Pennsylvania

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

CU & NOAA Do Fly Over of Marcellus to Measure Methane Leaks
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

Is there too much methane leaking from shale drilling operations and electrical generating plants that burn methane in the Marcellus Shale? A plane ride last summer hopes to help answer that question.

Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration did a fly over of the Marcellus Shale in northeastern PA, along with fly overs in two other major shale plays. They’re still studying the data from they collected. In reading the news story about the study and the fly over, it all appears a bit murky to us. Lots of “estimates” and comparing this study with that study and “top down” and “bottom up” estimates to come up with answers. We like real, hard science. Things you measure–things that are testable and repeatable. Not political science where you spin fanciful theories. Was this fly over and the resulting study the former, or the later? Time will tell…
Read More “CU & NOAA Do Fly Over of Marcellus to Measure Methane Leaks”
Bradford County | Energy Services | Eureka Resources | Industrywide Issues | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Wastewater

2 NE PA Wastewater Recycling Plants Get Upgrades
December 13, 2013March 7, 2019

The Marcellus Shale wastewater recycling plants in Williamsport and Towanda, PA, operated by Eureka Resources, have been upgraded. A crystallizer and a methanol recovery system have been installed at both plants allowing Eureka to separate out minerals and compounds that they have been trucking to Ohio for disposal in an injection well. The side benefit: They’ll now begin producing and selling oil, methanol and sodium chloride–a new revenue stream for the plants.

The two plants will bring the new upgrades online in January…
Read More “2 NE PA Wastewater Recycling Plants Get Upgrades”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA DEP Launches Public Comments on New Drilling Rules, Roadshow
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

The PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) and their Environmental Quality Board are launching a 60-day public comment period starting Dec. 14 to allow PA residents to comment on proposed new Marcellus Shale drilling rules called for under the Act 13 law passed in early 2012. The new rules will address well pad construction, water impoundments, pipelines and surface impacts of drilling, among other things. It is a major revision to PA’s drilling rules.

In addition to emailing or sending in hard copy, the DEP will conduct a series of road shows in various locations to discuss the proposed new rules. They’re also holding two online webinars (Dec. 19 and Jan. 3). The announcement from the DEP about the proposed new rules and the comment period:
Read More “PA DEP Launches Public Comments on New Drilling Rules, Roadshow”
Industrywide Issues | Jefferson County (PA) | Pennsylvania | Wastewater

Innovative Wastewater Treatment Plant Looks for Investors
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

Pssst. Hey buddy, have a spare $25 million to invest? Chief chemist and president of ProChemTech International (Brockway, PA), Tim Keister, says he’s figured out how to build a shale drilling wastewater plant that can make $35,000 per day and not charge drillers a dime to treat their wastewater. Keister’s innovative design removes barium and radium and turns them into barium sulfate. From barium sulfate you can make products like rubber, glass and drilling mud. Extract the barium and radium, create barium sulfate, sell it. Easy!

Except it’s not so easy when you’re the first. Investors are risk-averse and Keister has had a hard time finding someone to build the plant–so he’s going to build the first one himself. But there’s still that little problem of needing 25 mil…
Read More “Innovative Wastewater Treatment Plant Looks for Investors”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

PA RINO Rep. Gene DiGirolamo Proposes Marcellus Tax Hike – Again
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

Seeking to kill the economic miracle that has been shale gas drilling in Pennsylvania, the so-called “brave” Republican (really a RINO) PA Rep. Gene DiGirolamo is proposing a 4.9% tax on the value of natural gas extracted and sold from state wells. That’s in addition to the impact fee/tax already in place. The new tax would supposedly raise another $640 million of money that politicians like DiGirolamo could get their grubby hands on to parcel out in vote buying schemes (rather than continue to do the hard work begun by Tom Corbett in reigning in spending).

DiGirolamo has been pedaling higher taxes on Marcellus drilling since at least Sept. 2011 (see Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thursday, Sep 22, 2011). Such a plan doesn’t stand a prayer of a chance while Republicans hold both houses and the governor’s chair. Which raises the question of why DiGirolamo would float this plan again now. Likely a sleazy political ploy to curry favor with his Democrat friends because he figures they’ll be taking over next year after the election…
Read More “PA RINO Rep. Gene DiGirolamo Proposes Marcellus Tax Hike – Again”
Industrywide Issues | Lackawanna County | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | Taxation

Specifics on Marcellus $ Helping to Clean Chesapeake Bay Pollution
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

A month ago MDN brought you the good news that money raised as part of the Marcellus Shale impact fee in PA is being used to launch a project that is hoped will clean up the single largest source of pollution for the Chesapeake Bay–the Old Forge borehole near Scranton, PA (see Marcellus Drilling Helps Fix Biggest Polluter of Chesapeake Bay). The initial story outlines the high level plan by Susquehanna Mining Solutions LLC to build a treatment plant that will convert acid mine water coming from the borehole (some 60-100 million gallons per day) into clean water for other uses.

