Research

  • | | |

    More Global Warming Flummery – Latest Scare Report Issued

    A new report is out on the hazards of global warming…blah blah blah…fill in the blanks. If the warmers detect the general public doesn’t believe as fervently as they used to about global warming–if people are going a little bit squishy and starting to ask uncomfortable questions–it’s time to ratchet up the rhetoric and start talking about impending doom and a coming environmental holocaust. Trouble is, they keep doing it–decade after decade–and the environmental holocaust never seems to arrive. So they have to start blaming hurricanes and big winter storms–things we’ve had for, oh, millions of years–on global warming. Do they really think we’re that stupid?

    And so enters yet another shrill global warming flummery study from the left-leaning National Research Council–because the general population needs another good scare. The compliant New York Times does as good a job as any at trumpeting this latest false alarm. We learn that even though global warming hasn’t really caused any problems yet, when it does, baby it’s gonna happen “all at once” and be “really bad”…honest…
    Read More “More Global Warming Flummery – Latest Scare Report Issued”

  • | |

    Yet Another “The (Methane) Sky is Falling” Study Released

    Yes, MDN has spotted the news circulating around the mainstream media echo chamber that trumpets, OMG!…”fugitive methane” is leaking at, like 50% more than even WE thought in our worst nightmarish dreamworld–and it may be, might, could, possibly be, coming from shale drilling. This latest “scare them while they still believe you” scam comes straight from, yes, another “peer reviewed” so-called “study” published in the prestigious (and it is prestigious) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (or PNAS). The AP/Bloomberg/Reuters et al can’t wait to share this bit of bad news with the general public. Too bad it’s wasted during a holiday week when no one will notice.

    This latest study, which attempts to create a boogeyman where none exists, is titled, “Anthropogenic emissions of methane in the United States.” The new study certainly tickles discredited Cornell professors Robert Howarth and Tony Ingraffea who have spun wild yarns about how coal is better than natural gas because of the “fugitive methane” issue. Unfortunately MDN could not get a copy of this study–not without paying good money (money we’d rather spend on something important, like going to see The Hunger Games). However, our friends at the always-excellent Energy in Depth have scored a copy and have written this insightful review:
    Read More “Yet Another “The (Methane) Sky is Falling” Study Released”

  • | | | | | | | | | | |

    Deloitte & EIA: 90,000 Marcellus Wells Drilled in Next 20 Years

    A new report published by consulting powerhouse Deloitte references (and affirms) U.S. Energy Information Administration’s predictions that it will take at least $5 trillion of investment in the oil and gas sector between now and 2035 to main current levels of oil and natural gas production and meet future demand as it rises. The report is titled “The challenge of renaissance: Managing an unprecedented wave of oil and gas investment.” Unfortunately we couldn’t locate a copy–but reportedly it’s full of interesting facts–like the $5 trillion number.

    Another eye-popping number from the report: Current estimates are that 90,000 Marcellus Shale wells will be drilled over the next 20 years. That kind of activity will spur an unfathomable economic revival in the northeast like we haven’t seen in since, well, forever! The study says while “trillions” will be spent on upstream (drilling), “hundreds of billions” will need to be spent on midstream (pipelines & processing plants) in order to keep up with the production. More from the Deloitte study…
    Read More “Deloitte & EIA: 90,000 Marcellus Wells Drilled in Next 20 Years”

  • | | |

    Anti-Drilling Cabal Issues Biased Report on Marcellus/Utica Jobs

    A collection of highly partisan anti-drillers (people who abjectly hate fossil fuels) get together and issue a “report” that claims to be backed by “research” (a few interviews with a few people in a few counties), and it’s instantly news. The officious sounding and never before heard from Multi-State Shale Research Collaborative has just issued a report saying, “Nah, the Marcellus and Utica Shale industry doesn’t create all that many jobs after all.” Er, right. Who is the Multi-State Shale Research Collaborative? A group of five anti-drilling groups who use the word “nonpartisan” so many times if we had a nickle for every time it appears on their websites…you get the idea. This new league of anti-drillers (“cabal” about pegs it) attempts to appear nonpartisan and above it all. They are not. They are completely partisan on the issue of drilling. How do we know? Look at who funds them and their so-called research on employment: The Heinz Endowments, Hillsdale Fund, Park Foundation, and Stoneman Family Foundation. Need we say more?

