Tapping into the Marcellus

Competitive Power Ventures breaks ground on new 1,050-megawatt gas-fired power plant


JOHNSTOWN, PA – The transition into natural gas as a baseload source of energy recently took another step in Cambria County. On Oct. 24, Competitive Power Ventures (CPV), GE and Osaka Gas held a groundbreaking for the new combined cycle gas-fired power plant, the CPV Fairview Energy Center. Industry representatives from CPV and Osaka were joined at the event by […]

Predicting Shale Gas 2018

Industry upturn sees companies re-hiring truck drivers, pipeline drivers and rig operators


This New Year’s Eve, gas operators won’t be toasting the end of the oil & gas downturn, but they are beginning to see light at the end of the (unplugged) tunnel. According to Baker Hughes latest report, issued on November 3, there were 898 rigs operating in the U.S – an increase of 329 rigs compared to November 4, 2016. […]

Energy cost analysis finds alternative energy still requires baseload power




A new study by Lazard, a leading financial advisory and asset management firm, has found that while natural gas remains a cheap source of reliable energy, utility – scale wind and solar have become cheaper. Released annually, Lazard’s Levelized Cost of Energy Analysis (LCOE) “aims to identify quantifiable, non-debatable costs” of different energy solutions. The firm consults with a wide […]

Well service contractors report increased earnings




At the end of October, EQT Corporation, a leading gas operator in southwestern Pennsylvania, and Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation, a leading gas operator in the Northern Tier, held teleconferences for investors and reporters to announce their Third Quarter 2017 earnings results. EQT, headquartered in Pittsburgh, has been operating in the Appalachian Basin for nearly 130 years. The company has […]

Impact fee revenue expected to rise next year, but new taxes remain a possibility




Production in the Marcellus and Utica shale plays is expected to grow on average from 2017-2018 by 1.7 Bcf/d and 0.8 Bcf/d, respectively, according to Danya Murali, mathematical statistician for the Energy Information Administration. Marcellus impact fee revenue next year is expected to rise between $8.7 million and $49 million, after hitting a record-low $173.3 million this year. Murali said […]

FERC commissioner throws doubt on rule to benefit nuclear and coal




HERSHEY, PA. (AP) — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is “not in the business of putting our thumb on the scale” for one source of power over another, one of its commissioners said as he responded to questions about how the independent agency will handle a directive from the Trump Administration to come up with a rule to value the […]

November DEP well permits report




There were 448 drilling permits issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in the Marcellus Business Central coverage area in September and October. Unless otherwise stated, all permits issued are for new, unconventional, horizontally- drilled natural gas wells. The past two month’s have seen a dramatic upturn in activity mostly concentrated in Greene (116) and Washington Counties (150). The […]

Rotary Rig Count



Smaller upstream companies still succeeding in niche markets in Washington County despite massive mergers

Spotlight on Washington County


There is no doubt that the past year has seen an increase in drilling permits keeping up momentum in Washington County. Most of these new well sites will be owned and operated by Range Resources, EQT Corporation or Rice Drilling Company. Making it even more interesting is the fact that EQT and Rice plan to merge to create by far […]

SHALE GAS OPERATORS