The original article was short on specifics. We now have a few of the specifics for how Susquehanna Mining Solutions will perform this miracle. It’s no small task…
Read More “Specifics on Marcellus $ Helping to Clean Chesapeake Bay Pollution”
Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Susquehanna County | WPX Energy

WPX to Make 2nd Attempt at Removing Water Tanks in Franklin Twp
December 12, 2013December 11, 2013

Is Franklin Township in Susquehanna County, PA the new Dimock? Let us explain. You may recall that 17 families in rural Dimock, PA claimed that nearby natural gas drilling by Cabot Oil & Gas led to water well contamination from methane (natural gas) and/or fracking chemicals. The history of Dimock is well-established on this blog and in numerous other places. It was made famous by Josh Fox and his Gasland fictional movies. No one seriously believes the water in Dimock was contaminated with fracking chemicals because it’s never happened–anywhere. Not once. Methane, on the other hand, is a different matter. It can and does migrate–sometimes.

To this day Cabot disputes that their drilling led to methane contamination of Dimock water wells. The PA DEP investigated and said it did. The case is now closed on Dimock (see Cabot Buys Second Dimock, PA Property on Carter Road). One of the more theatrical aspects of the Dimock story was when Cabot removed DEP-ordered water tanks, called water buffaloes, from homes that refused to allow Cabot to install DEP-ordered methane filtration systems. Some of the families, like Craig and Julie Sautner, were suing Cabot for big bucks and didn’t want their water supply fixed. When Cabot came to remove the water buffaloes, it was a media circus complete with celebrities bleating on camera. In some respects, a town about 15 miles from Dimock–Franklin Township–is turning into the same media circus. Different driller, different families, same issue of removing water buffaloes…
Read More “WPX to Make 2nd Attempt at Removing Water Tanks in Franklin Twp”
Beaver County | Energy Companies | Ethane | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Processing Plants | Shell | Statewide PA

PA Sen. Bob Casey “Pressures” Shell to Commit to PA Cracker Plant
December 12, 2013December 11, 2013

This is rich. MDN has long chronicled the flakiness of U.S. Bob Casey (Democrat, PA) on the shale drilling issue. On one hand he wants the heavy hand of the federal government to regulate drilling, violating the Constitution in doing so. On the other hand, like a typical sleazy politician, he has his hand out and wants the money and jobs shale drilling generates (see The Two Faces of Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA) on Shale Drilling).

The hand-stuck-out-for-money-and-jobs Casey is manifesting again at present. He just fired a letter off to Shell to “pressure them” into making a decision about moving forward with an ethane cracker in PA. Which is kind of funny, that he’s posturing and preening and pretending to goad Shell along when Shell is already well along and likely to move forward with no regard for what Bob Casey wants or thinks (see Odds in Favor of a PA Ethane Cracker Just Went WAY Up). What a waste of a Senate seat. Here’s what the preening Bob Casey said to Shell…
Read More “PA Sen. Bob Casey “Pressures” Shell to Commit to PA Cracker Plant”
Air Quality | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | MarkWest Energy | Pennsylvania | Washington County

MarkWest Chartiers Twp Plant Sued for “Trespassing” on Air Space
December 12, 2013December 11, 2013

Two couples with the same last name and who both live near the MarkWest gas processing plant in Chartiers Township (Washington County), PA are suing MarkWest claiming the plant is causing air pollution and is “trespassing” on their air space. MDN has chronicled problems at the plant in the past (see MarkWest Served Violation Notice for Chartiers Processing Plant).

Both couples, with the last name Sethman, report a variety of physical ailments they claim are caused by air pollution from the plant…
Read More “MarkWest Chartiers Twp Plant Sued for “Trespassing” on Air Space”
Energy Companies | Halcon Resources | Industrywide Issues | Lease & Royalty Payments | Litigation | Mercer County | Pennsylvania

Mercer County Landowners Suing Halcon Get Small Victory
December 12, 2013December 11, 2013

Last fall Halcon Resources signed letters of intent with landowners in Mercer County, PA to lease some 60,000 acres for drilling, via CX Energy (Co-eXprise). In September 2012 Halcon called a meeting with landowners and told them they would only proceed with leasing about half of the acreage (see Halcon Says No Drilling for Half of Mercer County Landowners). Needless to say the half that were jilted didn’t take it well. In fact, they felt defrauded by Halcon and filed a class action lawsuit in federal court against Halcon.

The U.S. Court of Appeals Third Circuit has just passed the case (“remanded” it) back to a Pennsylvania trial court, which is a small victory for the landowners. How so? Well, it’s complicated, but we’ll do our best to explain it…
Read More “Mercer County Landowners Suing Halcon Get Small Victory”
Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Marcellus Shale Coalition Appoints New Slate of Officers
December 12, 2013December 11, 2013

A new chairman of the board has taken the helm at the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC). The MSC, arguably the Marcellus’ premier trade group, announced yesterday that their new chairman will be Scott Roy, vice president of government and regulatory affairs for Range Resources Corporation. In addition to Scott, the positions of vice chair, treasurer and secretary will also change.

