Hydraulic Fracturing

Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Jefferson County (OH) | Ohio | Wastewater

OH Village Wants a Fracking Water Treatment Plant
August 11, 2011August 11, 2011

Mingo Junction, a small village along the Ohio River in Jefferson County, Ohio is looking to tap into revenue from the Marcellus and Utica Shale drilling industry spouting up around it. The mayor and village council are trying to locate alternative sources of revenue since the local steel mill closed, leaving the village in a lurch after constructing a new water treatment plant specifically at the mill’s request. Mingo Junction is looking to leverage the one thing it has plenty of—water.

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Brooke County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation | West Virginia

Another WV City Repeals Previous Marcellus Drilling Ban
August 11, 2011August 11, 2011

It seemed for a while like passing Marcellus drilling bans was all the rage for cities in West Virginia. Now it seems they can’t repeal those bans fast enough. The latest to repeal a previous ban is Wellsburg:

Read More “Another WV City Repeals Previous Marcellus Drilling Ban”
Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Methane Present in 11% of WV Water Wells Before Drilling Begins
August 8, 2011August 8, 2011

In response to a study released in May by Duke University showing elevated levels of methane in water wells near active gas wells being drilled, Chesapeake Energy has released its own water testing data. One of the chief criticisms of the Duke study is that baseline measurements were not taken—that is, Duke did not test water wells before active gas drilling took place to eliminate the possibility that methane in those water wells was naturally occurring. Chesapeake has that data for wells close to its active drilling sites. The results are indeed interesting.

Read More “Methane Present in 11% of WV Water Wells Before Drilling Begins”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD

Maryland Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission Holds First Meeting – Sparks Fly
August 5, 2011August 5, 2011

The kick-off meeting for Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley’s recently appointed Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission happened yesterday at Rocky Gap State Park in western Maryland. It was the first meeting in what will be a three year process—a final report from the Commission is due in August of 2014. Such a long delay puts Maryland at the back of the pack for Marcellus shale drilling (see MDN’s comments here)—a fact that rankles landowners and energy companies interested in moving forward.

The first meeting saw a few sparks as issues of timing and taxation came to the forefront:

Read More “Maryland Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission Holds First Meeting – Sparks Fly”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Ian Urbina/NYT Continue Journalistic Malpractice Against the Natural Gas Industry – This Time it’s Fracking
August 4, 2011August 4, 2011

Even though the New York Times’ own public editor has written two articles criticizing the Times for its slanted and inaccurate coverage of the natural gas drilling industry (see MDN’s coverage here), the Times either doesn’t learn or doesn’t care. Ian Urbina, the same Times writer who has authored previous fictions, has taken another swipe at the industry. This new article, appearing in today’s print edition (posted online last night), goes for the jugular—hydraulic fracturing.

Fracking is a 60-year old technology that forces water and sand into a drilled hole in order to break apart tightly-packed rocks, like shale, to release the gas and oil in them. Along with water and sand, very small amounts of chemicals are used to prevent bacterial growth due to the high heat of drilling. Those opposed to drilling try to instill fear that those chemicals will somehow contaminate groundwater supplies.

Read More “Ian Urbina/NYT Continue Journalistic Malpractice Against the Natural Gas Industry – This Time it’s Fracking”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation | West Virginia | Wetzel County

Boycott Threat Worked: New Martinsville (WV) City Council will Overturn Recent Marcellus Drilling Ban
August 4, 2011August 4, 2011

Just last week, MDN wrote about New Martinsville, WV enacting a Marcellus drilling ban (see MDN story). Because of the ban, the West Virginia Independent Oil & Gas Association hinted that their members would boycott New Martinsville businesses in retaliation—unless the ban is lifted. Looks like that threat worked:

Read More “Boycott Threat Worked: New Martinsville (WV) City Council will Overturn Recent Marcellus Drilling Ban”
Allegheny County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation

Proposed Pittsburgh Permanent Drilling Ban May Not be Legal
August 4, 2011August 4, 2011

Pittsburgh City Councilman Doug Shields, who will soon be leaving office, is staunchly anti-drilling. He led the successful effort to have hydraulic fracturing and shale gas drilling banned in the City of Pittsburgh. The ban was enacted by City Council last November. Now that Mr. Shields has landed on the happy shores of no drilling, he wants to burn the ships to ensure future Council members can’t undo all of his good work. His method? Amend the City’s Home Rule Charter to permanently ban drilling anywhere in the city limits.

Mr. Shields has proposed a measure be put on the ballot in November to let voters decide if the Charter should be amended. There’s just one small problem: It’s probably not legal.

Read More “Proposed Pittsburgh Permanent Drilling Ban May Not be Legal”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Statewide NY

Federal Government Asks Judge to Dismiss NY Attorney General’s Fracking Lawsuit
August 3, 2011August 3, 2011

On May 31 of this year, NY Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to force the federal government “to commit to a full environmental review of proposed regulations that would allow natural gas drilling – including the potentially harmful "fracking" technique – in the Delaware River Basin” (see MDN’s initial coverage here). That is, AG Schneiderman is attempting to use the court system to delay, and if possible prevent, Marcellus Shale drilling in New York by forcing the federal government to launch a multi-year review of hydraulic fracturing in the Delaware River Basin. He bases his lawsuit on the foundation that the Delaware River Basin Commission, a quasi-governmental body, is about to allow drilling in the areas it oversees, including sensitive New York City watershed areas.

According to the federal government, AG Schneiderman does not have a legal foot to stand on with his lawsuit:

Read More “Federal Government Asks Judge to Dismiss NY Attorney General’s Fracking Lawsuit”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Wastewater

US Dept of Energy Awards Grants for Hydraulic Fracturing Research, Looking for Greener Alternatives
August 3, 2011August 3, 2011

The U.S. Department of Energy is funding a number of research projects to help find ways to extract more energy from unconventional oil and gas resources while reducing environmental risks. The DOE grants amount to $12.4 million.

