Hydraulic Fracturing

Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | PVR Midstream

New Water Pipeline Coming for Drillers in Northeast PA
September 21, 2011September 21, 2011

Aqua America Inc. and Penn Virginia Resource Partners (PVR) announced they have formed a joint venture, Aqua – PVR Water Services, to construct and operate a private pipeline system to supply fresh water to natural gas producers drilling in the Marcellus Shale in north-central Pennsylvania. The 12-inch diameter steel pipeline will largely parallel the trunkline of PVR’s gathering system in Lycoming County and will share PVR’s existing rights-of-way.

Read More “New Water Pipeline Coming for Drillers in Northeast PA”
Commodity Price | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

What Those Opposed to Gas Drilling Really Fear
September 21, 2011September 21, 2011

Dave McCurdy is president and CEO of the American Gas Association. He’s also a former congressman (Democrat) from Oklahoma. In an interview with the Washington Times, he minces no words and says what MDN has been saying all along: Those opposed to shale gas drilling are motivated by an ideology, a preference for renewable energy. McCurdy points out what they really fear is that renewables can’t compete with natural gas based on economics. So that ideology and fear leads them to oppose natural gas.

Read More “What Those Opposed to Gas Drilling Really Fear”
Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | EXCO Resources | Hess | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Williams Production | XTO

65 Marcellus Well Casing Violations in PA So Far in 2011
September 19, 2011March 24, 2012

Recently released data on drilling violations from the PA Department of Environmental Protection show that problems continue with the cemented steel casings that are designed to protect groundwater from methane and the fluids used to frack wells. The violations do not mean methane or fluids escaped into local groundwater aquifers—but the potential exists when a well is not cased properly. So far in 2011, 65 wells have been cited for faulty casing and cementing. Out of the many thousands of wells drilled and fracked each year in Pennsylvania, that’s not a bad ratio, but it’s certainly nowhere near acceptable. As DEP Secretary Michael Krancer has said, “One case of methane migration or well contamination is one case too many.” The industry needs to do better.

Read More “65 Marcellus Well Casing Violations in PA So Far in 2011”
Centre County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

PA Religious Group Says Marcellus Gas Drilling is Immoral
September 19, 2011September 19, 2011

As predicted by MDN on Friday (see here), the Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light (PA-IPL) religious organization declared in their press conference of Sunday that “ethical drilling” of Marcellus Shale gas essentially equals “no drilling.” Like many other anti-drilling organizations, the PA-IPL is driven by ideology: they seek renewable energy nirvana. They have drunken deeply from the man-causes-global-warming mythology/religion. They view fossil fuels as immoral. MDN suspects however, that the leaders of the PA-IPL don’t peddle bicycles everywhere they want to go but instead use gas-powered vehicles. And no doubt they fly around on jets burning fossil fuels to spread their inanities. And heat their homes with nasty coal-generated electricity. Can anyone say “hypocrite”?

Read More “PA Religious Group Says Marcellus Gas Drilling is Immoral”
Accidents | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Penn Environment Lies About Flooded Drilling Rig
September 16, 2011September 16, 2011

If you’re against drilling and desperate to make your case, why tell the truth when a lie will conveniently do? That is, of course, until the lie is exposed.

Read More “Penn Environment Lies About Flooded Drilling Rig”
Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Monongalia County | Northeast Natural Energy | Regulation | West Virginia

Morgantown, WV Update: Fracking to Begin Next Week
September 16, 2011September 16, 2011

It seems the opposition to two Marcellus Shale gas wells being drilled outside Morgantown’s borders is petering out. Press accounts talk of “a handful” of area residents protesting outside of the drill sites this week—meaning less than a dozen, perhaps a single family, who knows?

Read More “Morgantown, WV Update: Fracking to Begin Next Week”
Centre County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

PA Religious Group to Lecture Industry on Ethical Drilling
September 16, 2011September 16, 2011

This should be interesting. On Sunday, the Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light (PA-IPL) religious organization will tell the drilling industry how they should do their business. Apparently there is something called “ethical drilling” that the good people of the PA-IPL will reveal. Notice, as MDN has repeatedly pointed out, that ideology (or philosophy, or in this case, faith) is the reason anti-drillers—and make no mistake, this group is anti-drilling—oppose shale gas drilling. They view it as a threat to the renewable energy nirvana they want to impose on everyone else. In the case of this organization, they attempt to transform the drilling argument into a moral one, meaning if you disagree with their viewpoint, you’re immoral. Nice try.

Read More “PA Religious Group to Lecture Industry on Ethical Drilling”
Air Quality | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

EPA to Hold Hearings on Rules to Reduce Fracking Air Pollution
September 16, 2011September 16, 2011

Being “forced” by a lawsuit, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drafted new rules and regulations for oil and gas drillers that use hydraulic fracturing. The new rules require drillers to use new or improved processes and equipment (at great expense) in an attempt to cut the level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other air pollutants the EPA says are emitted during the completion of hydraulically fractured wells. MDN wrote an extensive article on this, complete with a copy of the 604-page list of rule changes (see here).

