ExxonMobil has added to its Marcellus Shale acreage with the purchase of two privately held oil and gas operators, Phillips Resources Inc. and TWP Inc., for roughly $1.69 billion.

Shell is developing plans to build a world-scale ethylene cracker with integrated derivative units in the Appalachian region of the United States.

J-W Energy Company has broken ground on a new multi-million dollar office and service facility located in Muncy Creek, PA to serve the Northeast region of the Marcellus Shale.

Chevron Corp. has agreed to acquire oil and gas assets, primarily 228,000 net leasehold acres, in theMarcellus Shale from Chief Oil & Gas LLC and Tug Hill Inc.

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC plans to open an office in Southpointe, Pa., to accommodate the continued growth of its energy practice, which includes oil and gas (Marcellus Shale), coal, renewable energy, and environmental sectors.

Fountain Quail Water Management LLC has entered into an $18 million exclusivity agreement with Eureka Resources LLC for wastewater disposal-related services in the Marcellus Shale.

On April 7, 42 faith, conservation, and environmental organizations and businesses sent a letter to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett asking him to order Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Michael Krancer to rescind its new 30-day pilot policy that prevents Marcellus shale drilling inspectors from issuing notices of violations until they get approval from the secretary himself.

In its latest unconventional resources acquisition, Magnum Hunter Resources has added the remaining 50% non-operated working interest to West Virginia Marcellus Shale acreage previously acquired in a Wetzel County joint venture operation from Post Rock in December.

M3 Midstream LLC (Momentum) has signed long-term gas gathering agreements with Chesapeake Energy Marketing Inc., a subsidiary of Chesapeake Energy Corporation, and Statoil Natural Gas LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Statoil ASA as anchor customers on its Appalachia Gathering System (the AGS).

A new Penn State University publication examines state tax collection data and specifically compares counties where there is drilling and production activity in the Marcellus shale play with that of non-Marcellus counties.

Gastar Exploration Ltd., together with its joint venture partner, Atinum Marcellus I LLC, has leased another 3,300 gross acres in Marshall County, West Virginia to develop the liquids-rich Marcellus Shale formation.