Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, Apr 11, 2013
The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:
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Chesapeake Puts 94K "Oily" Utica Shale Acres Up for Auction
As this issue goes to press, the Wall Street Journal and Fox Business is reporting that Chesapeake Energy has put 94,205 Utica Shale acres on the auction block. That’s nearly 10% of their remaining 1 million Utica Shale acres. This is not unprecedented. Last June Chesapeake put 337,000 acres on the auction block (see Chesapeake Selling 337K Utica Shale Acres, Counties IDed). Although the company has not yet made a public statement about this sale, MDN went fishing and found the listing from the real estate site where it’s listed. We’ve embedded it below (shows a map of the acreage).Here’s what we notice about the listing, including which counties are involved…
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Marcellus Region Contains Huge 33% of All U.S. Recoverable NatGas
The Potential Gas Committee (PGC), a private non-profit organization loosely affiliated with the Colorado School of Mines, performs a comprehensive study of potential supplies of natural gas in the United States every two years. The 2012 study has just been released and it’s truly astonishing. PGC says as of the end of 2012, the U.S. has a technically recoverable resource base of 2,384 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas—the highest number they’ve seen since they started their evaluations 48 years ago. The 2012 number is a whopping 26% increase from just two years ago, when it was 1,898 Tcf. (MDN has embedded a slide presentation below with some useful charts—be sure to check out the chart on page 7.)
Aside from the sheer increase, the other major item to note about the 2012 study is that the PGC credits the Marcellus Shale with pushing the "Atlantic region" of the country to the top as the country’s "richest resource area" with a full 33% of recoverable natural gas. PGC credits the Marcellus Shale for the Atlantic’s rise to prominence. Thank you for fracking!
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Accidents | Brooke County | Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | West Virginia
Chesapeake Energy Well Fire in WV Does $8M in Damage
A fire at a Chesapeake Energy well site in Brooke County, WV on Monday destroyed five tractor-trailers and caused an estimated $8 million in damage. Fortunately, no one was injured. The details as we know them:
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Non-Flammable Liquid Propane Used for 100% Waterless Fracking
An interesting press release from eCORP Stimulation Technologies was issued last week about a new patented innovation that allows the company to manufacture a 100% nonflammable propane fracking fluid. Propane fracking has advantages because it goes down as a liquid, does it’s work in breaking apart the rock, then evaporates to a gas and comes back out the hole and is recovered.
You may recall last year eCORP had a deal with GASFRAC (another waterless fracking solution) to potentially drill and frack wells in Tioga County, NY. That deal, however, fell through (see Tioga County, NY Lease Deal with eCORP Falls Apart). After the deal fell apart, eCORP worked on developing its own waterless fracking solution. We reported in January that eCORP was testing the new technology on their first well in the U.S. (see eCORP Tests New Waterless LPG Fracking Method on First Shale Well). Apparently the tests have gone well. Here’s the latest from eCORP:
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GreenHunter 2012 Financials: Revenue Up, Net Loss Up More
GreenHunter Energy, a shale and fracking wastewater treatment company, released their 2012 financials on Monday. The headline they tout is that annual revenues were up a huge 1,444% in 2012 over 2011. However, total revenues for 2012 were just $17.1 million. Hey, we’ll give GreenHunter their due that the company is growing nicely, so hat’s off to them. But the company is still relatively small. In addition to $17.1 million in revenue, they had a write-down of a project in 2012 that caused them to register a net loss to shareholders of $21.2 million for the year. Doing a little math, we find that GreenHunter went in the hole $4.1 million for the year.
You may recall that GreenHunter now owns six barge terminals in PA, WV and OH (see GreenHunter Buys Barge Terminal in Wheeling for Frack Wastewater). They have a lot riding on a decision by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Obama White House on whether or not to allow barge shipping of frack wastewater. If approval comes this year (it’s supposedly with the White House now), GreenHunter will likely see black ink on the ledger for 2013.
