Industrywide Issues

Accidents | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Regulation | Washington County | Wastewater

Hearing on Range Yeager Impoundment/Water Contamination Continues
October 6, 2014October 6, 2014

More from the ongoing hearing into the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection’s actions, or lack of actions, in determining a private water well 2,800 feel (half a mile) downhill from a Range Resources wastewater impoundment that was found to be leaky was fouled by that impoundment. We previously explained that in order for a lawsuit by the landowner Loren Kiskadden against Range for “contaminating” his water well to be valid, the DEP must reverse a previous finding that Range’s Yeager impoundment did not foul his well (see Did DEP Mishandle Range Wastewater Impoundment Investigation?). So one of the DEP’s investigators has been on the hot seat explaining his previous findings and reports…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Statewide VA | Virginia

Opposition to Dominion SE Pipeline: Bulldozers & Salamanders
October 6, 2014October 6, 2014

It was just a scant few months ago that Dominion first announced a new pipeline project to carry Marcellus and Utica Shale gas from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina (see Dominion Announces 2 New Pipeline Projects from Marcellus/Utica). Eventually what was a single company building a $2 billion pipeline became four joint venture partners building a 550-mile, $5 billion pipeline with the name Atlantic Coast Pipeline (see Dominion Commits to Major New Marcellus/Utica Pipeline Project). Surveyors are in the field attempting to chart a path for the new pipeline, and some landowners are none too pleased at the prospect. One crotchety old geezer who lives near the fabled Walton’s Mountain area says he’ll lay down under a bulldozer if they show up on his land…
Read More “Opposition to Dominion SE Pipeline: Bulldozers & Salamanders”
Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Ohio | Statewide OH

Failed Drug Tests Continue to Keep Ohioans from Utica Shale Jobs
October 6, 2014October 6, 2014

Back in January 2013 MDN brought you the story of why more Ohioans (instead of “foreigners,” as Gov. John Kasich calls them) don’t work in the flourishing Utica Shale industry (see Why More Ohioans Don’t Work in Utica Shale Industry? Drugs). As the Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program executive director Rhonda Reda puts it, it’s not an “unemployment” issue, it’s an “unemployable” issue. Apparently it’s not getting any better. If anything, the drug problem is getting worse…
Read More “Failed Drug Tests Continue to Keep Ohioans from Utica Shale Jobs”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA DEP Sec. Chris Abruzzo Resigns Following Porn Email Scandal
October 3, 2014October 3, 2014

We warned you about Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane when she was elected (see Will New PA AG Go After the Marcellus Drilling Industry?). It wasn’t long before she started trolling years-old cases to see what she could turn into big headlines, attempting to damage the Marcellus industry (see PA AG Abuses Her Authority, Files Criminal Charges Against XTO). She not only went after the big players like XTO, she’s done her best to shut down smaller players too (see Minuteman Enviro Says PA AG Office “Terrorized” Family Members, Filing Lawsuit). Now her latest scalp. She went digging through five year-old computer records and found a couple of emails received and sent that contained porn on the computer of PA state employee Chris Abruzzo, back in 2009, when Abruzzo worked for then-Attorney General (and current Governor) Tom Corbett–long before Abruzzo was appointed as Secretary of the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP). A week after she started airing her charges to left-leaning media outlets, Abruzzo resigned…
Read More “PA DEP Sec. Chris Abruzzo Resigns Following Porn Email Scandal”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA | Wastewater

PA DEP Sec. Abruzzo’s Last Public Interview…with MDN
October 3, 2014October 3, 2014

Sadly, Pennsylvania’s Sec. of the Dept. of Environmental Protection, Christopher Abruzzo, resigned yesterday. See our lead story today for the details. Below is a podcast/recording of what MDN believes is Abruzzo’s last publicly recorded interview before he resigned–an interview with MDN editor Jim Willis. The interview was conducted at the Shale Insight event on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. It was one day later, on Sept. 25, that news broke of five year-old emails, passed between Abruzzo and friends, that allegedly contained pornographic images. The issue triggered Abruzzo’s resignation yesterday. Regardless of his departure, Jim’s interview concerned important issues for the environment and the drilling industry in PA. Here’s the tough issues Jim tackled during the interview…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Sunoco Logistics

Major Milestone: PA PUC Rules Mariner East IS a Public Utility
October 3, 2014October 3, 2014

Sunoco Logistics is not home free yet–but almost. As MDN readers will know, for some time anti-drillers have attempted to prevent Sunoco Logistics from repurposing their 400+ mile Mariner East pipeline that stretches from western PA to Philadelphia to begin flowing natural gas liquids–ethane and propane. The legal tussle has been over whether or not the pipeline is a “public utility” with the right of eminent domain and the right to be exempt from local zoning ordinances. Bear in mind the Mariner East pipeline has been in the ground for decades, always considered a public utility in years gone by. Local municipalities are now seeking to stop a string of 18 pump and 17 value stations (in 31 locations) that will be needed along the pipeline’s route in order to flow the ethane and propane. So the municipalities launched a legal fight to remove Mariner East’s classification as a public utility. Yesterday the Commissioners of the PA Public Utility Commission put that issue to rest once and for all…
Read More “Major Milestone: PA PUC Rules Mariner East IS a Public Utility”
Accidents | Beck Energy | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Ohio | Summit County

