Chesapeake, under pressure from big shareholders to cut costs due to its heavy spending, depressed gas prices and a big debt load, has already laid off 8 percent of its workforce in the Barnett Shale. The company also previously said it would entertain offers for its Fort Worth office tower.

The company's real estate arm, Chesapeake Land Development, aims to raise nearly $100 million from the sales of its Barnett Shale land parcels, according to the unit's website.

A spokeswoman for the company declined to comment. Read more »

Back in 2008, near the height of the natural gas drilling boom in the Barnett Shale, more than 200 drilling rigs operated in the big North Texas field. With the collapse in natural gas prices this year, that number is down nearly 80 percent from its peak.

But not in the northwestern reaches of the field. In Montague, Jack and Wise counties, there is nearly as much drilling activity as in 2008, accounting for half the 48 rigs now in the Barnett. Read more »

U.S. drilling rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. dropped three this week to 1,980, according to Baker Hughes.

There were 1,386 rigs seeking oil and 588 looking for natural gas, plus six miscellaneous. A year ago there were 1,854.

In the Barnett Shale, there were 46 active rigs, down from 48 a year ago. For the first time in years, Tarrant County was not the busiest county, as Wise County's nine rigs topped Tarrant and Montague counties, each with seven rigs, and Jack County had six.

An Energy Department official heading a new committee charged with coordinating efforts among three federal agencies to research the risks and benefits of unconventional oil and gas production says he believes it can be done safely. Read more »