Research

Broome County | Chenango County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Research

USGS: Best Places in NY Southern Tier to Get Water for Fracking
March 15, 2013March 15, 2013

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has identified three large-scale groundwater supply sources along the Susquehanna River in Broome and Chenango counties (New York State) in an announcement about a newly completed study (full copy of the study is embedded below). The USGS says these three potential groundwater supply locations are in areas where there may be future shale gas drilling activities.

Essentially, the USGS has provided the drilling industry and regulators at the DEC and SRBC with a helpful “best places to get water for fracking” guide…

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Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide PA

New Study: PA Marcellus Shale Drilling Doesn’t Pollute Waterways
March 12, 2013March 11, 2013

A new research study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences shows that Marcellus Shale drilling in Pennsylvania does not pollute the state’s waterways—at least not appreciably. The paper is titled “Shale gas development impacts on surface water quality in Pennsylvania” (full copy embedded below) and looks only at surface water—not underground aquifers. The study is significant because it looks at nearly 5,000 shale drilling sites in the state, and according to the lead author, they “didn’t find evidence in waterways of significant chemical spills from drill sites.”

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Air Quality | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Research

NOAA Methane Study from 2011 is Flawed – Final Answer
March 11, 2013March 11, 2013

MDN tries to avoid “inside baseball” stories as much as possible—those stories that are highly technical and involve complex math and science. We avoid them not because they aren’t important—they are. But because readers often don’t have the time to study the issue properly to understand it. When possible, we try to interpret such stories and give you “the bottom line.” This is one of those stories.

In December 2011, the Journal of Geophysical Research (JGR) published a paper by a number of authors associated with NOAA—the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The paper, titled “Hydrocarbon emissions characterization in the Colorado Front Range – A pilot study,” took a close look at natural gas drilling and using some rather complex science, made the bombshell claim that a large amount of methane escapes into the atmosphere during the drilling process. In the parlance of scientists, the issue is called “fugitive emissions.” Those who buy the claims of manmade global warming say methane is a “potent” greenhouse gas—so if a lot of it escapes into the atmosphere, that’s a bad thing. It causes the globe to heat up.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Research

Is Obama to Blame for Decrease in Federal Oil/Gas Production?
March 8, 2013March 8, 2013

A recently released released study by the Congressional Research Service titled “U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production in Federal and Non-Federal Areas” (full copy embedded below) appears to be quite damning of the Obama regime. The raw numbers don’t lie: All of the increase in oil production in the U.S. from 2007-2012 happened on non-federal lands. Meanwhile, natural gas production on federal lands (including off-shore) decreased by 33% since 2007, and on non-federal lands, it increased by 40%! Is that not ample evidence that Obama’s policies are killing oil and gas development where they control it—on federal lands?

Yes and no, according none other than the National Review, the premier conservative magazine founded by William F. Buckley, Jr….

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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | New York | Research | Statewide NY

Park Foundation Funds Army of Water Testing Volunteers in NY
March 4, 2013March 4, 2013

The anti-drilling Park Foundation—the organization that funds such luminaries as the husband and wife lawyer team David and Helen Slottje (see Slottje Alert: Lebanon, NY About to be Fleeced)—is hedging their bets just in case Gov. Cuomo suddenly grows a spine and allows safe fracking to go forward. How? They’re funding 100 volunteers to test New York waterways on a regular basis with the thought the testing could be used in court to prove fracking is causing damage to groundwater supplies—when and if fracking ever comes to New York.

The misleadingly-named Community Science Institute provides so-called “volunteers” to do the testing:

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Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Research | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

Law Firm Publishes Handy Utica Highlights Report for 4Q12
February 25, 2013February 25, 2013

Law firm Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP (offices in Columbus and Cleveland) has just published a quarterly summary close-up on the Ohio Utica Shale for fourth quarter 2012. It’s full of interesting highlights and bits and bobs you’ve already read on MDN. However, the report pulls a lot of overview material together in an easy to scan format—and it’s just 12 pages (full report embedded below).

