Marcellus Drilling News

Industrywide Issues | New York | Roads | Statewide NY

Leaked NY Dept of Transportation Analysis Says Potential Impacts from Marcellus Drilling on State and Local Roads are “Ominous”
July 27, 2011July 27, 2011

A leaked internal document from the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) expresses concern that the state is not ready for a dramatic increase in heavy truck traffic that will occur when Marcellus Shale drilling begins in the state. The document, titled “DRAFT Discussion Paper: Transportation Impacts of Potential Marcellus Shale Gas Development,” was leaked to the anti-drilling organization Chenango, Delaware and Otsego Gas Drilling Opposition Group. The group’s spokesman, Mike Bernhard, declines to say how the group obtained the document. As the document is now being circulated by media sources, MDN is embedding a full copy below.

This strong language in the opening Executive Summary of the Discussion Paper:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY DEC Hydraulic Fracturing Advisory Panel Appointed by Joe Martens in Disarray
July 27, 2011July 27, 2011

An amazingly balanced and non-partisan article by WNYC News delves into the 13-member Advisory Panel appointed by Joe Martens, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), to advise the DEC on issues with implementing the new Marcellus drilling regulations. The article, which MDN highly recommends you read, points out the confusion among the panel members about what, exactly, they are supposed to do.

It also recounts the rushed and last-minute approach Martens took in creating and appointing members to the panel. The article points out how the panel is stacked with members who are largely anti-drilling (MDN’s words, the article refers to them as environmentalists). Even the so-called industry representative on the panel, Mark Boling from Houston-based Southwestern Energy, is ~~colluding~~ working with the Environmental Defense Fund on a new “industry code of conduct.” He admits his views are not mainstream in the energy industry.

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Energy Companies | Energy Services | Equinor/Statoil | NOVA Chemicals

NOVA Chemicals Signs Second Agreement for Marcellus Ethane to Feed its Corunna Cracker Plant
July 27, 2011July 27, 2011

NOVA Chemicals continues to seek out Marcellus ethane to feed its Ontario-based Corunna cracker chemical plant. In May of this year, NOVA penned an agreement with Range Resources to buy ethane (see this MDN article). Just yesterday, they signed a second agreement, this time with Statoil:

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Industrywide Issues | New York | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide NY | Statewide PA

WSJ Article Compares PA and NY Approaches to Marcellus Drilling
July 27, 2011July 27, 2011

The Wall Street Journal ran an excellent article in yesterday’s edition comparing Pennsylvania’s approach to drilling in the Marcellus Shale with New York’s approach. It’s a tale of two states: One state embraces economic opportunity, and the other let’s environmental politics strangle development.

The article says this about Pennsylvania:

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