and trillions in added tax revenue, all while strengthening our position vis-à-vis the geopolitics of oil and natural gas markets. Unfortunately, current federal policy continues to prevent our nation from taking full advantage of this opportunity. The most recent example of this is BLM's decision to postpone oil and natural gas lease sales in California until the fall, at the earliest.
"For the last several years, the federal government has shown virtually no interest in promoting new energy development. Today, eighty-seven percent of federal offshore areas remain off limits to oil and natural gas production. And where development is possible in federal areas, permitting and leasing is a slow and cumbersome process. According to the Department of the Interior, from 2008 to 2012, the number of drilling permits issued on federally controlled onshore land dropped over 36 percent while the actual number of wells drilled dropped 40 percent, which depresses production.
"As we look ahead we know that our nation has the workforce, the innovative and the entrepreneurial spirit to make the most of the energy renaissance created by the energy from the shale revolution. We also know that all too often, what's lacking is political leadership and vision. We therefore urge lawmakers on all levels to work together to create a fact-based energy policy, so that our nation can take full advantage of its bright energy future and secure its place as a 21st century global energy leader."
API is a national trade association that represents all segments of America's technology-driven oil and natural gas industry. Its more than 500 members – including large integrated companies, exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms – provide most of the nation's energy. The industry also supports 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers $85 million a day in revenue to our government, and, since 2000, has invested over $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.
Crosstex to invest additional $25 million in Ohio Valley facilities
From a press release from Crosstex Energy:
)--The Crosstex Energy companies, Crosstex Energy, L.P. (NASDAQ:XTEX) (the Partnership) and Crosstex Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:XTXI) (the Corporation), today announced that the Corporation has agreed to invest approximately $25 million in a third natural gas compression and condensate stabilization facility in the Ohio River Valley. The Corporation will make the investment in E2, a company formed in March 2013 with the former management of Enerven Compression Services to provide services for producers in the liquids-rich window of the Utica Shale play. The Corporation's initial investment commitment in E2 of approximately $50 million is funding the construction of two similar facilities. The E2 investment complements the Partnership's assets in the Ohio River Valley, which encompass crude oil, condensate and logistics operations in the Utica and Marcellus Shale plays.To read more or comment...
MarkWest Energy Partners release 1Q 2013 report
From MarkWest Energy Partners, a major player in developing midstream facilities in Ohio's Utica shale:
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 8, 2013--
BLM postpones federal lease auctions in California
From the Associated Press:
Federal land managers have cited the toll of environmental litigation in postponing all oil and gas lease auctions in California until October.
To read more or comment...
Youngstown voters made the right decision, EID says
Received on Wednesday, a blog by Shawn Bennett, director of corporate and community affairs at Energy in Depth Ohio, an industry-backed pro-drilling group. He said the blog could be added to the blog you are readfing.
Here's is what he wrote:
To read more or comment...
MarkWest, Chesapeake Energy in Anadarko midstream deal
A press release issued on Wednesday by Denver-based MarkWest Energy Partners:
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P. (MWE) (MarkWest) announced today the execution of definitive agreements to acquire 100% of the ownership interests of certain midstream assets in the Anadarko Basin from a wholly owned subsidiary of Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK) (Chesapeake), for consideration of $245 million in cash. The transaction closed simultaneously with the execution of the agreements.
To read more or comment...
Gulfport Energy to add more rigs, drill up to 60 wells in Ohio in 2013
Gulfport Energy Corp. has big plans for Ohio's Utica shale.
The Oklahoma-based energy company said on Wednesday that it intends to add four drilling rigs in eastern Ohio by the end of June and now expects to invest $500 million in Ohio in 2013 to drill up to 60 wells.
To read more or comment...
Injection wells aren't much to see; they won't knock your socks off
WINDHAM TWP.: The injection well for liquid wastes from drilling is, frankly, not much to look at.
Three pipes — one red and two yellow — poke out of the ground about five feet at a farm off state Route 303 in northeast Portage County.
To read more or comment...
Talisman Energy bowing out of shale drilling in Poland
From the Associated Press:
Canada's Talisman said Wednesday it had not found enough gas to warrant further expensive exploration or extraction procedures. It will sell its Polish interests to a European company, San Leon Energy, and focus on easier-to-get deposits in North and South America, Southeast Asia and the North Sea.
To read more or comment...
Junex Inc. chairman will not renew mandate
From Junex Inc., a Canadian company with significant Utica shale holdings in Quebec:
To read more or comment...
Gulfport Energy to increase Utica drilling rigs from three to seven
Gulfport Energy Corp. a major player in Ohio's Utica shale, has released its first quarter 2013 report.
Highlights from the company are below.
To read more or comment...
Ohio has approved 639 Utica shale permits, 311 wells drilled
Ohio has issued 639 Utica shale permits, as of May 4.
Of that total, 311 wells have been drilled and 90 wells are producing, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources..
To read more or comment...
Youngstown voters reject community bill of rights
From the Associated Press:
Youngstown voters on Tuesday rejected a proposal to ban hydraulic fracturing.
To read more or comment...
