With all the restrictions in proposed state regulations and local bans, gas companies say about half of their lease holdings in the lucrative Marcellus Shale region in New York state will be off-limits or inaccessible to drilling if the state gives the green light to developers this year.

A coalition of environmental groups is pushing for a complete ban on shale gas drilling, but the industry and landowners hoping to lease to drillers are working to lift some of the restrictions and halt the movement toward local bans. Read more »

Oil prices dropped Friday May 11, 2012 as traders worried about disappointing Chinese economic data and debt-wracked Greece, where an election was almost certain after austerity opponents blocked a new government.

New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate crude for delivery in June, shed 95 cents from Thursday to close at $96.13 a barrel.

Brent North Sea crude for June settled at $112.26 a barrel, down 47 cents in London trade. Read more »

The next meeting of Gov. Martin O’Malley’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission is returning to Garrett County after a hiatus when several meetings occurred in Annapolis and Hagerstown.

Allegany and Garrett counties are the only areas in the state with natural gas reserves in Marcellus Shale. Read more »

Oil prices continued a three-day slide and fell below $98 a barrel Monday May 77, 2012 as a slowdown in U.S. hiring and election results in Europe dimmed expectations of stronger economic growth. Read more »

The U.S. Energy Information Administration's annual natural gas survey ranked Texas, Louisiana, Wyoming and Oklahoma as the nation's four biggest producers. The report counted gross withdrawals and production.

Oklahoma dry gas wells grossed nearly 2 trillion cubic feet last year. The report noted that the state's output was its second highest since 1994, and much of it was due to robust action in the Woodford Shale. Read more »

Following impassioned responses from several members of the public, the Conway City Council added its list to the dozens of municipalities opposing the proposed severance tax on natural gas. The council did so by approving a resolution opposing the passage of the Natural Gas severance Tax Act of 2012.

The council voted 7-0 in favor of the resolution. Read more »

Dairy farmers-turned-shale millionaires. Rural widows gypped by smooth-talking landmen. Revitalized communities. Exploding wells. Dreams realized and hopes dashed.

At the local level, the story of America's unquenchable thirst for fossil fuels is a very human one. Upstate New York journalist Tom Wilber’s new book reads like a character-driven novel as it tells the stories of the winners and losers, industry leaders and regulators on the new frontier of shale gas. Read more »

Encouraging news about business confidence in Germany helped drive oil prices higher Friday April 20th, 2012. It was a respite from persistent worries about weaker energy demand as Europe's debt crisis still hangs in the air. Read more »

KKR will acquire 27,000 net acres in the Barnett shale play and 66,000 net acres in the Arkoma Basin through its joint venture with Premier Natural Resources known as KKR Natural Resources. That adds up to 93,000 acres in total. According to KKR, the acreage in the Barnett shale play has a net production of 67 million cubic feet per day. Read more »