Hydraulic Fracturing

Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Europe Commits “Energy Suicide” While America Fracks Future
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

Have you ever noticed how refreshingly honest the international media is when compared with U.S. mainstream media? Case in point: The London Telegraph has a story detailing how the miracle of hydraulic fracturing has turned the U.S. into an economic powerhouse once again—and how Europe is committing energy suicide by not leveraging fracking.

The article says, in part:

Read More “Europe Commits “Energy Suicide” While America Fracks Future”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Washington County

Cecil, PA Public Hearing to Revise Zoning for Act 13
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

Even though the Town of Cecil (Washington County, PA) is one of the seven towns suing the state of PA over the zoning provisions of Act 13, the town is going to consider changing their zoning law to be compliant with Act 13 all the same. The situation is now murky and “fluid”…

On Friday, Cecil’s town manager said this:

Read More “Cecil, PA Public Hearing to Revise Zoning for Act 13”
Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Seneca Resources

Seneca Boasts First 100% LNG-Powered Drill Rig in Marcellus
October 26, 2012October 26, 2012

EQT was the first driller in the Marcellus Shale to convert a drilling rig to run on electricity produced by LNG, or “liquefied natural gas” (see this MDN story). CONSOL has also been experimenting with converting some of their rigs to use LNG too (see this MDN story). You may now add a third driller to the list: Seneca Resources. Seneca is the gas drilling arm of National Fuel Gas Company.

Yesterday, Seneca announced they are converting two of their rigs to run on LNG. But unlike EQT and CONSOL which mix LNG with diesel fuel in a blend, Seneca is using 100% LNG to power their rigs—a first for drilling rigs in the Marcellus Shale. Seneca says they’ve already converted one rig that’s now in operation, a second rig will be finished in November, and a third rig is coming later this year. Seneca also says someday they’d like to use the gas coming out of the ground to power the rig that’s drilling it. Cool.

Read More “Seneca Boasts First 100% LNG-Powered Drill Rig in Marcellus”
Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Regulation | Washington County

PA State Rep. White Accuses Range Resources of Extortion
October 25, 2012October 25, 2012

Pennsylvania State Rep. Jesse White (D) from Cecil, PA (Washington County) is a well-known and devoted anti-driller. He’s accusing Range Resources of attempted extortion of the Town of Cecil. Here’s the background:

Read More “PA State Rep. White Accuses Range Resources of Extortion”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Mahoning County | Ohio

Fact and Fiction About Fracking in OH County Park
October 25, 2012October 25, 2012

An article in the Salem (OH) News points out the false impressions sometimes held by those who oppose or have concerns about fracking. The example they highlight comes from area residents who had concerns about a county park in Mahoning County, OH, not far from Youngstown. The park is called Mill Creek MetroParks—a 4,400-acre park with spectacular views and walking trails, a championship golf course, a working farm and much more.

Residents were concerned about leasing land from the park for Utica Shale oil and gas drilling. Concerns center on contamination of water supplies in the park, land being disturbed with heavy equipment use, truck traffic and the like. Concerned residents learned at a recent seminar held at the park that drilling already happens from neighboring property and there’s been 40+ wells drilled (or being drilled) under the park to date.

Read More “Fact and Fiction About Fracking in OH County Park”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD | Taxation

Maryland Senators Support Lease Tax to Fund Fracking Study
October 25, 2012October 25, 2012

Two “prominent” Maryland State Senators, both from Montgomery County in the Washington, D.C. suburbs (and both Democrats), are supporting legislation that would create a long-term moratorium on shale gas drilling in the state:

Read More “Maryland Senators Support Lease Tax to Fund Fracking Study”
Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Norse Energy | Regulation | Statewide NY

Will Drillers Bother to Show Up if NY Allows Fracking?
October 24, 2012October 24, 2012

A new article by Platts asks the question MDN is often asked: “If shale drilling is allowed in New York State, will any drillers bother to show up and drill?” The Platts article quotes a number of experts who say, in a word, “no.” MDN has heard the same “no” sentiment from other experts as well. We’ve grappled with this issue in the past (see this MDN story from March 9, 2011).

These days, MDN has a contrary-to-popular-opinion position on the question of whether drillers will want to drill in New York soon after it’s allowed. But first, the viewpoints of those who say no:

Read More “Will Drillers Bother to Show Up if NY Allows Fracking?”
Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

U.S. will Produce as Much Oil as Saudi Arabia Starting 2013
October 24, 2012October 24, 2012

Not so long ago those of us who support shale gas drilling would proudly say, “The United States has as much natural gas sitting under it as Saudi Arabia has oil,” feeling the satisfaction of knowing that someday, somehow we may get out from under the thumb of counties who are our enemies by shifting our economy from using mostly oil to using mostly natural gas.

Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine saying, “The United States produces as much oil as Saudi Arabia.” Seemed like a fantasy. But starting next year, that statement will be true. Why? You guessed it: Shale.

