Natural Gas for America

XTO To Educate World Shale Delegates

Sep
3

XTO Energy, a Texas-based Exxon Mobil subsidiary focused on shale gas in the US, could become an educator for countries looking to learn how to tap global shale gas resources.

“Visitors from countries such as Germany, Poland, Argentina and Canada might be streaming into downtown Fort Worth to utilize XTO’s expertise,” said an article in the Star Telegram this week.

ExxonMobil is developing plans in all those regions to tap unconventional shale deposits.

“Some of the [international] shale plays will be brought into Forth Worth for review,” said former XTO President Vaughn Vennerberg at a Dallas energy conference this week.

XTO is currently one of the biggest and most lucrative producers of shale gas in North Texas’ Barnett Shale play.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Statoil Using Marcellus To Go Global

Sep
3

Last week, Statoil – Norway’s largest oil and gas company – unveiled plans to expand its shale operations globally, saying its current experience in the Marcellus Shale play is giving the company the know-how to take their show on the road

“Our goal is to take what we are now learning in Marcellus and transport these skills to other parts of the world,” said John Knight, head of Statoil’s Global Unconventional Gas Department. “Our current joint venture with Chesapeake is giving us an opportunity to train our people in the US shale gas industry.”

Statoil has been a joint-venture partner in Marcellus with Chesapeake Energy since 2008, and currently has 118 wells in production in the Pennsylvania shale play. This year, Statoil acquired even further interest in the play adding 59,000 acres to its current 600,000 acres. In addition to its operational wells, Statoil also has 105 wells awaiting completion and infrastructure.

Helge Lund, Statoil’s CEO, said his company chose a joint venture with a company such as Chesapeake rather than an outright acquisition to gain technical know-how. Now, along with Chesapeake, Statoil is taking that know-how and looking for potential unconventional reserves in under-serviced areas.

“We are now completing a two-year analysis of shale cores from around the globe,” said Knight, including shale plays in China, South Africa and the Gulf of Mexico.

SOURCES:
E&P Magazine: “Statoil Outlines Plans for US Marcellus Operations”

Shale Gas Is The Bridge To The Future

Sep
2

During a conference held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) earlier this summer entitled “Unconventional Natural Gas,” industry experts meeting to discuss the role of shale gas in the US energy landscape called the unconventional gas “the bridge to the future.” “Historically gas has been undervalued in the market,” said Tony Meggs, former head [...]

Rex Energy Corp Enters Joint Venture With Sumitomo Corp for Marcellus Assets

Sep
1

Rex Energy Corp. (REXX) will receive $88.4 million for its Marcellus Shale assets in Pennsylvania as they are tranferred into a joint venture with Sumitomo Corp. Rex’s shares climbed 7.2% to $11 on the midafternoon disclosure. The deal is the Japanese trading house’s second shale deal as a wide variety of international players are seeking [...]

Oil India Limited To Form Joint Venture With US Company

Aug
30

State-run Oil India Limited (OIL) is expected to form a joint venture with a US-based shale gas company to acquire shale gas assets globally, reports The Economic Times. Though OIL hasn’t said which US company the joint venture would include, the agreement will help OIL access shale gas not only around the world, but also [...]

“Father of Shale Gas” Leading Charge In Sustainability

Aug
30

He’s a 91 year-old oil tycoon who has been touted by the industry as the “father of shale gas.” George P. Mitchell, founder of Mitchell Energy & Development Corp, is the man who pioneered shale gas drilling in the US by developing the hydraulic fracturing technique that has triggered a shale boom in America, and [...]

Natural Gas Key to Energy Security

Aug
29

Search for Oil Alternative, Based on National Security, Goal of Clean Energy There is a new source of energy which is really a primary focus of the State Department right now,” said David Goldwyn, U.S. State Department Coordinator for International Energy Affairs. “And that’s natural gas”. In an interview with Voice of America, Goldwyn says [...]

Global Delegates Visit US To Eye Up Shale

Aug
27

Days after a Global Shale Gas Initiative Conference held in Washington, DC where the United States pledged to help major economies such as China and India develop shale gas, the US State Department sponsored the visit of another group of international visitors who have their eyes on shale gas. Representatives from Armenia, Bulgaria, China, India, [...]

US Offers Shale Help To China and India

Aug
25

After two days of talks with twenty nations from around the world, the United States offered to help major economies such as China and India develop shale gas. US officials believe that developing shale gas would provide fast-growing energy sectors in these countries with a cleaner alternative to coal, according to AFP. Aside from being [...]

Penn West and Mitsubishi enter into Shale Gas Venture

Aug
24

Penn West Energy Trust has announced an agreement with Mitsubishi Corporation to form a joint venture to accelerate the exploration and development of Penn West’s significant shale gas assets in the Cordova Embayment area of northeastern British Columbia. Penn West stated that since 2006, it has accumulated a significant shale gas position in the Cordova [...]