The EPA is moving forward with several public hearings on the rule changes, the first of which will be in Pittsburgh on Sept. 27th.

Read More “EPA to Hold Hearings on Rules to Reduce Fracking Air Pollution”
Accidents | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Susquehanna River Contaminated, but Not by Fracking Chemicals
September 15, 2011September 15, 2011

The mighty Susquehanna River is 464 miles long, running from upstate New York through Pennsylvania and into Maryland before emptying into the Chesapeake Bay. Much of the Susquehanna runs through prime Marcellus drilling country along the way.

Last week, the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee dropped massive amounts of rain along the Susquehanna and its tributaries, causing some of the worst flooding ever for communities along the path of the river. Some activists who oppose Marcellus Shale gas drilling speculated that fracking chemicals have now found their way, via the floodwaters, into the Susquehanna River. But their concern is misplaced. Fracking chemicals have not fouled the river, but there’s plenty of other things as a result of TS Lee that have:

Read More “Susquehanna River Contaminated, but Not by Fracking Chemicals”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Canadians Establish New “Guiding Principles” for Fracking
September 14, 2011September 14, 2011

Canadian natural gas producers recently announced new guiding principles (embedded below) for hydraulic fracturing that guide water management and improved water and fluids reporting practices for shale gas development in Canada. The principles were created by members of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and apply to all CAPP natural gas producing members, large and small, operating in Canada.

Read More “Canadians Establish New “Guiding Principles” for Fracking”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Debunking the Myth that Fracking Causes Water Contamination
September 13, 2011September 13, 2011

In the ongoing heated debate over hydraulic fracturing, can we all at least agree that chemical contamination does not come from the mostly water and sand (with a little bit of chemical additive) that is pumped a mile or more below the earth’s surface? The general public hears from the media echo chamber that “fracking threatens water supplies” and assumes that somehow, in some way, chemicals will rise up from a mile below the ground and contaminate water wells and aquifers near the surface. It just doesn’t happen—it’s a physical impossibility. Here’s an excellent analogy recently printed in Popular Mechanics to put it in perspective:

Read More “Debunking the Myth that Fracking Causes Water Contamination”
Energy Services | Frac Tech | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Fracking Pays! Frac Tech Floats IPO to Raise $1.15B
September 13, 2011September 13, 2011

Even though “fracking” – a reference to hydraulic fracturing – has become a dirty word for some, it’s certainly a good business to be in. Frac Tech International is one such company in the business of providing fracking services to oil and gas drillers. Just 11 years old and with yearly revenues exceeding a billion dollars, Frac Tech is set to float shares of stock and become a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The company plans to change its name to FTS International and wants to raise $1.15 billion in an initial public offering (IPO).

Read More “Fracking Pays! Frac Tech Floats IPO to Raise $1.15B”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Public Opinion | Regulation | Washington County

Western PA Township Residents Try to Ban Gas Drilling
September 13, 2011September 13, 2011

Several thousand residents of Peters Township, a small township in Washington County, Pennsylvania, are attempting to force a ban of all natural gas drilling in the township by amending the township’s charter. It’s not clear whether or not the town council will allow a vote on the proposed measure:

Read More “Western PA Township Residents Try to Ban Gas Drilling”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

New York’s 60-Year History of Fracking
September 12, 2011September 12, 2011

When it comes to hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, one size does not fit all with respect to regulation, and moratoriums. Most people caught up in the frenzy of opposing fracking, especially in New York, may not realize that there are thousands of wells drilled in New York State, right now, that are fracked every year, and have been going back for the past 60 years. And with no cases of groundwater contamination.

Wait, what? Fracking happens right now?! Yeah, that’s right. But it’s not the same kind of fracking that would be used to get shale gas.

Read More “New York’s 60-Year History of Fracking”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Statewide OH

Ohio is Full Speed Ahead and Ready for Fracking
September 12, 2011September 12, 2011

While some states are poking along (New York), and others have either outright banned or placed a temporary moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (NJ, NC), Ohio, under Gov. John Kasich, is moving forward quickly with Marcellus and Utica Shale gas drilling. Specifically, Ohio is full speed ahead with hydraulic fracturing.

Read More “Ohio is Full Speed Ahead and Ready for Fracking”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY DEC Issues Final Draft Drilling Regs – What Happens Now?
September 8, 2011September 8, 2011

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued a “final” draft version of proposed new drilling regulations yesterday (see link to full copy below) after incorporating new information it received from a private study about the industrialization affects of drilling on local communities. The new draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) weighs in at 1,537 pages—a behemoth. DEC Commissioner Joe Martens set up a 90-day public comment period to end December 12th, instead of the previously promised 60-day period.

Read More “NY DEC Issues Final Draft Drilling Regs – What Happens Now?”