Earlier this week, I sent an update on the recent governmental activity in New York and Pennsylvania. As the shale drilling revolution proceeds, however, it is impacting the law in areas that once seemed far afield from oil and gas development. One example, ironically, is in revenue generated at airports. On the surface (to use [...]
Marcellus Shale Update – October 3, 2011
A few hours ago Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett announced plans to implement many of the recommendations of his Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission. Among the changes, which included the adoption of local impact fees, were the following: Increasing the well setback distance from private water wells from the current 200 feet to 500 feet, and to [...]
Marcellus Shale Update – September 19, 2011
This update is somewhat off the track in terms of issues directly affecting Marcellus Shale and other American shale drilling, but an event happened today that indirectly could substantially affect the international market for energy and the geo-political debate involving Marcellus Shale and other shale deposits. Houston-based Noble Energy, Inc. began drilling today for oil [...]
Marcellus Shale Update – September 16, 2011
In recent posts I’ve discussed the interplay between local municipal land-use law and state oil and gas law, with particular emphasis on the situation in New York State. Earlier today, Denver-based Anschutz Exploration filed a lawsuit against the Central New York Town of Dryden challenging Dryden’s ban on gas exploration. The ban was enacted in [...]
Marcellus Shale Update – September 9, 2011
As the first Shale Gas Insight Conference sponsored by the Marcellus Shale Coalition ends and the sun finally returns to rain-drenched Philadelphia, the fireworks are being debated in newspapers from Philly to Pittsburgh to Fort Worth. Most of the comment revolves around the strident defense of the industry by Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon and [...]
Marcellus Shale Update – September 6, 2011
On the eve of the Shale Gas Insight Conference in rainy Philadelphia, the attendees will hear from major industry and political figures on the status of shale gas development in the Marcellus Shale Basin. The host state, Pennsylvania, is in the lead in development of natural gas, with one big player, New York, seemingly about [...]
North Carolina Bankruptcy Court Strikes Improperly Removed State Court Confessions Of Judgment
On August 10, 2011, Bankruptcy Judge Humrickhouse of the Eastern District of North Carolina Bankruptcy Court, Raleigh Division, entered an order and opinion granting the Motions to Strike Notices of Removal in the Adversary Proceedings filed by Weir & Partners LLP on behalf of its client Royal Bank America against various individuals and their entities [...]