Industrywide Issues

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    Rice U Study: NatGas Used in Power Generation Lowers Global Warming

    We thought maybe the International Journal of Global Warming was a comic book, er, a, “graphic novel” as they’re called these days. But no! It’s a real, literal academic journal, published to amuse those who believe in unicorns and other fairy tales. But let’s not depart from the subject at hand. A new study just published says using natural gas to power electric generating plants is a good thing for global warming (pay attention Tony Ingraffea and Robert Howarth). Researchers from Duke University say using natgas leads to less global warming, not more–as long as that old villain fugitive methane doesn’t escape into the atmosphere when drillers extract natgas from the ground. What about using natgas to power trains, plains and automobiles? Nah, not so much of a benefit for Mom Earth, according to the authors…
    Read More “Rice U Study: NatGas Used in Power Generation Lowers Global Warming”

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    Garrett County, Maryland Commissioners Commit Fracking Suicide

    As we told you on Monday, Garrett County, MD commissioners were contemplating committing fracking suicide by banning fracking in 41,000 acres around a lake in the county (see Maryland Continues to Shoot Itself in the Head re Shale Drilling). Even though the state hasn’t even allowed fracking yet, and even though Garrett is part of the one and a half counties with frackable shale gas under it. We’re sad to report the commissioners went ahead and pulled the trigger…
    Read More “Garrett County, Maryland Commissioners Commit Fracking Suicide”

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    EIA March DPR: Marcellus Produces More than EIA Expected

    EIAYesterday our favorite government agency, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), issued our favorite monthly report, the Drilling Productivity Report (DPR). The March 2016 report shows what the EIA predicts oil and natural gas production will be in April from the seven largest commercial shale plays in the U.S. What does the report (full copy below) show? Yes, natural gas production is down again, including the Marcellus. But in a rare move, the EIA had to revise its Marcellus production data because the play is producing more than the smart folks at EIA figured…
    Read More “EIA March DPR: Marcellus Produces More than EIA Expected”

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    Rig Counts for World, US & Marcellus/Utica Crash in February

    Just when you thought the rig count couldn’t possibly get any worse–it does. Baker Hughes released their average rig count data for February yesterday–and it’s not a pretty picture. Worldwide the total number of active rigs in February was 1,018, down 27 from the 1,045 counted in January. But in the U.S., the rig count was 532, down 122 from the 654 counted in January 2016. That’s a huge 19% in a single month. The Marcellus/Utica region was similarly affected. It used to be when rig counts were crashing everywhere else, they held firm or slightly declined in the northeast. No more. In February the Marcellus/Utica lost another 10 rigs, from 52 in January to 42 in February–or a 19% decrease in a single month. Ouch. Below are the full details and charts that tell the story…
    Read More “Rig Counts for World, US & Marcellus/Utica Crash in February”

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    Facebook Censors Dimock Trial Stories; Judge Tosses Part of Case

    Radical environmentalists have a lot in common with Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler. They’re Fascists who brook no dissent from their twisted view of reality. Case in point: Phelim McAleer, the filmmaker who made the FrackNation documentary, has attended and covered the happenings at the Dimock trial for the past several weeks. We’ve carried most of Phelim’s reports here on MDN, including the hilarious way the plantiffs’ so-called expert, Dr. Tony Ingraffea, tried to avoid answering Phelim’s questions outside of the courthouse (see Dimock Trial: Ingraffea Day 2 – Hides Behind a Woman’s Coat). Being exposed as the frauds they are doesn’t sit well with radical environmentalists who have so much invested in the fiction of “water contamination” in Dimock. Phelim is one of the few (two, actually) outlets where we’re learning the truth about the Dimock trial. The news coming from the trial is so bad for the antis, mainstream media has a self-imposed news blackout on the trial–hoping the masses don’t notice it. Phelim has filed his reports on the FrackNation Facebook page. And herein lies the the ugly side of radical environmentalism. The anti-fracking movement began flooding Facebook with complaints about Phelim’s posts regarding the trial, and Facebook actually took down several posts, and locked down the FrackNation page on Facebook for 24 hours with a warning to cease and desist from posting new Dimock stories. Amazing! Someone tells THE TRUTH about a trial in Scranton, PA and Facebook censors it! Based on a hate campaign launched by radical environmentalists. The good news is that Facebook pulled its collective head out of its rear-end long enough to figure out this was a Fascist job by antis and they’ve now restored the FrackNation page and resurrected the deleted posts…
    Read More “Facebook Censors Dimock Trial Stories; Judge Tosses Part of Case”

