Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Feb 14, 2013

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

New York

Albany’s mixed messages fail to clarify NY fracking future
Shale Gas Review
It sounded like news, but Tuesday’s announcement from members of the Cuomo administration on the fate of fracking in New York is more of the same message clouded by uncertainty and double speak.

How many delays?
Watertown Daily Times
The state Health Department said Tuesday it will not complete its review of the controversial drilling process in time to allow the Department of Environmental Conservation to issue regulations on hydrofracking by the end of the month.

Town board imposes gag order on residents concerned with fracking
Salon
During my 12-year career as a newspaper reporter, I spent thousands of hours sitting through city council meetings, zoning board hearings, property tax appeals, school board work sessions, and just about every other kind of attention-sapping municipal meeting you could possibly imagine.

Pennsylvania

New ‘certification’ group to look closely at shale gas drillers
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Environmental groups and drilling companies are forming a first-of-its kind organization to scrutinize shale gas drillers’ practices in Appalachia, but at least one industry supporter won’t participate.

To frack or not?
Independent Weekly
Forty-four high school students from France, including about a dozen staying in homes in the Montrose area, took time out Friday to look at gas drilling in the Marcellus shale.

Shell Chemical still deciding on plans for Pennsylvania feedstock plant
Plastics News
Officials with Shell Chemical LP are still trying to decide if they want to access the shale gas boom and build a plastic feedstock plant in western Pennsylvania.

Penn State to study Marcellus Shale
Towanda Daily Review
Wyalusing Area School District voted unanimously Monday to allow a team of Penn State University researchers to conduct interviews with students and staff about Marcellus Shale development.

Good deal?: Time will tell on Consol’s airport drilling lease
Post-gazette.com
The 20-year deal that the Allegheny County Airport Authority just approved with an affiliate of Consol Energy Inc.

National

2013 Forecast: High activity rate continues
World Oil
The oil and gas industry has experienced two strong consecutive years, although it remains somewhat on an activity plateau.

Should the US Export Natural Gas? Wyden Leads Sharp Senate Debate
OPB
It sparked a lively debate over the potential impact of proposals under review by the Department of Energy to build liquefied natural gas export terminals and pipelines. Two such terminals are proposed in Oregon.

3M Gets Certification for CNG Tank
Yahoo/Zacks Equities Research
3M Company recently completed the NGV2-2007 certification process – the American National Standards Institute code and specification for CNG (compressed natural gas) vehicle cylinders for its first CNG tank.