Beck Energy & Munroe Falls Go to Court – Again
October 3, 2014October 3, 2014

Munroe Falls, a “city” with 5,000 people located near Akron, OH (in Summit County) has a longstanding feud (and court case) with Beck Energy over Beck’s right to drill a shale well on private property within city limits. The drill site was evaluated and properly permitted by the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) in 2012, but as soon as Beck started drilling, the city slapped them with a stop work notice for violating local zoning ordinances. That set off a court battle over “home rule” and the rights local municipalities have over oil and gas activity. An Ohio Appeals Court eventually stuck down home rule (see OH Appeals Court Strikes Down Home Rule for Drilling). The case was appealed and is now before the OH Supreme Court, awaiting a decision (see Home Rule Case Heads to Ohio Supreme Court). A new/second case was filed earlier this week by Beck Energy against the city of Munroe Falls. It seems about three barrels of oil were spilled at the site and the city is (unbelievably) preventing Beck from cleaning it up…
Read More “Beck Energy & Munroe Falls Go to Court – Again”
Chenango County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Research

Cornell Grad Students Publish Well Water Study from Upstate NY
October 3, 2014October 3, 2014

Some real science coming from Cornell University–who knew it was possible? Normally we associate the discredited theories of professors Robert Howarth and Anthony Ingraffea with the storied Cornell. They claim burning coal is better for the environment than burning natural gas (see Forbes Article Exposes Cornell Prof Howarth and His “Research”). It took a grad student at Cornell to conduct some real, fundamental, in-the-field research that will benefit Marcellus and Utica Shale drilling–IF it ever happens in New York. Doctoral student Lauren McPhillips is the lead author of a research paper recently published in the Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies. The study is titled “Assessing dissolved methane patterns in central New York groundwater” (full copy below). McPhillips and her fellow researchers recorded the chemicals found in 113 water wells in Chenango County, NY, to serve as a baseline when/if widespread shale drilling comes to the county…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

O&G Editor Provides Key Insights into Shale Revolution
October 3, 2014October 3, 2014

The editor-in-chief for Oil and Gas Investor, Leslie Haines, has been closely watching the shale revolution since it began in 2005. In a wide-ranging interview with The Energy Report, Haines talks about energy independence, whether or not we’ll ever stop importing fossil fuels, the Marcellus and Utica, depletion rates for shale wells, what constitutes a “monster well” and a whole lot more. It’s an interesting read…
Read More “O&G Editor Provides Key Insights into Shale Revolution”
Ethane | Industrywide Issues

Demystifying Ethane + Let’s Go on a Trip to Saturn
October 3, 2014October 3, 2014

Say it ain’t so. Ethane can be found on Titan–one of Saturn’s moons?! Now how did those nasty, evil frackers already get their claws into Titan? Don’t the Titanians know that faffing about with ethane and methane and all of those “anes” will cause global warming?

We are, tongue-in-cheek, introducing a serious bit of information. In very basic terms ethane–an NGL coming from the ground along with methane–is “cracked” in huge petrochemical plants (“crackers”) to produce ethylene, which is converted into plastic like polyethylene. We’ve been writing a lot about the (now) three cracker plants in various stages of planning for the northeast that will use ethane from Marcellus and Utica Shale drilling (see Thailand & Japan Partner to Build 3rd Big Marcellus Ethane Cracker). We spotted what we consider a really good description of ethane and the cracking process that goes a little beyond the mere basics. We found it enlightening and thought you would too:
Read More “Demystifying Ethane + Let’s Go on a Trip to Saturn”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Health Impacts | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Sleazy: PA Dem Senators Use Unpublished “Study” to Smear Shale Drilling
October 2, 2014October 2, 2014

A group of PA Democrat Senators are, once again, denigrating the miracle of Marcellus Shale drilling in their state. Only this time it’s even sleazier and lower than usual. This time they’re hinting that results from a so-called “study” not released to the public supposedly show that in two Marcellus Shale counties the average number of hospitalizations among the population has gone up versus a single, cherry-picked county with no Marcellus drilling. What is outrageous is that the senators leaked that tiny little bit of information at a hearing, but have not provided any of the details–nor have they provided the study itself. So our hall of shame goes to state Sen. John Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township, state Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Bethlehem Township, and state Sen. John Wozniak, D-Johnstown who ran a Dem hearing yesterday to attack shale drilling. Also in the hall of shame is Trevor M. Penning, professor of pharmacology and director of University of Pennsylvania’s Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology for testifying (colluding) at that hearing providing only partial information. Penning was the Dem senators’ stooge in an attempt to bad mouth shale drilling. Also making a cameo appearance was PA’s anti-drilling Auditor General, Eugene DePasquale…
Read More “Sleazy: PA Dem Senators Use Unpublished “Study” to Smear Shale Drilling”
Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | Regulation | Statewide WV | Trans Energy | West Virginia