    Below are the press release and the full report issued by the cabal. It’s not really worth anyone’s time to read it–we present it to you so you are informed of the latest coordinated and scripted attack against shale drilling–so when you see Reuters/Bloomberg/AP/Gannett et all pick it up and breathlessly report it as real news, you’ll know what you’re looking at. Just more propaganda from the usual suspects…
    Read More “Anti-Drilling Cabal Issues Biased Report on Marcellus/Utica Jobs”

  • | |

    New Report Goes Back to Basics: What is Fracking & Is It Safe?

    Every now and again it helps to take a step back and review the fundamentals–the basics. A wide swath of the American public still doesn’t understand what fracking is, and only reads the occasional headline that seems to paint the picture that shale drilling is negative or dangerous for the environment. Wouldn’t it be great to have a “this is basics of shale drilling and fracking” kind of document? A primer of sorts, that strips out the wild allegations and concentrates on the facts–including facts about the negatives of shale drilling?

    We now have such a document. Earlier this week, the nonpartisan Heartland Institute issued a 36-page primer/research paper titled, “Hydraulic Fracturing: A Game-Changer for U.S. Energy and Economies” (full copy embedded below). This excellent paper answers the “What is it and how does it work?” questions along with environmental safety questions. The paper is written in understandable language and is extensively footnoted (i.e. they offer proof for their statements). Here’s the announcement about this important new resource:
    Read More “New Report Goes Back to Basics: What is Fracking & Is It Safe?”

  • | | | | | | | | | | |

    Marcellus/Utica States Slip in Global Petroleum Survey

    Each year, the Canadian-based Fraser Institute surveys petroleum industry executives and managers (864 of them for 2013) asking them their opinions on the barriers to investing in exploration and production in various geographies across the globe. That is, what makes them more likely or less likely to spend money drilling in a particular location? It’s vitally important to understand what drives investors because without money, drilling doesn’t happen.

    The Global Petroleum Survey, as it’s called, tallies the survey responses and ranks each geography from most desirable place to invest, to least desirable. MDN reported the rankings last year (see Energy Execs Rank Drilling Locations Including WV, OH, PA, NY). A copy of this year’s full report/rankings is embedded below. How did Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and (yes) New York fare this year, compared to last?…
    Read More “Marcellus/Utica States Slip in Global Petroleum Survey”

  • | | | | |

    OH Annual O&G Report: Utica 36% of All Wells Drilled in 2012

    On Tuesday the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) published their 48th annual “McCormac Report”–the 2012 Ohio Oil & Gas Summary report chocked full of charts, maps and statistics about oil and gas drilling in Ohio (full copy embedded below). As you can imagine, a lot of the report is dedicated to Utica Shale drilling. The report covers calendar year 2012, the year when Ohio’s Utica Shale really started to blossom. However, it does not include data for 2013, which is the year when the OH Utica grew up and became a serious shale play contender. Still, there’s lots to love about the McCormac Report, so named for Mike McCormac, the guy who’s been producing it for the past 32 years.

    We learn in the report that in total, $706 million worth of natural gas and oil was drilled in Ohio in 2012. We also learn the state saw it’s longest ever horizontal well drilled–16,664 feet! That’s an astonishing 3.15 miles long (drilled in Jefferson County). And we learn that 36% of all wells drilled in 2012 were Utica Shale wells. Here’s a few highlights from the report:
    Read More “OH Annual O&G Report: Utica 36% of All Wells Drilled in 2012”

  • | | | |

    UC Study: OH Utica’s Most Drilled County – No Water Contamination

    Results from a new scientific study of drinking water in the most drilled Utica Shale county in Ohio, Carroll County, were released last week at a meeting of Carroll Concerned Citizens (anti-drilling group). And what, pray tell, did the study, conducted by researchers at the University of Cincinnati find? “You have very good quality water. There’s no evidence of problems from drilling.”

