New York

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…
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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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About MDN | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | MDN Resources | New York | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Research | Statewide MD | Statewide NY | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Statewide WV | West Virginia

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?…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Companies | Exxon Mobil | Industrywide Issues | New York | Tompkins County

Park Foundation Resolution Defeated by ExxonMobil Shareholders
May 28, 2015May 28, 2015

It’s not often (enough) that the odious and disgusting Park Foundation suffers a total defeat–so we do a happy dance when it happens. It happened yesterday at ExxonMobil’s annual meeting where shareholders handed the Park Foundation (of Ithaca, NY) a humiliating defeat of their resolution that Exxon compose a cockamamie report every year detailing the so-called “risks” involved with unconventional drilling. Apparently the self-loathing Park Foundation wants Exxon to become self-loathing too–to produce a report that essentially says they’re creeps destroying Mother Earth by fracking. Three-fourths of Exxon shareholders said “no thanks.” Shareholders also voted down an idiotic proposal by a group of Catholic priests from Milwaukee who have lost their first love (Jesus Christ) in favor of a new love (Global Warming) to put a global warming expert on the board of directors. Ah, excuse us Fathers, whatever happened to your vow of poverty? Seems the priests of Milwaukee now have more money than the Lord Himself and want to throw their weight around at shareholder meetings rather than save souls…
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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

NYer Sets Out to Make a Fracking Documentary that Tells the Truth
May 26, 2015May 26, 2015

MDN friend Victor Furman is a man on a mission. Vic is a New York landowner and a “shale gas activist” working with the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY). Vic is also co-host of the JLCNY’s JLC United Good News Table Talk Radio Show. Vic is passionate about restoring New Yorkers’ Constitutional rights to allow shale drilling. Vic’s latest project: He’s going to make a shale gas documentary–without the help of HBO and its liberal backers. Instead, Vic needs some help from pro-shale gas supporters. He’s going to travel to states that allow shale drilling and film the people who live close to it, telling their stories and reporting what he sees. As Vic says, he’ll report it all, “good, bad or indifferent.” Here’s the low down on Vic’s effort to get the truth out about shale drilling…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Statewide NY

NY Antis Use Same Strategy for Pipelines: “We Need Health Study”
May 20, 2015May 20, 2015

The anti-drilling nutters in New York are somewhat drunk on their own success. The strategy of “we need to wait until a health study is done” worked so well to delay fracking in NY, the nutters are (predictably) back and now trying to use the same strategy with regard to building new pipelines. It’s no secret that infrastructure–i.e. pipelines–are desperately needed to get Marcellus Shale gas out of Pennsylvania and into markets like New York, New England and beyond. Anti-drillers (actually fossil fuel haters) believe they can now pressure NY officials to delay permits for pipelines in the same fashion they delayed fracking long enough to kill it. The new tactic is to claim pipeline compressor, metering and regulation stations are toxic for those who live near them. In other words, more lying, scare tactics to cover up the fact it is fossil fuel hatred that motivates them and not concern for your health…
Read More “NY Antis Use Same Strategy for Pipelines: “We Need Health Study””
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Crude Oil | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY Riverkeeper Sues Federal DOT Over New Oil Train Regs
May 20, 2015May 20, 2015

The fossil fuel hating New York Riverkeeper–not to be confused with fossil fuel hating THE Delaware Riverkeeper–has just sued the U.S. Dept. of Transportation over rules the DOT recently issued with regard to railroads transporting crude oil (usually Bakken crude) through New York State. Riverkeeper is being joined in their frivolous lawsuit by several other odious anti-drilling, anti-capitalist Big Green organizations: Earthjustice, Waterkeeper Alliance, ForestEthics and the Sierra Clubbers. Riverkeeper says the DOT’s new rules for oil trains won’t protect rivers like the Hudson…
Read More “NY Riverkeeper Sues Federal DOT Over New Oil Train Regs”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Statewide NY | Transco | Williams

With Williams Pipeline Completed, Fracked Shale Gas Flows to NYC
May 18, 2015May 18, 2015

More Marcellus Shale gas is now flowing to 1.8 million customers in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island thanks to the completion of the Williams Rockaway Delivery Lateral and Northeast Connector projects. The Rockaway project added 3.2 miles of new Transco pipeline off- and on-shore (and related facilities) in New York (see Williams Files with FERC for New Access Point to NYC from Transco Pipeline). The Northeast Connector project added new compressionion equipment at three existing Transco facilities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania (see Williams Happy with FERC Progress on NE Pipeline Expansions). The two projects fit hand-in-glove. The Northeast Connector now delivers 100,000 dekatherms (or 100 million cubic feet, Mmcf) per day to the Rockaway Delivery Lateral. The Rockaway Lateral is delivering 647,000 dekatherms (or 647 Mmcf) per day to NYC residents of abundant, cheap, clean-burning FRACKED (mostly) Marcellus Shale gas…
Read More “With Williams Pipeline Completed, Fracked Shale Gas Flows to NYC”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Crestwood Midstream | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Schuyler County

Josh Fox Among 21 Arrested at Crestwood Facility in Upstate NY
May 15, 2015May 15, 2015

Thank God we get some comic relief every now and again by the bizarre antics of anti-drillers. Covering the miracle of wholesome, safe and good hydraulic fracturing and the many benefits to society of natural gas is rewarding, but what makes it fun is to point out the hypocrisy and stupid behavior of those who oppose it. On Wednesday a group of mostly old upstate NY hippies staged yet another protest and illegally blocked the entrance of the future underground propane storage facility near Watkins Glen, NY owned and operated by Crestwood Midstream. Getting arrested in front of the Seneca Lake facility to gain media attention is a regular occurrence (see 10 Antis Arrested for Blocking Crestwood Facility at Seneca Lake and NY Protesters Arrested for Blocking NatGas Storage Facility). On Wednesday, the largest number of protesters illegally blocking the facility–a veritable mob–was arrested. There were 21 arrests in all. Among them was Gasland mockumentary maker and minor celebrity Josh Fox…
Read More “Josh Fox Among 21 Arrested at Crestwood Facility in Upstate NY”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Reaction from Both Sides to NY Release of No-Frack Regulations
May 15, 2015May 15, 2015

The New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has just published their Final Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FSGEIS), the rules and regulations document that would govern fracking in the Empire State, should it ever be allowed by the Democratic dictatorship of Andrew Cuomo and his underling DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. As we pointed out yesterday, the final act will come in a few weeks (or months) when Martens issues a “Findings statement” that will essentially say fracking is just too risky to attempt for now (see NY Releases Final Fracking Rules – Don’t Get Your Hopes Up). We have reaction to the release the FSGEIS from two representative groups–the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY), which fights for landowners and their Constitutional property rights–and Earthjustice, an anti-fossil fuel group that fights against freedom and property rights and for the tyranny of big government…
Read More “Reaction from Both Sides to NY Release of No-Frack Regulations”
Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Statewide NY | Supply Chain

CA Co Gets Compressor Turbine Orders for Shale Gas in NY
May 15, 2015May 15, 2015

California company Capstone Turbine Corporation, on the left coast, recently received a new order for two new compressor stations from the right coast–from the Marcellus and Utica Shale to be exact. In a delicious case of irony, a “shale customer” is “using Capstone to provide two new compressor station facilities in the state of New York.” Even though NY just released regulations that won’t allow fracking. Obviously it’s for pipelines that will flow Marcellus Shale gas from PA through the state. Here’s the announcement from Capstone…
Read More “CA Co Gets Compressor Turbine Orders for Shale Gas in NY”