A new landowner coalition, The Loretto Landowners Group, is forming in Cambria County, PA on February 2. Their hope is to negotiate a lease with gas companies looking to drill in the Marcellus Shale.
Read More “New Landowner Coalition in Cambria County, PA Gets Started Feb 2”
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) conducted air quality testing from August to October of 2010 at a number of natural gas drilling sites that use hydraulic fracturing in Susquehanna and Sullivan counties, including a Cabot Oil drilling site in Dimock, PA. The DEP looked for compounds associated with petroleum-based products that may have become airborne. They also looked for other compounds, like elevated levels of carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.
Read More “PA DEP Tests for Air Pollution at Gas Drilling Sites – Finds None”
Carrizo Oil & Gas has filed 41 records of gas leases in three Luzerne County municipalities:
Talisman Energy shut down its four North American shale gas drilling operations for eight days following a fracking fluid release (MDN would call it an “accident”) on Jan. 17th at its drilling operation in Tioga County, PA, in the Tioga State Forest. According to Talisman, there were no injuries and the fluid was contained at the well site.
Late last year, Chesapeake Energy asked landowners in Donora and Carroll, PA (near Pittsburgh) who had received royalty checks from Chesapeake, to give the money back.
Read More “Chesapeake Backs Down, Will Not Make PA Landowners Near Pittsburgh Return Royalty Checks”
An article discussing the potential impacts of shale gas drilling in the area around Erie, PA does a good job in exploring the benefits of shale gas drilling that have already occurred in Tioga County, PA. Tioga County is one of the most densely populated drilling regions in the entire Marcellus Shale play. A few facts from the article:
Read More “Some Landowners in Tioga, PA Area Receive Six-Figure Royalty Checks – Each Month”
Atlas Energy’s Marcellus Shale gas output is up 21% in the second quarter from the first quarter of 2010. At the end of June, their net production rate in the Marcellus region was 59 Mmcfe (million cubic feet of natural gas equivalents) per day. The company brought eight new horizontal Marcellus Shale wells online in southwestern Pennsylvania from April to June with average peak average daily rates of 5.1 Mmcf per day.
Those who oppose drilling for gas in the Marcellus Shale most often use the argument that harmful chemicals are pumped into the ground and therefore will find their way into surface water supplies. In meeting after meeting concerns about water are voiced most often. Those of us who support safe drilling have to patiently, methodically point out that of all the tens of thousands of gas wells that have been drilled in this country using hydraulic fracturing, there are no reported cases of chemicals finding their way from the well into ground water supplies. (Please! If you know of such a case, post the details in the comments.)
Will Encana Oil & Gas’ gamble in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania pay off? We’ll know soon. Encana is due to start drilling two exploratory wells in Luzerne County this week. The drilling process itself will last 65-75 days.
So why is it a gamble for Encana to drill for gas in Luzerne County? Nobody knows for sure if the Marcellus Shale gas deposits are commercially viable that far south.
Read More “Encana’s Big Gamble in Luzerne County, PA”
Nearly two-thirds of the land in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania is leased by natural gas drilling companies, and recent strong gas production from wells in the northern part of the county have sparked a competition to lease even more Wyoming County land.
Read More “Two-Thirds of Wyoming County, PA Land Now Leased, More Land being Sought by Drillers”
UPDATE (July 6): It seems the list below is not completely accurate, as admitted by the PA DEP. The list below includes chemicals and substances stored on site (like diesel fuel and oil) that are not injected into the ground. MDN will furnish an updated list when it becomes available from the DEP.
An earlier version of the list, provided by DEP to the Associated Press and published in newspapers throughout the state this week, purportedly included all of the chemicals used in Pennsylvania during the gas extraction process called hydraulic fracturing. Instead, it included not just the chemicals pumped deep underground but also those stored or used on a well site, including fuel for vehicles and brake fluid.
“You can blame it on me,” Scott Perry, the director of DEP’s Bureau of Oil and Gas Management, said on Wednesday.
