“Despite a sharp decline in Henry Hub spot prices from the levels reached in the summer of 2008, natural gas production in the Barnett shale in Texas continued to climb through the middle of 2009 and appears to have reached an undulating plateau since then. Production growth in the Barnett shale comes from several large natural gas producers who continued to maintain strong production even in an environment of relatively low natural gas prices.” Quoted from the Energy Information Administration’s Natural Gas Update.

Workers drilling utility pole holes are blamed for hitting a 36-inch natural gas pipeline in Texas that triggered an explosion, killing three people. More at Reuters.com.

Energy Transfer Partners is building pipelines in Texas and Louisiana to carry natural gas produced from the Haynesville Shale. More in an article at UPI.com.

An abundance of natural gas in the Louisiana-Texas-Arkansas area has prompted Cheniere Energy to consider building the first LNG (liquefied natural gas) export terminal in the conterminous United States. More at Businessweek.com

The Oil and Gas Journal reports on a 140-mile oil pipeline that originates in Karnes County, Texas and connects to the main system in Austin County.

A few landowner associations in Texas reached agreements with large natural gas producers in early 2008 but the producers never delivered leases to individual landowners. Now the landowners are organizing for a court challenge. More in the Star Telegram.

Goodrich Petroleum is buying acres in the Eagle Ford and Haynesville Shale gas plays. More at Reuters.

An article on the DallasNews.com website explores how infrared cameras might be used in Texas to identify natural gas industry facilities with illegal emissions.

An article in the Houston Chronicle reports that Royal Dutch Shell has leased 150,000 acres over the Eagle Ford Shale bringing their estimated gas holdings to a total of 21 trillion cubic feet.

A study of seismic activity near Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport by researchers from SMU and UT-Austin reveals that the operation of a saltwater injection disposal well in the area was a “plausible cause” for the series of small earthquakes that occurred in the area between October 30, 2008, and May 16, 2009.

Calvin Tillman, the Mayor of Dish, Texas gave a two hour presentation on how to prevent the harmful effects of natural gas drilling at the Elmira Heights Theater in Elmira Heights, New York. He encouraged local officials to “take control” of what happens in their jurisdiction. More at The Online Leader.

Pioneer Natural Resources reports that one of their wells in the Eagle Ford shale of Texas had an initial production rate of 17 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. A fantastic yield for a shale well.   More in a Reuters article.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality conduced toxic vapor tests to detect hazardous emissions from natural gas drilling sites in the Fort Worth area. None of the 126 sites tested had contaminant levels that exceeded regulatory standards.  More in a Star-Telegram article.

Devon Energy announced that one of their Haynesville Shale wells in East Texas had an initial flow of 31 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. This might be the highest initial flow from the Haynesville. Read more about the well at NASDAQ.com

Pioneer Natural Resources reports that one of their wells in the Eagle Ford Shale of Texas has an initial flow of 11.3 million cubic feet of natural gas equivalent per day. More in a Reuters article.