Statewide PA

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    Top 10 Marcellus Anti-Drilling Stories of 2013, Courtesy NPR

    MDN and RBN Energy weren’t the only blog sites to do a top 10. Our post was, in our humble opinion, a serious analysis and “think piece” to give those concerned with Marcellus and Utica Shale drilling perspective on the big issues of last year (see MDN’s Top 10 Most Important Stories of 2013 – Our View). RBN Energy’s top 10 looked at the entire country (see today’s story of RBN’s top 10 2014 predictions). MDN and RBN were not alone.

    It seems everyone and their sister was doing top 10 pieces last week, including the reliably anti-drilling StateImpact Pennsylvania–which is a couple of NPR reporters who hate fossil fuels writing about energy and about those evil, nasty Republicans that support shale drilling in PA. We found their top 10 list rather amusing and thought you might too…
    Read More “Top 10 Marcellus Anti-Drilling Stories of 2013, Courtesy NPR”

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    AP Drive-By Article Says Drilling Pollutes Water Wells

    A classic example of mainstream media’s drive-by murder of the truth has happened yet again–at the hands of the Associated Press (hitman: Kevin Begos). The introduction to the most recent hit piece (read it below) is that the AP has done extensive “research” (which is, of course, laughable) into all of these numerous cases of potential water contamination by oil and gas drilling and by golly some of those cases are true–oil and gas drilling polluted some people’s well water. Never mind what kind of pollution, the water was polluted and that’s all you need to know.

    Near the end of the article the mountain of evidence is offered–and what do we find? A statistically infinitesimally small number of complaints about well water contamination, very few of which were proven to be true. So the opening paragraphs are a clever deception, but most people don’t bother to read down to the point where the truth is revealed–and some may not even grasp the truth when they do read it. This one story, written by a reporter with an anti-drilling agenda, is reprinted ad nauseum in hundreds of local newspapers across the country that never bother to question its veracity or attempt to verify the facts. Welcome to Propaganda 101…
    Read More “AP Drive-By Article Says Drilling Pollutes Water Wells”

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    Fitch Ratings Says PA Court Decision Translates to Less Production

    Elections–and court cases–have consequences. You tax something more, you get less of it. You regulate something more, you get less of it. When there’s less of something, prices for it go up. Fitch Ratings–one of the largest and most prestigious rating agencies in the world–has just weighed in on the ruling by the PA Supreme Court that throws out portions of the Act 13 drilling law (see PA Supreme Court Rules Against State/Drillers in Act 13 Case). According to Fitch, more local regulation of PA’s oil and gas drilling will result in less production. You don’t normally think of Fitch as being in the oil and gas production prediction game–that’s more the purview of the Energy Information Administration (EIA). However, Fitch says the recent PA ruling will almost certainly mean less production coming out of PA–a sobering observation.

    Fitch’s opinion counts because investors make decisions based on it. Less gas, higher prices. It also means less tax money will flow to municipalities. Pretty simple economics and Fitch is just stating the obvious. Here’s what Fitch said earlier this week about the PA court decision…
    Read More “Fitch Ratings Says PA Court Decision Translates to Less Production”

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    What Does PA Supreme Court Decision on Act 13 Mean?

    what does it all mean?MDN reported the sad news on Friday that PA’s Supreme Court gutted big and important parts of the Act 13 legislation passed in early 2012 (see PA Supreme Court Rules Against State/Drillers in Act 13 Case). The natural, follow-on question is, what does this decision mean for drillers and landowners? The honest answer is, in the short-term, not much. Until now we have lived under existing local/municipal zoning rules while the lawsuit worked its way through the court system. We remain under a crazy quilt patchwork of different rules for different towns. The drillers have, for the most part, learned to live with it and likely will continue doing so.

    As MDN pointed out on Friday, there are some towns with boards packed with anti-drillers that will make drilling so miserable in that area (cough *Robinson* cough) drillers will likely just leave them alone–meaning landowners lose out, local businesses lose out, taxpayers will certainly lose out. Everyone’s a loser. But that’s the definition of victory for anti-drillers–everyone loses. So where do we go from here?…
    Read More “What Does PA Supreme Court Decision on Act 13 Mean?”

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    PA DEP Launches New Online Mapping Tool, Pinpoints Shale Wells

    Late last week the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) launched an awesome new mapping tool to give everyone easy access to oil and gas well information–including Marcellus Shale wells. Display the location of wells, and turn on and off filters that allow you to view the type of well, whether or not it’s active, and a few other criteria. The DEP says the new mapping application (available here) contains basic information now, but in the future every shred of information they have on a well will be available from the tool. Very cool.

