Hydraulic Fracturing

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    Research Recommends Different Radioactivity Test for Wastewater

    A new study has just been accepted for publication in the peer reviewed journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters titled, “Matrix Complications in the Determination of Radium Levels in Hydraulic Fracturing Flowback Water from Marcellus Shale” (full copy embedded below). It is important to understand what this highly technical article does, and does not, say–and what it does, and does not mean. The article reports research by a professor of radiology (and his colleagues) at the University of Iowa into the different ways Marcellus Shale flowback wastewater can be tested to determine the level of radioactivity in the water. There is a concern that Pennsylvania and New York have specified a method of testing put forward by the federal EPA that is fine for drinking water, but not accurate when testing Marcellus Shale wastewater. The professor and his team have determined the EPA method of testing only shows 1% of the true amount of radioactivity in some water samples, whereas there are other, more reliable tests, that catch nearly all of the radioactivity.

    The purpose of the research–the “import” or “bottom line”–is that environmental regulatory agencies are using the wrong test when it comes to analyzing frack wastewater. What this research shows is that a different test is needed. However, what the research does NOT show is that the level of radioactivity found is dangerous to handle or dangerous to dispose of, either by recycling or by injection well. The only way some (not all) wastewater would be dangerous is by releasing it back into rivers and streams without proper treatment–something PA banned nearly three years ago under then-DEP Sec. Michael Krancer (see PA DEP, Marcellus Shale Coalition Admit Drilling Wastewater Likely Contaminating Drinking Water)…
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    Drillers Petition PA Court (Again) to Participate in Act 13 Case

    Try this on for size. Pennsylvania lawmakers passed sweeping new regulations, called Act 13, that control how and where drillers can drill, and stipulate how much money drillers will pay as part of a new “fee” (really a tax, but called an impact fee). A portion of the Act 13 law–statewide uniform zoning regulations–was challenged by seven townships that eventually won in the PA Supreme Court (see Happy Story Ends Badly Because of 7 PA Towns). Early on the drilling industry wanted to join the case to argue in favor of the Act 13 law but the wizards on the bench said nyet. The judges said the industry had no “standing” to be party to the suit, while an anti-drilling environmental organization was allowed to participate. “Standing for me but not for thee” was the attitude. It was and is the height of hypocrisy because the Act 13 law directly affects those very industry groups and their members. Anyone can see there’s “standing” for the industry to participate in a lawsuit that directly affects them.

    The PA Supreme Court made a poor decision on Act 13, based on poor theories of law, and then took the easy way out and sent the non-zoning portions of the case back to a lower court to decide if the entire law should be scrapped. There’s a very possibility that will now happen (see Ongoing Fallout from PA Supreme Court’s Wrong Act 13 Decision). The three top drilling industry groups in PA yesterday petitioned the court, once again, to join the lawsuit as it’s now considered in the lower court, arguing they are DIRECTLY affected by the outcome and indeed it is evident to ALL that they do have standing. The groups are trying to salvage something out of the miscarriage of justice that has occurred at the Supreme Court. Question is: Will anti-drilling judges once again deny their petition to join the case?…
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    NatGas in PA Water Wells w/Marcellus Fingerprint NOT Shale Gas

    peer reviewA newly published peer reviewed study in the February Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) offers new research that we believe comes close to, if not fully, exonerating Cabot Oil & Gas over the now infamous case of methane migration into water wells in a small area of Dimock, PA. The new study has no connection to Cabot. It is written by three experts and uses (gasp) actual science–you know, in the field data? The data comes from “more than 2,300 gas and water samples collected from 234 gas wells and 67 private groundwater-supply wells” in northeastern PA and is the largest such data set ever analyzed. What did the authors find? Shallow (near the surface) methane with the same identical chemical “fingerprint” as deeper Marcellus Shale gas is naturally occurring in large quantities in northeastern PA. That is, the shallow methane under the microscope looks exactly like the methane found more than a mile below the ground, but it isn’t gas from the Marcellus because the methane near the surface that looks just like Marcellus gas, with the same chemical “fingerprint,” was lurking in water wells long before there was any shale drilling in the area.