The original list was a compilation of the chemicals identified on safety documents called material safety data sheets that hydraulic fracturing contractors must submit to the department, but he did not realize that it included substances the contractors use both above and below ground on a well site, he said. The second list was winnowed by a DEP chemist, who recognized that some of the chemicals on the initial list are not among those injected underground during the fracturing process.
Of the 83 chemicals on the list published by the AP and the 78 on the list posted by the DEP, only 37 items are in common.
Three compounds specifically addressed in the AP article because of the risks they can pose to human health – naphthalene, toluene and xylene – are not on the list of hydraulic fracturing chemicals DEP posted on its website on Wednesday.
Scranton Times Tribune (July 1) – DEP shale chemical lists at odds over inclusion of above ground substances
Original post from June 30…
Using Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) from drillers, along with analysis of fracking fluid, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has released an updated list of 78 chemicals they say are found in fluids used by gas drillers in PA (called “fracking fluids”). MDN has obtained the list of 78 chemicals and reproduced it below. There is also a downloadable version at the end of this posting.
There are many nasty chemicals in this list, no one disputes that. But here’s a few things to keep in mind:
Range Resources, which uses contractor Frac Tech for its fracing work, says its frac fluid additives are chosen from a list of only nine compounds — hydrochloric acid, methanol propargyl, polyacrylamide, glutaraldehyde, ethanol, ethylene glycol, alcohol and sodium hydroxide.*
Chemicals Used in the Hydraulic Fracturing Process in Pennsylvania
Prepared by the Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Oil and Gas Management
Compiled from Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) obtained from Inustry
Updated June 10, 2010
| Chemical | Product Name |
| 2,2-Dibromo-3-Nitrilopropionamide | Bio Clear 1000/Bio Clear 2000/ Bio-Clear 200/BioRid20L/ EC6116A |
| 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one | X-Cide 207 |
| 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one | X-Cide 207 |
| Acetic Acid | Fe-1A Acidizing Composition/ Packer Inhibitor |
| Acetic Anhydride | Fe-1A Acidizing Composition |
| Acetylene | GT&S Inc./ Airco |
| Alcohol Ethoxylated | C12-16 NE-200 |
| Alkyl benzene sulfonic acid | Tetrolite AW0007/ FR-46 |
| Ammonia (aqueous) | FAW-5 |
| Ammonium Bifluoride | ABF 37% |
| Ammonium Persulfate | AP Break |
| Ammonium Bisulfite | Techni-Hib 604/ Fe OXCLEAR/ Packer Inhibitor |
| Ammonium chloride | Salt Inhibitor |
| Ammonium Salt (alkylpolyether sulfate) | Tetrolite AW0007 |
| Amorphous silica | TerraProp Plus/ Bituminous Coal Fly Ash ASTM C618 |
| Benzoic Acid | Benzoic Acid |
| Boric Acid | BC-140/ Unilink 8.5 |
| Boric Oxide | XLW-32 |
| Calcium Chloride | Dowflake |
| Calcium Oxide | Bituminous Coal Fly Ash ASTM C618 |
| carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar blend | Unigel CMPHG |
| Choline Chloride | Clay Treat-2C |
| Cinnamaldehyde | ENVIROHIB 2001 |
| Citric Acid | Ferrotrol 300L/ IC-100L |
| Complex polyamine salt | Clay Master-5C |
| Crystalline Silica: Cristobalite | |
| Crystalline Silica: Quartz | Silica Sand/ / Atlas PRC/ Best Sand/ Bituminous Coal Fly Ash ASTM C618 |