    Below is the DEP press release announcing the launch of the new tool, along with our own use of the tool showing Marcellus wells in Susquehanna County, PA, to give you a sampling of what it can do…
    Read More “PA DEP Launches New Online Mapping Tool, Pinpoints Shale Wells”

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    PA Supreme Court Rules Against State/Drillers in Act 13 Case

    court gavelNo doubt most MDN readers have already heard the earth-shattering news from yesterday that Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court has sided with the seven towns who sued the state to retain their right to regulate (zone) where drilling and related activities can and cannot happen in their communities. MDN has long covered this story and worried that a split decision after one of the justices resigned would lead to an unresolved situation. As fate would have it, one of the Republicans on the bench, Chief Justice Ron Castille, sold out and turned against the industry, so it ended up being a 4-2 decision with (predictably) all three Democrats voting against the industry plus RINO Castille.

    What was the decision? For different reasons (they couldn’t agree among themselves), the justices said localities should be able to write their own rules for where drilling can and can’t go. Which is certainly not a bad thing (the right to determine), except in some communities local town boards are packed with anti-drillers that make life a living hell for anyone or anything related to drilling. Ultimately innocent landowners and taxpayers are the ones who lose out because drillers will walk away from areas where unreasonable people pack town boards (no drilling, no leases, no jobs, no tax revenue). That’s exactly what will now start to happen in PA.

    Anti-drilling groups like The Sierra Club, Delaware Riverkeeper and PennEnvironment were positively orgasmic in their reaction. They now get to kill drilling in at least some locations in PA. The Marcellus Shale Coalition said it’s a truly a sad day for PA. We agree. Below we bring you what we consider the “best of” coverage of the opinion. We have not had time to thoroughly research it ourselves, so we’ll rely on others to analyze it. We’ve also embedded the full 162-page decision filed by the Supreme Court so you can read it for yourself…
    Read More “PA Supreme Court Rules Against State/Drillers in Act 13 Case”

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    John Hanger Uses Franklin Forks Water Issue to Boost Gov Campaign

    Using the case of three families in Franklin Forks, PA who are suing WPX Energy for contaminating their water wells as a political issue, John Hanger, former Secretary of the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP), says the investigation done by the DEP wasn’t independent enough for his liking and the agency should re-do it. The three families claim WPX caused methane to migrate into their water wells. The reason the story has been in the news is because WPX had tried (and finally gave up) to remove fresh water tanks from the residents after the DEP determined WPX’s drilling was not at fault (see WPX Decides to Let Franklin Forks Families Keep Water Tanks).

    Hanger’s protestations give his failing campaign to get the Democrat nomination for governor some badly needed media attention since his candidacy is rapidly sinking. He’s looking for any wedge issue he can find. The WPX story, visible as it is right now, is tailor made. Here’s John’s trumped up reasons for why the investigation should be redone…
    Read More “John Hanger Uses Franklin Forks Water Issue to Boost Gov Campaign”

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    Marcellus Moves PA to #2 Top NatGas Producing State

    Yesterday the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released an analysis that says Pennsylvania, because of the Marcellus Shale, is now the third largest producer of natural gas in the U.S., and it will almost certainly blow by Louisiana to become the #2 producer by the end of this year. PA’s production is up a mind-blowing 72% from 2011 to 2012–in one year! When the numbers are finally in this year, EIA expects another remarkable year for the Keystone State.

    Also of note: For the first time (in a long time) West Virginia has broken into the top 10. Here’s the latest top-notch analysis issued by the EIA (the one government agency we actually love), that crows about PA and has a cool chart of the top 10 U.S. natural gas producing states:
    Read More “Marcellus Moves PA to #2 Top NatGas Producing State”

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    CU & NOAA Do Fly Over of Marcellus to Measure Methane Leaks

    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”

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    PA DEP Launches Public Comments on New Drilling Rules, Roadshow

    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”

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    PA RINO Rep. Gene DiGirolamo Proposes Marcellus Tax Hike – Again

    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”

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    PA Sen. Bob Casey “Pressures” Shell to Commit to PA Cracker Plant

    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”

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    Marcellus Shale Coalition Appoints New Slate of Officers

    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”

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

    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”

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    Handful Protest Mariner East Pipeline at Sunoco HQ in Philly

    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”

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    Clear Fork Royalty Now Buying Royalty Rights in PA & WV

    There are companies that will purchase landowners’ royalty payments–giving them a lump sum payment in return for signing over all future royalty payments to the company (or individual) buying them. It’s not unlike companies that approach and pay lottery winners who receive payouts over a long period (for life, or for a period of years), the winners selling their future payments for a single lump sum now. Of course by selling future royalty payments for money now, the landowner will typically accept far less than they otherwise would have received by continuing to get the royalty checks over time. But there are certain circumstances (terminal illness, for example) when the landowner would rather have as much of their money as they can get–right now. And so royalty-purchasing companies exist to oblige.

    One of those companies is Texas-based Clear Fork Royalty, who (by press release) has announced they’ve now hung their shingle in the Marcellus/Utica region–in PA and WV. If you’re a royalty owner, Clear Fork may come knocking on your door…
    Read More “Clear Fork Royalty Now Buying Royalty Rights in PA & WV”