    This is truly huge news, but don’t expect mainstream media outlets to cover the story because a) they like Josh Fox and prefer to prop up his fictional movie called Gasland, b) the issue requires readers to actually think and use the left brain to grapple with issues of science, c) this new, real research utterly refutes the pathetic “research” published by Duke University in two different papers that took the lazy way out and tried to hang Dimock’s stray gas methane on Cabot, and d) it doesn’t fit the “drilling is evil” narrative the mainstream media prefers to push…
    Read More “NatGas in PA Water Wells w/Marcellus Fingerprint NOT Shale Gas”

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    OH Anti-Drilling Nutters Prevent Safe Disposal of Drill Cuttings

    Score a win for the anti-drillers in Ohio. They have successfully blocked a promising new technology by lying about what it does and can do for the drilling industry. Last September MDN told you the story of an innovative new Ohio company–Ohio Soil Recycling (OSR)–that has figured out how to turn shale drill cuttings (leftover rock and dirt) into clean fill dirt–in 24 hours flat (see OH Company Turns Drill Cuttings into Clean Fill Dirt in 24 Hours). Because some drill cuttings (some, not all) contain very low levels of naturally occurring radioactivity, a fanatical group of nutters called Radioactive Waste Alert (RWA) went on a PR rampage using a big, lying billboard ad to try and suppress this promising new technology (see Radioactive Bilge Emanates from ‘Radioactive Waste Alert’ in OH).

    Once again headlines and soundbites rule the day as RWA now claims they have successfully stopped OSR. It’s a sad day–the RWA has made everyone in Ohio less safe than they could have been. But such is the twisted worldview of anti-drilling nutters like those in the RWA. Here’s the “we’re crowing about screwing OSR” announcement from RWA:
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    Mt. Pleasant, PA Continues to Ride Range Over Water Ponds

    As we told you last week, when PA towns make up their own zoning laws for oil and gas drilling, chaos and confusion reigns, as is the case in Mt. Pleasant (Washington County), PA (see Mt Pleasant Twp Shenanigans re Range Request for Water Ponds). Mt. Pleasant, one of seven townships that successfully sued the state to overturn Act 13 effectively screwing every municipality in the state out of millions of dollars of impact fee money, continues their snit fit over Range using a few water ponds to drill new shale wells in non-Mt. Pleasant locations.

    The board voted to uphold their zoning violations of four such ponds so Range has filed yet another lawsuit hoping they can find an impartial judge to set the matter straight. Here’s the latest…
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    Political Opposites Unite to Form Pro-Fracking Group in NY

    The 70,000-member Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY), along with the Broome County Farm Bureau and several Southern Tier labor unions formed a new group (perhaps confederation is a better word) yesterday called Southern Tier Residents for Economic Independence. The new group illustrates how the fracking issue unites groups of people that often are on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Many labor unions are pro-fracking, a little-known secret anti-drilling “environmentalist” groups like to hide since labor unions usually swing Democrat/Liberal with their voting block. The fact that unions are defecting to “the other side” on this issue is causing heartburn inside anti-fracking central–places like Citizen Action of New York and the Park Foundation. Such anti-drilling groups haughtily believe they “own” the labor unions. Problem is, rank and file union members didn’t get that particular memo.

    Here’s the story of people with different political philosophies reaching across the isle for a righteous cause–shale drilling in NY…
    Read More “Political Opposites Unite to Form Pro-Fracking Group in NY”

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    OH Anti-Drillers Call for ODNR Chief’s Resignation Over PR Plan

    A few weeks ago we told you about the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources’ brilliant communications plan to counter the wackos in their state on the issue of drilling under (not on) one state forest and two state parks (see ODNR Ticks Off Anti-Drilling Sierra Club with Drilling PR Plan). We also told you that this issue won’t go away for a while, and that Gov. John “foreigner hunter” Kasich has already backed down (see The Disgusting PR Mess in Ohio – No One Smells Pretty). As we predicted, the wacko contingent in Ohio never lets a good manufactured crisis go to waste, and so now a group of the nuttiest of the nuts is calling for the resignation of ODNR chief James Zehringer.