| Cupric chloride dihydrate | Ferrotrol 280L |
| Cured resin | LiteProp 125 |
| Cyclohexanes | CS-2 |
| Dazomet | ICI-3240 |
| Diethylene Glycol | Scaletrol 720/ Scaletrol 7208 |
|
d-Limonene |
MA-844W |
| Enzyme | GBL-8X |
| EO-C7-9-iso-, C8 rich-alcohols | NE-940/ NE-90 |
| EO-C9-11-iso-, C10-rich alcohols | NE-940/ NE-90 |
| Ethoxylated Alcohol | FRW-14/ SAS-2/ Flomax 50/ WFR-3B |
| Ethyl Acetate | Castle Thrust |
| Ethyl Alcohol | FAW-5/ Castle Shop Solv/ Dallas Morris |
| Ethylbenzene | NDL-100/ PARANOX/ Uniflo II |
| Ethylbenzene | NDL-100/ PARANOX/ Uniflo II |
| Ethylene Glycol | ENVIROHIB 2001/ ICA-2/ LEB 10X/ Scaletrol 720/ Sceletrol 7208/ CC 300/ Clachek A/ Clachek LP/ Ironsta II B/ NCL-100/ BC 140/ NCL-100/ Flomax 50/ NCL/ Scalehib 100/ Unihib O/ Unilink 8.5 |
| Formic Acid | ENVIROHIB 2001 |
| Gluconic Acid | Interstate ICA-2 |
| Glutaraldehyde | Alpha 114/Alpha 125/ ICI-150 |
| Glycerol | Bio Sealers |
| Glycol Ethers | ENVIROHIB 2001/AMPHOAM 75/ PARANOX/ Uniflo II/ Unifoam/ WNE-342LN |
| Guar Gum | PROGUM 19 GUAR PRODUCT/ Unigel 19XL/ Benchmark Polymer 3400/ WGA-15/ Unigel 5F |
| Hydrochloric Acid | Hydrochloric Acid (HCL)/ TETRAClean 542/ Muriatic Acid |
| Hydrochloric Acid 3% – 35% | Hydrochloric Acid 3% – 35% |
| Isopropanol | AFS 30 Blend/ FAC-1W/ FAC-3W/ MA-844W/ NE-23/ NE-940/ Flomax 50/ Tetrolite AW0007/ FMW25 Foamer/ CS-2 |
| Isopropyl Alcohol | NFS-102/ WFT-9511/ LT-32/ AR-1/ Flomax 50/ NDL-100/ Unibac/ Uniflo II/ Uniflo/ Unihib O/ WNE-342LN |
| Methanol |
AFS 30 Blend/ NE-200/ Activator Superset-W/ CI-14/ FAW-5/ GasFlo/ Inflo-250W/ LT-32/ NE-940/ |
| Methyl Alcohol | Clearbreak 400/ Super Surf/ Castle Shop Solv |
| Methyl Salicylate | Bio Sealers |
| n-butanol | AirFoam 311 |
| Nitrilotriacetamide | Salt Inhibitor |
| Phenolic Resin | Atlas PRC |
| Polyethylene Glycol | NE-940/ EC6116A/ NE-90 |
| Polyethylene Glycol Mixture | Bio Clear 2000/ Bio-Clear 200 |
| Polyoxylalkylene sulfate | FMW25 Foamer |
| Polysaccharide Blend | GW-3LDF |
| Potassium Carbonate | BF-7L |
| Potassium Chloride | Dowflake |
| Potassium Hydroxide | B-9, pH Increase Buffer/ BXL-2 |
| Propargyl Alcohol | CI-14/ HAI-OS Acid Inhibitor |
| Propylene Glycol | SAS-2/ WFR-3B |
| Silica | S-8C, Sand, 100 mesh/ Montmorillnonite clay |
| Sodium Bicarbonate | K-34 |
| Sodium Bromide | BioRid 20L |
| Sodium Hydroxide | Caustic Soda/ ICI-3240/ BioRid B-71 |
| Sodium Persulphate | High Perm SW-LB |
| Sodium Xylene Sulfonate | FAC-2/ FAC-3W |
| Sulfuric Acid | Sulfuric Acid |
| Surfactants | AFS-30/ GasFlo/ Inflo-250W |
| Talc | Adomite Aqua |
| Tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium sulfate | Magnacide 575 Microbiocide |
| Tetramethyl ammonium Chloride | Clay Treat-3C |
| Trimethyloctadecylammonium chloride | FAC-1W/ FAC-3W |
 |
*Pittsburgh Business Times (June 30) – DEP releases new list of frac chemicals; used in Marcellus, other Pa. operations
Brian Grove, corporate spokesman for Chesapeake Energy, addressed the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County in State College, PA today. Among his comments was this statement showing Chesapeake’s commitment to the Marcellus Shale:
“In northeastern Pennsylvania, where I’m from … we have 19 drilling rigs right now active in the northern tier. That’s as many, right now, as our company has in the Barnett Shale in Texas.”*
Grove also warned that a steep severance tax and “overly heavy” regulation will slow drilling growth in PA.
