Here is this week’s industry news & analysis…
News Digest
Eye Raising Houston Chron Headline: "Texas Railroad Commission Shuts Down Defiant Oilfield Operation After West Texas Earthquake"
"Blackbuck Resources must immediately stop operating its disposal well in Culberson County, in an area where the Texas Railroad Commission banned the practice in December 2023. The emergency order approved Tuesday by the commission legally compels Blackbuck to stop operating for at least 15 days. Blackbuck is the only company still injecting into the deep underground formations prohibited by the commission. In May 2024, the company challenged the commission’s decision to suspend its permit, arguing its disposal well was geologically isolated and could not be contributing to the rash of earthquakes in the area. The case remains under review by an administrative law judge.
Pore Space Ownership Ruling
The Texas Supreme Court has decided that the owner of the surface estate owns the empty underground spaces left behind by a mineral owner's salt mining. The Court's decision in Myers-Woodward, LLC v. Underground Servs. Markham, LLC is another step closer to Texas formally adopting the "American Rule" of underground pore space ownership - which holds that the pore space belongs to the surface estate. This decision has important implications for underground storage rights and CCUS.
Relevant Industrial Announces New Strategic Investment By Fusion Capital Partners
Relevant, a leading provider of industrial equipment and engineered solutions including in the produced water sector, has been acquired by Fusion Capital Partners. This transaction is a significant milestone for Relevant and will provide additional capital to expand its leadership in the industrial solutions market and further enhance its ability to provide innovation, expertise, an expanded service portfolio, and a broader geographic reach across North America.
Is the Marcellus/Utica Finally Poised for a Gas-Production Breakout?
A combination of new pipeline projects, in-basin data center development and incremental Gulf Coast LNG demand might breathe new life into the Marcellus/Utica.
The Event Of The Year In Northeastern Produced Water Management Is Fast Approaching!
We can't wait to see all the northeastern produced water leaders again in Pittsburgh Aug 4-5th... see some of the early speaker confirmations here (we will be adding many more over the next couple of weeks as we are just starting to reach out and getting a very warm reception - this is a high demand event!)
Texas RRC Tightens Permitting Rules for Permian Disposal Wells
To improve the integrity of underground produced water disposal, new regulations will be introduced for saltwater disposal well (SWD) permit applications in the area. Produced water, a byproduct of oil and gas extraction, is injected into SWDs.
What Do The Ch. 4 Rules Mean For You?
Nice infographic from our friends at Envirotech Engineering...
Avonlea Environmental Technologies celebrates success of Lithium Cavitek pilot plant
A subsidiary of Avonlea Environmental Technologies has announced the resounding success of its Advanced Chemical Cavitation Extraction of Lithium (ACCELi) Cavitek pilot plant in Northeast, Pennsylvania in the Marcellus Shale.
Truck Hauling Frack Wastewater Overturns in Tioga County, PA
A tanker truck carrying fracking wastewater rolled 100 feet down an embankment in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, spilling about 2,000 gallons of flowback (brine) into a nearby stream.
Drought Forcing Changes In TX
The City of Corpus Christi adjusted its water sourcing yesterday due to ongoing Texas drought, temporarily relying solely on Lake Texana after the Lower Colorado River Authority reported insufficient river supply.
Kirk Edwards: "Our Oilfields Are Clean; Their Markets Are Rigged"
West Texas is synonymous with energy production. We power this country from beneath the soil of the Permian Basin, cleaner, safer, and more responsibly than anywhere else in the world. But out in the oil fields, we’re not just up against geology. We’re up against rigged markets and foreign manipulation that put American workers at a serious disadvantage.
What if Texas’ Biggest Liability Could Become Its Most Valuable Resource?
Geothermal company hoping to treat produced water to enable reuse.
A Modeling Framework For Produced Water Pretreatment
A white paper that includes economic framework...
New Mexico water quality commission bans discharge of produced water
New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission voted Tuesday to prohibit the discharge of produced water from oil and gas operations into the state’s waterways and groundwater, according to a report in the Santa Fe New Mexican.
Chevron spill largest since at least 2015; full clean-up may take 5 years
Chevron has recovered at least 3.8 million gallons of liquid from a massive oil spill in Weld County, by far the largest amount of either oil or water recovered from any spill listed in a state database.
SLB Launches New Well Completions Tech to Boost Production
In Norway, Electris completions were deployed offshore to enhance oil production in an extended-reach well. The operator is using intelligence from the system to determine which zones are contributing to production to optimize oil output and minimize produced water.
The Water Divide: Midland vs. Delaware
B3’s LinkedIn post starts a discussion on water recycling in two sub-basins of the Permian.
Colorado oil, gas produced water rules passed, Piceance issue to undergo more review
State regulators have approved new rules designed to boost the use of produced water in oil and gas operations in Colorado while asking a consortium to further consider how Piceance Basin producers can continue their high rate of recycling despite language in state law.
Podcast: Energy Law This Week
Episode covers, among other things, Colorado’s pioneering regulations on recycling frack water.
Oil companies want protection as Texas considers allowing treated fracking water released into rivers
As the state grapples with a threatened water supply, industry and lawmakers have invested millions in research to clean the toxic backwash for use in agriculture.
Continental Resources files lawsuit against Hess, says it was defrauded out of $69M
Continental has been deprived of about $34 million to $69 million of revenue for oil and gas production, the filing said. Hess Midstream's throughput volumes rose 8% for gas processing, 7% for oil terminaling and 9% for water gathering in the first quarter, compared with the year-ago period, mainly due to higher production, the company said in its earnings report last month.
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