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    NOAA Data Shows No Global Warming for Last 58 Years

    From time to time we revisit the issue of man-made global warming because so much (really all of) the opposition to fossil fuels, including clean-burning natural gas, comes from a misguided belief that mankind is catastrophically causing the earth to heat up by burning fossil fuels, contributing large amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. It’s a nice story. It makes libs feel good about themselves. But the problem is, it’s just not true. No matter how many times we say “it’s not true!” most folks pause and think, “All of those scientists can’t be wrong, can they?” The problem is, belief in global warming is not universal–not anywhere near it. Those who do believe it are vocal, while those who would rather let real science do the talking, don’t say anything for fear of being mocked and ridiculed. It’s time to stop being afraid. We have real science on our side. We’ve previously pointed out that global warming hasn’t been happening for nearly 20 years (see Inconvenient Global Warming Fact: Avg Temp Hasn’t Risen in 18 Yrs). You might think the global warming idea has only been around for the last 20-30 years. You would be wrong. Mankind has been obsessed with both global warming and cooling for 100 years (see Global Warming Meme has Been Around Nearly 100 Years). There have been a few brave souls who have stood up to the climate changer bullies, including the co-founder of Greenpeace (see Greenpeace Co-Founder Says Mankind Doesn’t Cause Global Warming). One of the biggest frauds in the global warming debate has been the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They cherry-pick and doctor their own data in an attempt to prove global warming exists. But using NOAA’s own data, scientists have found that the earth HAS NOT BEEN WARMING FOR 58 YEARS!…
    Read More “NOAA Data Shows No Global Warming for Last 58 Years”

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    Clean Energy Deal to Rebuild CNG Station for 147 NJ Transit Buses

    More clean-burning Marcellus and Utica Shale gas will be used to power New Jersey Transit buses–some 147 of them. Clean Energy Fuels Corp. announced last week it won a $10 million, multi-year procurement from New Jersey Transit to rebuild a large compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station, as well as additional garage modifications and the repair and maintenance of facilities through 2020. NJ Transit is expected to operate a fleet of 147 CNG commuter buses estimated to consume approximately 2 million gasoline gallon equivalents (GGEs) each year. While the announcement doesn’t specifically say Marcellus gas will power those buses, where else do you think the gas will come from? Fleets of trucks and buses are an important new market for the abundant natural gas we have beneath our feet, and Clean Energy is helping to create that future with deals like this one and the many other deals they’ve won…
    Read More “Clean Energy Deal to Rebuild CNG Station for 147 NJ Transit Buses”

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    A President Hillary Clinton Would Ban Most Fracking

    We know there’s at least a few MDN readers and subscribers who are Democrats. We’re trying to help them see the light. 🙂 One thing is for sure, whether you vote for a tired old CommieLib like Bernie Sanders, or a tired old liar like Hillary Clinton, either choice on the Democrat side for president will yield the same result–fracking in the U.S. will stop. During Sunday night’s Democrat debate in Flint, Michigan, Clinton said she wants to impose so many new rules and regulations on fracking, that “I do not think there will be many places in America where fracking will continue to take place.” Folks, how many times do we have to beat the drums on this stuff? You CANNOT just dismiss this as electioneering. You cannot assume its hyperbole. Clinton means what she says. If you vote for Hillary and you work in the oil and gas or associated industries, you will be voting to put yourself in the unemployment line…
    Read More “A President Hillary Clinton Would Ban Most Fracking”

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    5 Members of Internal EPA Committee Think Fracking Study Correct