The selections include $10.3 million for eight projects that will reduce the environmental risks of shale gas development while accelerating the application of new exploration and production technologies; and $2.1 million for three projects investigating innovative processes for extracting additional oil from mature domestic oil fields including Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR).

The total value of the shale-related projects is more than $17.0 million over 3 years with approximately $6.7 million of cost-share provided by the recipients in addition to the $10.3 million in federal funds. The shale gas projects include:

Read More “US Dept of Energy Awards Grants for Hydraulic Fracturing Research, Looking for Greener Alternatives”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Noise | Regulation | Roads | Statewide NY | Trucking

NY Drilling Delayed Again: Public Comment Period on New Regulations Delayed by DEC’s Joe Martens for Additional Month, Maybe Longer
August 2, 2011August 2, 2011

Once again New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens has delayed the start of Marcellus gas drilling—this time by at least an additional 30 days, maybe longer. The “nearly” final draft drilling regulations, called the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS), were released on July 8 (originally supposed to be released July 1 as ordered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo). At that time, Mr. Martens said there would be a 60-day public comment period that would begin in August. Then the DEC would review those comments, tweak the regulations, and issue the final regulations sometime late this year.

The 60-day public comment period will now not begin until “late summer,” which in DEC-speak means September. Why?

Read More “NY Drilling Delayed Again: Public Comment Period on New Regulations Delayed by DEC’s Joe Martens for Additional Month, Maybe Longer”
Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Public Opinion

Unnamed Source in New York Times Anti-Gas Articles was…an Intern?!
August 2, 2011August 2, 2011

MDN has previously commented on the obvious vendetta by the New York Times against the natural gas industry, most particularly in articles written by Ian Urbina (see one example here). The Times has a public editor that, from time to time, will criticize the paper’s coverage. Recently, the public editor published a couple of articles refuting the Times’ reporting on the natural gas industry. In particular, the public editor revealed that one of the key anonymous government sources quoted by Urbina, one credited with a number of damaging remarks, was in fact just an intern and not a senior official.

Below is a press statement issued by Energy in Depth, an organization founded and funded by the energy industry. With their usual flair, they do an excellent job of uncovering the truth behind the Urbina articles. EID connects the dots between the intern, Urbina and the anti-drilling organizations who have been feeding them the propaganda we’ve been reading in the Times. MDN is reprinting the entire EID article, with full credit to the fine folks at EID. Please read it!

Read More “Unnamed Source in New York Times Anti-Gas Articles was…an Intern?!”
Allegany County | Garrett County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD

Maryland Marcellus Shale Commission to Have First Meeting This Week – One Meeting Down, Three More Years of Meetings to Go
August 2, 2011August 5, 2011

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley has effectively taken his state out of consideration for Marcellus Shale drilling. How? He’s appointed a commission to study that which has already been studied to death, to have meetings, to issue preliminary reports, have more meetings, and issue a final report in August 2014, years after drilling will already be firmly established in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and (perhaps) New York. A relatively small area of Maryland sits atop the Marcellus—two rural counties in the panhandle of Maryland: Allegany and Garrett counties. Both counties have high unemployment and would greatly benefit from Marcellus gas drilling, but the landowners and the people who could be employed by the drilling industry in those communities will not benefit from drilling for many years to come because of Gov. O’Malley’s delays.

So it’s of note, but of little consequence, that the kick-off meeting for Gov. O’Malley’s recently appointed Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission will happen this Thursday at 9:30 am at the Lakeside Visitors Center at Rocky Gap State Park. The meeting is open to the public. Below is a recent press release announcing the people appointed to O’Malley’s Commission.

Read More “Maryland Marcellus Shale Commission to Have First Meeting This Week – One Meeting Down, Three More Years of Meetings to Go”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

New York State Democratic Party Chairman Says Risks from Marcellus Drilling are “Minuscule”
August 1, 2011August 1, 2011

New York State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs wants to see hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale in New York State begin. From today’s New York Post:

Read More “New York State Democratic Party Chairman Says Risks from Marcellus Drilling are “Minuscule””
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Commonwealth Foundation Identifies Groups, People Who Fund Anti-Drilling Efforts in PA
August 1, 2011August 1, 2011

Last week the Commonwealth Foundation released a policy briefing paper titled “The Great Frack Attack: The War On Natural Gas” (full copy of the paper embedded below). The policy paper names names and outlines the big money behind groups critical of drilling in the Marcellus Shale.

From the introduction:

Read More “Commonwealth Foundation Identifies Groups, People Who Fund Anti-Drilling Efforts in PA”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia | Wetzel County

WV Drillers Threaten Economic Boycotts of Local Businesses in Cities that Ban Marcellus Drilling
July 29, 2011July 29, 2011

Here and there, some city municipalities in West Virginia—like Morgantown—have banned hydraulic fracturing and Marcellus shale gas drilling inside, and even outside of their borders. The latest WV city to do so is New Martinsville (Wetzel County). The West Virginia Independent Oil & Gas Association has had enough and is threatening to stop supporting local businesses in cities that have enacted bans.

Read More “WV Drillers Threaten Economic Boycotts of Local Businesses in Cities that Ban Marcellus Drilling”
Blair County | Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

Altoona Water Authority Expands Sale of Treated Wastewater to Marcellus Drillers in PA
July 28, 2011July 28, 2011

The Altoona [PA] Water Authority is looking to expand its program to sell treated sewage wastewater to Marcellus drillers in central PA.

Read More “Altoona Water Authority Expands Sale of Treated Wastewater to Marcellus Drillers in PA”