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PA DEP Shakes Down Shell Another $2.6M for Cracker Air Violations

Although Shell maintains flaring and accidental emissions from its new multi-billion-dollar ethane cracker in Beaver County, PA, have not violated state and federal air standards, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) says they have — on numerous occasions. Shell didn’t argue the point, and last May, the company agreed to pay nearly $10 million in fines and “contributions” to benefit the local community (see Shell Cracker Agrees to $10M Shakedown from PA, Restarting Now). The shakedown agreement Shell signed said if the DEP ever determined Shell has continued to violate air standards, the company would be forced to pay even more. And so it has — yet another $2,671,044.75.
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Air Monitors Detect Benzene at Fenceline of Shell Cracker in Monaca

Air monitors at Shell’s ethane cracker plant detected elevated levels of benzene (which can cause cancer in humans) following an April 11 malfunction. However, an industrial hygienist told attendees at Tuesday night’s webinar session with local residents that the levels of benzene detected at the cracker’s community-adjacent fenceline during and after the release were too low to cause “even transient discomfort or irritation.” The highest concentrations found outside the fenceline were “in the parts per billion range.”
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Shell Claims PA Cracker Plant Did Not Exceed Air Emissions Limits

The mighty Shell ethane cracker has had “issues” getting and staying fully up to speed. Since it officially went online last November, Shell has received three separate notices of violation (NOVs) for exceeding allowable air pollution limits, largely related to repeated flaring episodes (see Shell Cracker Flares Again, Shuts Down Part of Plant for Repairs). The facility is partially closed while Shell performs maintenance and repairs to one of the unit systems. Big Green groups plan to sue to try and get the multi-billion-dollar plant permanently closed based on the air emissions violations. Shell is fighting back and now claims, based on a new method of measuring emissions, it hasn’t violated emissions at any point–even during flaring.
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Biden EPA Program Empowers Anti Groups to be Methane Snitches

The Biden EPA plans to allow private citizens to police oil wells and pipelines for methane leaks. Most of the time, that means Big Green groups will do the “policing.” And here’s how it will work: A radicalized group like the Sierra Club or Earthworks or NRDC or some other odious bad actor will set up equipment near oil and gas well sites or pipeline operations to report suspected “super emitter” leaks of at least 100 kilograms per hour. Once reported (likely a false report), the company involved would be required to perform a root-cause analysis within five days and take corrective actions within 10 days. All based on an accusation by an anti-fossil fueler. Methane snitches.
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PA DEP Pledges to Keep a Close Eye on Shell Cracker Air Quality

Anti-fossil fuelers continue to pressure the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (and Pennsylvania itself) over the grievous sin of approving the Shell ethane cracker plant project (see Shell Receives Air Quality Permit from PA DEP for Cracker Plant). With the cracker plant now in startup mode, antis want to know, “Who monitors Shell’s cracker plant — and how?” The partisan leftists of so-called PublicSource hit the DEP with that very question. The DEP said that while Shell itself must conduct constant (daily) monitoring of air quality using independent, third-party equipment (sending the data to the DEP), the DEP will also conduct its own regular on-site inspections and testing as well.
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30 Companies Generate Half of Energy Sector Methane Emissions

Just 30 fossil fuel companies account for “nearly half” of so-called planet-warming methane emitted by the world’s energy sector. That’s according to a new analysis by Global Energy Monitor. And get this, only three of the 30 are American fossil fuel companies. And those three are WAY down the list. The #1 leakiest methane emitter on the planet is the National Iranian Oil Company. The #2 biggest emitter is Gazprom (Russia). And #3 is China Energy. In fact, the top 10 biggest methane emitters are located in the Middle East, China, or Russia. All of them are enemies of the United States.
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PA EQB Rams Through VOC Reg to Control Conventional Well Emissions

Yesterday the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) and its Environmental Quality Board (EQB) rammed through (in a rush) a set of regulations to control volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and by extension methane, for conventional drilling sites throughout the site. The DEP has had SIX YEARS to get these regulations done, and has missed deadline after deadline. Now, with a Dec. 16 deadline approaching to finish up the regs or risk losing half a billion dollars in federal highway funds, the DEP is trying to bully the conventional drilling industry into accepting its onerous regulations with no comment period, no feedback, no nothing–under threat of risking half a billion dollars. It’s DEP blackmail, plain and simple. What will the conventional industry do? Take it lying down? Or fight?
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National Lab Discovers Better Way to Measure Methane Emissions

When oil and natural gas (i.e. methane) are extracted from the ground, inevitably some methane leaks/escapes into the atmosphere. Such leaks cause leftist wackos to go apoplectic, they’re so convinced methane will cause the earth to toast. We don’t like seeing methane leak either–but for a different reason. Every one of those molecules could be harvested and sold! There’s money in that leaking methane! One of the first tasks in solving the issue of leaking methane is to determine its source. Where is the methane originating from? Researchers at the Los Alamos National Lab (LANL) have discovered a way to determine where methane originates by measuring not only methane, but other hydrocarbons present, including ethane.
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PA EQB Adopts Tweaked Version of Onerous VOC/Methane Regulations

