Marcellus Drilling News

Columbia Pipeline Group | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | NiSource | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide PA

NiSource Announces Pipeline Expansion Project for Marcellus
October 30, 2012October 30, 2012

NiSource has announced plans for what they call the East Side Expansion project—a project to expand and extend pipelines on the east side of the Columbia Gas Transmission system to pipe natural gas from northern PA to the East Coast and mid-Atlantic region (see the map below). NiSource previously announced they would spend $4 billion to upgrade and build new pipeline infrastructure throughout the Marcellus and Utica Shale (see this MDN story). The newly named East Side Expansion project appears to be one (large) component of that effort.

Read More “NiSource Announces Pipeline Expansion Project for Marcellus”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Mother Jones Fingers the Country’s Biggest Frackers
October 30, 2012October 30, 2012

Sometimes anti-drillers, especially those in the media, behave like prepubescent teen boys who have just started to swear and like to show off new words to their friends. Case in point: Mother Jones. The so-called news magazine/website Mother Jones (on the way way wacky left fringe of the political spectrum) regularly bashes the energy industry. Their latest hit piece is called “Meet the Frackers.” My how those editors at MJ are so clever. Wonder who thought that one up?

The post on the MJ website is intended to be a “hall of shame” displaying photos and quotes from CEOs of top energy companies that use the miracle of hydraulic fracturing to provide low-cost, clean-burning natural gas here in the U.S. But what MJ means as a hall of shame MDN considers a “hall of fame.” And so we celebrate the country’s biggest frackers:

Read More “Mother Jones Fingers the Country’s Biggest Frackers”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

Robert Redford Anti-Fracking Commercial: Bald-Faced Lie
October 30, 2012

Sadly, but predictably, movie star Robert Redford is lending his star power to the anti-fracking movement in New York, no doubt because his long-time friend Debra Winger (Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy) asked him to. Redford has cut five radio commercials misrepresenting the miracle of hydraulic fracturing, encouraging New Yorkers to contact and tell Gov. Andrew Cuomo “fracking is a bad deal for New York.”

Unfortunately, either knowingly (or perhaps ignorantly) Redford repeats the lie that fracking is somehow responsible for the contamination of drinking water “all across the country.” That statement is 100% false. Give this latest anti-fracking lie a listen (below).

Read More “Robert Redford Anti-Fracking Commercial: Bald-Faced Lie”
Commodity Price | Energy Companies | Equinor/Statoil | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines

Statoil Starts Shipping NatGas to Canada, Plans NYC Pipeline
October 30, 2012October 30, 2012

In a bid to get more money for its natural gas, Statoil, a Norwegian company with major operations in the Marcellus Shale, said late last week they will start shipping gas to Canada effective Nov. 1. They also plan to build a new natural gas pipeline to Manhattan, NY.

Read More “Statoil Starts Shipping NatGas to Canada, Plans NYC Pipeline”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Brits Visit PA Marcellus to Learn about Fracking
October 30, 2012October 30, 2012

America’s good friends the Brits are in Pennsylvania taking a look at how we’re fracking the Marcellus Shale as an example they may want to follow. Britain has its own shale deposits in the northern part of the country. They also have their own dedicated anti-drilling crowd, preventing them from moving forward (see this MDN story on Europe’s energy suicide).

British Consulate General Danny Lopez arrived in Pittsburgh yesterday just ahead of Super Storm Sandy:

Read More “Brits Visit PA Marcellus to Learn about Fracking”
Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Tue, Oct 30, 2012
October 30, 2012October 30, 2012

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: Tue, Oct 30, 2012”
Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Judge to PUC: Cease & Desist Act 13 Zoning Reviews
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

On Friday, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge Keith Quigley issued a “cease and desist” order to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) telling them they can no longer review PA towns’ zoning ordinances for compliance with the new Act 13 drilling law (a copy of his order is embedded below). MDN has chronicled the ongoing fight between seven PA towns and the state over the state’s new standardized “one size fits all” zoning ordinance for oil and gas drilling (see this MDN story for background).

The lawsuit brought by the seven towns is now before the state Supreme Court waiting for a decision. In advance of that, the PUC said there are some zoning provisions not challenged in the lawsuit and they are evaluating those kinds of cases. The PUC has ruled that some of the seven towns in the lawsuit are not in compliance and the PUC is withholding their impact fee checks pending a decision from the Supreme Court—it’s a lot of money. Judge Quigley has said “no more” and now the attorney for those towns is demanding the PUC cut the checks for the impact fees owed to the towns.

Read More “PA Judge to PUC: Cease & Desist Act 13 Zoning Reviews”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines

Radon Debate: USGS Responds to Marvin Resnikoff Accusation
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is none too happy with Dr. Marvin Resnikoff and his accusations that the USGS has been “co-opted” by big fracking. MDN has written previously about “the sky is falling” – or in this case, “the radon is coming” Resnikoff. Dr. R says Marcellus Shale gas contains high levels of radon that will find its way into the kitchen stoves of New York City if we continue to allow hydraulic fracturing of shale for natural gas (see this MDN story).

