Wastewater

Energy Services | GreenHunter Resources | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | Wastewater | West Virginia

GreenHunter to Offer “Free” Recycled Frackwater at Wheeling Plant
May 28, 2013May 28, 2013

An article in The State Journal (WV) says the new shale wastewater treatment facility GreenHunter Water wants to build in Wheeling will grant generous discounts–in essence a rebate–to drillers who haul their wastewater to the facility and on the same trip fill up with recycled wastewater to haul back for re-use in drilling and fracking operations. GreenHunter will save money because they won’t have to pay to haul it away for disposal, and drillers get what is, in essence, free water for use in drilling. It’s a win/win for everyone:
Read More “GreenHunter to Offer “Free” Recycled Frackwater at Wheeling Plant”
Aquatech | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Wastewater

PA Wastewater Plants Fined by EPA for Radioactive Discharge
May 24, 2013May 24, 2013

In early May, two wastewater treatment companies owned by the same person, Pennsylvania Brine Treatment and Hart Resource Technologies, were merged into one company called Fluid Recover Services (FRS). FRS was subsequently bought out by Aquatech (see Marcellus Wastewater Company Aquatech Buys Competitor FRS). FRS has become a new division within Aquatech headed by the former owner, Paul Hart. What you many not know, however, is that the three original FRS facilities once accepted Marcellus Shale wastewater, treating and discharging it into area waterways–a practice that stopped in April 2011 under the direction of then Sec. of the DEP Michael Krancer. Why did it stop? Because of concerns (now confirmed) that low levels of radioactive particles were making their way into streams–levels above safety standards.
Read More “PA Wastewater Plants Fined by EPA for Radioactive Discharge”
Energy Services | GreenHunter Resources | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | Wastewater | West Virginia

The Long (Federal) Road to Approve GreenHunter’s Barge Terminals
May 20, 2013May 20, 2013

GreenHuner Water has purchased seven facilities along rivers in PA, WV and OH where it hopes to open operations to barge either fracking wastewater or brine to other locations “down river” for disposal by injection wells. The latest barge facility purchase made by GreenHunter is in Wheeling, WV (see GreenHunter Buys Barge Terminal in Wheeling for Frack Wastewater). The big gamble by GreenHunter is that they will receive approval by the U.S. Coast Guard. The gamble got bigger when it was revealed the Obama White House, via the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), would also need to approve it (see Obama “Inches” Toward Approving Barge Shipments of Frack Water).

The gamble is now much bigger by orders of magnitude. The Coast Guard says in addition to themselves and the OMB, the Dept. of Energy, Dept. of Transportation and the federal EPA will also have a hand in the review and decision on whether or not to allow barging of fracking wastewater and brine:
Read More “The Long (Federal) Road to Approve GreenHunter’s Barge Terminals”
Energy Services | GreenHunter Resources | Industrywide Issues | Marshall County | Wastewater | West Virginia

“Wheeling Water Warriors” Oppose GreenHunter Wastewater Facility
May 16, 2013May 16, 2013

You just have to marvel at the creativity of anti-drillers. Get a half dozen of them in a room and they’ll name themselves something funny and then pretend to have hundreds of followers. The media laps it up and amplifies it. Latest example: Anti-drillers who oppose a new fracking wastewater facility GreenHunter Water is proposing for Wheeling, WV. The “Wheeling Water Warriors” have formed to oppose the project. (We wonder if they have spandex uniforms with superhero capes to go along with the name?)
Read More ““Wheeling Water Warriors” Oppose GreenHunter Wastewater Facility”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Regulation | Statewide OH | Wastewater

Cincinnati City Council Wants to Ban OH Wastewater Injection Wells
May 16, 2013May 16, 2013

Agitated for by the odious anti-drilling group Food & Water Watch and supported by elected Democrats, the Cincinnati City Council yesterday passed a resolution calling for a statewide ban on disposing shale wastewater and brine via injection wells. City Council disingenuously says the substances being disposed of (injected in the wells) is hazardous to human health, which is true enough in high concentrations, but they fail to also call for the banning of all such injection wells throughout the state.