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Environmental Quality Board (EQB) figures a quarter of a loaf of bread is better than no loaf at all. (In this case, no loaf is preferred!) We’re referring to the EQB’s adoption of onerous new regulations that supposedly will capture every last molecule of stray methane that leaks from shale drilling operations (see PA EQB Approves Final Onerous Methane Regs Harming Conv Drillers). The EQB voted yesterday to advance a rule that only affects shale sites and related equipment–not conventional drilling.
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PA DEP Changing, Resubmitting Onerous VOC/Methane Regulations

In March the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board (EQB), a sub-agency of the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP), approved a final version of onerous new regulations that supposedly will capture every last molecule of stray methane that leaks from shale and conventional drilling operations (see PA EQB Approves Final Onerous Methane Regs Harming Conv Drillers). These regs have been developed and tweaked since 2016. In late April several oil and gas associations that represent conventional drillers sued to block the new regs. Subsequently, the DEP withdrew the proposed new regs saying it would rework them. The DEP is about to resubmit a tweaked version of the regs for consideration, hoping to diffuse opposition from conventional drillers. Will it work?
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Flaring Tech Co. with Ops in M-U Expands Manuf. Facility in Okla.

Once upon a time when drillers sunk an oil or gas well and it began to flow, the initial rush of natural gas coming from the hole would either be vented or flared. Venting is just releasing methane molecules into the atmosphere, a practice that gives environuts the creepy crawlies. Flaring is not much better in their book–the practice of burning methane coming from the hole (converting it to carbon dioxide). But hey, we don’t want to vent or flare for a different reason–because those molecules are worth money! Better to capture and sell them. Enter technologies that do just that. One such company that manufactures tech to capture and sell fugitive methane at drilling sites is Flogistix (think of the word flow mashed with the word logistics…Flogistix). The company has field offices in many locations, including an office in Washington, PA.
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PA DEP Withdraws Onerous VOC/Methane Regs After Lawsuit Filed

In March the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board (EQB), a sub-agency of the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP), approved a final version of onerous new regulations that supposedly will capture every last molecule of stray methane that leaks from shale and conventional drilling operations (see PA EQB Approves Final Onerous Methane Regs Harming Conv Drillers). These regs have been developed and tweaked since 2016. Last week several oil and gas associations that represent conventional drillers sued to block the new regs. The DEP promptly withdrew the proposed new regs.
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CleanAir Partners with Picarro on Mobile Methane Monitors for M-U

CleanAir deploys Picarro-equipped vehicles to conduct methane surveys and quantify emissions in the Marcellus Shale region.

CleanAir Engineering, Inc. is partnering with and using technology from Picarro, Inc. to provide upstream and midstream natural gas operators with mobile methane monitoring solutions. In particular, CleanAir will deploy Picarro-equipped vehicles to conduct methane surveys and quantify emissions in the Marcellus Shale region, according to a joint announcement issued yesterday.
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Sunoco Fights DEP’s “Arbitrary and Capricious” Marcus Hook Plan

Marcus Hook site

Once again Energy Transfer (ET), via subsidiary Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals, is squabbling with the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection. ET is also at odds with the special court set up to hear appeals of DEP rulings called the Environmental Hearing Board (EHB). ET says a series of proposed and signed-off modifications to the Marcus Hook refinery near Philadelphia has been reopened and numbers/assumptions changed by the DEP, and combined together in a way that makes meeting air quality regulations more difficult and expensive. The DEP combined sources after the individual projects were previously approved by the agency.
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Penn State Says Bigger Well Setbacks are Needed in Some Cases

click for larger version

Penn State researchers have and continue to do important research around the benefits AND risks of Marcellus Shale drilling. Recently Penn State researchers published a study in Energy Policy, an Elsevier scientific journal, reviewing the presence of fine particulars (called PM 2.5) in proximity to well pad drilling sites in the PA Marcellus. They found in some cases folks living just outside the 500-foot setback were exposed to high levels of PM 2.5, which (if exposed long-term) is not a good thing.
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Methane Detection Drones in M-U Too Pricey for Small Drillers

One of the aims of both drillers and environmentalists is to reduce the amount of methane escaping from pipelines and well pads into the atmosphere–so called “fugitive methane.” Environmentalists make wild claims that methane molecules floating around in the atmosphere are a gajillion times more potent in causing mythical global warming. Whatever. Drillers and pipeline companies want to capture and keep captured every last molecule so they can sell it! Thing is, there is a cost beyond which it doesn’t make sense to try and capture stray methane molecules.
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