Quebec is a fossil fuel consumer with very little local production. However, some of the first wells are being drilled into the Utica Shale and hundreds more have already been permitted. More at The Globe and Mail.

David Paterson, Governor of New York says that hydraulic fracturing will not be done in his state until there is “overwhelming evidence” that it will not damage water supplies. More at PressConnects.

Talisman Energy is increasing its activity as a producer of natural gas from shale with growing production in the Marcellus Shale and several wells drilled in the Utica and Montney Shales.

Citizens in Quebec have environmental concerns because a company from Australia wants to drill for natural gas in the Utica Shale. More in The Star.

Encana Corporation reports that they acquired a quarter million acres in Cheboygan, Kalkaska, and Missaukee Counties, Michigan for about $150/acre. They are reporting production from the Collingwood Shale (2.5 million cubic feet per day from one well), the rock unit immediately below the Utica and immediately above the Trenton. More at PennEnergy.com.

The agenda for the Shale Gas Drilling & Completions 2010 conference to be held May 26-27 is now online. The conference will “deliver key insight into applying cutting-edge drilling and completions techniques used throughout diverse shale projects in the US & Canada. Leading shale producers will share real life examples of their drilling and completions success and challenges – including experience from the Barnett, Haynesville, Horn River, Marcellus, Woodford and Fayetteville shale plays.”

How long will the new natural gas shale plays be producing gas? 20 years? 40? More? This topic was discussed at IHS CERA conference last week in Houston. Some believe that they will be producing gas for a long time.

An article on TheGlobeAndMail website reports on early results in the Utica Shale Gas Play in Quebec, Canada which could contain 20 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

The State of New York issued three permits to Gastem, Inc., to drill vertical wells into the Utica Shale. More information at the Energy Business Review.

“The U.S. Department of Energy announces the release of Modern Shale Gas Development in the United States: A Primer. The Primer provides regulators, policy makers, and the public with an objective source of information on the technology advances and challenges that accompany deep shale gas development.” Quoted from fossil.energy.gov. Download the .pdf

Ziff Energy Group has a press release on their website predicting that unconventional gas plays now active across North America will account for 53% of the continent’s gas production by 2020.

Molopo Australia Limited is making a presentation at the WWCM Quebec Shale Gas Conference. Their Powerpoint Presentation contains interesting maps, data and information about the Utica Shale and Lorraine Shale.

Talisman Energy has a news release about a Utica Shale test in a reentered Trenton-Black River vertical well on the south side of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. The well flowed 800 mcf/d and the company believes that the Utica Shale is brittle enough to be conducive to fracture stimulation.

There is growing amount of interest in the St. Lawrence Lowlands area of Quebec, Canada. Companies are interested in the Utica Shale on the south side of the St. Lawrence River. More information and map at Stockhouse.com.

New York has seen relatively few problems with the 13,000 natural gas wells that have been drilled in that state since 1963. However, many citizens have an unusual level of concern for the new wells that will be drilled to tap the gas in the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale. An article in Times Union explores the issues.