The report opens with what it considers the top issues and useful information. It then highlights some of the major industry moves, looks at the midstream and infrastructure projects, government regulation, and closes with training programs available to help those who want jobs in the gas and oil fields. A nice report—worth your time to review it.

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Air Quality | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide PA

PA DEP Report: Counties with Fracking Have More Air Pollution
February 18, 2013February 18, 2013

Last week the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) reported they filed a required every-three-year air pollution study with the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The results? Because of fracking and a change away from burning coal to burning natural gas for electrical power generation, all major forms of air pollution, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds, have gone down—significantly (see “Thank You for Fracking” – Air Pollution Goes Down in PA).

MDN now has a copy of the official numbers filed by the DEP to the EPA (see the files embedded below showing the data). It appears to us there is a “rest of the story” in the DEP’s numbers. While air pollution numbers are extremely positive and have gone down significantly as a statewide average, in counties with a lot of Marcellus Shale drilling, air pollution numbers have gone up. Compared to the levels found in other counties, we’d call it a “significant” increase. Is there cause for concern?

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Education | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Research | Statewide OH | Statewide WV | West Virginia

OSU and WVU Join Forces to Research (Promote?) Shale Energy
February 12, 2013February 12, 2013

Two major universities in the Marcellus and Utica Shale have signed a “memorandum of understanding” (MOU) pledging to pool academic resources and work together on projects to research and leverage the rapidly expanding shale energy industry. Ohio State University and West Virginia University announced their new compact yesterday. Part the arrangement includes possibly developing shale energy field laboratories.

The attitude on the part of both institutions seems to be, “Let’s figure out how we can promote shale energy so it’s safe, and so everyone benefits.” Right attitude, right approach. Now, any bets as to how long before anti-fracking malcontents among the faculty and staff at those fine institutions begin a fracking witch hunt like happened at University at Buffalo? (See UB CLEAR: Burn the Fracking Witches and Their Castle.)

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Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | Jobs | Ohio | Research | Statewide OH

OH Report Details Shale Drilling’s Huge Impact on Jobs, Economy
February 12, 2013February 12, 2013

The Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services (Ohio’s welfare agency) issued the very first edition of a new quarterly publication yesterday which tracks the changes in Ohio’s oil and gas industry (see a copy of the first issue embedded below). What did ODJFS find with regard to the oil and gas industry’s impact on Ohio? Jobs in the oil and gas fields are up 17% from 2011 to 2012. The average salary across all the shale-related industries in Ohio is $73,934 per year. Those with jobs extracting oil in Ohio’s shale are making over $100K per year.

In short, the Utica and Marcellus Shale in Ohio has been a jobs and economic boom for the state:

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Air Quality | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide PA

2 New Studies of Marcellus Drilling’s Impact on PA Air Quality
February 4, 2013February 4, 2013

Marcellus Shale drilling in Pennsylvania was responsible for just a small fraction of PA’s air pollution in 2011 according to newly released data (the first full year of data we have) from the Dept. of Environmental Protection, and from a private study by Rand Corporation (see below). How much did it contribute? PA’s shale gas industry was responsible for about 4% of total air pollution emitted by all industrial facilities in 2011.

Although the overall numbers are low, that’s not to say there aren’t concerns or things to improve…

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Industrywide Issues | Regulation | Research | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV DEP Late in Filing Required Marcellus Environmental Studies
January 30, 2013January 30, 2013

In December 2011 the West Virginia legislature pass sweeping new shale drilling regulations in record time. The effort and the end result was heralded by then acting (now sitting) Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin as a “milestone” in addressing concerns about Marcellus Shale drilling in WV.

The 2011 legislation called for three new environmental studies to be completed and delivered to lawmakers. Two of the studies were due within a day of each other: Dec. 31, 2012 and Jan. 1, 2013. Both are late. According the state DEP, one study will be along in mid-February. The other? No estimated date…

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research | Soil | Statewide PA | Wastewater

PA DEP Announces New Study of Radiation in Shale Drilling
January 25, 2013January 25, 2013

Although the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) “routinely reviews radioactivity data in wastes the oil and natural gas industry and other industries generate,” they announced yesterday a new 12-14 month in-depth study to examine radiation levels more closely in PA’s shale drilling industry to ensure “that public health and the environment continue to be protected.”