    For some time we’ve warned you that radical environmentalist pressure has been so intense against last year’s EPA study that found fracking doesn’t contaminate water supplies, that the EPA was going to try and find a way to change the science they themselves researched (see EPA Science Advisory Board Engaging in Fraud re Fracking Study). The EPA is looking to change the outcome, bowing to pressure. The way they’re attempting a “do-over” is through an internal Science Advisory Board (SAB), set up to review the EPA study and its conclusions. It does look like the fix is in–that the SAB will demand the finding of “no widespread, systemic impacts” on water from fracking activity be changed. There are 31 members of the SAB review panel. Five of the 31 are opposed to changing the language that says “no widespread, systemic impacts”–that is, they think the original report and its findings is correct. The other 26 are sellouts and want to change the study’s findings…
    Read More “5 Members of Internal EPA Committee Think Fracking Study Correct”

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    PEDF Argues Before PA Supreme Court to End Drilling on Public Land

    Over a year ago in a crushing blow to the litigious anti-drilling group Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation (PEDF), the PA Commonwealth Court ruled against the PEDF’s lawsuit that attempts to stop all drilling and leasing of state-owned lands for oil and gas drilling (see PA Court Rules to Allow More Leasing/Drilling of State-Owned Land). The court said a) such drilling is just fine and b) the decision of whether or not to allow drilling on state-owned lands (and which parcels) rests with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The court further said that the General Assembly can decide how the monies received from leasing and production royalties will be spent–even as part of the general budget. The problem with the decision is how the court arrived at it (see Troubling Win in PA Court Victory that Allows State Land Drilling). It’s taken more than a year, but the PEDF appealed the lost case to PA’s Supreme Court and tomorrow the PEDF will argue before the high court that the state’s constitution is really meaningless and should be disregarded. Radical environmental organizations have filed a “friend of the court” brief in support of the PEDF. The radicals joining PEDF are the nutty Sierra Clubbers, THE Delaware Riverkeeper, PennFuture (the organization that spawned current DEP Secretary John Quigley), and the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association…
    Read More “PEDF Argues Before PA Supreme Court to End Drilling on Public Land”

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    5 Key Insights from MDN’s 2015 Databook Vol. 3 – Just Released

    db2015_all3vol_cover_smallMDN recently published Volume 3 of the 2015 Marcellus and Utica Shale Databook. In 103 jam-packed pages you will get the latest information on what’s happening (or not happening) with drilling in the Marcellus/Utica region. Much of the Databook is a series of county maps–one map for each county where there’s permit activity for Marcellus or Utica drilling. Each county map shows a dot for where a permit was issued–along with the name of the driller next to it. The maps also show major natural gas pipelines and compressor stations. Each map offers you a quick, visual way of understanding where drilling is happening, and who’s doing the drilling.

    For this new edition, MDN editor Jim Willis spent several weeks compiling and completely revising a directory of frack waste facilities, including the addition of hundreds of injection wells. The 3-volume series is just $350 (single volumes are $225). All three volumes are meant to work together. This is the PERFECT resource for drillers, pipeline companies, law firms, landmen and many others. Below we’ve included sample pages along with 5 key insights from this latest edition of the Databook…
    Read More “5 Key Insights from MDN’s 2015 Databook Vol. 3 – Just Released”

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    OH’s Injection Wells See All-Time High Frack Disposal in 2015

    Even with rigs being idled and the coming “dramatic” slowdown in drilling in the Marcellus/Utica (see today’s companion story), there’s one thing that is predictable–wastewater will increase. How can that be? Long after a well is drilled, water from deep below the earth (below what we think of as the aquifer or drinking water table) continues to pour out of a drilled hole. This super-salty water is often referred to as brine. Sometimes called produced water. And it comes out of the hole for years after the hole is drilled. Until now, most active drillers recycled the brine coming from their wells to reuse as a source for fracking new wells. But now, with companies idling most–even all of their rigs–what do they do with all of that water? It must be disposed–and the most likely candidate is an injection well. Most of the injection wells used by Marcellus/Utica drillers are located in Ohio. So it was no surprise to learn that the volume of brine disposal in Ohio jumped 27% in 2015–to a new all-time record of 28.8 million barrels…
    Read More “OH’s Injection Wells See All-Time High Frack Disposal in 2015”

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    Open Season for New Marcellus/Utica LPG Rail & Export Terminal