Survey says Ohio is an attractive places to do business
From the Ohio Petroleum Council:
OPC comments on new Ohio economic ranking
COLUMBUS – Chief Executive Magazine ranked Ohio as one of the nation's most improved states to do business in 2013. Ohio Petroleum Council (OPC) Executive Director Chris Zeigler offered the following comments on the magazine's annual CEO survey:
"Ohio's economic condition is certainly improving, and shale energy producers are leading the way with high paying jobs and opportunities for sustained economic prosperity. Gov. John Kasich and legislative leaders have done a good job in providing the industry with a strong regulatory framework that encourages environmentally responsible development and bolsters citizens' confidence. OPC will continue to work with our elected leaders to advance smart fiscal and regulatory policies to ensure continued safe and productive shale energy exploration and development in Ohio."
According to the latest statistics from the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, jobs created within the oil and natural gas industry offered considerably higher wages than jobs in other Ohio industries. From 2011 to 2012, oil and natural gas workers were paid an average wage of $72,859; approximately $29,006 higher than the average wage offered in the state's other industries. In addition, jobs supporting the oil and natural gas industry paid an annual wage of $58,532, approximately $14,679 higher than jobs in other industries.
OPC is a division of API, which represents all segments of America's technology-driven oil and natural gas industry. Its more than 500 members provide most of the nation's energy. The industry also supports 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers $85 million a day in revenue to our government, and since 2000, has invested over $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.
Anadarko offers little information on Utica shale plans
Anadarko Petroleum Corp. today had little to say about Ohio's Utica shale.
The Utica shale drew no comments during the teleconference on the company's first quarter 2013 earnings and got scant attention in a related company report.
To read more or comment...
Antero Resources may proceed with initial public offering
Colorado-based Antero Resources may be going public, according to the Denver Post.
The company may be valued as high as $10 billion in its initial public offering, according to estimates.
To read more or comment...
Chesapeake Energy makes change to board of directors
A press release from May 3 on change to Chesapeake Energy board:
OKLAHOMA CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 3, 2013-- Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) today announced that its Board of Directors has accepted the resignation of director Louis A. Simpson. Thomas L. Ryan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Service Corporation International (NYSE:SCI), has been elected to fill the vacancy and has been appointed to the audit committee. He will stand for election at the 2013 annual meeting of shareholders on June 14. Mr. Ryan replaces R. Brad Martin on the audit committee, with Mr. Martin becoming chair of the nominating, corporate governance and social responsibility committee.
To read more or comment...
Is Obama pushing for LNG exports? eco-group asks
Why is President Obama Capitulating to Big Oil and Gas?
Statement of Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter on behalf of Americans Against Fracking
Washington, D.C.— "President Obama's comments that he supports accelerating liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports is great news for the oil and gas industry and bad news for the rest of us. It means that communities across the United States could soon see drilling and fracking accelerate. It also represents a clear acknowledgement by President Obama that this is his decision, and suggests that he will own the resulting damage inflicted upon our water, air, land and climate.
To read more or comment...
Ribbon-cutting ceremonies at Youngstown plant
A press release received today from Exterran:
Exterran and Ohio Governor John Kasich Celebrate Ribbon-Cutting for New Youngstown Facility
To read more or comment...
Pipeline to Detroit, Ontario to run through Akron-Canton area
A large pipeline proposed for transporting natural gas from eastern Ohio's Utica shale through Detroit and into southern Ontario would run under several communities in the Akron-Canton area.
The 250-mile pipeline would cross Stark County and into the cities of Green and New Franklin in southern Summit County, then into Medina County. It would pass under Wadsworth and Guilford, Montville, Lafayette, York and Litchfield townships.
To read more or comment...
Frac Daddy finishes 16th of 19 horses in Kentucky Derby
Frac Daddy did not win the Kentucky Derby.
But the three-year-old thoroughbred did win the support of Sarah Palin, a Derby guest in Kentucky. She even bet on Frac Daddy.
To read more or comment...
Youngstown to get new fabrication facility on Tuesday
Ohio John John Kasich will be in Youngstown on Tuesday, May 7, for the dedication of a new oil and gas equipment fabrication facility.
The new plant is owned by Texas-based Exterran.
To read more or comment...
Eco-groups worried about impacts of Maryland LNG export terminal
From a coalition of eco-groups today:
WASHINGTON, DC- A coalition of local, regional, and national groups are objecting to the environmental impacts posed by the proposed Dominion Cove Point liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal on the Chesapeake Bay, saying the project would hurt the Bay's economy and ecology, increase air pollution, and hasten fracking and drilling in neighboring states.
To read more or comment...
Fracking may be hurting farming communities, writer says
The Nation has published a look at how fracking may be affecting farming communities in a report by Ellen Cantarow.
Those communities are being turned into open-air laboratories by energy companies, she writes.
To read more or comment...
Halliburton objection scraps North Carolian fracking rules
From the Associated Press:
A new rule set for approval by the North Carolina Mining and Energy Commission requiring some disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing has been withdrawn at the request of industry giant Halliburton.
To read more or comment...
Truthout looks at sand mining for fracking in Wisconsin
Truthout is reporting from its Fracking Road Trip.
Reporter Mike Ludwig is in Wisconsin's Chippewa County where sand excavation for fracking is a big issue.
To read more or comment...
