New York

Energy Services | GASFRAC | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY | Tioga County (NY)

NY Landowners File to Frack Horizontal Well w/Waterless Tech
July 9, 2015

Wouldn’t you know? The very day that MDN goes on vacation, a HUGE story–at least for New York State–happens. So we’re back with a single posting today. Yesterday a press conference was held in the Town of Barton (Tioga County), NY to announce that a group of landowners flying under the name of The Snyder Farm Group (five families make up the group) have contracted with Tioga Energy Partners to drill a fracked Utica Shale well, and follow it up with drilling a fracked Marcellus Shale well, using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG or propane) and sand. The wells will not use water for fracking–and therefore, according to the landowners, avoid the ban on high volume fracking recently imposed by Andrew Cuomo and his underling Joe Martens at the state Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC). There is no doubt this is huge news throughout the state–and is giving heartburn to Cuomo and Martens. What cockamamie grounds can the DEC possibly use to refuse it? It’s a brilliant move by the landowners in Tioga County…
Read More “NY Landowners File to Frack Horizontal Well w/Waterless Tech”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Everyone’s Talking Lawsuit over New York DEC Frack Ban
July 7, 2015July 7, 2015

Everybody knows a lawsuit is coming against the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation’s “Findings Statement” that bans fracking (see It’s Official: Cuomo Bans Economic Opportunity & Prosperity in NY). Anti-drillers, including DEC Commissioner Joe Martens, the guy hired by the Rockefellers to ban fracking who is now leaving the DEC to return to a Rockefeller job at his previous organization (the Open Spaces Institute), certainly expects there to be a legal challenge to his non-science-based political decision to ban fracking…
Read More “Everyone’s Talking Lawsuit over New York DEC Frack Ban”
CNG/LNG | Herkimer County | Industrywide Issues | New York

Let’s Celebrate a Small NY Victory: CNG Distro Center Opens in CNY
July 7, 2015July 7, 2015

A small (very small) victory for natural gas in New York State. And it’s sad that we have to accord this bit of news as actual news. Direct Energy and Xpress Natural Gas (XNG) announced today that they have just opened New York State’s very first compressed natural gas (CNG) production facility and distribution terminal–located in Central New York, east of Utica in Herkimer County. The facility will handle large volumes of natural gas, most of it coming from the Pennsylvania Marcellus (excuse us while we wipe tears away from the keyboard over the destruction to our upstate economy by Andrew Cuomo with his frack ban). This high volume facility, which can handle up to 5.7 billion cubic feet per year, is meant to serve businesses and even entire towns that are not located near a natural gas pipeline. Direct Energy and XNG are targeting not only New York State but also businesses and municipalities in Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut…
Read More “Let’s Celebrate a Small NY Victory: CNG Distro Center Opens in CNY”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

With Frack Ban Mission Accomplished, Joe Martens Leaves NY DEC
July 1, 2015July 1, 2015

A day after issuing the final nail in the coffin of fracking in NY (see It’s Official: Cuomo Bans Economic Opportunity & Prosperity in NY), the guy doing the nailing is leaving. Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens is leaving the DEC to go back to the anti-drilling Open Spaces Institute–the organization where he was employed before coming to the DEC. It certainly appears like the main purpose in hiring Martens was to slow down, and then stop the momentum to allow fracking in NY. Now that Martens’ mission has been accomplished, he’s ready to make more money again, working for an organization dedicated to stopping any kind of development on land–including and particularly oil and gas development. MDN has been around long enough to have seen Martens come, and now go. We’re proud to say from his very first day on the job we questioned his appointment and commitment to seeing that fracking happens in the Empire State (see our article from February 2011: Gov. Cuomo’s Nomination to Head the NY DEC: Will the Real Joe Martens Please Stand Up?). We’ve always suspected, and shared with you our suspicions, that Martens is anti-drilling. We were right–not that being right feels any better because Martens has royally screwed every landowner in our beloved home state…
Read More “With Frack Ban Mission Accomplished, Joe Martens Leaves NY DEC”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY Landowners, Drilling Industry React to Cuomo’s Frack Ban
July 1, 2015July 1, 2015

Yesterday MDN brought you the news that the Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) had finally issued a “Findings Statement” that provides the official rational, twisted as it is, for why New York is temporarily banning high volume fracking in the Empire State (see It’s Official: Cuomo Bans Economic Opportunity & Prosperity in NY). Organziations for both landowners (the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York) and the oil and gas industry (American Petroleum Institute New York) provided their reaction to this profoundly sad news…
Read More “NY Landowners, Drilling Industry React to Cuomo’s Frack Ban”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