    Whoops, that story line won’t play well in the mainstream media! We thought that (like Mary and her little lamb) everywhere that drilling went, water problems were sure to follow. What happened to that nursery rhyme thinking? That’s right–it’s a fiction that’s debunked by study after study after study. The UC study is just one more in a long line that proves shale drilling doesn’t contaminate drinking water supplies…
    Read More “UC Study: OH Utica’s Most Drilled County – No Water Contamination”

  • | | |

    The Important Role of Engineering/Construction Firms in Shale

    Engineering and construction firms play a big and important role in the shale drilling industry. If you ever attend a trade show, like the top-notch Shale Insight event hosted by the Marcellus Shale Coalition, and walk around the exhibition area, there are a LOT of engineering and construction companies with booths. And rightfully so–because without them drilling and the associated work (clearing sites, constructing buildings, installing pipelines, siting compressor plants, etc.) would not get done.

    Uber big consulting firm PricewatershouseCoopers (PwC) recently released a “report” (i.e. white paper) that discusses how engineering and construction companies can successfully help deliver shale oil and gas products at quicker speeds and lower costs through integrated project planning. That is, PwC is trying to drum up some business. If you’re an engineering/construction company, they can show you a way to do it better, by using their high-priced consultants. 🙂 Still, the white paper has a few useful points to make, and so we pass it along to you…
    Read More “The Important Role of Engineering/Construction Firms in Shale”

  • | | |

    EIA Drilling Report Nov 2013: Marcellus Ready to Blow by 13 Bcf/d

    Last month the U.S. Energy Information Administration launched a fabulous new Drilling Productivity Report (DPR) that covers six of the key shale formations producing oil and gas in the U.S. Last month we learned that the Marcellus had just blown by an astonishing 12 billion cubic feet of natural gas production per day, and if the Marcellus were its own country, it would be the eighth largest producing natgas country in the world (see New EIA Drilling Productivity Report: Marcellus Passes 12 Bcf/d!).

    The November DPR from EIA came out yesterday. What do we learn from it? The Marcellus is on the cusp of passing 13 Bcf/d in natural gas production! The numbers just continue to astonish and amaze everyone, and confound anti-drilling critics who keep saying “it won’t last–not long from now it’ll all just peter out and decline.” Yeah right, you keep telling yourself that one. Here’s the latest full DPR from the EIA:
    Read More “EIA Drilling Report Nov 2013: Marcellus Ready to Blow by 13 Bcf/d”

  • | |

    MDN Digs FC’s NatGas Vehicle Whitepaper – You Will Too

    Need to get a really good handle on what’s happening right now in the natural gas vehicles (NGV) market? Oh, and please throw in your best thinking on what will happen over the next 12 months? We have the answer. FC Business Intelligence, a UK-based conference and events company–knows a thing or two about the natural gas market. They’ve been hosting must-attend natgas industry events for quite a while, including a yearly event on NGV. In advance of next year’s event, the 3rd Natural Gas Vehicles USA (June 11-13 in Houston, TX), FC Business Intelligence has authored a 44-page white paper on NGVs in the US–a sort of “state of play” for the NGV market.

    MDN downloaded the white paper (see it below). It’s chock-full of great information. This is not a generic-lightly-gloss-over-warmed-up-rehash-of-other-information treatment. There’s meat in this paper–serious research–and it’s well worth your time to read it if you have an interest in NGVs and what will be one of the most important sources of demand for natural gas in the coming years. MDN has chronicled how fleets, like that of UPS, are dumping diesel and changing to LNG (liquefied natural gas) and CNG (compressed natural gas). Problem is, where do NGVs fill up on either CNG or LNG? Where are there plants (supply) in the US that create LNG? It’s all in this white paper, and more…
    Read More “MDN Digs FC’s NatGas Vehicle Whitepaper – You Will Too”

  • | | | | | |

    MSC/PIOGA Team Up to Study Radiation in Shale Drilling

    questionsIn January 2013, MDN brought you the news that the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) was launching a 12-14 month study of radiation in shale drilling (see PA DEP Announces New Study of Radiation in Shale Drilling).