Other injection wells in Ohio dispose of far more toxic substances than fracking wastewater. Injection wells are made to hold such substances–yet, no resolution to ban these far more “dangerous” injection wells. How come Cincy? Sauce for the goose…
Read More “Cincinnati City Council Wants to Ban OH Wastewater Injection Wells”
Aquatech | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Wastewater

Marcellus Wastewater Company Aquatech Buys Competitor FRS
May 14, 2013May 14, 2013

Aquatech recently opened their third Marcellus Shale wastewater treatment plant in Tioga County, PA (see Aquatech Opens New PA Marcellus Wastewater Treatment Plant). Read More “Marcellus Wastewater Company Aquatech Buys Competitor FRS”
Industrywide Issues | NG Vehicles | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Wastewater

Envelope Please: Winners of Shale Gas Innovation Contest are…
May 8, 2013May 8, 2013

For the second year running, the Ben Franklin Technology Partners’ Shale Gas Innovation & Commercialization Center selects three winners from a field of 12 entrants to award a $25,000 prize in its Shale Gas Innovation Contest–a contest that recognizes startups and small businesses and gives them visibility and encouragement for their efforts.

MDN previously highlighted this year’s entrants, particularly because we’re acquainted with one of them (see REV LNG, 11 Others Finalists in Shale Gas Innovation Contest for the entire list of this year’s entrants). We won’t keep you waiting any longer. The envelope please! This year’s three winners are…
Read More “Envelope Please: Winners of Shale Gas Innovation Contest are…”
Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Tioga County (PA) | Wastewater

NY Company Sells Frack Wastewater Technology to PA Site
May 8, 2013May 8, 2013

Even though New York State is an economic and jobs-creating disaster area with no prospect of shale drilling to lift it from the economic basement any time soon, some New York-based companies are still profiting from the shale boom–that is the shale boom happening across the border in Pennsylvania. One such company is R3 Fusion, Inc. in Troy, NY. R3 makes technology that recycles fracking wastewater for reuse, and they’ve just sold an installation of their technology to Hydro Recovery in Blossburg, PA.

The R3 announcement:
Read More “NY Company Sells Frack Wastewater Technology to PA Site”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Landfills | Ohio | Regulation | Statewide OH | Wastewater

ODNR Wants Fracking Regs Added Back to Kasich Budget Bill
May 1, 2013May 1, 2013

On Monday, the head of the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources, James Zehringer, asked Ohio Senators to restore a number of non-budget-related oil and gas provisions to the budget bill scrapped by the House in the version they passed. The provisions could be brought back if the Senate includes them and the final version is agreed to in committee.

The provisions Zehringer wants added back?…
Read More “ODNR Wants Fracking Regs Added Back to Kasich Budget Bill”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Athens County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Regulation | Wastewater

Athens Politicians Support Injection Well Ban for Frack Wastewater
May 1, 2013May 1, 2013

Although no Utica Shale permits have been issued for drilling in southeastern Ohio Athens County so far, the potential does exist (see Athens County, OH Upgraded to “Good” on ODNR Utica Map). Along with drilling comes wastewater. Many drillers recycle it, but some dispose of it via deep injection wells throughout Ohio. Athens County commissioners have voted to support a ban on all fracking wastewater disposal by injection wells.

Are the Athens commissioners trying to send a message to the drilling industry to stay away?…
Read More “Athens Politicians Support Injection Well Ban for Frack Wastewater”
Crime | Industrywide Issues | Landfills | Mahoning County | Ohio | Wastewater

Alleged New Case of Illegal Shale Waste Dumping in OH
May 1, 2013May 1, 2013

An Ohio company close to the Pennsylvania border has been accused of illegally accepting and disposing of (burying) drilling wastewater and drill cuttings. Since the landfill where the material is buried sits close to the Mahoning River, there is a concern that some nasty substances may have or are leaking into the river.

