Industrywide Issues

Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

NY Anti-Frackers are Getting Desperate, and it Shows
July 11, 2012December 19, 2012

Organized opposition to hydraulic fracturing in New York—mostly located in New York City—is getting desperate, and it shows in the shrill tenor of their rallies. They sense that the state Department of Environment Conservation (DEC) is about to release the final final final final version of New York’s drilling rules, called the SGEIS (Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement). And so to turn up the heat, they rally and protest.

Their latest target/tactic? Demand that Gov. Andrew Cuomo withdraw the SGEIS and send it to someone else for an “independent review.” Why?

Read More “NY Anti-Frackers are Getting Desperate, and it Shows”
Clearfield County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Wastewater

Opposed to Proposed Injection Well in Clearfield County, PA
July 11, 2012December 19, 2012

Windfall Oil & Gas Company wants to build an injection well to dispose of Marcellus Shale wastewater in Brady Township (Clearfield County), PA. They’ve submitted an application to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees permitting and regulation of injection wells nationwide. The PA Department of Environmental Protection would also need to approve such a well.

Currently there are only eight injection wells in the entire state, two of them in Clearfield County. There is a movement by local politicians and residents to oppose the new injection well, and depending on the news account you read, there will be either an open or a mostly closed-door meeting on July 23 with the EPA present to discuss the proposed well.

Read More “Opposed to Proposed Injection Well in Clearfield County, PA”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

MDN In-depth: New Duke Study on Brine Migration into Aquifers
July 10, 2012December 19, 2012

Grad students at Duke University have issued a new “peer-reviewed” paper/study/report, this time addressing the question of whether or not fluids from thousands of feet down in the Marcellus Shale layer can actually migrate upward through thousands of feet of solid rock and contaminate groundwater aquifer supplies. The new study is titled, “Geochemical evidence for possible natural migration of Marcellus Formation brine to shallow aquifers in Pennsylvania.” A full copy is embedded below for MDN subscribers.

You may recall more than a year ago the same Duke department issued a study looking at whether or not methane migrates from natural gas drilling to local groundwater supplies and concluded that where’s there’s drilling, there’s an increase in methane migration (see this MDN story).

So is this “the other shoe dropping” from Duke? The final nail in the coffin that proves anti-drillers have been right all along?

Read More “MDN In-depth: New Duke Study on Brine Migration into Aquifers”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

Fracking Ban in NY Town Closes Conventional Wells Too
July 10, 2012December 19, 2012

The rabid, frothing-at-the-mouth frenzy to try and ban fracking by New York municipalities has now not only claimed possible future shale drilling, it’s also claimed casualties in traditional natural gas drilling. Collateral damage. Most New Yorkers are completely ignorant that fracking has been going on in New York for decades—fracking of vertical, conventional gas and oil wells. But they don’t (or won’t) bother to study the issue and try to understand it. It’s much easier to attend rallies and get worked up than it is to actually THINK.

And so the “wise leaders” of Avon Township in Livingston County, NY (western part of the state), against plenty of warning, passed a drilling ban on June 28 that includes not only shale gas horizontal drilling, but also includes conventional gas wells, pipelines and storage facilities. So a local driller has shut down their 16 gas wells in the township along with a pipeline, turning off low-cost gas that was flowing to the township itself. Way to go town board! Cut that nose off to spite your face. Dunderheads.

Read More “Fracking Ban in NY Town Closes Conventional Wells Too”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Cuomo Inches Closer to Fracking in NY, Supports “Home Rule”
July 10, 2012December 19, 2012

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo inched closer to endorsing fracking in the state in an interview on New York Public Radio yesterday. This is what he said:

Read More “Cuomo Inches Closer to Fracking in NY, Supports “Home Rule””
Alternative Energy | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

The Folly of Cheap Solar Energy
July 10, 2012December 19, 2012

Psst. You. Hey you. Have an extra $120K in your back pocket? Yeah?! Well have I got a deal for you. Slap these here solar panels on your house, get off the grid, and for just $120,000 you can make back your investment inside of 25-30 years. Sounds like a great deal, right? Can I sign you up?

