Four “fenceline” air monitors that continuously (24/7/365) sample the air looking for volatile organic compounds from the mighty Shell ethane cracker facility in Beaver County, PA, went live in February. The Continuous Air Monitoring System (CAMS) data is available on the Shell website, showing data in 15-minute increments for the entire day.
Read More “Final Piece of Shell Cracker Air Monitoring System Now Online”
In 2015, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) axed a plan to use shale drill cuttings combined with concrete to extend the Wellsboro-Johnston Airport in Tioga County (see PA DEP Nixes Plan to Use Drilling Cuttings for Tioga Airport Runway). One of the environmental groups that helped defeat that safe project was Tioga County’s Pine Creek Headwaters Protection Group (PCHPG). The same group has trained its sights on blocking a proposed Seneca well pad on state forest land where Seneca has the legal right (under lease) to drill for gas.
Read More “Enviro Group Objects to Well Pad Location in Tioga State Forest”
In something of a mystery for us, the radical left continues to try and pound more nails in the coffin of the already-dead New Fortress Energy (NFE) Wyalusing LNG export plant. In March 2022 (one year ago), NFE withdrew a request to build an onshore LNG liquefaction plant in Wyalusing, PA, a plant that would have transported its LNG to NFE’s Repauno Port and Rail Terminal on the shoreline of the Delaware River in Gibbstown, N.J. (see NFE Caves to Radicals, “Pulls the Plug” on Wyalusing, PA LNG Plant).
Read More “Antis Still Attacking Dead NFE PA-to-NJ LNG Export Plan”
New shale permits issued for Feb. 27 through Mar. 5 in the Marcellus/Utica stayed the same as the prior week. There were 29 new permits issued in total last week, including 7 new permits for Pennsylvania, 20 new permits for Ohio, and 2 new permits issued in West Virginia. Last week the top receiver of new permits was Hilcorp Energy with 8 new permits–all of them in Columbiana County, OH. The second highest number of permits went to Encino Energy, with 4 permits in Carroll County and 2 in Columbiana County. EOG Resources also received 4 permits in Carroll County. It seems the northern part of the Ohio Utica saw a lot of love last week.
Read More “29 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Feb 27-Mar 5”
The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP), in collaboration with Carbon Mapper, Inc. and the U.S. Climate Alliance, conducted a research study in May 2021. The study looked at four different areas across Pennsylvania to measure leaking methane using a specially-outfitted airplane. The study wasn’t so much about who was leaking methane as it was about whether the airborne detection technology was accurate. However, the results (the who) was interesting. The study (see an overview below) chronicles the discovery of 153 total methane plumes detected from 91 individual sources, including oil and gas facilities (63 sources), coal mines (18 sources), and landfills (9 facilities).
Read More “Results of PA DEP Study Using Airplane to Detect Methane Leaks”
Three advocates for Appalachian hydrogen and carbon capture projects–two lawyers and the head of Appalachian Energy Future–say that Pennsylvania (and Ohio and West Virginia) are missing key pieces of the hydrogen puzzle before a billion-dollar hydrogen hub can become a reality in any of those states. The missing pieces are permitting and regulations.
Read More “Missing Pieces of M-U Hydrogen Puzzle: Regulations & Permitting”
As we mentioned in passing in our post yesterday about Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s first budget, one of the items in his budget (and in his speech) was support for a $1 billion hydrogen hub project in the Keystone State (see Shapiro’s 1st Budget a Mixed Bag – Severance Tax Out, Carbon Tax In). All three of the potential hydrogen hub projects in which PA is involved depend on converting natural gas into hydrogen while capturing any resulting carbon dioxide and storing it–called “blue” hydrogen. Blue is not green enough for Big Green wackos who are panning Shapiro’s support for a hydrogen hub. Even though he was their candidate. Buyer’s remorse?
Read More “Big Green Not Happy with PA Gov. Shapiro’s Support for Blue H2”
Newly-elected Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro unveiled his first-ever budget yesterday, and it was a whopper, coming in at $44.4 BILLION. We were keeping an eye on his budget for two primary things: (1) Does it include a severance tax? (2) Does Shapiro plan to get revenue from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) carbon tax scheme? For the first, the answer is no. Thankfully, Shapiro did not lobby nor request a Marcellus-killing severance tax. Which is sure to tick off the left. However, it was a mixed bag because the budget DOES assume RGGI will kick in and provide the state with $663 million in proceeds for 2023-24. Wait, you thought Shapiro was against RGGI following his comments slamming it? Surely you’re not that dumb?