Stepping into the vice chair position is Heather Lamparter, VP at EXCO Resources; treasurer will be Mark Hager, senior government affairs rep at Williams; and secretary will be Gary Smith, VP & general manager for EOG Resources. Scott Roy as chairman of the board should not be confused with MSC president Dave Spigelmyer who is responsible for running the day to day operations of the organization. Here’s yesterday’s MSC board announcement:
Read More “Marcellus Shale Coalition Appoints New Slate of Officers”
Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Rice Energy | Washington County

Impending Rice Energy IPO Creating a Buzz
December 11, 2013December 11, 2013

MDN has known–well, suspected–since October that Rice Energy would soon be going public and that an initial public offering of stock (IPO) would value the company as much as $2.5 billion (see Rice Energy Rumored IPO – Dan Rice Gets Last Laugh). So when we reported yesterday that Alpha Natural Resources was selling its 50% joint venture stake to Rice for $300 million ($200 million of it in Rice stock when it goes public), we didn’t think much of it (see Alpha Natural Resources Sells 50% Marcellus Stake to Rice Energy).

Apparently not everyone knew about Rice going public and the news has hit like a thunderclap. Here’s an example, along with an estimate of when shares in the IPO will be offered:
Read More “Impending Rice Energy IPO Creating a Buzz”
Bradford County | Energy Companies | Lycoming County | Pennsylvania | Southwestern Energy | Sullivan County | Susquehanna County | Tioga County (PA) | Wyoming County (PA)

Southwestern Energy’s Board Changes, Marcellus Plans for 2014
December 11, 2013December 11, 2013

Some fairly big news from one of the Marcellus Shale’s largest drillers–Southwestern Energy. In a flurry of announcements issued yesterday, we learn that Southwestern’s President & CEO, Steve Mueller, will take over as Chairman of the Board next May when current Chairman Harold Korell retires. Mueller plans to keep the title of CEO but apparently he will shed the title of President, so that begs the question, who will become Southwestern’s new president next year? Interestingly (perhaps related?) Southwestern also announced yesterday the promotion of Jeffrey Sherrick to the position of Executive Vice President for Corporate Development. Hmmm.

In addition to personnel announcements, Southwestern issued a guidance statement about their plans for capital spending in 2014. The statement indicates Marcellus production will increase by a whopping 60% next year. Southwestern’s estimated Marcellus production for 2013 is 148-149 billion cubic feet (Bcf). Next year they expect it will be 244-249 Bcf based on superb well performance in Bradford, Lycoming and Susquehanna counties. Southwestern boasts that one of their Susquehanna County wells achieved an initial production of 32 million cubic feet per day! In 2014 Southwestern plans to begin drilling in three additional northeastern PA counties…
Read More “Southwestern Energy’s Board Changes, Marcellus Plans for 2014”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

After 9 Months, Chris Abruzzo Confirmed as Sec. of PA DEP
December 11, 2013December 11, 2013

In September MDN told you that Chris Abruzzo, the “Acting” Sec. of the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) was nominated by Gov. Tom Corbett to fill the post vacated by former Sec. Michael Krancer (see No More “Acting” for Abruzzo – Nominated as Secretary PA DEP). Last week Senate Democrats tried to rake Abruzzo over the global warming coals because Abruzzo doesn’t believe global warming is quite the big deal they do (see PA DEP Sec. Abruzzo Grilled by PA Senate on Global Warming).

We’re happy to report that Abruzzo has now been confirmed by the Senate (42-8, with partisan Democrats voting against). Finally, after holding and executing the duties of the office for nine months, E. Christopher Abruzzo is the full Sec. of the PA DEP. We congratulate him!…
Read More “After 9 Months, Chris Abruzzo Confirmed as Sec. of PA DEP”
Energy Services | Ethane | Industrywide Issues | MarkWest Energy | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Washington County

MarkWest Extends Open Season for “Little” Ethane Pipeline
December 11, 2013December 11, 2013

MarkWest conducted an open season for their “little” 30-mile ethane pipeline that will run from Majorsville, PA to Houston, PA (in Washington County) from early November until December 9th. The MarkWest Liberty Ethane Pipeline is a pipeline to other pipelines (see MarkWest Open Season for “Little” Ethane Pipeline). Ethane arriving in Houston, PA will be able to hitch a ride out of the northeast via other pipelines to cracker plants and processing facilities in Canada and the Gulf Coast.

Apparently the open season didn’t garner as much business as MarkWest had hoped, because yesterday they announced “ya got a few more days to sign up.” The new deadline for the open season is this Friday, December 13th at 5:00 pm Eastern. So hurry and sign up, while you still can! Here’s the MarkWest announcement from yesterday extending the open season for the Liberty Ethane Pipeline:
Read More “MarkWest Extends Open Season for “Little” Ethane Pipeline”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide PA | Sunoco Logistics

Handful Protest Mariner East Pipeline at Sunoco HQ in Philly
December 11, 2013December 11, 2013

Something like two dozen paid, professional protesters showed up at Sunoco Logistics headquarters yesterday in downtown Philadelphia to preen before (a few) media cameras and make outrageously false statements about the Mariner East pipeline. These are people with nothing better to do with their time than to desperately try to grab 15 minutes of fame.

Here’s an example of the bilge that flowed from the groups financing the protest:
Read More “Handful Protest Mariner East Pipeline at Sunoco HQ in Philly”