Chesapeake Energy Filing For Bankruptcy; In Debt, Facing Class-Action Suits For Cheating Landowners

[hatrack]

One of Pennsylvania’s largest and most controversial shale gas drillers, Chesapeake Energy, has taken steps toward filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to a Reuters report.

Under the direction of its high-spending, risk-taking CEO, Aubrey McClendon, the Oklahoma-based company led the land rush into northeast and north central Pennsylvania that helped kick off the fracking boom about a decade ago. “They would come into a community and lease and lease and lease,” said Bill Holland, who covers natural gas for S&P Global Market Intelligence.

By doing so, the company took on debt. And eventually, the fracking boom it helped create led to a glut of natural gas, and prices tanked. At the beginning of Pennsylvania’s shale boom in 2009, the price of Marcellus Shale gas was about $14/million British thermal units, but by 2016 it had dropped to less than $2/MmBtu, and it remains in that range today.

McClendon resigned from Chesapeake in 2013 and started another energy company. He died in March 2016 after his car slammed into an overpass in Oklahoma City a day after he was indicted on federal conspiracy charges.

EDIT

https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2020/04/30/chesapeake-energy-plans-to-file-for-bankruptcy-reuters-reports/

[Finishline42]

1. Does bankruptcy change the price of fracked gas?

One of the things that drives a change is when prices go up.

We have seen gasoline prices ride the roller coaster for over 40 years - starting with the Arab Oil Embargo. It's goes up, we start getting rid of gas hogs and then the price goes down and we buy them again.

And so the question on my mind is - will the market finally kick fracked natural gas to the curb? It's an unsustainable business as not only Chesapeake Energy is showing, but there are others as in trouble as well. Capital intensive to develop, expensive to keep flowing and the wells don't last as long. They are also susceptible to changing environmental regs regarding methane leaks. I sure wouldn't want to be in that business if there is a Blue Wave in November that takes the WH and Senate.

What happens if the price of natgas doubles? I know my utility bill has an automatic fuel adjustment so if they pay more I'll pay more, but there is already data out there about how renewables are making big strides during the lock down for CoVid-19. If natgas does go up will that push utility companies to increase their investment in wind and solar farms? Battery backup? Will my neighbors buy their own solar? Will schools push to increase their investment in solar?

I hope so...