Read More “The Folly of Cheap Solar Energy”
Clearfield County | Energy Companies | EQT Corp | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Violence

Protesters Illegally Shut Down Drilling Rig in Central PA
July 9, 2012December 19, 2012

Protesters have illegally shut down an EQT drilling rig in Moshannon State Forest in central Pennsylvania. The rig was in the process of being commissioned (just getting started) and protesters blocked the road trucks were using to access the rig.

In addition to blocking the road, two protesters sat 75 feet up on a tree platform connected to a cable stretched across the road. If a truck cut through or snagged the cable, it would cause the demented protesters to fall out of the tree platform. That’s how sick these people are.

Read More “Protesters Illegally Shut Down Drilling Rig in Central PA”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Patriot Water Treatment | Regulation | Trumbull County | Wastewater

Ohio EPA Says Patriot Still Can’t Dispose of Water in Warren
July 9, 2012December 19, 2012

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reached out to MDN to let us know that there is an ongoing issue with Patriot Water in the City of Warren, Ohio. In short, Patriot is still not allowed to send the fracking wastewater they treat to the Warren municipal sewage treatment plant for disposal.

Last week MDN highlighted that Patriot had apparently won their case against the EPA with the Environmental Review Appeals Commission (see this MDN story). However, the Ohio EPA says “not so fast.” They have a different interpretation of what the ERAC ruling says, and they maintain the permit they’ve issued to the City of Warren has not (and will not) change, meaning Patriot will still not be allowed to dispose of treated wastewater via Warren.

Here’s the statement from Ohio EPA Director Scott Nally on the ERAC ruling:

Read More “Ohio EPA Says Patriot Still Can’t Dispose of Water in Warren”
Bradford County | Housing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

Marcellus Drilling Means High Housing Prices in Towanda PA
July 9, 2012December 19, 2012

When an area sees a lot a drilling, one of the unintended consequences is a serious jump in the price of housing—both rental and for purchase. Towanda (Bradford County), PA seems to be ground zero for an extraordinary jump in housing prices over the past few years. How about $2,000 to rent a two-bedroom apartment in this relatively rural part of PA? Yeah, nosebleed-high prices.

An article in yesterday’s Towanda newspaper, The Daily Review, highlights the plight of a family flooded out of their Towanda home last year. Because of the high prices for real estate due to the Marcellus drilling boom, they still have not been able to leave their FEMA trailer.

Read More “Marcellus Drilling Means High Housing Prices in Towanda PA”
Energy Companies | Energy Services | Hilcorp Energy | Industrywide Issues | NiSource | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Statewide OH | Statewide PA

NiSource, Hilcorp Energy Joint Venture in Utica Shale
July 9, 2012December 19, 2012

NiSource Inc. announced today they are entering a joint venture with Hilcorp Energy and combining their Utica Shale acreage together with Hilcorp doing the drilling. They’re also establishing a midstream joint venture called Pennant Midstream to construct an initial 50 miles of wet gas gathering pipelines in northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania. And the new midstream company will build a natural gas processing complex in Ohio.

No word on exactly how much acreage the combined two have together in the Utica Shale, but the jv plus the new pipelines and processing plant is a major development for both eastern OH and western PA.

Read More “NiSource, Hilcorp Energy Joint Venture in Utica Shale”
Broome County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York

Paladino Says NY Sen. Libous (Ab)using Fracking to Fundraise
July 9, 2012December 19, 2012

Carl Paladino, a conservative who ran as the Republican candidate against Democrat Andrew Cuomo in the 2010 gubernatorial election in New York, isn’t a fan of New York State Senator Tom Libous. Libous is a Binghamton resident and the number two senator in the Republican-controlled (yes you read that right, Republican-controlled) New York State Senate.

If fracking begins in New York, much of it will be in the counties Libous represents. He’s been on record mostly supporting fracking in New York State, but there have been the odd statements here and there when he seems to back away from a full-throated endorsement. Paladino says Libous is a RINO (Republican In Name Only) who is manipulating the fracking issue to get more campaign money. Ouch. Tell us what you really think Carl!

