Industrywide Issues 1335 - Marcellus Drilling News

Northeast PA Starting to Feel the Dry Gas Drilling Slowdown

February 20, 2012February 20, 2012

The decision by Chesapeake Energy and other drillers to reduce drilling in dry gas (methane only) areas and instead concentrate on wet gas (natural gas liquids) areas is already having an impact on Pennsylvania’s northeastern counties where drilling last year was extremely active. Rig counts are going down, and with them, the amount of drilling activity goes down. It ultimately impacts the local economy in those areas, as noted in a recent Scranton Times Tribune article.

Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Steuben County

Wayne, NY Votes to Ban Fracking for One Year

February 20, 2012February 20, 2012

The Town of Wayne, in Steuben County, NY is the latest New York municipality to enact a legally questionable ban on horizontal hydraulic fracturing:

Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania

PA CareerLink Offers Free Training to Work in Drilling

February 20, 2012February 20, 2012

Pennsylvania CareerLink announced they are offering a training program for those interested in working as roustabouts in the shale gas drilling industry for free for 20 people. The four- to six-week training course normally costs $2,500.

Drilling Liquids Spill at Chevron Gas Well in SW PA

February 20, 2012February 20, 2012

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection reports it is investigating a spill of condensate at a gas well in Washington County, in the southwestern part of the state.

Kinder Morgan Officially Cancels OH NGL Pipeline Project

February 20, 2012February 20, 2012

MDN speculated a few weeks ago that a proposed 240-mile pipeline Kinder Morgan planned to build from West Virginia to Toledo, OH was dead (see this MDN story). Kinder Morgan has now officially said just that:

Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

UT Study: No Link Between Fracking & Groundwater Contamination

February 17, 2012February 17, 2012

broken chain In November of last year, the Energy Institute at the University of Texas (UT) announced preliminary findings that hydraulic fracturing does not contaminate groundwater (see this MDN story). The final version of the study has now been released (see a full copy of the report embedded below).

The study is titled “Fact-Based Regulation for Environmental Protection in Shale Gas Development” and focuses on reports of groundwater contamination and other environmental impacts of shale gas exploration and production in states covering the Barnett, Marcellus and Haynesville Shales. It is a detailed and thorough research study, and does not gloss over potential problems with drilling, pointing out that many of the negative issues in shale gas drilling are from oil and gas drilling in general, not specific to horizontal hydraulic fracturing.

Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Marcellus Shale Jobs in Southwestern PA

February 17, 2012February 17, 2012

Looking to land a job in the Marcellus Shale drilling industry? You’re not alone. According to Mike Forgione, a representative from the PA Institute of High Priority Occupations, there are a number of jobs available, including:

Industrywide Issues | Mahoning County | Ohio | Wastewater

New Frack Wastewater Recycling Plant Coming to Eastern OH

February 17, 2012February 17, 2012

Officials in Mahoning County, Ohio are negotiating with an unnamed company to build a frack water recycling facility in the county. The new facility will treat wastewater, recycling it to be reused in fracking operations. As a bonus, the sewage treatment plant in Mahoning will sell treated water to the new plant, a new revenue stream for the county.

Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues

CSX, Other Railroads Get Boost from Shale Gas Shipments

February 17, 2012February 17, 2012

MDN has previously written about how short line railroads in the Marcellus Shale region have seen a renaissance because of shale gas drilling. But the major rail lines, including the East’s largest railroad CSX, are also seeing a huge increase in shale gas shipping of fracking sand and equipment. And it’s happening just in time.

Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation