Below is a list of the most viewed articles on OGFJ.com for the month of December.

As determined by you, our readers, the content below is the most engaging and interesting for the month of December 2012. Each selection features a short summary and a link to the original article.

1)      Chesapeake Energy to offer buyouts to 275 employees to reduce costs
Oklahoma City-based oil and natural gas company Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE:CHK) has offered a voluntary separation program to certain Chesapeake employees as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to improve efficiencies and reduce costs.

2)      Digging deep: How the R&D tax credit can revolutionize the oil and gas industry
Some oil and gas companies may not be aware of that the federal and many state governments seek to assist them in stimulating innovation through the Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit. Oil and Gas companies are eligible for this lucrative incentive, currently valued at almost 10 billion dollars, for work activities that are often already being performed.

3)      Whoville: The big next NGL hub in Marcellus, Utica
Houville is the center of an emerging Marcellus/Utica based NGL hub soon to take its place among the largest in North America.  

4)      Shale drilling boosts US crude oil production to highest level in 15 years
US crude oil production (including lease condensate) averaged almost 6.5 million barrels per day in September 2012, the highest volume in nearly 15 years, according to the US Energy Information Administration. The last time the United States produced 6.5 million barrels per day or more of crude oil was in January 1998.

5)      Ultra Petroleum reaches $225M Pinedale midstream agreeement
Houston-based Ultra Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: UPL) has agreed to sell certain midstream assets in Wyoming to Pinedale Corridor LP for $225 million in cash.