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Accidents | Beaver County | Crime | Industrywide Issues | Mahoning County | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Wastewater
Beaver Falls, PA – Downriver from Youngstown Frackwater Dumping
An article in the Youngstown Vindicator asks the question of whether or not the illegal dumping of frack wastewater in the Mahoning River by D&L Energy owner Ben Lupo (see Youngstown Wastewater Dumper Pleads Not Guilty in Federal Court) has contaminated water supplies down river—particularly in Beaver Falls, PA. Beaver Falls gets its water from the Beaver River, which in turn gets its water from the Mahoning River where the dumping took place.
According to the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection, Beaver Falls noticed "some problems" but the incident probably had "just a minor effect." That’s not much comfort for residents in Beaver Falls who wonder whether or not they were drinking polluted water…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Oneida County | Regulation
Oneida County, NY Legislators Vote on Frack Ban Wednesday
It looks like the Oneida County, NY legislature is poised to ban non-existent fracking on county-owned land in a vote scheduled for 2 p.m. this afternoon. In one sense, this is an empty political gesture—Gov. Cuomo hasn’t approved fracking, so there’s nothing to ban. Plus, the proposed ban would only involve county-owned land, which is a tiny fraction of all land in Oneida County. You may say, “So what if they do ban it? No big deal, right?”
Here’s why this vote is important: Energy companies take notice of these things, and if drilling ever does come to New York (as most think will happen), drillers may be inclined to skip by Oneida County if they know the political leadership there, presumably acting with the consent of the majority of the population, doesn’t want fracking. If you live in Oneida County and favor drilling, you may want to attend the vote this afternoon and make your voice heard…
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100 “Americans Against Fracking” Badmouth Energy Nominee Moniz
It’s crunch time as President Obama’s pick to head the Dept. of Energy, Dr. Ernest Moniz, headed to his confirmation hearings beginning yesterday with U.S. Senators. More than 100 extremist anti-drilling "groups" have joined forces under the banner "Americans Against Fracking" (AAF) to throw verbal tomatoes at the good doctor. AAF sent a letter (full copy embedded below) to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The letter is signed by 100 individuals masquerading as groups, asking the Senators to reject Dr. Moniz because of his "deep ties to the oil and gas industry."
It doesn’t matter that Dr. Moniz is really smart—like Albert Einstein smart. He made a tragic error by uttering words no liberal can ever utter without dire repercussions: fracking and natural gas are (gasp!) OK and will help get us to the alternative energy nirvana future. Such sentiments are just not acceptable to Food & Water Watch and the other eco-nut "groups" who signed the letter…
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Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Wed, Apr 10, 2013
The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY
Muzzled NY State Geologist Taury Smith Now Private Consultant
Two years ago in March 2011, MDN told you about New York State’s official geologist, Dr. Langhorne “Taury” Smith, who had the temerity to tell the Albany Times Union that fracking is perfectly safe. He also called shale a "huge gift," and said the issue of fracking is being used by enviro-left groups as a fundraiser (see Norse Energy Optimistic that Drilling in New York State Will Soon Begin After Meeting with DEC Sec. Martens). Careful! Mustn’t…tell…the…truth…so…blunt…ly.Smith’s overlords at the state museum (where he was on the payroll) promptly flew into action and told Smith he could no longer talk to the press and reveal such blatant truths without prior authorization in triplicate from the press office of the (Re)Education Department. Smith went silent and has stayed that way for two years—under threat of investigation and retaliation. Don’t you just love those big-hearted, fun-loving, anything-goes liberals? (Warning: Never turn your back on them.)
Read More “Muzzled NY State Geologist Taury Smith Now Private Consultant”
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide NY | Statewide PA
Eco-Left Continues to Eat Their Own – The Smearing of Ed Rendell
We find ourselves in an unusual situation—sticking up for former PA Gov. Ed "Fast Eddie" Rendell. Must be Rendell’s in-your-face "you outta be fracking by now" op-ed aimed at Gov. Andy "Ditherer" Cuomo last week hit a real nerve on the wacko eco-left (see Former PA Gov. Rendell to Gov. Cuomo: Get Fracking). How do we know? The pro-socialist Pro Publica "news" service (among others) continues to pick away at Rendell trying to smear him with charges that he has close ties to the drilling industry. According to the lefties, Rendell is getting his palms greased by the drilling industry and (of course!) that’s why he’s stumping for them. So just ignore anything Eddie says—at least when it comes to nasty fossil fuels.
