MDN Weekly Update – Mar 18, 2012: Shell Cracker, Dimock Water
It certainly has been an eventful week. Two stories loomed large. The first was Shell’s announcement on Thursday that they have signed a letter of intent with Horsehead Corporation for a zinc processing plant location in Monaca, PA (Beaver County) as the location where they intend to build a multi-billion dollar ethane cracker plant (see this MDN story). See an aerial photograph of the plant location by clicking the image on the right (courtesy of ShaleNavigator).
Building a petrochemical plant of this size in the Appalachian region is an amazing benefit to the entire northeastern economy and will be for years to come. The only “downside” (if you can call it that) is that construction to build the plant is at least two years away. Still, this is a huge vote of confidence in the Marcellus and Utica Shale and it’s potential. As one commenter pointed out, Shell has run the numbers in their spreadsheets, basing their decision on economics—and their spreadsheets tell them the Marcellus and Utica are winners.
The other major news from this past week was that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the first round of water test results from their own testing in Dimock, PA and has found the water is safe to drink (see this MDN story). The families suing Cabot Oil & Gas hoping for a big payday are not happy with the EPA results. MDN wondered where Josh Fox and his banjo, and Mark Ruffalo and his “spotless mind” were? They were no place to be found around Dimock—but then Dimock was always just a stage prop for them anyway—a way to gain yet another 15 minutes of national attention.
The EPA test results are not yet all done, but this first round certainly seems to indicate the EPA will perhaps finally butt out of Dimock.
The Dimock situation fosters this week’s poll question: Were you surprised that the EPA found no water problems in Dimock? Not, “Were you happy?” or “Were you distressed?” But, did it surprise you? It would be a surprise if you expected the EPA to find water problems. MDN is interested in knowing what your expectations were with EPA’s testing.
Head on over to the right side of any page and register your vote.
Last Week’s Poll Results
Last week MDN asked your opinion on whether or not plans like that being promoted by Gov. John Kasich in Ohio to “spread the wealth” by taxing drilling (one group) to give it to another group via lower taxes, is a good idea. The majority said no, it’s not a good idea.
Is it OK to tax shale drilling and share the proceeds with all citizens via an income tax cut?
No (52%, 135 Votes)
Yes (40%, 105 Votes)
Not sure (8%, 22 Votes)
Total Voters: 262
Coming This Week – MDN’s First Paid Publication
MDN editor Jim Willis is super excited to announce MDN’s first paid publication will become available this week. It’s called “Marcellus and Utica Shale Databook 2012.” The Databook is a 116-page comprehensive guide to drilling in the Marcellus and Utica Shale. Chock full of maps showing where permits have been issued, including details on drillers, pipelines and regulations, I believe you will find this new publication indispensable if you have an interest in shale drilling in the Marcellus and Utica. Watch the MDN site this week for a special announcement!
Below are the most recent “top 5” lists and the calendar of Marcellus-related events for the next two weeks.
Happy reading,
Jim Willis, Editor
Five Most Viewed Stories This Past Week (Mar 11th – Mar 17th)
- Chesapeake to Build $900M Processing Plant in OH Utica Shale (3/14/12)
- Chevron’s Offer to Western PA School; Dry Gas Worth More?! (3/14/12)
- Full Speed Ahead in the Marcellus for Chevron & Exxon Mobil (3/12/12)
- Shell’s Cracker Plant Actually “Years Away”? (3/12/12)
- Let’s “just pull our pants down to get a cracker” (3/14/12)
Five Most Viewed Stories Last 30 Days (Feb 16th – Mar 17th)
- Pennsylvania’s Top 10 Marcellus Drillers in 2011 (2/27/12)
- List of 78 Chemicals Used in Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid in Pennsylvania (6/30/10)
- The 10 Largest Natural Gas Drillers in the U.S. (9/6/11)
- Chesapeake to Build $900M Processing Plant in OH Utica Shale (3/14/12)
- Where was PA’s Top Producing Marcellus Well in 2011? Dimock (2/20/12)
MDN Calendar (Mar 18th – Mar 31st)
Maryland
New York
- 2012-03-18 Protecting Your Property Rights: Terminating Gas Leases – Sidney, NY
- 2012-03-19 When Home Becomes a Gas Field: Slideshow & Discussion – Enfield NY
- 2012-03-20 Cortland Co. Gas Drilling Taskforce – Cortland, NY
- 2012-03-20 Cortland County Gas Drilling Taskforce – Cortland, NY
- 2012-03-20 Impacts of Heavy Industry on a Rural Community – Cazenovia, NY
- 2012-03-20 Risk Analysis and Fracking – Syracuse, NY
- 2012-03-22 Taxes and Drilling: Revenue Potential for Municipal Governments? – Ithaca, NY
- 2012-03-23 GDACC hosts Quebec Visitors – Cortland, NY
- 2012-03-27,28 2012 IOGA of NY Advocacy Day – Albany, NY
- 2012-03-28 Gas Lease Workshop – Virgil, NY
Ohio
- 2012-03-22 Energy Networking Forum – Canfield, OH
- 2012-03-22 Licking County Energy Summit – Newark, OH
- 2012-03-26 Fairfield County Fracking Meeting – Circleville, OH
- 2012-03-29 Fairfield County Fracking Meeting – Lancaster, OH
Pennsylvania
- 2012-03-19 Marcellus 101 Informational Session – Pittsburgh, PA
- 2012-03-19 Perry County Public Meeting – New Bloomfield, PA
- 2012-03-19 Union Township Public Hearing – Finleyville, PA
- 2012-03-19,20,21 Marcellus Midstream Conference & Exhibition – Pittsburgh, PA
- 2012-03-20 Centre County Public Hearing – Bellefonte, PA
- 2012-03-20 Marcellus Infrastructure Counter Summit – Pittsburgh, PA
- 2012-03-21 Borough of Industry Public Hearing – Industry, PA
- 2012-03-21 Dauphin County Public Hearing – Harrisburg, PA
- 2012-03-22 Cambria County Public Meeting – Ebensburg, PA
- 2012-03-22 Greene County Public Meeting – Waynesburg, PA
- 2012-03-22 Mercer County Public Meeting – Mercer, PA
- 2012-03-22 Public Hearing Compressor Station – Wyalusing, PA
- 2012-03-22,23 NARO PA 2012 Convention – State College, PA
- 2012-03-26,27,28 4th Marcellus Shale Summit: Drilling and Completions – Pittsburgh, PA
- 2012-03-27 Public Hearing Proposed Frazer Twp Compressor Station – Pittsburgh, PA
- 2012-03-28 Susquehanna County Public Hearing – Montrose, PA
- 2012-03-28,29 Shale Gas Water Management Marcellus Initiative 2012 – Canonsburg, PA
- 2012-03-29 Marcellus 103: TheMarcellusShale.com Seminar – Bentleyville, PA
- 2012-03-31 Central PA Marcellus Shale Job Fair – DuBois, PA
- 2012-03-31 PA Trout Unlimited Training To Monitor Drilling – Uniontown, PA
- 2012-03-31 PennFuture’s ninth annual Watershed Workshop – LaPlume, PA
West Virginia
Webcasts/Online
Josh Fox is a nobody and needs not even be mentioned from here on out. His inaccuracies is Gasland shows his ignorance for the facts.