He does just that. From an open letter issued by Paladino to the “222 Committeemen in Senate District 52” (which is Libous’ district):

Read More “Paladino Says NY Sen. Libous (Ab)using Fracking to Fundraise”
Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Shell | Steuben County

Sierra Club Sues to Stop Water Sales in Steuben County, NY
July 9, 2012December 19, 2012

In March 2012, the village board in Painted Post (Steuben County), NY voted to sell water to Shell for use in fracking operations across the border in Pennsylvania. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) gave its blessing to Painted Post to sell up to 1 million gallons of water day. But the decision doesn’t sit well with anti-drillers.

According to NGI’s Shale Daily, the Sierra Club and several area organizations sued the village board in late June to stop the sale from taking place.

Read More “Sierra Club Sues to Stop Water Sales in Steuben County, NY”
Education | Industrywide Issues | Mahoning County | Ohio | Stark County

OH High School First to Offer 2-Year O&G Tech Course
July 9, 2012December 19, 2012

In what is believed to be the first of its kind for Ohio, high school students at Marlington High School (Alliance, OH) can take a two-year course in oil and gas technologies starting this fall. The new course will prepare students with the skills they need to work in the rapidly growing shale drilling industry.

From a recent press article:

Read More “OH High School First to Offer 2-Year O&G Tech Course”
Chenango County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Landowner Coalition News | New York | Regulation

Will NY Gov. Cuomo’s Fracking Plan be Limited to 4 Counties?
July 6, 2012December 19, 2012

Is the Lucky Five counties in New York that will see drilling now the Lucky Four? You may recall a few weeks ago the New York Times, using an unnamed source inside Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration (cough *Andy* cough), floated a “trial balloon” plan that will allow high volume hydraulic fracturing, i.e. fracking, for a limited number of permits in five Southern Tier counties for a two-year period: Broome, Chenango, Chemung, Steuben and Tioga (see this MDN story).

One of New York’s largest landowner coalition groups, CNY Landowner’s Coalition, represents Chenango County—one of the Lucky Five. They have reliable “inside” sources that tell them Chenango County may not be included in the limited, two-year experiment. And they are marshaling their members to make noise about it.

Below is an email received by MDN on July 3 from the CNY Landowner’s Coalition outlining the rumor they’ve heard, and what they want members to do about it.

Read More “Will NY Gov. Cuomo’s Fracking Plan be Limited to 4 Counties?”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Wayne County

DRBC Says No Marcellus Vote Until Nov. 2012 Earliest
July 6, 2012December 19, 2012

Eastern parts of Pennsylvania that sit within the boundaries of the Delaware River Basin have been locked in a drilling moratorium since the Marcellus drilling boom began. Eastern PA has the misfortune of sitting inside the boundaries of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), which delayed a vote to allow drilling in November 2011. That vote has still not taken place.

Carol Collier, executive director of the DRBC, made an impromptu visit with Wayne County, PA landowners while in the area last week, and updated them on the “progress” being made on adoption of new drilling rules. She told landowner coalition representatives there are two reasons why new drilling rules for the Delaware River Basin will not be voted on before November 2012 at the earliest: (1) They’re waiting to see what New York does, and (2) they’re waiting for the Nov. 6 election.

Read More “DRBC Says No Marcellus Vote Until Nov. 2012 Earliest”
Brooke County | Hancock County | Industrywide Issues | Ohio County | Pipelines | West Virginia

WV Landowners Drive a Hard Bargain for Pipeline Deals
July 6, 2012December 19, 2012

Some West Virginia landowners who feel shortchanged with low drilling signing bonuses ($5 per acre) and royalty rates (12.5%) are holding out for better deals to run pipelines across their property, and that’s leading to a slow-down of new wells coming online in the state, according to a former DEP representative.

Counties being affected by the slowdown include Ohio, Brooke and Hancock. Typically pipeline easements are a one-time payment, like a signing bonus, and are based on a per foot price. How high will those prices go? Some of the numbers being tossed about are breathtaking.

Read More “WV Landowners Drive a Hard Bargain for Pipeline Deals”