Marcellus Drilling News

Middletown 4th Graders Brainwashed by Teachers Against Fracking

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013

brainwashed children What angers MDN editor Jim Willis more than almost any other issue in the fracking debate is when adults contaminate the minds of young people with their own, polluted, distorted opinions—especially on the topic of fracking. Unfortunately it happens down to the youngest grades, including the nine year-old students of fourth grade anti-fracking teachers Mary Hayes and Patricia McGorry in the Maple Hill Elementary School in Middletown (Sullivan County), NY. Shame on them.

Here’s the story and background:

Methane Migration into Water Well Near Cleveland, OH

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013

It seems possible, and from the reporting, even likely, that shale gas drilling (and fracking) has caused methane migration and “contamination” of a water well for a family that lives outside Cleveland, OH.

Below is the story as reported by the Washington Examiner. The family’s water was tested before drilling was begun by Mountaineer Keystone and there was methane present in the water, but at the safe level of 9 parts per million. Now, after nearby drilling? There’s 22 PPM in their water, and they can (yes) light their faucets on fire, just like in the notoriously inaccurate movie Gasland…

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

“Real” Deadline for NY DEC to Decide Fracking Issue: Feb 13

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013

The magic date by which the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) must release new rules to allow fracking is and has been Feb. 27—which is the end of the 90-day extension period we’re currently in. However, there’s a closer, more important date to watch for those who support fracking and want to see it go forward, and for those who don’t. That date? Feb. 13.

Here’s why is Feb. 13 is a critical date and likely the “real” deadline for the DEC to decide yes or no…

Industrywide Issues | Jobs

Starting Salary for Petroleum Engineer Nears 6 Figures

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013

In a story that thanks Schulmberger for its generous donations to West Virginia University ($18 million and counting), we learn about the astonishing starting salaries for petroleum engineers coming out of WVU and across the country. How astonishing?

According to PayScale, starting salaries for petroleum engineers fresh out of school: $98,000 a year. That’s 50% higher than the #2 highest paid job: aerospace engineer.

CONSOL Energy | Energy Companies

CONSOL Energy’s 2013 Plan: Spend Lots on Marcellus & Utica Shale

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013

CONSOL Energy today released it’s spending and operations plans for 2013. Among them: They will spend $600 million to continue developing their Marcellus Shale operations, of which $415 million will go for drilling new wells. They plan to drill 126 new Marcellus wells this year, 90 of them in the liquids-rich portion of the play. CONSOL also plans to spend $122 million on their joint venture with Hess to drill 27 new wells in the Utica Shale.

Today’s CONSOL announcement:

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

What Do Fracking, Coffee & Secret Reports have in Common?

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013

Hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas is an economic, technological miracle—hands down. There are some negatives associated with the practice, but fracking in no way pollutes ground water aquifers as claimed by people who simply hate all fossil fuels (and must justify their hatred with specious arguments like “it pollutes water”).

A recent column in the New York Post does a stellar job of putting the miracle of fracking—and New York’s angst over it—in context by using a little known story of actual events that happened in Sweden during the 1700s—events that had to do with one of MDN’s favorite addictions: coffee. It’s the kind of column we wish we had written…

Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

NY Anti-Frackers Take Pledge, Vow Civil Disobedience

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013

It’s certainly not the first time this has happened… But we thought you’d want to know that if you’re a New York landowner, if/when the NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) moves forward with a plan to allow fracking in the state, some of your fellow New Yorkers (mostly from New York City), will try to deny you your right to allow drilling on and under your land—by use of what they call “nonviolent civil disobedience.”

At last Wednesday’s anti-fracking rally in Albany, NY during Gov. Cuomo’s State of the State address, the 800-1,000 anti-frackers in attendance “with fists in the air” took the following Pledge to Resist Fracking in New York:

Centre County | Industrywide Issues | NG Vehicles | Pennsylvania

More CNG Vehicles on the Way in Centre County, PA

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013

More evidence that compressed natural gas vehicles (CNG) are taking off comes from Centre County, PA where local elected officials are applying for a grant to help purchase CNG vehicles for the county and local towns.

Aside from the cost to convert vehicles to CNG (which state and federal grants help with), the only thing that really holds back local municipalities from adopting CNG technology are fueling stations:

Industrywide Issues | Jefferson County (OH) | Ohio | Roads | Trucking

OH Congressman “Tickled” by Road Improvements from Shale Drillers

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013

Ohio Congressman Bill Johnson (Republican, 6th District) visited Jefferson County, OH last Thursday to get an update on the impacts on area roadways from truck traffic related to Utica Shale drilling. Thousands of truck trips over rural roads take their toll.

So what did Congressman Johnson find? The roads are now in better shape than they were before drilling began:

Utica Shale Drilling Heats up in Middleton Twp, OH

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013

Utica Shale drilling is heating up in Middleton Township (Columbiana County), Ohio.

Here’s the details on the one Utica Shale well now drilled in Middleton, the four coming soon, and how much the town was paid by Chesapeake Energy to lease six acres of town land:

About MDN | Calendar

Calendar of Events for Jan 14-27, 2013 [Free]

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013

Below are upcoming events for this week and next.

Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Mon, Jan 14, 2013

January 14, 2013January 14, 2013

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