Florida to promote use of natural gas fuels
A press release received last week:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., May 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Florida House passed HB 579 to promote the use of natural gas fuels in Florida. Eric Criss, Chairman of the Florida Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition (FNGVC) congratulated the legislature on its action: "Florida now leads the nation in our crucial drive toward energy independence. This is an important step forward in America's evolving national security policy and in protecting our environment. I commend Senator Wilton Simpson, Representative Lake Ray and their colleagues on both sides of the aisle for this important accomplishment."
To read more or comment...
New study underscores benefits of natural gas
From the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council on May 3:
Washington, D.C.– Today, the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) published a new report titled "The Benefits of Natural Gas Production and Exports for U.S. Small Businesses." The report highlights the significant growth in the number of employer firms and jobs in the energy sector between 2005-2010. The job growth is most striking among small businesses. During this same period, total U.S. employment and firms experienced a decline. The findings of the report underscore the need for policies that encourage and enable this positive development for the U.S. economy.
To read more or comment...
Pilot gas-to-liquids plant operating in central Ohio
An Ohio company is working to develop a natural gas to liquids process.
Here's the company's press release
To read more or comment...
Halcon Resources completes first four Utica wells
From the Marcellus Drilling News:
Halcón Resources, a Utica Shale driller, issued their first quarter financial and operational update yesterday. With regard to the Utica, the company reports they operated two drilling rigs in Ohio and Pennsylvania (yes, there is Utica in PA too!), drilling and completing four wells in 1Q13.
To read more or comment...
Chevron buys Pittsburgh site for possible regional offices
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that energy giant Chevron has purchased 61 acres in Moon Township west of Pittsburgh for a possible regional headquarters.
Chevron said an announcement on the use of the land would not be made until late this year.
To read more or comment...
EQT, Chesapeake Energy in new Marcellus, Utica land sale
From Richard Zeits of the Seeking Alpha blog:
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
To read more or comment...
Colorado governor defends fracking position
From the Associated Press:
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper says he is trying to be impartial on issues involving oil and gas production in Colorado.
To read more or comment...
Residents to appeal sand mine decision in Minnesota
From the Associated Press:
Some residents are appealing the Winona County Board's decision not to require a detailed environmental review of a proposed frack sand mine in Minnesota.
To read more or comment...
Puppies more dangerous than fracking?
Please don't howl. Allen Gilmer at Drillinginfo.com takes a look at how to measure risk and concludes that puppies are more dangerous to people than fracking.
Think that he might be barking up the wrong tree? Does he deserve a swat on the rear with a rolled up newspaper?
To read more or comment...
Two New York towns celebrate appeals' court ruling
From the eco-group EarthJustice in reaction to appeals' court ruling in New York cases:
ALBANY, NY – Local residents and elected leaders in Dryden, N.Y. are celebrating victory today in a closely watched case over local fracking bans. A state appeals court ruled in favor of the towns of Dryden and Middlefield, affirming lower court decisions upholding the towns' right to ban oil and gas development activities -- including the controversial technique of fracking -- within town limits. The legal battle first began in 2011, and industry is widely expected to seek review of the ruling by New York's high court (the Court of Appeals).
To read more or comment...
Appeals court upholds New York towns' anti-fracking laws
From Bloomberg News:
Anti-fracking laws passed in two New York towns were upheld by an appeals court, which rejected arguments by a dairy farm and a Norwegian energy company that the bans are superceded by state law.
To read more or comment...
Read the report that has the U.S. fracking world buzzing
You probably -- OK, should have -- read the stories about how the Bakken shale area now holds twice the amount of fossil fuels compared to the previous estimate made in 2008.
You can go to the source of those stories and read the offical U.S Geological Survey report yourself by going here.
To read more or comment...
Badminton no way to promote fracking. Really.
Don't try to persuade the people of Great Britain to back fracking by paying them off with badminton courts, writes Michael Hanlon in the (U.K.) Guardian.
Hanlon: "This is not a spoof: it is actually being considered by the coalition, on the advice of the energy and climate change select committee, as a way of getting the people of Lancashire and elsewhere to drop their opposition to fracking, a controversial technology that extracts natural gas by blasting it out of ancient, deeply buried shale strata. A country that led the way with civil coal and nuclear power, and whose efficient national grid was a symbol of the postwar drive to modernise, is now basing energy policy on bribing villagers with badminton courts.
To read more or comment...
Many more U.S. shales to be tapped
There are many shale formations in the United States that have yet to be tapped and fracked, reports The Texas Tribune. Among them, the Cline shale in Texas is just starting to be explored.
The Tribune: "It is coming, and it is big," said Greg Wortham, the mayor of Sweetwater [Texas], who also serves as executive director of the Cline Shale Alliance, a new economic development group.
To read more or comment...
Spread of drilling likely to increase water competition, report says
Hydraulic fracturing or fracking may cause new water problems in the American West.
Drilling is growing in places where water supplies are already stretched thin.
To read more or comment...
Fracking stressors due to lack of transparency, trust, Pitt study says
From the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health on Monday:
Pennsylvania residents living near unconventional natural gas developments using hydraulic fracturing, known by the slang term "fracking," attribute several dozen health concerns and stressors to the Marcellus Shale developments in their area, according to a long-term analysis by University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health researchers.
To read more or comment...
Stark State hosting Floor Hand class for drilling workers
Stark State College and ShaleNET are sponsoring a three-week class for drilling workers, starting July 8.