*The Centre Daily Times (June 30) – Natural Gas Rep: Drilling companies here to stay in Pennsylvania
Now that a severance tax is coming to Pennsylvania, natural gas drillers will likely push for a provision called “forced pooling” in PA which makes it easier to gather gas from properties that are not leased but sit in-between other leased land.
The Marcellus Shale natural gas industry wants to see legislation attached to any severance tax adopted by the state that would force property owners who refuse leases to allow drillers to gather the gas beneath their land, an industry coalition leader said Monday.
Calling it the most economical and conservative land-use approach to drilling for gas, David Spigelmyer, Chesapeake Energy’s regional vice president for government relations, said in a Times-Shamrock newspapers editorial board meeting that “forced pooling” is a key element of any legislation the state’s Marcellus drillers could support and is actively being discussed during budget negotiations in the capital.
Such a statute would help avoid an unnecessary proliferation of wells, Spigelmyer said, but critics say it is a form of eminent domain.*
This is an unresolved and complex issue that’s about to become red hot in PA. There are strong arguments on both sides. MDN believes landowners should have the right to allow drilling on and under their land provided it does not harm nearby populations or the environment. It is the constitutional right for citizens of this country to use their land as they see fit. On the other hand, to force a landowner who does not want to lease their land into a pool with their neighbors who have leased, is also unfair. If it means a proliferation of wells and added expense, so be it. The drilling company will have to bear the cost. Citizens should not have to worry that portions of their property will be used against their will—both on the surface and under it. It’s wrong to stop drilling based on irrational fear (as is being done in New York), and it’s equally wrong for drillers to force landowners to allow drilling under their land.
What do you think about forced pooling? Leave a comment below and let us know.
*Wilkes-Barre Citizen’s Voice (June 29) – Gas industry wants access to unleased property
Pennsylvania has just reached a new budget agreement for the next fiscal year, weighing in at a staggering $28.05 billion. Those who smoke cigars and use smokeless tobacco can breathe easier (or perhaps not)—your bad habit has escaped the tax man yet again this year. There are no state taxes on cigars and smokeless tobacco. But if you’re a landowner who’s getting royalty payments, you’re about to get soaked. Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before the politicians, who can’t resist taxing everything under the sun, would not be able to resist a severance tax on gas drilling. It’s now happened:
The [budget] agreement calls for the Legislature to enact a severance tax on natural gas extraction in the Marcellus Shale by Oct. 1, Rendell said, with the tax becoming effective Jan. 1, 2011. He said he would like to see a tax rate close to West Virginia’s, which is roughly 6 percent.*
It makes no difference if the tax is levied on the drilling company or not—ultimately this tax will come out of the pockets of landowners because expenses are always passed back. Oh well, it was a good run while it lasted. At least they’re drilling in PA!
*Pittsburgh Business Times (June 29) – Rendell: Pa. reaches budget agreement
What do we know about the gas well blowout that occurred on June 3rd? EOG Resources had almost completed drilling and fracking a gas well in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania when a blowout (too much pressure too fast) occurred. Here is the chronology of events:
The month long drilling operation [in Clearfield County] ended on March 3. Contractors returned in May to hydraulically fracture the well over 12 days. The process involves the injection of water, sand and chemicals under high pressure to shatter the gas-bearing rock so that the fuel can be recovered.
The frack job ended on May 28. The operator [EOG Resources] had begun well-completion operations on June 1. The blowout occurred two days later.
