Contents MAY 2017 Volume 60 No. 5 THE ISSUE Bullishness about the direction of natural gas prices can point to hard data. Although a few wildcards are capable of skewing the trajectory, May's Market in Motion reports make a straightforward case as to why those who think the commodity price trend line points upward may have the stronger argument. The Gas Compression Technology reports open with a West Texas-sized success story about how one of the nation's largest independent producers rebuilt its Delaware Basin processing plant to improve throughput and optimize operating economics. Meanwhile, as spring has sprung throughout the country, the Mid-Continent Activity Profile illustrates how the figurative winter has long since thawed in Oklahoma's STACK and SCOOP plays. Association news includes Official Convention Sections for OIPA and CIPA. Cover photo by Jim Blecha. Issue photography courtesy of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation; and by David McNeese, courtesy of Continental Resources Inc. NEWS 14 | Federal Regulation: Department of Interior retracts royalty valuation rule; Department of Commerce fingers Korea and Spain for dumping OCTG, flanges 14 | In the Courts: Green groups sue to block Keystone XL; Court upholds Delaware River Basin Commission drilling moratorium; Pennsylvania producer wins stripper well definition case; Judge overturns shale gas pollution claim; Pennsylvania DEP challenges home-rule charters; Federal judge dismisses Oklahoma seismicity suit; Trump administration urges court to dismiss Pacific fracturing suit; Louisiana coastal erosion case on the ropes 29 | Federal Issues: New Trump executive order seeks to untie more regulatory knots 32 | Mergers and Acquisitions: First quarter deal activity establishes new high 34 | State Legislative: Anti-industry proposals fail in New Mexico, West Virginia governor vetoes budget plan; Arkansas lawmakers reject pipeline challenge; Kentucky revises rules for oil field wastes; Industry bills start to clear committee in California; Maryland bans hydraulic fracturing 90 | COGCC Mission: State court of appeals decision ominous for industry 91 | Health Risk Report: Colorado Department of Public Health concludes proximity to wells not hazardous OFFICIAL CONVENTION SECTIONS 83 | OIPA: Quest to revise long-lateral regulations continues in Oklahoma 87 | CIPA: Policy challenges continue even as market conditions improve COLUMNS 25 | Tech Connections 27 | Washington Watch DEPARTMENTS 9 | Calendar 12 | Oil & Gas Counts 14 | Industry Digest 92 | Industry Focus 96 | Classified Advertising 98 | Advertisers Index