An alphabet soup of OH state and federal government agencies served Soil Remediation Inc. in Lowellville (Mahoning County), OH with a search warrant early last week…
Read More “Alleged New Case of Illegal Shale Waste Dumping in OH”
Energy Services | GreenHunter Resources | Industrywide Issues | Utica Shale | Wastewater

GreenHunter Water Sells First "MAG Tank" to Utica Driller
April 29, 2013April 29, 2013

GreenHunter Water is crowing about the sale of its first MAG Tank, a new above-ground storage tank that uses a unique design and is modular, letting drillers add to or subtract from the tank as needed at the drill pad site. The new tank was sold to an unidentified “large independent oil and gas producer” that will use the new tank at a multi-well Utica Shale drill pad site in southeast Ohio. MDN’s guess is that it was sold to either Chesapeake Energy or Gulfport Energy. Increasingly, open pits (so-called “frack ponds”) used to store fracking fluids and brine are being regulated out of existence, which means tanks will be required to replace them. Enter the MAG Tank.

Today’s announcement from GreenHunter:

Read More “GreenHunter Water Sells First "MAG Tank" to Utica Driller”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY | Wastewater

NY Senator Grisanti Introduces 3 Fracking Bills – Is it a Sign?
April 18, 2013April 18, 2013

Buffalo-area State Senator Mark Grisanti, a Republican, recently re-introduced several bills he previously introduced last year about this time, dealing with hydraulic fracturing in New York State. MDN received a tip from a Norse Energy investor forum that Grisanti had introduced a bill that creates a high volume hydraulic fracturing waste tracking system at the Dept. of Environmental Conservation. True, he did indeed introduce that bill (again) and the bill has been sent on to the Senate Environmental Conservation committee. Norse investors, among others, are attempting to read any tea leaves they can find for news that New York is about to allow horizontal fracking. Is this such a sign?…

Read More “NY Senator Grisanti Introduces 3 Fracking Bills – Is it a Sign?”
Aquatech | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Tioga County (PA) | Wastewater

Aquatech Opens New PA Marcellus Wastewater Treatment Plant
April 18, 2013April 18, 2013

Marcellus wastewater treatment company Aquatech cut the ribbon and opened a new centralized shale wastewater treatment plant in Tioga County, PA yesterday. The new plant is equipped to process up to 200 gallons per minute and sits in an area central to a huge amount of drilling…

Read More “Aquatech Opens New PA Marcellus Wastewater Treatment Plant”
Crime | Industrywide Issues | Mahoning County | Ohio | Wastewater

Youngstown Illegal Dumper’s Former Company Files for Bankruptcy
April 17, 2013

It looks to be an ignominious end for D&L Energy, the company previously owned by Youngstown fracking wastewater dumper Ben Lupo (see Youngstown Business Dumped >200K Gal of Untreated Wastewater). Yesterday, D&L filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in U.S. District Court. The paperwork for the filing notes that although Lupo recently resigned as an officer and director at D&L, he retained 80% of the stock. The rest of the stock is owned by his wife and one other person. The paperwork also indicates the three D&L owners may have “improperly diverted funds of the debtors to other peripheral business entities owned or operated by one or more of these individuals for little or no consideration.” So it appears some hiding of assets/money may have gone on.

Here’s the low-down on the bankruptcy filing and who’s owed how much from D&L:
Read More “Youngstown Illegal Dumper’s Former Company Files for Bankruptcy”
Accidents | Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp | Washington County | Wastewater

Tag Team Grudge Match: Jesse White/Patch v Range Resources/DEP
April 17, 2013

The ongoing grudge match between western PA Rep. Jesse White (from Cecil) and Range Resources continues and has grown. Last week White made a formal “Right to Know” request with the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (another favorite target of White) over the alleged leakage of 30 gallons of…fresh water? frack wastewater?…it’s not clear to MDN which it is–from a Range impoundment located in Cecil Township.

Regardless of the tiny amount of whatever leaked, the DEP has not responded to White, yet, so he’s turning up the pressure by going to his favorite media stenographer, Canon-McMillanPatch:
Read More “Tag Team Grudge Match: Jesse White/Patch v Range Resources/DEP”