High pressure in an oil or gas well is both desired and essential – the pressure is what brings the fuel to the surface. Blowouts occur when the pressure surges and overwhelms control mechanisms.
A device known as a blowout preventer is attached to the wellhead at the surface. It is designed to be triggered by operators to control pressure surges.*
And this from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) official press release on the matter:
The leak began at approximately 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 3, when the well’s operators lost control of it while preparing to extract gas after fracking the shale. As a result, natural gas and flowback frack fluid was released uncontrollably onto the ground and 75 feet into the air. The well was capped at around noon on June 4.
The EOG well pad is located in a rural area near the Penfield/Route 153 exit of Interstate 80 in northwestern Clearfield County, near Moshannon State Forest.
The department’s [DEP] Emergency Response and Oil and Gas programs responded to the incident, along with the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, and local fire and police departments.**
The DEP believes the blowout preventer failed—but they don’t yet know why. Investigations continue. Since the blowout, the DEP has stopped all new drilling by EOG Resources until a cause is found:
The Department of Environmental Protection today [June 7] ordered EOG Resources Inc. to suspend its natural gas well drilling activities in Pennsylvania after a June 3 blowout at one of the company’s Clearfield County wells sent natural gas and at least 35,000 gallons of drilling wastewater into the sky and over the ground for 16 hours.
DEP Secretary John Hanger said that while the order bans all drilling and hydrofracturing, or fracking, operations for specified periods of time, the suspension will remain in effect until DEP has completed a comprehensive investigation into the leak and the company has implemented any needed changes.**
Here’s what else we know: No one was hurt. About 35,000 gallons of drilling fluid (mostly water) was spilled. The well did not explode. According to DEP Secretary John Hanger:
“Fortunately, the well did not ignite and explode, and there were no injuries to the well crew or emergency responders. Our preliminary assessment is that the environmental damage was modest as the frack fluid was contained and did not appear to reach any streams.”**
Since the accident, anti-drillers (and mainstream media) have had a field day referring to the “tragedy” and “disaster” in Clearfield County. While MDN does not excuse or minimize the accident and encourages a full investigation, a little perspective is in order: According to the Federal Highway Administration (as of 2005), an average of 115 people die every day in automobile accidents. The average number of people who die every day from gas well accidents? Zero.
*Philadelphia Inquirer (June 7) – Pa. suspends gas drilling at Marcellus rupture site
**PR Newswire (June 7) – DEP Orders EOG Resources to Halt All Natural Gas Drilling Activities in PA
From a Dominion press release issued today:
Dominion today announced that its natural gas transmission and storage subsidiary, Dominion Transmission, has reached a 15-year agreement with the gas subsidiary of CONSOL Energy Inc. for firm transportation of CONSOL’s Marcellus shale natural gas production.
The project, capable of transporting 200,000 dekatherms per day, will move supplies from various receipt points in central and southwestern Pennsylvania to a nexus of market pipelines and storage facilities in Leidy, Clinton County, Pa.
“Dominion is pleased to provide CONSOL with year-round access to growing Northeast markets and to provide another supply alternative for market area customers,” said Gary Sypolt, chief executive officer of Dominion Energy.
Earlier this year Dominion sold its natural gas exploration and production business to CONSOL so that the company could concentrate on its regulated businesses, including increased transportation and storage infrastructure opportunities resulting from Marcellus shale discoveries.
Dominion plans to file for a FERC certificate in December. If the project is approved, construction is planned to begin in March 2012, and it would enter service in November 2012. Construction plans include new compression facilities at three existing compressor stations in central Pennsylvania.
Dominion Transmission provides gathering, processing, transportation and storage services, operating in the heart of the Marcellus shale production area.
Dominion is one of the nation’s largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of more than 27,500 megawatts of generation, 12,000 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline and 6,000 miles of electric transmission lines. Dominion operates the nation’s largest natural gas storage system with 942 billion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves retail energy customers in 12 states.
*Dominion Press Release (June 14) – Dominion Announces 15-Year Contract for Marcellus Northeast Natural Gas Project