Big Marcellus Shale Drilling Conference Set to Convene in Pittsburgh May 3-4

A big confab is due to take place on Marcellus drilling in Pennsylvania in early May. It’s being hosted and sponsored by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. It looks to have a slate of both pro- and anti-drilling speakers. Cost to attend is $350. More information about the program is available from the PEC website here: www.pecpa.org/marcellus. The official press release is listed below.

From the official press announcement:

PITTSBURGH–A “who’s-who” of leaders in Pennsylvania’s burgeoning Marcellus Shale gas industry are set to convene in Pittsburgh next month for what is considered the most comprehensive forum on this topic ever held.

The Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale Policy Conference, co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and Duquesne University, will be held on May 3-4 on the campus of Duquesne University. The program already has attracted a VIP lineup of gas industry representatives and government officials from as far away as Texas, Colorado and other parts of the United States, as well as many of Pennsylvania’s highest ranking government officials in the fields of environmental regulation.

A number of prominent experts and industry officials will address the conference, including:

  • John Hanger, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  • John Quigley, Acting Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
  • J. Scott Roberts, Deputy Secretary for Mineral Resources Management, Pennsylvania DEP
  • Scott Perry, Director, Bureau of Oil and Gas Management, Pennsylvania DEP
  • Joanne Denworth, Senior Policy Manager, Office of Governor Edward G. Rendell
  • Kathryn Klaber, President, Marcellus Shale Coalition
  • Don Welsh, President, Pennsylvania Environmental Council
  • Nels Johnson, The Nature Conservancy
  • Aaron Ritz, Clean Air Council
  • Kathy Pape, President, Pennsylvania American Water Company
  • David Hess, Former Secretary, Pennsylvania DEP
  • Hannah Wiseman, University of Texas School of Law
  • Jeffrey Jacquet, Cornell Cooperative Extension Marcellus Shale Team
  • David Neslin, Director of Oil and Gas Commission, Colorado Department of Natural Resources
  • James Martin, Chief, Oil and Gas Office, West Virginia DEP
  • Scott Roy, Vice President, Range Resources

…as well as a number of other Marcellus Shale experts from industry, academia, government and the non-profit sector.

The Marcellus Shale formation is the largest unconventional natural gas reserve in the world and is considered a “super giant” natural gas field stretching across much of the Appalachian Basin. Pennsylvania is the location for vast Marcellus deposits, which are estimated to contain enough gas to meet the natural gas needs of the United States for at least twenty years. However, extraction of this gas poses a number of environmental challenges for private land owners, local communities, the gas industry and government regulators.

The goal of this conference is to help identify an effective regulatory framework that allows the gas development industry to prosper while still protecting the environmental and conservation values of communities throughout the state.

This two-day forum is being held to bring together all who have a stake in the development of regulatory policy and decision-making in Marcellus shale gas production in Pennsylvania, including regulators, legislative leaders, industry officials, environmental organizations, the academic community, landowners and economic development agencies. The program will seek to identify the strategies and practices for the effective and sustainable development of this extraordinary resource.

Topics will include:

  • The unresolved challenges of developing Marcellus Shale
  • What other states are doing
  • Marcellus Shale and the sustainable development model
  • Frack water management
  • Siting criteria
  • Well development
  • Post-development and long-term responsibilities
  • Addressing the challenges of Marcellus Shale

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council will develop a set of recommendations based on the discussion and input from attendees that will be submitted to the General Assembly, the Department of Environmental Protection and the next state administration for consideration in policy-making related to Marcellus Shale.

For more information, email the Pennsylvania Environmental Council at [email protected] or call (412) 481-9400.

Business Wire (Apr 14) – Stage is Set for Landmark Marcellus Shale Conference in Pittsburgh