The Floor Hand class will be held at the Technology and Test Center, 8252 Frank Ave. NW.
To read more or comment...
ODNR seeks to have deleted provisions reinstated in Ohio budget bill
From Bricker & Eckler's Ohio shale blog:
Testifying before the Ohio Senate Finance General Government subcommittee on Monday, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director James Zehringer encouraged legislators to restore a number of oil and gas provisions in Gov. Kasich's biennial budget that were scrapped by the House, according to the Gongwer Ohio Report.
To read more or comment...
Athens County commissioners support proposed wastewater ban
The Athens County commissioners on Tuesday voted to support proposed Ohio legislation that would ban the disposal of fracking materials in injection wells.
Such legislation is pending in the Ohio Legislature in Columbus.
To read more or comment...
Bakken report may impact plans for new pipelines
A new report by a federal agency says the Bakken shale in North Dakota and surrounding states may hold twice the oil that had been projected.
The report by the U.S. Geological Survey came out this week.
To read more or comment...
Ohio will get gas-processing plant in Mahoning County
The location of a gas processing plant near Youngstown has finally been pinned down.
NiSource Inc. and Hilcorp Energy will build the $150 million plant near New Middleton in southeast Mahoning County.
To read more or comment...
New Mexico county bans natural gas-oil drilling
From the Associated Press:
A sparsely populated county in northern New Mexico has taken aim at the oil and natural gas industry.
To read more or comment...
Illinois Republicans pushing fracking approval legislation
From the Associated Press:
House Republicans cranked up the pressure Tuesday for a vote on legislation regulating high-volume oil and gas drilling in Illinois.
To read more or comment...
Chesapeake still awaiting Utica pipelines, processing plants
Chesapeake Energy Corp. remains convinced that Ohio's Utica shale will be productive, once needed natural gas pipelines and processing plants are completed.
"Processing is really the holdup," said chief operating officer Steven Dixon today in the company's first quarter 2013 operational and financial update.
To read more or comment...
U.S. shale gas is undermining Russia's Putin
The glut of cheap natural gas coming out of U.S. shale is derailing Gazprom, Russia's energy giant.
Walter Russell Mead at Via Meadia, his blog at The American Interest, notes a Wall Street Journal story that Gazprom has had to negotiate lower prices in its contracts with other nations.
To read more or comment...
Rex Energy drills three 2013 wells in Ohio's Utica shale
From Pennsylvania-based Rex Energy, an active player in Ohio's Utica shale in Carroll and surrounding counties:
To read more or comment...
Drilling innovation creates Bakken bonanza
The EnergyTomorrow blog gushes over technology improvements that have doubled the already vast energy reserves in the Williston Basin/Bakken shale.
Mark Green writes: "The main reason for the dramatic increase is drilling innovation – advances in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling over just the past five years. USGS:
To read more or comment...
Semgroup announces $300 million sale with Chesapeake
From the Oklahoma-based Semgroup Corp:
TULSA, Okla., May 1, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SemGroup® Corporation (NYSE:SEMG) today announced that it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire the equity interests of Mid-America Midstream Gas Services, L.L.C., a wholly owned subsidiary of Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK), which is the owner of gas gathering and processing assets in the Mississippi Lime play for $300 million in cash. The transaction is expected to close by the third quarter of 2013 and is subject to certain regulatory approvals and closing conditions.
To read more or comment...
Chesapeake Energy has drilled 249 Utica shale wells
From today's Chesapeake Energy Corp.'s report from first quarter 2013:
Utica Shale (eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia): Chesapeake is currently operating 14 rigs in the Utica Shale play. As of March 31, 2013, Chesapeake had drilled a total of 249 wells in the Utica, which included 66 producing wells, 86 additional wells waiting on pipeline connection and 97 wells in various stages of completion. Net production averaged approximately 60 million cubic feet of natural gas equivalent (mmcfe) per day during the 2013 first quarter and the company continues to target a year-end 2013 net production exit rate of 330 mmcfe per day. The average peak daily production rate of the 13 wells that commenced first production during the 2013 first quarter was approximately 1,200 boe per day.
To read more or comment...


text:
We have 10 pairs of tickets for Nigella's Criterion event to give away, to nigella.com users. Nigella will be appearing at the… Read on
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Nigella appeared on the Today Show this morning. If you missed it, click here to watch the segment! Read on
Nigella did a interview following the Today Show yesterday, for Bites on Today. Read all about her Q&A here. Read on
Nigella and one of her recipes (My Mother's Praised Chicken) was featured on More.com. Here is a direct link to the article,… Read on
The Nigella's Christmas Kitchen series will be broadcast on BBC TWO on 20th December at 7pm (GMT), 22nd at 6:30pm (GMT) and 22nd at… Read on

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) and Soviet hockey legend, goalkeeper Vladislav Tretyak (2nd R), hold a USSR hockey team 's jersey before watching the movie " Legend No. 17" at Primorsky sanatorium movie theater outside the Black Sea resort of Sochi, on April 17, 2013, with figure skating coach Tatyana Tarasova (C) and Soviet hockey star Alexander Yakushev (R) attending. AFP PHOTO/ RIA-NOVOSTI/ POOL / MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEVMIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/AFP/Getty Images
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Terry Anderson, D. Bruce Johnsen
Facing the "fiscal cliff," perhaps the president and Congress should start thinking in terms of the "foreclosure crisis." All lenders, whether a local home-loan bank or the Chinese government, expect to be repaid either from the borrower's income or, if that is insufficient, from the sale of...