Read More “U.S. will Produce as Much Oil as Saudi Arabia Starting 2013”
Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

President Obama’s Abysmal Energy Record
October 24, 2012October 24, 2012

Startling news today that the U.S. is set to eclipse Saudi Arabia as the leading producer of oil (yes, oil) in the world by the end of next year (see this MDN story). This year, the U.S. will be the most energy independent we have been since 1990. We’re now on track to produce 4/5 of the energy we consume. Why? The miracle of hydraulic fracturing.

President Obama and his administration try to claim credit for this energy renaissance and make noise about an “all of the above” energy strategy. But a close examination of the record shows Obama’s energy policies have actually worked against our energy independence. Without his policies of restricting drilling on federal lands and offshore, we might actually be energy independent right now.

The numbers don’t lie:

Read More “President Obama’s Abysmal Energy Record”
Air Quality | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

OSHA Puts Brakes on New Silica Handling Rules for Fracking
October 24, 2012October 24, 2012

In June 2012, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) issued a joint hazard alert for workers who use silica (sand) used in fracking (see this MDN story). OSHA has been working for several years on a revision of its silica dust regulations—long before a new report was issued by NIOSH on silica used in fracking. The NIOSH report, released in May 2012, caused OSHA and NIOSH to issue the joint hazard alert in June.

The hazard alert, while using strong language to encourage stricter rules for handling silica, apparently does not carry the full weight of being a regulation—i.e., it’s not enforceable. The enforceable regulation comes from OSHA and release of a revised regulation on silica handling for fracking and other uses is now on pause. How come?

Read More “OSHA Puts Brakes on New Silica Handling Rules for Fracking”
Health Impacts | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

More Comments from Martens about NY Fracking Health Review
October 23, 2012October 23, 2012

Here’s a bit more about what New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens said last Friday about the current health review, some comments he made we did not previously see reported:

Read More “More Comments from Martens about NY Fracking Health Review”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Fracking Fluids/Technology Getting Greener Each Year
October 23, 2012October 23, 2012

The TriplePundit blog does a good job of summarizing how fracking technology is getting greener in a post titled, “Is There Really Such A Thing As Green Fracking?” Author RP Siegel runs down the latest alternatives to chemicals being added to water-based fracking, and alternative technologies to water-based fracking.

Here’s a short list of the “green fracking” solutions either commercially available today, or nearly ready:

Read More “Fracking Fluids/Technology Getting Greener Each Year”
Health Impacts | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY DEC Com. Martens Gives Update on SGEIS Health Review
October 22, 2012October 22, 2012

We now know a bit more about where things stand with the “health review” taking place of New York’s proposed new drilling regulations (called the SGEIS). When Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced he was asking NYS Health Commissioner Nirav Shah to conduct a review of the SGEIS’ handling of potential health impacts of fracking on residents, he said that Shah would assemble a panel of “outside experts” to advise him.

It appears the outside experts have been identified but haven’t agreed (yet) to the money being offered by the DEC and Health Department to do the work. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on a Nov. 29 deadline. Martens says it’s still possible to make that deadline. Here’s what he said on Friday to reporters:

Read More “NY DEC Com. Martens Gives Update on SGEIS Health Review”
Chesapeake Energy | Commodity Price | Economic Impact | Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

NYT Now Says There’s Too Much Natural Gas, Drillers to Blame
October 22, 2012October 22, 2012

The New York Times is a bit schizophrenic these days. It’s hard to keep track of which alternate reality they operate in. For the longest time, we’ve heard from the Times how shale drilling is just a Ponzi scheme a la Bernie Madoff—a fraud to get investors to dump billions into energy companies but with only a teeny tiny bit of gas in the ground (“proven reserves”) to get out (see this MDN story). Of course that contention is patently false as proven by the overwhelming production and inventories we now have from shale gas.

Read More “NYT Now Says There’s Too Much Natural Gas, Drillers to Blame”
Brooke County | Hancock County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Taxation | West Virginia

Weirton, WV Slaps 6% Tax on Shale Drilling
October 22, 2012October 22, 2012

Somehow this one slipped by the MDN radar a few weeks ago. On Oct. 9, the city of Weirton, WV voted to slap a 6% business and occupation (B&O) tax on natural gas drilling in the city:

Read More “Weirton, WV Slaps 6% Tax on Shale Drilling”
Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio County | West Virginia

Chesapeake Pulls Request to Drill Near Wheeling Park High
October 22, 2012October 22, 2012

In September MDN asked if it’s a good idea for Chesapeake Energy to move forward with a plan to drill 1,300 feet from Wheeling Park High School in Ohio County, WV (see this MDN story). Looks like it’s a moot point now.

Late last week Chesapeake withdrew its permit application and now says they’ll look elsewhere to drill:

Read More “Chesapeake Pulls Request to Drill Near Wheeling Park High”