Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Wed, Aug 21, 2013

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

Ohio

MarkWest Energy Partners: The Premier Pipeline In The Marcellus And Utica
Seeking Alpha
MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P. is a master limited partnership that processes, gathers and transports natural gas and some crude oil. It also transports, fractionate sand stores natural gas liquids (NGLS). The partnership got its start in the mid-continent, mostly Oklahoma and Texas, but has since grown so much in the Marcellus Shale that it is now the single largest source of revenue for the company. A new area of focus for the partnership is the nascent Utica shale in eastern Ohio, where it is an early mover. As the Utica begins producing oil and natural gas liquids, MarkWest has been linking production from the existing Marcellus infrastructure and building new processing plants in the Utica. MarkWest has a market cap of $12 billion.

Shale and Conservation Go Hand In Hand
Energy in Depth
The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) has a lot to be happy about these days. Not only have they effectively managed the eastern portion of the state’s flooding while being a top notch conservation agency, but they are proving that conservation and shale development can work hand in hand to protect as well as improve the watershed. Since 2011, the MWCD has made over $77 million to improve the watershed thanks to leases signed with Utica Shale developers in the eastern portion on the district.

Fracking ban amendment debated at city council
The BG News
After a petition by community members gained nearly 2,000 signatures during the summer, city council passed a charter amendment for a ban on hydraulic fracturing in Bowling Green. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process of obtaining pockets of natural gas in deposits of shale rock by blasting tons of a water, sand and chemical mixture into the ground to fracture the rock and let the gas escape to the surface. This process leaves lots of harmful waste water that can seep into natural aquifers and ruin water resources. Currently there is no fracking in Bowling Green or Wood County.

Pennsylvania

Contrary to what Democrats say, Gov. Corbett is making sure shale drilling is safe
Harrisburg Patriot-News
It was interesting to read Robert Vickers’ recent article dissecting the state Democratic Party’s efforts to decide whether they are for or against Pennsylvania jobs and energy independence (“Democrats square off over call for fracking moratorium in Pennsylvania”). However, the comments from Jim Burn and Rep. Mike Sturla are misinformed and misleading to your readers. Contrary to their assertions, Gov. Corbett has led the charge to ensure that natural gas drilling is done safely and responsibly.

National

API Releases Study: Energy development helps promote local economic diversity
American Petroleum Institute
U.S. counties have benefited from oil and gas development while preserving natural attractions such as local fishing, hunting, skiing and hiking, according to a new study released by API. “This study shows that oil and natural gas development can stimulate economic growth in areas that also support outdoor recreation,” said API Vice President for Regulatory and Economic Policy Kyle Isakower. “Counties with an active oil and gas sector create jobs alongside employment in skiing, hunting, fishing and hiking.”

Digging Deeper Into A Limited Methane Study
Energy in Depth
A few weeks ago, when researchers at the University of Colorado and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) unveiled their methane emissions study, EID was quick to point out some of its most obvious flaws. Chief among those shortcomings: the fact that it measured methane from only one day of data … from a three hour flight … over only one oil and gas field in the Uintah Basin in Utah … with absolutely no way to determine where the methane is coming from.