Shawn Regan
By Shawn Regan | That there are moose in Yellowstone today tells us something about nature and our role in it.
Sarah Anderson, Terry Anderson
In the wake of the 2012 Colorado fires, PERC President Terry Anderson and former PERC fellow Sarah Anderson take a look at the motivating forces behind Forest Service fuel management decisions.
Shawn Regan
Why are ranchers and mineral companies allowed to bid on federal land leases, but the public cannot? If environmentalists could lease the land they want to conserve, taxpayers might see a higher return and also avoid some bitter disputes.
Terry Anderson
The Federal Government continues to acquire more land, much of it is donated, but the cost of land maintenance at this scale is immense and the feds do not have the funds to do the job.
Holly Fretwell, Shawn Regan
Federal Land management has largely led to poor stewardship. Permanenty funding the Land and Water Conservation Act to provide $900 miilion annually for more land purchases is a bad decison. The feds should focus on managing the 25 pecent of the US that they already own.
Holly Fretwell
At the annual meeting of the Society for Enviromental Journalists, PERC researcher Holly Fretwell suggested that the national parks would benefit most from earning their own funds from entrance fees rather than depending on politicians to hand over more tax dollars. Meanwhile, the parks continue...


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We have big news. Forty barrels big: We've just added two new 20-barrel fermenters to our trailblazing brewpub's brewhouse.
The new tanks make for our second expansion this year, following an addition of two similarly sized fermenters last February. (Last February we also added a special fermentation room in our basement for our beloved open fermenters.)
The February expansion was the first increasing of Wynkoop's brewery capacity in over 13 years. The latest build out gives us an additional 15% boost in brewing capacity.
On October 8, at 5 PM, Wynkoop Brewing Company will tap the first keg of a brand new and immensely unique Wynkoop beer: Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout
Yes, the beer was inspired by our April Fools spoof video this spring, in which we claimed to have released a beer made with bull testicles.
Why actually make such a meaty treat? Months after doing the video (the idea for which hit me while sampling Odell Brewing's recent and very delicious oyster stout for Jax restaurants), we and our fans are still laughing. Very important, that laughing.
We've also met folks around the country who saw the spoof and loved it. (Hello Hawaii!)
Plus, when we sent out the press release and the video link last April, we heard from brewers and beer writers who thought the beer was for real and loved the idea. They wanted samples. So did many patrons who came to the pub to try the beer.


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Knicks beat Pistons in London
LONDON (AP) — Back in London and back on the basketball court, Carmelo Anthony went right back to his winning ways.
The Knicks star was the main attraction at the O2 Arena on Thursday, five months after he helped the United States win the Olympic gold medal at the same venue.
This time, he led the New York Knicks over the Detroit Pistons, 102-87 in the third regular-season NBA game played in the British capital.
"It felt good out there," said Anthony, who scored 18 points in the first half as the Knicks (25-13) jumped out to a big early lead. "I definitely had some flashbacks out there. Running out there on the court, just being in the O2 Arena."
Part of Anthony's strong showing against the Pistons (14-25) may be attributed to his diet. He recently ended a two-week fasting period, and definitely seems to be getting his strength back.
"I felt better than I was the last couple of games," Anthony said. "I'm back eating right, eating what I'm supposed to be eating."
Anthony has now scored at least 20 points in 25 straight games, extending the longest such streak of his career.
"He got off to such a hot start, and then he just kind of played as the game came to him," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "He was getting double-teamed and I thought he did a great job in sacrificing the basketball, which he has to do."
Anthony's hot start was no surprise for Pistons coach Lawrence Frank.
"You know going in, there's no secrets, he's the best first-quarter scorer in the league," Frank said. Continued...
Amare Stoudemire added 17 points for the Knicks and J.R. Smith scored 16. Will Bynum led the Pistons with 22 points.
The Pistons were the home team at the O2 Arena, but the crowd certainly favored the Knicks and Anthony.
It helped.
"This goes to show you, our sport is global, there's no doubt about that," Woodson said. "The fans tonight were fantastic both ways, especially for us."
After Tayshaun Prince netted a pair of free throws for the opening points of the game, the Knicks went on tear.
Tyson Chandler started it off with a dunk, and Anthony soon followed with a pair of 3-pointers sandwiched between Jason Kidd's 3-pointer and Chris Copeland's layup.
Iman Shumpert, in his season debut after recovering from knee surgery, nailed another 3-pointer soon after to complete the 16-0 run and put the Knicks in control.
"The Knicks got off to a great start," Bynum said. "We were kind of playing catch up from then on."
Trailing 56-41 at the half, the Pistons mounted a third-quarter comeback. They scored 10 straight points midway through the period amid their own 16-2 run to cut the lead to 67-63.
Anthony ended the run with a pass rather than another basket. Continued...
The Knicks forward drilled a pass across the baseline to Steve Novak, who nailed a jumper. Stoudemire then sank a free throw before Smith hit a jump shot after running the court with his own rebound. Anthony finished off the third quarter with a lay-in to make it 75-63.
