| |

Eco Groups Shun EDF over Membership in Sustainable Shale Center

Breaking AmishPerhaps the most level-headed (if you can say that) of the so-called environmental groups in existence in the U.S. is the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). They have shown time and again that although they have issues with oil and gas drilling, they’re realists. Instead of simply trying to ban drilling because it’s a dirty, nasty fossil fuel, they want to work to make oil and natural gas extraction cleaner. This is not an MDN endorsement of the EDF or their policies–it’s simply stating facts. Most environmental groups are unreasonable–meaning you can’t reason with them. Most have a twisted worldview that all fossil fuels must be stopped as soon as possible (immediately would not be too soon for them, although they themselves hypocritically use fossil fuels every day). The vast majority of eco-groups are fringe and agenda-driven. The EDF stands almost alone amidst the eco-insanity. So they’ve become a target.

A pack of rabidly left-leaning groups and individuals has turned on the EDF because the EDF has endorsed and is participating in the Center for Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD, see Important: Drillers & Enviros Form New Group, Launch Cert Program for background). A list of 68 environmental groups and individuals sent a letter to EDF yesterday (see it below) shunning them, like an errant Amish child who’s left the faith. They’ve told the EDF “you don’t speak for us” when it comes to fracking. Why? Because EDF participation in the CSSD lends credibility to hated fossil fuels. Fossil fuels lead to mythical climate change and we can’t have the climate a changin’, ya know…
Continue reading

| | | | |

NY Democrat Senators Make Another Run at Fracking Moratorium

Pandering (yet again) to low-information voters, four left-leaning Democrat New York State senators (from NYC and suburbs) are pushing a bill that would officially enforce a statewide moratorium on shale drilling–as opposed to the unofficial moratorium we have now that’s been going on for almost five years. The only person that stands between them and a vote by the full Senate is Binghamton-area Senator Tom Libous, which is why Bloomberg and others have tried so hard to smear him (see Bloomberg Hit Piece on Pro-Fracking NY State Senator). The Democrat-controlled Assembly has already passed a statewide fracking moratorium.

Meanwhile, Gov. Andy continues to dither on whether or not he’ll allow fracking…
Continue reading

| | | | | |

OH Port Authority Does Deal to Sell 30M Gal of Water for Fracking

Earlier this week, the Columbiana County (OH) Port Authority brokered a deal to sell a minimum 30 million gallons of water from the Buckeye Water District to R.E. Gas Development, a Rex Energy subsidiary, for use in drilling and fracking new shale wells in Carroll County. The three year deal will let R.E. buy the water at $6.60 per 1,000 gallons…
Continue reading

| |

Marcellus Will Produce More Supply than Demand in NE – This Summer!

A shocking observation from RBN Energy founder Rusty Braziel that he made last week at the Bentek Benposium event in Houston: Northeast demand for natural gas will be almost entirely met from local Marcellus production in the coming years. Starting this summer, the region will produce more supply than total demand! Implication? “Significant re-plumbing of the US natural gas pipeline distribution system will be needed.” That re-plumbing is already underway.

Rusty describes how production forecasts from just two years ago (2011) are wrong–way wrong, on the low side–because of the super-producing Marcellus Shale:
Continue reading

| |

Now We Know: The Utica Play is More Wet Gas, Less Oil

If you have an interest in the Utica Shale and in the recent production numbers issued by the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR), you need to read an article posted on the RBN Energy blog. RBN Energy is founded and headed by Rusty Braziel, one of the most recognized names (and wizard-of-smart) in the oil and gas industry. You would do well to regularly read his blog site, the Daily Energy Post. The article on the RBN site delves into why the news in the recent ODNR production report was not all bad–in fact, there was some very good news in that report…
Continue reading

| |

NE Garbage Trucks Making the Change from Diesel to NatGas

The nonprofit organization Energy Vision published a new 72-page report yesterday titled “Tomorrow’s Trucks: Leaving the Era of Oil Behind” (full copy embedded below) which looks at how the “refuse sector” (i.e. garbage trucks) in the Northeast are making the change to clean-burning natural gas. For example, in New Jersey there were no natural gas garbage trucks five years ago, but today there are more than 180, according to Chuck Feinberg, chairman of the New Jersey Clean Cities Coalition.

The report chronicles the change taking place and takes a close look at New York City, Long Island and New Jersey and the efforts underway in each of those areas.
Continue reading