MDN Weekly Update – Apr 1, 2012: Waterless Fracking
This past week brought a surprise announcement from “stalled at the gate” New York State. A group of landowners in Tioga County, NY (which sits between Binghamton and Elmira, in what is called the Southern Tier region of New York) are signing a lease with eCorp to allow Marcellus drilling using a waterless fracking technology pioneered by the Canadian company GASFRAC (see this MDN story). By using LPG fracking technology, eCorp and the Tioga landowners can move forward with drilling now—they won’t have to wait for New York’s four-year-old moratorium on fracking to be lifted. They can frack now with this waterless technology.
In the article about the Tioga landowner deal, MDN speculated that given most or all of the stated reasons anti-drillers oppose drilling would be gone, they will invent new reasons to not like waterless fracking too. That is, this situation will show the true colors of anti-drillers—that their agenda is really one of not only opposing the recovery of, but also the use of fossil fuels because of a misguided belief/philosophy/worldview that fossil fuels are evil.
Which brings us to this week’s poll question: Will anti-drillers oppose waterless LPG fracking too? I’d like to know what you think. Will those who oppose drilling now get on board? Or is their position so hardened, so unbending, so “over the top” that they will oppose any kind of extraction of natural gas? Head on over to the right side of any page and register your vote.
Last Week’s Poll Results
Last week MDN wanted to know if you believe that energy companies are intentionally overstating just how much recoverable gas there is in shale deposits. Here’s the results:
Are drillers overstating recoverable shale gas estimates to increase the stock price and attract investors?
No (55%, 150 Votes)
Yes (26%, 71 Votes)
Not sure (19%, 53 Votes)
Total Voters: 274
Below are the most recent “top 5” lists and the calendar of Marcellus-related events for the next two weeks.
Happy fracking,
Jim Willis, Editor
P.S. Sales of the new “Marcellus and Utica Shale Databook 2012” continue to be strong—thanks! 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, this new publication is indispensable if you have an interest in shale drilling in the Marcellus and Utica. For more details, including sample pages, visit: MarcellusDrilling.com/Databook.
Five Most Viewed Stories This Past Week (Mar 25th – Mar 31st)
- Alternative Fracking Method May Soon Debut – in New York! (3/29/12)
- Who’s Drilling Where (and How Much) in Ohio’s Utica Shale (3/26/12)
- BP’s Big Utica Shale Deal, Leases 84K Acres in Ohio (3/28/12)
- GASFRAC’s LPG Fracking Method (and Future) Looking Good (3/30/12)
- Anti-Drilling Stupidity on Display for All to See (3/26/12)
Five Most Viewed Stories Last 30 Days (Mar 1st – Mar 31st)
- Alternative Fracking Method May Soon Debut – in New York! (3/29/12)
- List of 78 Chemicals Used in Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid in Pennsylvania (6/30/10)
- Chesapeake to Build $900M Processing Plant in OH Utica Shale (3/14/12)
- The 10 Largest Natural Gas Drillers in the U.S. (9/6/11)
- Shell Announces Location of Ethane Cracker Plant (3/16/12)
MDN Calendar (Apr 1st– Apr 14th)
New York
- 2012-04-09 The Perils and Promise of Fracking – New York, NY
- 2012-04-10 EPA’s Role in Protecting America’s Natural Resources – Ithaca, NY
- 2012-04-14 Media & Mediation training – Binghamton, NY
Ohio
- 2012-04-11 Oil and Gas Business Development Seminar – Canton, OH
- 2012-04-11 Tuscarawas Valley Desk and Derrick Club Meeting – Canton, OH
Pennsylvania
- 2012-04-02 Fairfield Township Conditional Use Hearing – Montoursville, PA
- 2012-04-02 Implications of Gas Lease on Campus – New Wilmington, PA
- 2012-04-03 Allegheny County Public Meeting – Pittsburgh, PA
- 2012-04-03 Juniata County Public Meeting – Mifflintown, PA
- 2012-04-04 Monroe County Public Meeting – Stroudsburg, PA
- 2012-04-05 Lycoming County Ordinance Enactment – Williamsport, PA
- 2012-04-10 Fayette County Public Meeting – Uniontown, PA
- 2012-04-10,11 ShaleComm 2012 – Pittsburgh, PA
- 2012-04-11 Clarion County Public Hearing – Clarion, PA
- 2012-04-11 PA DEP Public Hearing on Wyoming County Compressor Station – Tunkhannock, PA
- 2012-04-12 Bradford County Public Hearing – Towanda, PA
- 2012-04-12 State Legislators’ Gas Drilling Forum – Kintnersville, PA
- 2012-04-12 The Case for a Moratorium on Shale Gas Drilling in PA – Sykesville, PA
- 2012-04-14 Marcellus Outreach Butler Air Monitoring Workshop – Slippery Rock, PA
West Virginia
Webcasts/Online
Jim,
I have been advocating support for waterless LPG fracking for at least a year on this site; explaining how this fracking technology was a way to open the door for drilling in N.Y. both because it would reduce environmental objections and did not require lifting of the moratorium on hydro-fracking. I also pointed out that it was more effective [ more production ] than hydro-fracking; meaning more dollars for landowners. I believe current events are now supporting my thesis .
To be charitable , you were indifferent; saying repeatedly that there is nothing wrong with hydro-fracking.That may be true but it missed the point ;getting drilling going again in N.Y.!
I am reminding you of this history only because I hope it may have earned me the right to ask you to seriously reconsider the BIG PICTURE when thinking about America’s energy future. I ask you to google and read an article by Shawn Lawrence Otto “A Message From A Republican Meteorologist on Climate Change ”
The consequences of being wrong are catastrophic for our grandchildren.
I just voted in this week’s poll–I’m guessing you know which way I voted based on this photo I took yesterday in Tompkins County, NYS. Doesn’t sound like these folks’ attitude is very malleable, does it? And they’re not alone.