In the fourth, the Pistons briefly cut the lead to single digits when Bynum scored seven straight points to make it 83-75, but the Knicks pulled away again — this time for good.
"We came here to win a game, so it's very, very disappointing," Frank said. "This is not a vacation. We're not tourists. We came here to play a competition ... on an international stage, which is a privilege and an honor to be selected, so it's disappointing that we came up short and didn't play our best."
The Knicks had won only three of their last eight games heading into Thursday's action, but they now have won two straight and next host the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.
For the Pistons, who next host the Boston Celtics on Sunday, it's their second loss in a row. But they have still won five of the last eight.
The crowd at the O2 cheered loudly at times, but there were stretches of silence during some portions of the game. There was even a quiet moment before the game started, though it appeared to be an accident.
With Stoudemire and Prince on the court before the game speaking to the crowd with a microphone, the sound went out just as Prince was thanking the fans for their support.
The fans let out a round of boos, but they soon started cheering again as the game got under way.
In the second quarter, the referees had to resort to the video replay to make a flagrant foul call on Pistons forward Austin Daye. With Chandler driving toward the hoop, Daye hit him hard and knocked him to the ground.
Chandler made both free throws and Smith added a 3-pointer about 10 seconds later to make it 44-24 midway through the quarter. Continued...
Notes: Knicks fan and movie director Spike Lee made the trip to London to see his team and sat courtside as usual, wearing a blue suit with an orange tie. ... The Knicks' game against the Nets on Monday — Martin Luther King Jr. Day — at Madison Square Garden will mark the 14th consecutive year in which the team is playing on a holiday, and 27th overall. ... Several soccer players came to the O2 to watch, including former Arsenal great Thierry Henry. ... Former NBA players Bill Laimbeer and John Starks were also at the game.
Detroit Sports By Bleacher Report
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Lavender Petal Canopy
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Large cotton percale petals open to yards of airy tulle, which tie back with satin ribbons.
- 18" diameter, 122" long
- Lavender percale petals open up to 8 feet of airy tulle.
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- Canopy ties back with satin ribbons.
- Hanging line included.
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Please allow 5-7 business days for delivery. Delivery estimate includes monogrammed and gift-wrapped items.


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MoneyMix Contributor
When "Seinfeld's" Kramer told Jerry, "They just write it off," and Jerry replied, "You don't even know what a write-off is," we laughed. That's because a lot of us are just like Kramer-happy to toss around business jargon here and there, until someone tries to pin us down.
"Write it off" is one of those phrases that people say casually, as if everyone knows what it means. But do you? If you're on the verge of launching your own small business, it's a good idea to learn about a concept that could save you a lot of money.
There are dozens of tax deductions available to the self-employed and for small businesses. Your bottom line will be significantly healthier if you understand what they are. "One of the major advantages of owning your own business is that expenses you have personally may become qualified business deductions," explains David Rosenhouse, certified public accountant (CPA), Dallas. For example, "if you run a business out of your home, a portion of the rent or mortgage, utilities, homeowners association (HOA) fees, and the like may be deductible."
A deduction is any expense subtracted from your total income for the year. By reducing your taxable income, your tax burden is also reduced—potentially a lot. Keep reading for advice about what you can deduct and how to avoid some common pitfalls.
keep good records
"The biggest mistake that people starting a company make is failing to keep records," continues Rosenhouse. "Another pitfall I see is people not using qualified professionals when starting up their company. While the CPA will charge more than an online software program, frequently the tax savings—in a legal and ethical way—more than overcome this expense."
There are dozens of tax deductions available to the self-employed and for small businesses.If you read the phrase "keep good records" and immediately shudder at a vision of complicated spreadsheets dancing in your head, relax. You don't have to spend hours a week on record keeping. Simply set aside a few dedicated files or envelopes near your workspace for receipts and bills that pertain to your business. You can add them all up at the end of the year, or before your appointment with the accountant in the spring. For example, if you're a heavy computer user, keep receipts and bills for computer repair, printer ink, and your Internet connection.
Another good way to keep track of expenses is to open a dedicated business credit card and charge every business expense to that card. The credit card bill itself becomes the record. Open a business credit card through your credit union to enjoy affordable rates and fair terms.
what can I deduct?
"Tax-deductible expenses are almost anything that a small-business owner spends on something related to his or her business," offers Jan Zobel, enrolled agent tax preparer and author of "Minding Her Own Business: The Self-Employed Woman's Guide to Taxes and Recordkeeping." "One test of deductibility is, 'Would you have had this expense if you didn't have your business?' "
A few examples:
- An in-home daycare provider can take a tax deduction on equipment such as high chairs and toys.
- A saxophone teacher can deduct the cost of renting studio space and purchasing music.
- A freelance writer can deduct the cost of reference books, industry publications, and travel related to research.
Here is a list of common deductions:
- Equipment pertaining to the business, including computers, printers, scanners, software, furniture, and cell phones
- Continuing education in your field, including relevant subscriptions or association dues
- Client meals, gifts, and entertainment
- Travel expenses, including 55 cents a mile (adjusted annually to reflect changes in costs to drive) in your vehicle
- Expenses related to a dedicated home office space, including a portion of your rent or mortgage and utility bills
- Postage and office supplies
- Health insurance premiums
- Retirement and charitable contributions
- Interest on business loans
- Advertising costs
What about the cost of coffee? Unfortunately, your favorite energy juice is not a deductible expense unless you're buying it for a client.