    Forget the pipelines. Artemis Liquids plans to build an export terminal along the shore of the Delaware River in New Jersey to export LPG (liquefied petroleum gas, or propane) to both domestic and international markets. The new export facility, which will be located directly across the river from the Philadelphia International Airport, is aimed at providing Marcellus and Utica drillers with an alternative to shipping their LPG all the way to the Gulf Coast. New Jersey (that is, the Philadelphia area) is a whole lot closer than the Gulf–meaning it’s a whole lot cheaper to ship to it. But what’s that? How on earth will drillers get their LPG to the Philly area without using pipelines like the Mariner East? By using railroads! Artemis Liquids has launched a non-binding “open season” (same concept as used in reserving capacity in pipelines) to gauge interest in the proposed LPG export terminal in Paulsboro, NJ, and in the necessary railroad capacity to get the LPG to the terminal. According to the open season documents, Artemis plans to offer capacity of 50,000 to 75,000 barrels per day, transported to the terminal via unit trains of 80 to 100 cars…
    Read More “Open Season for New Marcellus/Utica LPG Rail & Export Terminal”

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    Super Secret Study Details Plan to Transform NEPA Using NatGas

    Shhhh. It’s a secret. A super secret. Well, sort-of a secret. The Institute of Public Policy and Economic Development, a cooperative between a bunch of colleges located in northeastern PA, researched and compiled a new study–more than a year ago–for how northeastern PA can make the most out of the abundant, cheap and clean-burning natural gas that sits beneath them. The Institute tapped local drillers for $50,000 to research the project–and the findings are being kept secret. Why? Think of it as an NFL playbook. You don’t share your plays with the opposing team. In this case, opposing teams are other economic development agencies in other regions–like southwestern PA, eastern OH and WV. The secret study is very specific in naming names for how the region can attract new businesses that use cheap Marcellus Shale gas. The Institute doesn’t want to give away their best thinking so other regions can use the same strategies and target the same companies. Want to know what we think?…
    Read More “Super Secret Study Details Plan to Transform NEPA Using NatGas”

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    Dimock Trial: Lighting Tap Water on Fire Decades Before Drilling

    Last Thursday and Friday in the trial brought by two Dimock, PA families against Cabot Oil & Gas for supposedly contaminating their water wells with methane, Cabot launched into its defense since the plantiffs had rested their case. One of the first witnesses was Dr. Tarek Saba, a real scientist who actually has practical experience with oil and gas drilling and knows the details of the Dimock wells (unlike the plantiffs’ expert witness, Tony Ingraffea, who was destroyed under cross examination, see Dimock Trial: Ingraffea Day 2 – Hides Behind a Woman’s Coat). Dr. Saba’s testimony further debunked the fluff and BS (Barbara Streisand) coming from Tony Ingraffea. Not only that, but at the end of the day on Friday, Cabot called a local Dimock resident who spoke about lighting her water on fire just like they did in Gasland–decades before there was any natural gas drilling in the area. What a great witness!…
    Read More “Dimock Trial: Lighting Tap Water on Fire Decades Before Drilling”

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    Chorus Grows Louder for U of Cinci to Release Fracking Study

    The chorus is getting louder for the University of Cincinnati to release the results from a detailed study of water wells in Carroll County, OH undertaken by researchers at the university. We previously told you that the lead researcher shared some high level results from the study, and those results show that fracking in areas where there are water wells doesn’t affect those wells (see Antis Not Happy with Results of OH Fracking Study They Funded). Two anti-drilling groups were the primary funders of the study–Deer Creek Foundation in St. Louis and the Alice Weston foundation from Cincinnati. The two groups immediately cut their funding when they heard results they believe they didn’t pay for (see Anti Groups Abruptly Cut Funding for OH Fracking Study). But here’s the thing: They were not the only funders. The researchers also accepted public money–an $85,714 grant from the Ohio Board or Regents and the use of a spectrometer purchased through a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. That’s public money–and the research is public research that should be released immediately. U.S. Andy Thompson, R-Marrietta, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are now calling on the university to release the study. Below we have their calls for the university to cough up the research, along with comments from a researcher involved with the study…
    Read More “Chorus Grows Louder for U of Cinci to Release Fracking Study”