It’s Official: Cuomo Bans Economic Opportunity & Prosperity in NY
June 30, 2015June 30, 2015

Let the lawsuits begin! Yesterday the anti-drilling, anti-fossil fuel head of the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Joe Martens, did his master’s bidding (his master being Lord Andrew Cuomo, Earl of the Hamptons) by imposing an official, TEMPORARY (not permanent) ban on hydraulic fracturing in the Empire State. The document issued yesterday by Martens is called a Findings Statement (full copy below) and it provides the DEC’s official rationale for the action they are taking in not granting permits for high volume fracking in the state. News coverage is blaring the trumpets that New York has “banned” fracking. Well, yes, in a sense that’s true. But the implication is that it’s a permanent ban–which is not true. Far from it. Martens uses profoundly weak arguments in the Findings Statement to justify his political action. One of his central arguments is what fracking “may” do to water supplies. A few weeks ago the federal EPA, after four years of intense study, found fracking is perfectly safe for water supplies (see EPA Draft Report Says Fracking Doesn’t Pollute Groundwater Supplies). We’d be embarrassed to try and peddle this horse manure if we were Martens–but he’s shameless. One thing is for sure: landowners and their lawyers, who have had their property rights illegally stripped away by Cuomo and Martens, are reading the Findings Statement and preparing lawsuits even now…
Read More “It’s Official: Cuomo Bans Economic Opportunity & Prosperity in NY”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | CNG/LNG | Crestwood Midstream | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | NGLs | Schuyler County | Statewide NY

Binghamton Newspaper Runs Anti-LPG Propaganda as “News”
June 29, 2015June 29, 2015

A well-known activist and anti-driller flying under the label of “reporter”–Tom Wilber–was actually paid to write six, possibly seven articles for the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin appearing in the print edition on Sunday. The so-called “Watchdog Report” in the P&SB takes aim at an underground liquefied propane storage facility proposed by Crestwood Midstream along the shore of Seneca Lake (in a depleted salt cavern) and is what laughably passes as “news” these days in the People’s Republic of New York–where the only “news” allowed in Democrat rags like the P&SN is bad news when it comes to the shale industry. In most newspapers the entire section appearing in the P&SB, which amounts to free advertising for the virulent anti-drilling group Gas Free Seneca, would properly be labeled as an “Advertisement” or “Advertising Supplement.” But not in the P&SB. Unsuspecting readers of the P&SB are treated to a couple of front page stories about “environmental concerns” about the very safe underground storage facility planned near Seneca Lake. When you look further in, the entire first section of the newspaper is jammed with more stories–six in all–plus a seventh that was almost certainly written by Wilber labeled as an “editorial” from the newspaper itself. Example of the extreme bias: one of the stories is about railroads, tossed in to create FUD–fear, uncertainty and doubt–about the LPG facility by stating that LPG from the Crestwood facility will be hauled by railroad over a creaky old railroad bridge through historic Watkins Glen State Park with its beautiful gorges and waterfalls. The image is what would happen if there was an accident and the train fell into the gorge. Of course Wilber doesn’t bother to report that carloads of really nasty, toxic chemicals traverse that same railroad bridge each week–it’s only LPG (simple propane that would evaporate) that has him concerned. Wilber calls it a potentially “epic hazard.” What a joke…
Read More “Binghamton Newspaper Runs Anti-LPG Propaganda as “News””
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

NY Anti-Drillers’ Fracking Jiggery-Pokery Fools Venerable BBC
June 26, 2015June 26, 2015

In April 2014 MDN told you about a crackpot group of low-level elected officials in New York State calling themselves Elected Officials to Protect New York, formed to spread lies about fracking (see 800 NY Officials Work Against Constituents to Ban Fracking). Most of the “officials” are either former officials, or occupy offices low-level offices, one step above dog catcher. It’s a laughable group of hard-left socialists who feel like they need a cause to justify their pathetic existence. We’d pretty much forgotten about them, they’re so inconsequential. But then this group, which has apparently grown to 850 members, sent a letter signed by 10 of their members to a town in northern England–Lancashire–to extol the dangers of fracking. They warned Lancashire to not allow fracking or it will lead to the end of civilization as they know it. Or something like that. Anyway, the venerable BBC picked up on it and made quite a fuss about this group of “New York City” elected officials warning tiny Lancashire about fracking. As it turns out, the BBC was either hoodwinked or intentionally decided to misrepresent the group in nationally broadcast news about the letter. Breitbart’s UK operation exposed the whole thing and quite frankly, it had us laughing out loud…
Read More “NY Anti-Drillers’ Fracking Jiggery-Pokery Fools Venerable BBC”
Broome County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide PA