In Dr. R’s zeal to crush any opposing viewpoint or research that disproves his theories, he’s recently taken to bashing the USGS as a “tool” of industry in covering up the so-called “fact” that high levels of radon exist in Marcellus Shale gas. The Akron Beacon Journal ran one of his screeds. A few days later the USGS fired back in response to set the record straight.

Read More “Radon Debate: USGS Responds to Marvin Resnikoff Accusation”
Air Quality | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Pavillion, WY in the News Again: This Time for Clean Air
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

The federal Environmental Protection Agency, along with anti-drillers nationwide, have done their best to turn Pavillion, Wyoming into an example of water contamination from fracking. They’re desperate to prove a causal link between fracking and water contamination somewhere, anywhere! They have none—not a single case. And so Pavillion was to be it. Except the EPA has botched their own tests (see this MDN story). And except fracking in Pavillion is different than shale fracking (see this MDN story).

A story that’s not received any national attention is air testing that’s been done near Pavillion. The Wyoming State Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has just completed more than a year’s worth of air tests around Pavillion, and what did they find? Nothing. Air’s fine. But you won’t read about that in the New York Times, will you? Here’s the story the mainstream media won’t cover:

Read More “Pavillion, WY in the News Again: This Time for Clean Air”
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Public Opinion | Statewide NY

Clear Majority of New York Residents Now Favor Fracking
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

More New Yorkers now support fracking in the state than at any time in the past according to the latest Siena College Research Institute Poll. By a clear majority, 42% of New Yorkers support fracking vs. 36% who oppose it. In August, the numbers were 39% supporting vs. 38% opposing—so clearly there has been a shift over the past three months since Siena last polled on this question.

Read More “Clear Majority of New York Residents Now Favor Fracking”
Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Europe Commits “Energy Suicide” While America Fracks Future
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

Have you ever noticed how refreshingly honest the international media is when compared with U.S. mainstream media? Case in point: The London Telegraph has a story detailing how the miracle of hydraulic fracturing has turned the U.S. into an economic powerhouse once again—and how Europe is committing energy suicide by not leveraging fracking.

The article says, in part:

Read More “Europe Commits “Energy Suicide” While America Fracks Future”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

PA PUC Says Impact Fee Payment Calculations Still “Off”
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) had a doubly bad day on Friday. First, a Commonwealth Court judge ordered them to “cease and desist” their review of town zoning ordinances for compliance with Act 13 (see this MDN story). Also, the PUC admitted on Friday that some of their calculations for how much money some towns will get from the new Marcellus Shale impact fee is a bit “off.” This is the second time the PUC has had to backpedal on some of their calculations of the complex impact fee disbursement formula.

Here’s what the PUC would, and would not, say on Friday:

Read More “PA PUC Says Impact Fee Payment Calculations Still “Off””
Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Washington County

Cecil, PA Public Hearing to Revise Zoning for Act 13
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

Even though the Town of Cecil (Washington County, PA) is one of the seven towns suing the state of PA over the zoning provisions of Act 13, the town is going to consider changing their zoning law to be compliant with Act 13 all the same. The situation is now murky and “fluid”…

On Friday, Cecil’s town manager said this:

Read More “Cecil, PA Public Hearing to Revise Zoning for Act 13”
BP | Chevron | ConocoPhillips | Energy Companies | Equinor/Statoil | Exxon Mobil | Shell | Total

Top 10 Energy Companies & Top 10 Drillers Worldwide
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

Each year Platts publishes a list of the top 250 energy companies in the world. They evaluate companies using four metrics: asset value, revenue, profit, and return on invested capital. It probably won’t surprise you to find out that 7 of the top 10 energy companies in the world have a presence in the Marcellus or Utica Shale.

Here’s the Platts list of the top 10 energy companies in the world for 2012:

Read More “Top 10 Energy Companies & Top 10 Drillers Worldwide”
Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Taxation

What PA Doesn’t Need: A Shale Gas Severance Tax
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

Pennsylvania is facing a growing crisis over a too-generous and now essentially bankrupt pension system for state public employees. The Harrisburg Patriot-News’ editorial page writer has a “brilliant” solution: Enact a big fat severance tax on Marcellus Shale gas (killing it in the process) and transfer the money from one group of people to another group who didn’t earn it, didn’t work for it, and have nothing to do with it. Typical liberal solution to all problems.

All the usual arguments come out: “All the other states are doing it.” “Give everyone a property tax break (i.e. buy them all off to go along with it).” “At current prices we’re selling ourselves too cheaply.” And, “It’ll be just a teeny, tiny little tax—the big, bad energy companies won’t even notice it.” Don’t believe a word of it.

Read More “What PA Doesn’t Need: A Shale Gas Severance Tax”
Chesapeake Energy | Economic Impact | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | NGLs | Processing Plants

Plans to Use Natural Gas to Create $2/Gal Diesel Fuel
October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

A Bloomberg article highlights technology with roots all the way to Nazi Germany will soon be used to convert natural gas into natural gas liquids and into hydrocarbon products including low-price diesel fuel, gasoline and jet fuel.

Read More “Plans to Use Natural Gas to Create $2/Gal Diesel Fuel”