Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thursday, Oct 6, 2011

The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:

Wayne forest drilling rights to be bid out
Drillers are eager to tap a vast reservoir of natural gas and oil within shale beneath Ohio, which could employ thousands, but critics say it will also cause pollution.

Murrysville OKs drilling regulations
Council voted on Wednesday to approve an amendment to the municipality’s zoning ordinance that will regulate Marcellus shale drilling.

Westmoreland commissioners call shale gas user fee ‘cop-out’
Westmoreland County’s Democratic commissioners said on Tuesday they would tread carefully before agreeing to enact a user fee on Marcellus shale gas wells.

A strategy for exploiting European shale gas resources
This week, the European Parliament will devote a committee meeting to the issue of shale gas development.

Will the Brits Out-Frack Us?
I’m willing to wager that upward of 90% of the Foolish readers of this article are familiar with the Barnett, Haynesville, and Marcellus shale plays.

Cemeteries: The Next Drilling Frontier?
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has reported that Huntley & Huntley, Inc., a self-described "God fearing" oil and gas company, has 11 cemeteries under lease in Washington and Allegheny Counties, including 200-acre Calvary Cemetery, where the remains of three of Pittsburgh’s mayors now rest.