Syracuse U Prof to Defend Methane Migration Research (Sun. Night)
June 25, 2015June 25, 2015

The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) and JLC United will air another live session of the Good News Table Talk Radio Show this Sunday, June 28 from 7-8 pm on WNBF Radio 1290 in Binghamton (listen online at: www.wnbf.com). Bob Williams, JLCNY Vice President and an environmental consultant with over 40 years experience, along with JLCNY board member Rob Rano, will interview and chat with acclaimed Syracuse University Earth Science professor, Dr. Donald I. Siegel. Dr. Siegel is the lead author of a Syracuse University study published earlier this year that found, after evaluating data from over 11,000 well water tests (34,000 samples) in Pennsylvania, that a water well’s proximity to fracking operations has no bearing on whether or not methane is found in that water well. In other words, fracking does not cause methane migration into water wells (see Syracuse U Study: Fracking Doesn’t Cause Methane in PA Water Wells). Radicalized environmentalists brook no dissent from their religious-like claims that fracking is the ultimate evil, so they immediately launched a smear campaign and personal attack against Dr. Siegel (see Syracuse Prof Targeted in Effort to Discredit Drilling Research). Tune in Sunday night to learn the truth–about water quality, methane migration, fracking fluids, and (yes) even about Dimock, PA…
Read More “Syracuse U Prof to Defend Methane Migration Research (Sun. Night)”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Talk of Upstate NY Seceding & Joining PA Comes Roaring Back to Life
June 19, 2015June 19, 2015

This story comes right from MDN’s own backyard–in the Town of Windsor, NY. Following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision to temporarily ban shale drilling while he’s in the governor’s chair, there was talk that some New York towns along the border of Pennsylvania are considering seceding from NY State and joining PA (see 15 NY Towns Consider Seceding from NY, Join PA Due to Frack Ban). It was certainly good for a few headlines–the story actually got international play for a while. But then it all seemed to simmer down. The “secession” story has now come roaring back to life with a proposal by a Windsor man (and MDN acquaintance) who is pushing a plan to split NY in two–and have all of upstate NY join Pennsylvania–not just a few towns. He’s even got a proposed platform and he’s working to organize a secession convention! Is this for real? Or is it a stunt–a clever way to focus attention on the abuse of upstate residents at the hands of a corrupt governor? You decide…
Read More “Talk of Upstate NY Seceding & Joining PA Comes Roaring Back to Life”
Broome County | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Hilcorp Energy | Industrywide Issues | Lawrence County | New York | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Williams

Tackling a Tough Issue: Compressor Stations Near Populated Areas
June 12, 2015June 12, 2015

There’s no denying that compressor stations located in populated neighborhoods create problems. We have two examples to share–one from Lawrence County, PA, and one from Broome County, NY (MDN’s backyard). The usual complaint about compressor stations–required to compress natural gas and send it on its way through a pipeline system–is the noise. Noise seems to be the chief issue with a compressor station in Lawrence County, PA where landowners, many of them (most? all?) have signed leases with Hilcorp, the company that owns the compressor station in Mahoning Township, a township that borders Ohio. Although noise has also been an issue at the compressor station in the Town of Windsor, NY (Windsor borders Pennsylvania)–about five miles from the border of the City of Binghamton–noise at the Williams compressor station is now largely mitigated. In the case of the Williams compressor, the concerns by those who live closest to it are regular releases of mercaptan and constant truck traffic to and from the station…
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MDN Launches 2015 Marcellus/Utica Databook – 4th Year!
June 11, 2015June 23, 2015