The DEP is currently seeking a peer review of the proposed study plan (plan embedded below) and will then start sampling and analyzing naturally occurring radioactivity levels in drilling wastewater, drill cuttings, and the equipment used to transport, store and dispose of drilling wastes. The study will be conducted by the DEP working with an outside firm—Perma-Fix Environmental Services of Pittsburgh.

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Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Research

Chesapeake will Allow EPA Access to Well Site for Fracking Study
January 24, 2013January 24, 2013

The Wall Street Journal reports that Chesapeake Energy has agreed to allow the federal EPA to access one of their drilling sites to be used as a guinea pig for before and after testing of water supplies near a fracked gas well. The EPA is conducting a years-long study, due to be completed in 2014, to evaluate whether or not they can try and claim fracking affects water. If they can make a case that fracking does affect water supplies, they plan to invoke the federal Clean Water Act to start regulating shale drilling via the back door which would, of course, trample on states’ rights as granted under the Constitution.

Apparently Chesapeake is willing to “pull back the kimono” and let the EPA have a peak. Their reasoning appears to be, “Hey, there’s nothing to fear since fracking does not affect water supplies, so why not?” From the WSJ:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide PA | Wastewater

Duke/Kent State Publish New Research on Marcellus Wastewater
January 23, 2013January 23, 2013

A new report by researchers at Duke and Kent State universities takes a close look at the wastewater produced in Marcellus Shale gas well drilling. The paper, titled “Generation, transport, and disposal of wastewater associated with Marcellus Shale gas development,” appears in the January issue of the journal Water Resources Research. MDN was not able to score a copy of the full article and so must rely on the abstract and the press release (below) to describe it’s findings. However, from what we’ve read, it appears to be a careful, balanced and scientific look at the issue of drilling wastewater.

What did the researchers find? Shale wells produce about 10 times more wastewater than conventionally drilled wells, but they produce 30 times more natural gas. That is, shale wells are far more efficient and produce less wastewater per amount of gas produced than conventional wells. However, there are so darned many shale wells (in the Marcellus and other shale plays), the sheer volume of wastewater threatens to overwhelm the ability to deal with it.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Research

New USGS Study Proves Fracking Does Not Contaminate Water Wells
January 22, 2013January 22, 2013

An important new scientific study was released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on Jan. 9 that tests 127 water wells in the Fayetteville Shale area of north-central Arkansas. Fracking for natural gas began in the Fayetteville Shale in 2004, and since then, some 4,000 wells have been drilled. There were good historical records available for the 127 water wells to compare pre- and post-drilling results. Who woulda thunk we would actually use science to determine whether or not fracking is safe? What a novel concept.

The study is titled “Shallow Groundwater Quality and Geochemistry in the Fayetteville Shale Gas-Production Area, North-Central Arkansas, 2011” (full copy embedded below). What did the USGS find? They found that fracking didn’t affect water wells. No chemical contamination. Nada.

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Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Research | Statewide PA

PA NatGas Pipelines: Coming to a Roadway Near You?
January 22, 2013January 22, 2013

An excellent report on natural gas pipelines in Pennsylvania issued in December has just come to our attention. The report (full copy embedded below) was created by PA Gov. Tom Corbett’s Energy Executive, Patrick Henderson, as a requirement under the state’s new Act 13 drilling law. The report provides a brief history of natural gas pipelines in the state with an excellent overview of how pipelines are regulated and who regulates them, followed by 16 recommendations for lawmakers to consider in crafting new policies.

Among the recommendations: Run new pipelines along existing local and state road right-of-ways; make it easier to share pipeline capacity without forcing a pipeline into becoming a public utility (with the associated nightmare of heavy regulation); and the state’s Public Utility Commission should create and maintain a comprehensive map displaying the routes for all shale gas pipelines.

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