Marcellus Drilling News

Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Companies | Erie County (NY) | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Seneca Resources

Erie County, NY Falls for the FWW Lie, Bans Fracking & Road Salt
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

On Monday MDN told you about an eminent vote in western NY to ban fracking (see Erie County (Buffalo) NY to Vote on “Near-Ban” of Fracking). Yesterday, legislators for Erie County, NY fell into the trap set by the odious Food & Water Watch–legislators voted 9-2 to ban the use of road salt and dust suppressant safely manufactured from brine water that comes from oil and gas drilling. They also voted to deny taxpayers in Erie County the right to profit from drilling on county-owned land, when and if it ever comes to the county.

Right at the front of the hit parade gloating was FWW agitator, er, “organizer” Rita Yelda, who continues to falsely slander fracking and the products made as a result of fracking, like deicer (road salt). We hope Erie County residents enjoy paying for steep legal fees when this illegal law is challenged next year by Buffalo-based National Fuel (Seneca Resources)…
Read More “Erie County, NY Falls for the FWW Lie, Bans Fracking & Road Salt”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Research | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

Very Cool Map from ODNR Showing OH Utica Wells Permitted/Drilled
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

Last week the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) released a very handy map that shows where Utica Shale drilling is happening in the state. It has different colored dots to denote where permits have been issued, where wells have been drilled, and where wells have been drilled and are now producing. Running along the right bottom corner is a tally (as of 12/6/13) for how many permits have been issued by driller, which now totals over 1,000 permits.

We really like this map, and you think you will to! Here it is:
Read More “Very Cool Map from ODNR Showing OH Utica Wells Permitted/Drilled”
Berkeley County | Industrywide Issues | Landfills | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV Residents Express Concerns over Drill Cuttings in Landfills
December 13, 2013

Drill cuttings (leftover rock and dirt from drilling wells) sometimes contains low levels of naturally occurring radiation–that’s a fact. The typical way of disposing drill cuttings is via landfill. Loads are tested for radiation to be sure it doesn’t exceed safe limits, but any time you use the “r” word folks understandably get a little bit antsy. Visions of nuclear waste dumps run through their heads. Recently a rash of media-manufactured stories have appeared that West Virginia has a “loophole” that allows dumping of “radioactive shale waste” in local landfills. That’s not happening, and as stated, when/if there’s radioactivity in the cuttings, it’s usually so low it’s below that of medical waste that goes to the landfill.

But the media has now done it’s job and people are in a dither about this issue. So it’s no surprise that in an area of WV where there is no shale drilling–the eastern panhandle–folks turned out in large numbers to express concern over drilling in general and landfilling of cuttings in particular that may (or may not) be happening in their area…
Read More “WV Residents Express Concerns over Drill Cuttings in Landfills”
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”
Air Quality | Industrywide Issues | Ohio County | Research | West Virginia

WV County Health Dept Investigates Wells for Air Pollution
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

Is Marcellus Shale drilling in West Virginia causing elevated levels of cancer-causing benzene (and other pollutants) to spread near well sites? That’s the question being investigated by the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department. They’ve been sampling air around wells in Ohio County and have concerns, particularly about benzene levels. They’ve sent their findings to Michael McCawley, chairman of the Department of Occupational & Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public Health at West Virginia University. McCawley, you may remember, has been beating the drum for some time that setbacks for drilling in WV are not enough and that air pollution coming from drilling operations is a serious issue (see WVU Prof Keeps Up Pressure on Improved Air Quality at Drill Sites).

The source of the benzene is not from what’s coming out of the borehole–it’s from heavy equipment running at the drill site and trucks coming and going to the site. Benzene is found in diesel fuel and a lot of equipment at a drill sites runs on diesel…
Read More “WV County Health Dept Investigates Wells for Air Pollution”
Blue Ridge Mtn Res/Magnum Hunter | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Eureka Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Monroe County | Noble County | Ohio | Pipelines | Ritchie County | Tyler County | Utica Shale | Washington County (OH) | West Virginia

Magnum Hunter 2014 CapEx: Utica/Marcellus
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

In our season of 2014 guidance statements, Magnum Hunter Resources has just issued theirs. And what do we find when we open this particular Christmas present? The company will spend $400 million on capital expenditure projects in 2014, and the vast majority of it will go to the Utica and Marcellus Shale. Magnum Hunter plans to lease more acreage in the Marcellus/Utica, increase drilling rigs from two to three, and build out more pipelines in the northeast too. The Ohio Utica is a particular focus for Magnum Hunter in 2014.

