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:
Read More “Chesapeake Energy Well Fire in WV Does $8M in Damage”
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:
Read More “Non-Flammable Liquid Propane Used for 100% Waterless Fracking”
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.
Read More “GreenHunter 2012 Financials: Revenue Up, Net Loss Up More”
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…
Read More “Beaver Falls, PA – Downriver from Youngstown Frackwater Dumping”
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…
Read More “Oneida County, NY Legislators Vote on Frack Ban Wednesday”
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…
Read More “100 “Americans Against Fracking” Badmouth Energy Nominee Moniz”
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: Wed, Apr 10, 2013”
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”
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:
Read More “Eco-Left Continues to Eat Their Own – The Smearing of Ed Rendell”
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…
Read More “Pass the Foie Gras! France Starts Fracking, Calls it Stimulation”
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…
Read More “Chesapeake’s Total Image Makeover – Magical Media Transformation”
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…
Read More “Frack Fight: Group Pushes Back on Proposed Youngstown Frack Ban”
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:
Read More “The Latest Ohio Utica Shale Permits & Wells Drilled Numbers”
A coalition of so-called "environmental" groups in New York—the Sierra Club, Environmental Advocates of New York, the New York League of Conservation Voters and the New York Public Interest Research Group among them—are attempting to push five bills through the New York legislature at the last minute/end-of-session that if passed, would rig the system and stack the deck in their favor. Among the bills is the ubiquitous "ban all fracking" bill that all NY lefties dream about…
Read More ““Enviro” Groups Push 5 Bills in NY Legislature, One Bans Fracking”
Roustabouts are the "do it all" manual laborers that work in drilling operations—typically on and around a drilling rig. They pick up the garbage, repair things, carry things…anything that needs doing of a manual natural. It’s hard, long, dirty work—typically 12-hour (or more) shifts for two weeks straight. However, if you’re young, in good health and in good shape, getting work as a roustabout can pay well—very well. Just ask Brian Rose who works as a roustabout on a rig in Lisbon, OH:
Read More “Roustabout: Long Hours, Hard Manual Work, But Good Pay + Benefits”
Less than two weeks ago, MDN reported that "forced pooling" in very limited circumstances may soon be approved in West Virginia, in cases where the mineral rights owner for land adjacent to already-leased land either can’t be determined or can’t be found (see WV Legislation Would Create Forced Pooling – with a Twist). MDN thought the proposal was a common sense approach to solve an existing problem. However, the WV Senate apparently did not agree.
Senate Bill 616 never even made it to committee for consideration. It’s now a dead issue for this session of the legislature, which is nearing the end of its 60-day term for this year:
Read More “WV “Forced Pooling with a Twist” Dies in Senate for 2013”