    Yesterday the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) and the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA) announced a joint effort to conduct their own study of radiation in shale drilling. The two organizations say their study will “complement” the study now being done by the DEP. Yesterday’s announcement raises some important questions:

    Read More “MSC/PIOGA Team Up to Study Radiation in Shale Drilling”

  • | | | | | |

    WVU & OSU Score $2M from NSF for Shale Energy Research

    The Marcellus and Utica Shale is not only good for landowners (big bonuses, lucrative royalties), for drillers (can’t drill fast enough, making boatloads of money), and of course the rest of us (all that money ripples throughout local economies and gets reinvested). The Marcellus/Utica is also good for academic types too. West Virginia University and Ohio State University together have just been awarded an eye-popping $2 million grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for shale energy research.

    Some of that money will go to a researcher MDN previously highlighted back in 2011–Dr. Shikha Sharma, an assistant professor at WVU. At the time Dr. Sharma delivered what was bad news for anti-drillers: methane found in water samples she analyzed was not from shale drilling but is naturally occurring (see WVU Prof: Methane in Water Supplies is Not from Fracking). Dr. Sharma has been awarded $351K from the NSF grant to “probe the chemical and isotopic biomarkers that microorganisms leave behind during their growth and respiration process.” Er, right. A bit beyond our comprehension, but we’re sure it’s valuable research nonetheless! Here’s the announcement from WVU about the grant and what researchers will be doing with the money (if you understand it)…
    Read More “WVU & OSU Score $2M from NSF for Shale Energy Research”

  • | | |

    Congressional Research Service Issues Updated Report on Fracking

    From time to time our brilliant leaders in Washington need an update on a given topic, a “Cliff Notes” summary they can scan to supposedly bring themselves up to date on a given weighty and pressing issue. Where do they turn? To their very own Congressional Research Service, of course. The CRS has been producing reports for, well, as long as there’s been a CRS (predating MDN’s Jim Willis’ time on Capitol Hill in the 1980s). Last week an updated report was issued by the CRS titled “Hydraulic Fracturing: Selected Legal Issues” (full copy embedded below). The previous version of the very same report, R43152, was issued in July (see New Congressional Report: How Federal Laws Govern Fracking).

    Since these reports only get created and issued when requested by a member of Congress, we’re guessing someone requested an update. Which makes us nervous because the federal government should have NO role in the regulation of fracking (Constitutionally it belongs to the individual states, not the federal government). We don’t know what may have changed between July and today, but we include the new version of the report below for your reading and scanning pleasure…
    Read More “Congressional Research Service Issues Updated Report on Fracking”

  • | |

    EIA Admission: Rig Counts No Longer Predict Production

    Last week the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released their very first Drilling Productivity Report, or DPR (for a copy, see New EIA Drilling Productivity Report: Marcellus Passes 12 Bcf/d!). Yesterday the EIA posted on their Today in Energy blog a bit more of their thinking/rationale for developing the DPR.

    And what, you may ask, is the reason the EIA developed yet another report like the DPR for the energy information-addicted (like MDN) to consume? They developed it precisely for the same reason MDN has been trumpeting for nearly two years now: Rig counts are no longer a reliable predictor of production, as they once were. Here’s yesterday’s EIA post that talks about “rethinking” rig counts, and the new DPR…
    Read More “EIA Admission: Rig Counts No Longer Predict Production”

  • | | |

    New EIA Drilling Productivity Report: Marcellus Passes 12 Bcf/d!

    Terry EngelderTerry Engelder is a Penn State University geologist and professor. He was previously named to Foreign Policy magazine’s list of Top 100 Global Thinkers for his work with the Marcellus Shale. MDN calls him the “rock” star of the Marcellus, if you’ll pardon the pun (see Prof Terry Engelder: Marcellus Rock Star). In years gone by Dr. Engelder predicted that sometime in 2015 the Marcellus would be producing 12 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. For his breathtaking, bold (and frankly wild) prediction he was praised by some, but scorned and ridiculed by many.

    As MDN announced yesterday, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is launching a new monthly Drilling Productivity Report (DRP). The very first report was issued yesterday (full copy embedded below). What does it show? It shows that Engelder was wrong. The Marcellus has just passed the 12 Bcf/d mark–now–this month. That is, the Marcellus is even more productive than Engelder’s so-called wild fantasy. According to an EIA spokesman, natural gas production from the Marcellus has surprised even the brainiacs at EIA who study this stuff for a living…
    Read More “New EIA Drilling Productivity Report: Marcellus Passes 12 Bcf/d!”