Court Adds Another $600K to $3M Fine for Trans Energy in WV Case
October 2, 2014October 2, 2014

A month ago MDN told you about a steep fine Trans Energy, a West Virginia Marcellus driller, agreed to pay for screwing up 15 creeks and swamps with dirt they pushed around for drilling purposes (see Trans Energy Fined $3M for Polluting WV Creeks & Swaps with Dirt). The money will be split 50/50 between the federal EPA and the WV Dept. of Environmental Protection. Trans Energy was in U.S. District Court yesterday to plead guilty to three misdemeanor charges of negligently violating the Clean Water Act. That will tack on another $600,000 in criminal fines to the $3M already agreed too ($200K for each violation). Ouch. The number that really hurts, however, is that Trans Energy will spend more than $13 million to complete the restoration and mitigation work required by the consent decree they signed yesterday…
Read More “Court Adds Another $600K to $3M Fine for Trans Energy in WV Case”
Energy Companies | Exxon Mobil | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Research

Exxon “Shale is Worth the Risks” Report for Shareholders
October 2, 2014October 2, 2014

For years now environmental activists/wackos have been “demanding” that companies like ExxonMobil and Chevron disclose the “risks” involved with shale drilling (see this 2011 MDN article: Exxon Mobil, Chevron Face Shareholder Questions about Environmental Impact of Hydraulic Fracturing at Annual Meetings). A number of left-leaning pressure groups continuously attempt to get big investors to dump their shares in fossil fuel companies, sometimes succeeding (see United Church of Christ Votes to Divest from Fossil Fuel Companies). The pressure has become intense. Earlier this year, the mafia-like New York State Comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli, who happens to be the sole person in charge of the enormous New York State Common Retirement Fund, brought his considerable pressure to bear. DiNapoli threatened to dump the fund’s $1.02 BILLION worth of Exxon Mobil stock unless the company writes up a report on the potential hazards of unconventional drilling (see Exxon Mobil Shaken Down by NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli). Exxon complied and has just released their report (full copy below)…
Read More “Exxon “Shale is Worth the Risks” Report for Shareholders”
Energy Companies | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | MarkWest Energy | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Range Resources Corp | Washington County

MarkWest Wins Court Case to Build Compressor Station in Cecil, PA
October 2, 2014October 2, 2014

Cecil Township in Washington County, PA is one of the original seven selfish townships that sued and eventually had portions of the state’s Act 13 Marcellus drilling law overturned. The portion overturned restored to local municipalities the right to establish their own zoning regulations when it comes to oil and gas related activities. Apparently Cecil thought they had a blank check to deny anything they wanted, but a recent court decision has brought them back to reality. A Commonwealth Court judge has ruled Cecil must and will allow MarkWest to build a compressor station in an area clearly zoned for it under Cecil’s own rules–a station they’ve been trying to build since 2010…
Read More “MarkWest Wins Court Case to Build Compressor Station in Cecil, PA”
Baker Hughes | Energy Services | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Baker Hughes Begins Full Disclosure of All Frack Fluids
October 2, 2014October 2, 2014

In a welcome move, yesterday Baker Hughes announced they will now disclose all (100%) of the chemicals they use in their fracking fluids. Baker Hughes’ chief competitor in providing fracking services for drillers is Halliburton–so this move will pressure Halliburton to follow suit. Starting yesterday, October 1, Baker Hughes will not only publish a list of every chemical used on a given well to frack it (on the FracFocus.org website), they will also disclose the maximum concentration used for each chemical. It is total transparency into what they are using and where they are using it–removing any remaining claims by anti-drillers that the industry is trying to “hide” something…
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CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Regulation | Statewide MD

Dominion Accepts FERC 79 Conditions for Cove Point < 24 Hrs
October 2, 2014October 2, 2014

That didn’t take long. On Sept. 29 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted Dominion final approval to build an LNG export facility in Cove Point, MD (see Dominion Gets Final Fed Approval to Build Cove Point LNG Plant). Part of the approval includes a list of 79 “conditions” that must be met by Dominion in accepting FERC’s approval. Dominion said, on the 29th, that they would need to review FERC’s final order with the 79 conditions. It only took 24 hours. On Sept. 30 Dominion accepted all 79 conditions. As part of the press release announcing their acceptance, we also learn who will build the facility for Dominion…
Read More “Dominion Accepts FERC 79 Conditions for Cove Point < 24 Hrs”