Nat Gas News – April 11, 2017

Nat Gas News – April 11, 2017

In the News

Texas oil and gas drilling climbs in March, but well completions slip

Reuters reports: Texas shale producers applied for more than 1,300 oil and gas drilling permits last month with the majority awarded in the Permian basin, the most active U.S. oil patch, according to the state’s energy regulator. “Operators will begin to build DUC (drilled but uncompleted) inventory and evaluate each location for completion based on commodity prices, service costs and production potential,” Longanecker said, even though completions fell in March. Despite a near tripling of new well permits, to 1,310 wells compared with 511 during the same month last year, the Texas Railroad Commission data also showed a decline in the number of well completions, the final step before production can begin. For more visit Reuters.com or click the following link: http://reut.rs/2p0Trld

Natural Gas Plant Makes A Play For Coal’s Market, Using ‘Clean’ Technology

NPR reports: Though “carbon capture” has been slow to catch on among those who run coal-fired power plants (despite billions spent on research), entrepreneurs are now starting to adapt the technology for natural gas — coal’s biggest competitor. The engineering firm CB&I, and power company Exelon are partners. So is Toshiba. Toshiba’s contribution is the turbine. Most turbines make electricity when you force high-pressure steam though them. But Brown’s turbine doesn’t use steam. The plant burns natural gas to make high-pressure carbon dioxide — and uses that CO2 to drive the turbine. Here’s what’s key: Almost all the CO2 used to drive this turbine will be routed back to the machine and reused, instead of wafting away. What isn’t used to drive the turbine will be captured and sent off for industrial uses that keep the gas out of the atmosphere. Brown said he thinks his Brown said he thinks his plant’s technology — applied to natural gas — can compete with any source of energy, including renewables. He acknowledged that many in the carbon-capture business have made that promise and failed. But he expects to have proof later this year — once NET Power’s demonstration plant starts its turbine. For more visit npr.com.