    The only problem is, Kasich & co seem to be so intimidated by these kooks, you have to wonder if he’ll cave and make Zehringer a sacrificial lamb on the green altar…
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    Binghamton Newspaper’s Informal Fracking Poll – Cast Your Vote Now

    Just a quick word of encouragement to participate in an informal poll on the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin website that asks the question: “Should New York approve natural gas drilling?” This poll has been active since late last week, so we expect them to shut it down at any time–be sure to vote right away (if that’s your pleasure). As of this morning, some 18,133 people had voted. Here was how the results stood…
    Read More “Binghamton Newspaper’s Informal Fracking Poll – Cast Your Vote Now”

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    Voting for the Lesser of the PA LibDem Loonies

    There’s at least a few prominent Democrats running in the primary for Lieutenant Governor that have departed from the Democrat Party’s lunatic demand to stop all Marcellus drilling in the state–precious few, but at least a few that don’t share that view. So if you’re a registered LibDem and you must (hold your nose and) swing the lever for a Dem, you might want to consider who should get your vote based on their loony rating.

    Hint: Don’t vote for Brenda Alton or Brad Koplinksi, both support an immediate ban on further shale drilling…
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    Sandra Steingraber’s Big Gaffe at You Defend It Debate

    A few days ago we gave you our eyewitness account of a debate between John Holko, president of Lenape Resources and Sandra Steingraber, author, erstwhile biologist and Rachel Carson wannabe (see Fracking Debate at Binghamton U: Holko vs Steingraber). It was a good debate to illustrate the utter lack of credibility and facts used by anti-drillers like Steingraber. In writing up our review, we overlooked perhaps the most outrageous and silly thing Steingraber said Monday night. She was pressing home the point she believes it’s time, right now, for New York to flip the switch and end the use of all fossil fuels (yes, she’s that “out there”). Debate moderator Rob Kilmer was somewhat incredulous and asked her if/how we might accomplish such a feat. She responded there is historical precedence–that at one time in our country’s (evil, vile) history, we could not conceive of a national economy without slave labor–and in the same way we overcame that morally abhorrent practice, we can overcome using fossil fuels today–apparently something equally abhorrent for Steingraber. You read that right–she equated burning fossil fuels for energy (something every single person reading this does, including Steingraber) with the enslavement of Africans in our distant past. How twisted is that?

    Our good friend Tom Shepstone from the must-read Natural Gas Now website brings us his view of the debate and recounts Steingraber’s “gilding of the lily” with her slavery comment…
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    NY Attorney General Actively Works Against 70K NY Landowners

    chained dogAs hard as it is to believe, New York’s Attorney General continues to work against his own constituents. We’ve known since his election that Democrat Eric Schneiderman is anti-drilling–what we didn’t know was was how much of an activist he would be, using his office to further his own distorted views on oil and gas drilling. He’s misused the power of the subpoena to go after drillers (see NY Attorney General Schneiderman Subpoenas Shale Drillers). He’s abused the power of his office to investigate town board members in towns that voted to “wait and see” (i.e. not ban) shale drilling (see NY Attorney General Investigates Towns Who Won’t Ban Fracking).

    Now, unbelievably, he has asked the court (and succeeded) in delaying a lawsuit brought by 70,000 New York residents–the people he’s sworn to protect–against Gov. Andrew Cuomo. It seems that Cuomo is the only person in the state Schneiderman wants to protect. He’s Andy’s personal junk yard guard dog–on a not-so-short leash. The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) recently sued Cuomo with an Article 78 lawsuit, in essence asking the court to force Cuomo to do the job he won’t do and release new oil and gas drilling regulations (see D-Day: JLCNY Files Lawsuit Today Against Cuomo, Martens, Shah). Schneiderman has gotten the court to delay any action on the lawsuit from March 7 to April 4, to give Schneiderman and his lieutenants, what, more time after 5 1/2 years?…
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    Happy Story Ends Badly Because of 7 PA Towns

    Who doesn’t like a county (or state) park, or a newer trend–converting old railroad beds into “rail trails”–resurfacing them for walkers, joggers, bikers and roller skaters? We sure love and use them. This story begins happily, with York County spending $100,000 to improve the Old Northern Central Railroad tracks and a portion of the York County Heritage Rail Trail that runs alongside them. Where did the money come from–taxpayers? Nope. It came from the Marcellus Shale industry, from the impact fee levied as part of the Act 13 law. In fact York County has received, so far, nearly 3/4 of a million dollars from that fund–even though there’s no active shale drilling in the county–thanks to Act 13.