Read More “Shapiro’s 1st Budget a Mixed Bag – Severance Tax Out, Carbon Tax In”
Some 18 pro-business groups in Pennsylvania joined forces to send a letter to newly-elected Gov. Josh Shapiro and every member of the PA legislature. The letter, spearheaded by the PA Chamber of Business and Industry (also the Marcellus Shale Coalition and the American Petroleum Institute of PA), congratulates Shapiro and all those winning election or reelection. It was a verbal slap on the back. But the letter goes on to request all of these newly elected officials to work together to promote domestic energy production in the Keystone State. In other words, Why can’t we be friends?
Read More “18 PA Biz Groups Urge Shapiro, Legislature to Cooperate on Energy”
Could air pollution related to drilling shale wells affect those who live nearby? In particular, does shale drilling negatively affect the health of older folks (over age 65)? How would we know if it is affecting their health? Researchers set out to answer that question by analyzing Medicare data for older folks who live near Marcellus drilling in Pennsylvania, comparing the data with older folks who live in nearby New York, where there is no Marcellus drilling. The researchers conclude that living near shale drilling increases the likelihood of old folks having a heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues.
Read More “Research Claims Old Folks Near PA Marcellus Have More Heart Attacks”
Pennsylvania State Sen. Gene Yaw (Republican from Lycoming County), the Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, announced last week that he intends to introduce legislation to establish an Independent Energy Office (IEO). The IEO would be established along the same lines as state’s successful Independent Fiscal Office (IFO). The IEO would, like the IFO, be a neutral agency that does not support or oppose the policies it analyzes.
Read More “PA State Sen. Yaw Proposes Creation of Independent Energy Office”
Once again, the lie machine that is the left, hellbent on destroying the Marcellus Miracle in Pennsylvania, is floating the idea of a Marcellus-killing severance tax. The big question is whether or not they will get the man THEY elected to office, Gov. Josh Shapiro, to go along with their insane plan to kill the Marcellus via high severance taxes. When Shapiro unveils his first state budget tomorrow, we’ll know the answer to that question. In the meantime, the wackadoodle machine cranked up its severance tax calls (once again, for the umpteenth year in a row) via the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, a partisan, leftist propaganda outfit with zero credibility.
Read More “Leftist Dems Trot Out PA Severance Tax for Umpteenth Year in a Row”
Yesterday the Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released its latest quarterly Natural Gas Production Report for October through December 2022 (full copy below). There were 136 new horizontal wells spud (drilled) in 4Q22, a decrease of 18 wells (-12%) compared to 4Q21. Natural gas production volume was 1,856 billion cubic feet (Bcf) in 4Q22, down a big 100 Bcf (-5.1%) from 4Q21. It is the fourth quarterly decrease in production in a row (comparing the same quarters year-over-year). Sadly, 4Q22 production was also down from 3Q22–by 1.2%.
Read More “PA Shale Production & Drilling Tumble in Latest IFO Qtly Report”
New shale permits issued for Feb. 20-26 in the Marcellus/Utica slide lower last week. There were 29 new permits issued in total last week (down from 35 the week before), including 24 new permits for Pennsylvania, no new permits for Ohio, and five new permits issued in West Virginia. Last week the top receiver of new permits by far was the largest natural gas driller in the country, EQT Corporation, with 20 new permits split between Greene and Washington counties in southwestern PA.
Read More “29 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Feb 20-26”
Camera Bartolotta is one of those rare finds in swampy Harrisburg, PA. She’s a State Senator who sees the value of pipelines. But more than just valuing pipelines, she’s smart and articulate, and she makes a strong case that Pennsylvania and the entire country need more pipelines–NOW. Bartolotta points out in an opinion column that although Joe Biden has promised billions of dollars of investment in roads and bridges and railroads and electric vehicle charging stations, all of it using your money and mine (i.e. taxpayer money). Pipelines, on the other hand, are built with private investment. Pipelines don’t require a dime of taxpayer money. And they’re the safest form of transportation on earth! So why does dementia Joe ignore pipelines?
Read More “PA State Sen. Bartolotta Makes Strong Case for More NatGas Pipes”
Isn’t it typical for Democrats to try and use a crisis that has nothing whatsoever to do with shale and natural gas to block shale and natural gas? Seven members of Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation, every single one of them a Democrat, sent a letter (copy below) to another Democrat, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (an incompetent nincompoop), asking him to permanently delete a rule adopted during the Trump administration that allows LNG to be safely transported by special rail cars. The reason cited for banning LNG by rail? The train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio–an event that has nothing whatsoever to do with shale energy.
Read More “PA Democrats Demand DOT Cancel LNG by Rail After East Palestine”