"There are plenty of deductions for small-business owners, self-proprietors, and freelancers," says Mike Pascale, a freelance copywriter and storyboardist in Modesto, Calif. "Make sure you take those that are specific to your business. For instance, those in media, advertising, and entertainment are able to deduct whatever percentage of their cable or satellite TV bill, Internet usage cost, computer or smartphone, DVD rentals, Netflix subscriptions, magazine subscriptions, and related book purchases used for business purposes. [The] only caveat is to make sure the costs are realistic and can be proven for your business usage rather than personal."
When in doubt, find a good accountant and ask questions. Get a referral from a trusted friend or mentor and make sure your accountant understands all aspects of your small business so that he or she can give you a list of deductible expenses.
Another option is to ask the financial adviser at your credit union. It's important to get good information because taking incorrect deductions can result in an audit from the IRS (Internal Revenue Service).
incentives for small businesses
The government is eager to support small businesses, especially those that are brand new or growing. "Taxpayers can deduct up to a $5,000 start-up cost as a direct expense against income," advises Mark Steber, chief tax officer at Jackson Hewitt, Parsippany, N.J. "Some additional deductions also include costs for continuing education and client entertainment and meals."
Find tax forms, online resources, and other information.
Get a comprehensive guide to small-biz taxes.There may be specific incentives for your businesses because of where you operate. "Depending on where you are in the country, different states and cities will typically have a menu of programs to encourage investment in business and economic activity, sometimes in specific industries," explains Jonathan Breshin, who works with a private consulting firm specializing in identifying and securing economic incentives for businesses in New York and the tri-state area.
To make sure you're taking every possible tax deduction, question your accountant and financial planner to make sure he or she is up on current laws and incentives. And do your homework. "For excellent guides on what is and what is not deductible for your small business, go to the Small Business Administration website at SBA.gov and the IRS website at IRS.gov," advises Gloria Birnkrant, a CPA in Beverly Hills, Calif.
health-care deductions
One of the downsides of operating a sole proprietorship or small business is that you have to purchase your own health insurance. This can be a significant expense, especially if you're providing health insurance to employees, as well.
The good news is, health insurance premiums for the self-employed are 100% deductible-and there is a tax credit available for up to 35% of health-care premium costs for business owners with employees.
"Sometimes businesses don't meet all of the requirements to claim the tax breaks because they don't read through all of the provisions of the tax break," warns Ryan Himmel, CPA, registered security analyst, and founder of BIDaWIZ.com, an online marketplace for professional tax and accounting advice for small-business owners, entrepreneurs, and sole practitioners in New York. "For instance, to claim the health-care tax credit, you cannot employ more than 25 full-time employees and they must be paid a certain amount or the amount of the credit you can claim will decrease."
To get the full benefit of every tax deduction available to you, keep good records, hire a trustworthy accountant, and stay current on laws for small businesses. You'll be glad you did.
Laura Schaefer is a freelance writer in Madison, Wis. She is the author of "The Teashop Girls" and "Planet Explorers Travel Guides for Kids."


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Wheel building
19 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Wheel buildingI am using Mavic open 4 CD on my road bike and after 20 years are looking a bit ordinary, can anyone recommend a bike shop in the Sydney area that builds wheels and can supply Mavic rims (latest version ) or even better NOS open 4 CDs (dreaming ) I want to use my 7400 Dura Ace 8 speed cassette hubs.
Re: Wheel buildingI have some vgc (not nos) 36h CDs if that suits? In bne though.
Re: Wheel buildingThanks but my hubs are 32 spoke and it seems freight on bulky rims makes it better to get locally.
Re: Wheel buildingCheck your local and ask how long they've been building wheels last thing you want is a kid in skinny jeans to build them up,
Jordan at ride on workshop Balgowlah builds good wheels...
Re: Wheel buildingThe best wheel builder in Sydney is definitely Greg at TWE wheels in Newtown. I've not used him myself but everyone raves about the quality, price and that he builds exactly the right wheels to suit you (admittedly more relevant in competition)
Re: Wheel building
What a recommendation !!
Re: Wheel buildinglol. who's setting up the annual sydney wheelbuilding comp?
internet experts: ruining bikes since '10 | http://www.redbubble.com/people/munga
Re: Wheel buildingBuilding wheels is not a dark art, it's surprisingly easy and when you've finished a lovely set of hoops i personally find it very satisfying (does this make me some sort of sicko). There's a few spoke calculators out there on the web, Mr Sheldon Brown's ones work ok. It is a very tedious yet rewarding job and any "kid in skinny jeans" would be able to do it with a minimum of fuss as long as he has his head screwed on. I'm a rank amateur and still stuff up the leading spoke thing, but all you have to do is strip it, move them around and start again, it's not exactly the end of the world.
Re: Wheel buildingPainting a house is not a dark art either, but you can tell the work of a good painter from that of a poor one.
The wheels velo13 built for me are better than the ones I built myself. Purely because he has 15 something years experience and I have 2.