    But the story ends badly, because quite likely starting next year, all of that impact fee money will disappear (see PA Supreme Court Won’t Reconsider Act 13, Impact Fee Now in Doubt). There will be no more impact fee money because seven townships in PA got their knickers in a twist, insisting their own layman zoning regulations were better than a set of statewide, uniform regulations designed by geologists and experts. So the seven petulant towns sued to toss out large portions of the Act 13 law, and it now looks like the impact fee will be tossed out too….
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    Survey Says! OU Survey of Local OH Officials on Utica’s Impacts

    Two days ago the Ohio University Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs released the findings of its much anticipated Ohio Shale Development Community Impact Survey. During summer of 2013, the Voinovich School distributed more than 500 surveys to local elected officials across 17 counties experiencing the majority of shale activity and development in Ohio. The survey assesses the impact of shale development within 17 counties in eastern Ohio, with a focus on population, housing, public safety, infrastructure, environment, local employment, area business activity, and economic development. Some 200 of those surveys were returned and the data tabulated.

    What did the survey find? Ohio’s local elected officials say Utica Shale drilling has caused an marked increase in jobs and the occupancy rate at hotels. But Utica drilling has also caused some pollution issues and a big increase in the demand for water supplies. This is a very interesting study (full copy embedded below)…
    Read More “Survey Says! OU Survey of Local OH Officials on Utica’s Impacts”

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    Latest Hypocritical Protest of PA’s State Forest Drilling Plan

    A handful of anti-drilling nutters–mostly washed up hippies from the 60s–held a protest rally in Harrisburg at the PA State Capitol yesterday to object to the very thing one of their icons, Ed Rendell (and his DEP Secretary John Hanger) themselves did: allow a little bit of drilling under (not on) state forests for natural gas. The hypocrisy was on full display as a small group, inflated by media reports as some sort of huge, massive movement thing, gathered to get their photo op before retiring to the nearest Starbucks to sip coffee created by machines operating on natural gas in a shop heated with natural gas to discuss how great it feels to relive the good ole days of protesting.

    Here’s how the reliably anti-drilling StateImpact Pennsylvania reported the so-called “rally”…
    Read More “Latest Hypocritical Protest of PA’s State Forest Drilling Plan”

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    Checking in on ecorpStim’s 100% Waterless Fracking, New Video

    checking inecorpStim has poked their heads up again to try and catch a bit of attention for their innovative waterless fracking solution. A press release issued yesterday by the company (full copy below) touts a new short video about their technology and promises that their “non-flammable propane stimulation” solution, developed in “2013,” will roll out in field demonstrations by “the end of this year.” We gave the video a watch a liked it (see it below).

    MDN has had our eye on eCORP, ecorpStim’s parent company, since 2012 when they attempted but ultimately failed to cut a deal with landowners in Tioga County, NY to lease a large swath of land and potentially use a waterless fracking technology (from Canadian GASFRAC) to avoid New York’s ongoing moratorium (see Tioga County, NY Lease Deal with eCORP Falls Apart). It was after the wheels came off that deal that ecorpStim changed gears to develop their own waterless fracking solution.
    Read More “Checking in on ecorpStim’s 100% Waterless Fracking, New Video”

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    Fracking Debate at Binghamton U: Holko vs Steingraber

    Last night MDN editor Jim Willis attended a “You Defend It” debate at Binghamton University between pro-driller John Holko, president of Lanape Resources (Buffalo area), and anti-driller Sandra Steingraber, a so-called “scholar in residence” at Ithaca College and founder of New Yorkers Against Fracking. The debate was on the topic of whether or not New York should allow high volume hydraulic fracturing (shale fracking). The format was interesting and refreshing–NO audience participation allowed. No cat calls or clapping or hooting characteristic of hippie anti-drillers was allowed. Also, the debaters were not allowed to question each other or respond to the other’s arguments. It was the moderator (Binghamton attorney Rob Kilmer) asking them questions in turn–and that’s it. The audience, which MDN would estimate at 250-300 people, heard the best pro and con arguments from both sides. Refreshing. And, enlightening.

    If we could step back and make an observation about the poise and demeanor of the debaters, John Holko was relaxed and worked from no notes. Sandra Steingraber, whom we have perhaps uncharitably called nutty, was nuttier than ever. She looked tense and had many notes and every response to a question started and ended with how fracking leads to an environmental holocaust that’s killing Mother Earth. When grilled by Kilmer as to why fracking doesn’t seem to be creating widespread damage in Pennsylvania the way she portrays it would in New York, she responded (amazingly) it really is. Steingraber maintains “everyone” is hushed up by legal gag orders in PA that don’t allow residents to tell the truth of what’s happening. So you see, she was simply off the rails–yet again…
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