Gas CEOs Optimistic about Doing Business in West Virginia

“When I first came to this part of the country, West Virginia wasn’t known to be supportive of business. That’s all changed, and things are going to happen in West Virginia.”  This pronouncement was made by J. Brett Harvey, president and CEO of Consol Energy and reported in a State Journal story entitled  CEOs: Gas drilling bright in wet gas drilling regions despite low prices.

At the Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia winter meeting Wednesday, a panel of CEOs from Consol Energy, Antero Resources, EQT and Noble Energy spoke to recent and expected success in the growing Marcellus shale gas play. The four business leaders shared their insights on the future of the gas industry and trends within the state.

There was a prediction that there would be more gas fueled power plants built and that there was a need for more gas infrastructure i.e. pipelines,compressor stations, processing facilities and fractionation facilities.   The industry has responded to low prices for natural gas (methane) by shifting rigs to areas where natural gas contains more “wet” components such as ethane, propane and butane.

Paul M. Rady, chairman and CEO of Antero Resources, said he is “cautiously optimistic” about receiving permits. He noted that most of the concern about new regulations in West Virginia has been addressed.

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Waste Management announced Friday that it had acquired Reliable Environmental Transport of Bridgeport, WV.  (Source: Houston Business Journal)

Jonathan Marks, who had been the president of RET, will now be director of gas and hazardous waste services for Waste Management.

Waste Management offers environmental management services to oil and natural gas producers that includes transportation, storage, recycling, treatment and disposal processes.