Re: Wheel buildingPeter Bundy built my wheels - Ambrosio Excellence rims with Campagnolo Chorus hubs, and they are awesome.
http://www.peterbundycycles.com.au/ I note that the Bike Shed Mortdale has a wide range of Mavic rims. Have a great ride, Peter 2012 Jim Bundy
1995 Bosevski - Athena mid/late eighties Colnago Cromor
Re: Wheel buildingHi Dan, out of interest what do you reckon makes them feel better? I've only ever had wheels that were made in the same sweatshop factory that the bike was built or wheels that I've built myself, I've never used ones built by a professional wheel builder. Please don't interpret this as a pizz pull, I'm genuinely interested in your thoughts. Do they just seem to spin truer or better?
Re: Wheel buildingEnded up going back to my old local bike shop,he found some Mavic Open Pro rims in gray anodised Finnish they look very much like the Open 4cd but with a machined brake area,the guys there cleaned the hubs,new SS spokes and build up the wheels,great job and they look sweet on the bike with the red side wall Michelin Pro 4 tyres.
Re: Wheel building
Spin the same, sound the same, tension is the same - the difference is that I trust Velo13's 100%, and I trust mine 99%. Experience. It may well be false - I might, for example, have inadvertently built a wheel just as well, but if you had the choice between a guy that'd been doing it for 15 years or a guy that'd been doing it for 2 years, who would you choose? I'm not saying don't build your own - on the contrary I found it extremely satisfying - just that you need to be prepared for failures in the beginning.
Re: Wheel buildingYeah, fair call Dan, I've not had a problem with anything I've built yet, but that being said I don't do mega kilometres either and share riding between a couple of bikes. The main problems I have had is during the build and not starting off on the right spoke hole and then not realising it till I get the wheel fully assembled and ready to tension, it's then a case of pull it all apart and start again.
Re: Wheel buildingI always have to redo at least one step
Re: Wheel buildingIf you are building with 32 or 36 spokes and decent strong rims, building them yourself is pretty easy. Make sure you have good spokes and the length is right (within a mm or so).
I always look to get the spokes tightened up as evenly as possible in the first place by visually judging the end of the spoke in the nipple and trying to get them all the same. Next step is evenly tightening up the wheel one turn at a time until they feel right (compare to other wheels if you don't have experience) Adjust the dish on the back wheel as you go through this process by tightening up the drive side a couple of extra turns at the start of the tightening process. Once at a good tension, time to true. I normally start with getting the side to side movement within a couple of mm and then focus entirely on the up/down movement. Once the wheel is round (up/down wise) I then go back to side to side, making sure for every tightening of spokes on one side there is an equal loosening of spokes on the other side. Never just loosen or tighten one side to move the rim or you will end up out of round again. A 3-ply 36h wheel with good spokes and rim is a very strong and forgiving thing. Even if you are not a great wheel builder it won't suddenly fail on you. On the other hand, a wheel built with 20 spokes and massive spoke tensions, that it something I am not willing to have a go at. The first spoke I have ever broken was a few months ago on a 20 spoke rear wheel, and it left me stranded at West Head with a very buckled wheel. Break a spoke on a 36h wheel, no big deal, tie up the spoke and keep riding. Roger
Re: Wheel buildingThat's pretty much my theory roger and I built my wheels the exact way you describe, I'm no racer, just a recreational rider and my road bike has 36 hole campagnolo omega 19's with triple butted stainless spokes onto some mid-late 80's NOS shimano 105 hubs, i am a 115kg kid and our roads are krap around here with plenty of bumps and they seem to be hanging in there so far. I use 700Cx28 tyres for that extra bit of cushion too.
Re: Wheel buildingI built up a set of 36h Ultegra 6700 hubs onto Mavic GEL330 tubular rims today. I used Sapim 2.0/1.8 butted spokes, brass nipples and top end Vittoria EVO CX tyres. Apart from the tyres this is hardly a lightweight choice of components and will be a very robust set of wheels. What has really surprised me is the weight compared to my modern wheels.
Against a set of Shimano RS80 C50 wheels with top end Ultremo ZX tyres and latex tubes, the Ultegra 36 spoke tubular wheelset is 200g lighter than the C50s. (Same cassette on both) Against the super light Giant/DT Swiss P-SLR-1 wheels with Hutchison Fusion 3 tubeless tyres, the Ultegra Tubular front wheel was only 10g heavier. I didn't compare the back wheel as the P-SLR-1 rear didn't have a cassette fitted, but I expect the P-SLR-1 will be lighter again due to an alloy freehub. I will weigh them tomorrow. I am sure the new wheels are more aerodynamic and rigid, but after breaking spokes on modern low spoke count wheels, I am wondering where the advantage is for the weekend ride? It seems the low spoke count rims weigh more than the saving in spoke weight. Next project might be a set of light modern hubs with a pair of 36h Fiamme Ergal tubular rims (280g or so) and some 2.0/1.5 spokes. Cheers Roger
Re: Wheel buildingMy park tools tension meter arrived yesterday so I put it to work today. Made it easy to get a nice even low tension, gradually built up to what I was after, then true as per roger rabbits post above. Seems to have worked out ok so will see how it rides
I was going to buy a fast, stylish bike, but I looked in the mirror & thought "you're not fooling anyone, you know"
19 posts
• Page 1 of 1
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