A new website, Mineral Rights Forum, provides information and discussions about topics of interest to mineral owners. It is owned by Kenneth DuBose and is run by Peter Moorman. Looks like it will be a good resource for mineral owners. It reports on a recent documentary, Split Estate, that investigates conflicts…
Oil and Gas Lawyer Blog
A Great Video Showing Drilling and Completion of a Horizontal Well
This video was done by the American Petroleum Institute to illustrate the modern techniques used in the drilling, fracing and completion of a horizontal well.
Shale Gas – an American Revolution?
In a recent Wall Stree Journal article, “America’s Natural Gas Revolution,” Daniel Yergin and Robert Ineson opine that gas produced from shale “is already changing the national energy dialogue and overall energy outlook in the U.S.–and could change the global natural gas balance.” Mr. Yergin is the author of “The Prize:…
Obama Appoints Al Amendariz as New Region 6 EPA Administrator
President Obama has appointed Dr. Alfredo Amandariz as new Administrator of Regions 6 of the Environmental Protection Agency, encompassing Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. (See Dallas Morning News article) Dr. Amendariz, a professor of engineering at Southern Methodist University, raised controversy among natural gas producers in the Barnett…
EIA Issues State Rankings in Energy Production and Consumption
The Energy Information Administration has issued rankings of states in production of oil, gas, coal, electricity generation, and energy consumption. Texas ranks prominently in most categories. — Texas is first in total energy production, producing 10,997 trillion Btus of energy in 2006 (the most recent information available). Wyoming is second (mainly from…
EIA Says U.S. Natural Gas Reserves Highest Ever
EIA issued the following press release today: U.S. Energy Information Administration Washington, DC 20585 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OCTOBER 29, 2009 Natural Gas Reserves at Record High – Oil Reserves Fall with Lower Price At the end of 2008, domestic natural gas proved reserves reached their highest level since the…
America’s Natural Gas Alliance Supports Kerry-Boxer Energy Bill
America’s Natural Gas Alliance, a recently formed energy lobbying group formed by natural gas producers, has issued a press release praising the Senate’s version of a climate bill. Without actually endorsing the bill, the Alliance commended the bill’s authors for “including provisions in their bill that will enable us to…
Accepting Drafts in Payment for Lease Bonus – A Ticking Time Bomb?
The recent volatility in prices for oil and gas leases has raised issues with the time-honored custom in the industry of paying lease bonuses with drafts. Problems have arisin because companies have refused to honor the drafts or because lessors have sought to cancel the transaction after signing and delivery…
Great New Website from Energy Information Administration Explains Energy in Layman’s Terms
The U.S. Energy Information Administration has launched a new website that contains wonderful information about energy described in terms laypersons can understand. It can be found at http://tonto/eia.doe.gov/energyexplained/ . Here are some examples of information you can find there: — A British Thermal Unit (Btu) is the quantity of heat required to…
Two Energy Executives Call for Disclosure of Chemicals Used in Fracturing
Aubrey McClendon, CEO of Chesapeake Energy, and John Pinkerton, CEO of Range Resources, called for the industry to publicly disclose the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. A bill recently introduced in Congress, the FRAC Act, would require disclosure of frac chemicals. (See my prior post on the FRAC Act here.)…