Earlier this week Marcellus Drilling News launched the fourth series of our Marcellus and Utica Shale Databook. The 2015 edition of the Databook, Volume 1, officially launched on Tuesday. Never in our wildest dreams did we think back in 2012 that the Databook would become so popular. We’ve now published three complete series–the 2012, 2013 and 2014 series (3 volumes each, or nine volumes total) and this week begins the fourth series–for 2015. The heart and soul of the Databook is a series of maps–one for every county where permits for drilling have been issued–throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. The “secret sauce” for the Databook is to visually, through maps and charts (89 of them in this edition), show you who is drilling right now or soon will be–and where they are drilling…
Read More “MDN Launches 2015 Marcellus/Utica Databook – 4th Year!”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Research | Statewide NY

NY DEC Claims Their Sham Studies Better than Federal EPA Study
June 9, 2015June 9, 2015

Even though faced with overwhelming scientific evidence that fracking has and is being done safely everywhere it’s tried (see EPA Draft Report Says Fracking Doesn’t Pollute Groundwater Supplies), New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo won’t relent and change his mind to allow fracking. That’s the upshot of comments by Cuomo’s Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The DEC would rather use sham “studies” perpetrated by anti-drilling radical environmentalists rather than believe a four year, in-depth study by the federal EPA on whether or not fracking can be done safely. But then, we didn’t expect Cuomo would change his mind, because his decision was 100% political–not based on science at all…
Read More “NY DEC Claims Their Sham Studies Better than Federal EPA Study”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY Biz Group, Congressman Ask Cuomo to Lift NY Frack Ban
June 5, 2015June 5, 2015

In light of the federal EPA study released yesterday stating fracking doesn’t pollute groundwater supplies (see our lead story today), the Business Council of New York State and NY Congressman Chris Collins have publicly asked New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to lift the fracking ban he has put in place in the Empire State. Since Cuomo’s decision had nothing whatsoever to do with actual science, don’t look for him to suddenly change his mind…
Read More “NY Biz Group, Congressman Ask Cuomo to Lift NY Frack Ban”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Spectra Energy | Westchester County

Anti Group “NOPE” Opposes Spectra Energy New England Pipeline
June 3, 2015June 2, 2015

Both Spectra Energy and Kinder Morgan have competing pipeline projects to move Marcellus Shale gas to New England where it’s desperately needed. Spectra Energy’s project is called Access Northeast and has a number of regional utility partners–companies that want to buy cheap, abundant and clean-burning Marcellus Shale gas–to sell to New Englanders. Spectra Energy’s project will expand several existing pipeline systems and join them together, running from New York through Connecticut and into Massachusetts. Kinder Morgan’s project is called Northeast Energy Direct (NED), which builds a new extension of the mighty Tennessee Gas Pipeline system from New York across Massachusetts, into New Hampshire and back into Massachusetts. Both projects face resistance from nutty fossil fuel haters. The reality for both projects is that although they will deliver an abundance of new supplies of natural gas, which is good during the winter, there will be an oversupply in the summer. You don’t just turn the spigot off on a pipeline. So the plan is to put some of that natural gas on the Maritimes & Northeast pipeline and send it on up to Canada where it can be used by Canadians and/or exported. Yes, exported. Export is not a dirty word, nor will it raise the prices here at home–at least not appreciably (by more than a few cents per Mcf). A new group of anti-drillers has sprung up to oppose the Spectra Energy project. They call themselves DOPE…oops, that’s NOPE (No Pipeline Expansion). NOPE is all up in arms because a little bit of natural gas may get exported, and they think they have the smoking gun to prove it…
Read More “Anti Group “NOPE” Opposes Spectra Energy New England Pipeline”
Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Schuyler County | Statewide NY

Will Companies Continue Making Grants after Pipelines are Built?
May 29, 2015May 29, 2015

We love pipelines. We love the companies that build them. Pipelines are the safest form of transportation period–bar none. The thing we don’t love is how pipeline companies are buying support for their projects. We’ve written about it before (see Constitution Pipeline Payments to Groups – Donations or Payola?; PennEast Payola? Buying Support One Community at a Time; and Kinder Morgan Hops on the Pipeline Payola Bandwagon in NEPA). Our objection is not to these midstream companies making community grants–much needed funds for very worthy purposes. Our objection is to the timing of the grants. Rather than make the grants before all of the permits are granted and the work has begun, wait and make the grants after the work has begun–to prove you want to be a good neighbor. An article from Schoharie County, NY about the Constitution Pipeline’s payola caught our eye and sparked a question for us: Will the Constitution still be making these community grants, to prove they’re good neighbors, long after the pipeline is built?…
Read More “Will Companies Continue Making Grants after Pipelines are Built?”