Ever hear of the parable in the Bible about the guy with a tree sticking out of his eye trying to tell the guy with a toothpick in his eye how to do things? There are so many conflicts of interest and so much dirty money between eco-left groups and sycophantic reporters (like those writing for Pro Publica) the eco-left doesn’t have a leg to stand on when it comes to criticizing others for so-called conflicts of interest. Go peddle your rank hypocrisy somewhere else Pro Publica. Here’s the latest trumped-up bilge:
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Pass the Foie Gras! France Starts Fracking, Calls it Stimulation
MDN has covered the on-again, off-again attitude in France about fracking. As we previously reported, it seemed the French had left the door open to fracking as long as it doesn’t use water as the main ingredient, and as long as you don’t actually call it "fracking" (see France’s Fracking Ban Remains…Peut-être). Bloomberg reports France is moving forward with a program to retrieve geothermal heat by "stimulating" rock—forcing water with chemicals under pressure deep underground. Sound familiar?
The only thing that’s different between what France is doing and what happens in the U.S. is the object of the fuel they’re retrieving. It’s geothermal in France, natural gas or oil in the U.S. The process to retrieve it is virtually the same. But the French refuse to call it what it is: hydraulic (water-based) fracturing—i.e. fracking. Oh well, c’est la vie…
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Chesapeake’s Total Image Makeover – Magical Media Transformation
A recent article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer about Chesapeake Energy is striking—even jarring—to MDN. Nominally it’s an article about the high tech lab and practices used at Chesapeake headquarters in Oklahoma City to evaluate core samples to determine the best (and most cost-effective) places to drill for oil and gas. Yes, the Center and the technology used is quite impressive. The jarring part is how the article opens (read below). It seems Chessy is now out of the penalty box since the departure of its "bad boy" founder Aubrey McClendon (see McClendon Exits Chesapeake, Well-Bonused “Friends” Replace Him).
With corporate raider Carl Icahn and his ilk firmly in control, it’s time to put some spit-n-polish back on old Chessy and bump up the stock price that had been battered to serious lows from coordinated negative media attacks. Now it’s stock rehab time in the mainstream press…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Mahoning County | Ohio | Public Opinion | Regulation
Frack Fight: Group Pushes Back on Proposed Youngstown Frack Ban
MDN previously told you how Democrat city council members in Youngstown, OH have tried to steer the city into committing the equivalent of economic suicide by voting to ban fracking—a signal to drillers to stay away from doing business in the city (see Youngstown, OH to Commit Utica Suicide with Vote to Ban Drilling).
However, a diverse group of leaders from the ranks of both Republicans and Democrats, labor unions and industry have joined together to push back against the ballot measure which will be voted on May 7. The Mahoning Valley Coalition for Job Growth and Investment "came out firing" last Friday. Perhaps it’s not time just yet to write Youngstown’s fracking epitaph…
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The Latest Ohio Utica Shale Permits & Wells Drilled Numbers
The number of Utica Shale well permits, and wells drilled, continues it’s rapid ascent. Through March 30 there have been 588 Utica permits issued, and 282 wells drilled. Here’s where the latest permits were issued:
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As this issue goes to press, the Wall Street Journal and Fox Business is reporting that Chesapeake Energy has put 94,205 Utica Shale acres on the auction block. That’s nearly 10% of their remaining 1 million Utica Shale acres. This is not unprecedented. Last June Chesapeake put 337,000 acres on the auction block (see 
Two years ago in March 2011, MDN told you about New York State’s official geologist, Dr. Langhorne “Taury” Smith, who had the temerity to tell the Albany Times Union that fracking is perfectly safe. He also called shale a "huge gift," and said the issue of fracking is being used by enviro-left groups as a fundraiser (see