Here is their 2014 blueprint, including which counties in OH and WV will see drilling action from Magnum Hunter in 2014:
Read More “Magnum Hunter 2014 CapEx: Utica/Marcellus”
Energy Companies | Exxon Mobil | Industrywide Issues | Research

ExxonMobil Annual Energy Report: NatGas Fastest Growing Fuel
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

Understanding the global energy picture is helpful so we know where the shale energy piece “fits” in that picture. Each year ExxonMobil prepares an annual energy outlook. Yesterday they released the 2014 ExxonMobil Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040 report (full copy embedded below). Some interesting tidbits from the report: ExxonMobil says global energy demand will be 35% higher in 2040 than it was in 2010. Not surprisingly, they figure 60% of the world’s energy needs for the foreseeable future (until 2040) will be met by oil and natural gas, although renewables continue to grow.

Something else they note of great interest to MDN readers: “Natural gas will continue to be the fastest-growing major fuel source as demand increases by about 65 percent. Natural gas is projected to account for more than one quarter of all global energy needs by 2040 and it is expected to overtake coal as the largest source of electricity.” Here’s ExxonMobil’s press release announcing some of the key findings in this year’s report, followed by a full copy of the report:
Read More “ExxonMobil Annual Energy Report: NatGas Fastest Growing Fuel”
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”
Meetings

Jimmy Goes to the Big Apple: Platts Global Energy Outlook Forum
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

Road trip! Yesterday MDN editor Jim Willis made the trek from Binghamton to New York City to attend the Platts Global Energy Outlook Forum. In attendance and speaking were some of the top minds and leaders on energy in the world. The keynote speaker at lunch was Dr. Ernest Moniz, newly appointed Secretary of the Dept. of Energy by President Obama. The conference was not about shale per se, but shale had a starring role nonetheless.

Jim is going to write up his conference notes (some very interesting quotes you’ll enjoy), and he will write up his notes from the Moniz lunch speech, which centered on the Obama administration’s response to global warming, and present it next week (sit tight, it will be worth the wait). In the meantime, Platts issued the following press release summarizing yesterday’s event…
Read More “Jimmy Goes to the Big Apple: Platts Global Energy Outlook Forum”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Fri, Dec 13, 2013
December 13, 2013December 13, 2013

The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:
Read More “Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Fri, Dec 13, 2013”
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”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Tompkins County

Groton, NY (borders Dryden) Votes DOWN 6-Month Frack Moratorium
December 12, 2013December 11, 2013

Whattya know? Maybe there is hope for the People’s Republic of Tompkins County, NY after all. Tompkins County is home to anti-drilling organizations including the partisan Park Foundation and the many people it funds–like Cornell professors Tony Ingraffea and Robert Howarth, and the wife and husband lawyer team of Helen and David Slottje, who make mischief at local town board meetings, encouraging them to institute illegal bans and moratoriums on fracking.

One of the the towns the Slottjes duped into passing a ban was Dryden, NY–in Tompkins County. The Dryden ban has been appealed all the way to the highest court in New York, the Court of Appeals where the case will be heard in early 2014. We’re sure the taxpayers of Dryden enjoy footing that portion of the legal bill not generously covered by the Park Foundation. Anywho, the town next door to Dryden is Groton. The Groton town board voted down a proposed six-month moratorium on fracking at their Tuesday night meeting. It’s a small victory for democracy and right thinking. Too bad some of Groton’s common sense wouldn’t rub off on their Dryden neighbors…
Read More “Groton, NY (borders Dryden) Votes DOWN 6-Month Frack Moratorium”