Marcellus Drilling News

PA PUC Adopts Guidelines for Impact Fee Collection/Disbursement

May 11, 2012May 11, 2012

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) yesterday finalized provisions of Act 13 of 2012 related to the collection and disbursement of the impact fee for unconventional natural gas well drilling. Known as Chapter 23 of Act 13, the PUC voted 5-0 to finalize the procedures they would use to implement, collect and distribute the impact fee. A copy of the “Chapter 23 Final Implementation Order” as adopted is embedded below.

Because of an active lawsuit by seven townships and others against zoning provisions in Act 13 (known as Chapter 33 of Act 13), the PUC delayed action on that section of the new law.

Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA | Wastewater

NRDC Releases Report Critical of PA Fracking Wastewater

May 11, 2012May 11, 2012

Advocating for stricter government controls, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) earlier this week released a “comprehensive review” of how fracking wastewater is handled in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale with recommendations for how it can be handled better. The NRDC says that the current methods of wastewater disposal are not adequate to protect drinking water supplies, and present a risk to the health of both humans and animals. A copy of the report is embedded below.

From the NRDC press release:

Blair County | Chevron | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania

Chevron Tells PA Town No Plans to Drill – For Now

May 11, 2012May 11, 2012

A representative from Chevron told Logan Township supervisors and residents at a meeting on Thursday that Chevron has no plans to drill on a Logan site for which they previously received a permit. Logan is located in Blair County, near Altoona, PA. The permit expires today and Chevron said there are no plans, at present, to apply for a new one.

Altoona Scores a New Pump Plant for the Marcellus

May 11, 2012May 11, 2012

Gardner Denver, a 150 year-old global manufacturer of industrial compressors, blowers, pumps, loading arms and fuel systems has a new manufacturing facility to add to the 40 it already owns around the world. The new 70,000 foot facility is located at Tipton, near Altoona, PA. The new plant will manufacture and repair pumps used in hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale. Gardner Denver expects to employ 100 people at the new plant within a year.

But why locate the plant in Altoona, where there’s very little nearby drilling?

Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Fri, May 11, 2012

May 11, 2012May 11, 2012

The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:

Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

Penn State Report Shows PA Counties with Drilling Prosper

May 10, 2012May 10, 2012

Penn State Report An economic report released on March 30 by Penn State researchers (copy embedded below) shows that Pennsylvania counties where there is Marcellus Shale drilling do better economically—far better—than other counties.

Marcellus counties bring in more sales tax revenue, a sign that businesses and business owners and the people who have jobs at those businesses are prospering. The more drilling there is in a county, the better the county does economically. And that’s even before Act 13 Marcellus drilling impact fees are collected and distributed.

Landowner Coalition News | New York | Statewide NY

NY Coalition Releases Declaration of Landowner Rights

May 10, 2012May 10, 2012

Yesterday, the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) launched a new public relations offensive in Albany, NY aimed at catching the attention of lawmakers. President of the JLCNY, Dan Fitzsimmons, along with other leaders of the coalition and state senators Tom Libous (R-Binghamton) and Tom O’Mara (R-Big Flats), delivered a “Declaration of Landowner Rights” to lawmakers. The Declaration (a copy is embedded below) contains six points that the JLCNY says are constitutionally protected under federal and state law, and they are reasserting and claiming those rights.

Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

PA Act 13 Zoning Lawsuit Goes to Trial in June

May 10, 2012May 10, 2012

An update on the Act 13 lawsuit filed by seven Pennsylvania municipalities and the Delaware Riverkeeper Network at the end of March (see this MDN story). Act 13 is a set of new drilling rules and regulations adopted by the PA legislature and signed by Gov. Tom Corbett in February of this year. Part of the new regs included a statute that says state rules on zoning for oil and gas drilling supersede or override local zoning laws. The seven towns and Riverkeeper sued to stop that portion of the new law and Commonwealth Court Judge Keith Quigley granted a temporary, 120 day injunction (see this MDN story).

The case will now be heard by the full nine-member Commonwealth Court between June 4-8. That’s big news. But there’s even bigger news:

Industrywide Issues | Pipelines

DHS & FBI Investigate Cyber Attacks on NatGas Pipelines

May 10, 2012May 10, 2012

According to an article published by Natural Gas Intelligence (NGI), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FBI are investigating a series of ongoing cyber attacks against the computer networks of major natural gas pipelines in the U.S. The attackers use “spear-phishing” techniques, which use Facebook and other public sources of information to gather details about employees to send emails from alleged coworkers in order to trick them into revealing information or clicking on infected links.

Chesapeake Energy | Columbiana County | Energy Companies | Ohio | Utica Shale

Columbiana County, OH Utica Shale Drilling Expands Again

May 10, 2012May 10, 2012

Columbiana County, OH received four new drilling permits last week from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Three of the permits went to Chesapeake Energy. So far, Columbiana County has received permits to drill 32 horizontal wells in the Utica Shale.

Energy Companies | Gastar Exploration | Marshall County | West Virginia | Wetzel County

Marcellus Shale Plays Starring Role in Gastar Q1 Results

May 10, 2012May 10, 2012

Gastar Exploration released first quarter operating results and financials yesterday. Among the news for Gastar: although they had a net loss of $6.3 million for the first quarter, their production of natural gas, oil and natural gas liquids was up 32 percent from the first quarter of last year. Why the huge increase in production?

Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Thu, May 10, 2012

May 10, 2012May 10, 2012

The “best of the rest” – stories that caught MDN’s eye that you may be interested in reading:

Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Susquehanna County | WPX Energy

WPX Water Well Test Results for Franklin Twp, PA

May 9, 2012May 9, 2012

methane molecule Last December, the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) started investigating methane in three water wells in Franklin Township (Susquehanna County), PA. Since there are several gas wells being drilled by WPX Energy a few thousand feet away, wells that were cited for improper casing, the DEP asked WPX to install methane venting systems for the families of the three wells in question while the DEP investigates (see this MDN story). WPX is also investigating, and their results conclusively show the methane in the water wells isn’t coming from WPX’s gas wells.

Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Property Value | Washington County

Homeowner Refused Mortgage Because of Nearby Gas Drilling

May 9, 2012May 9, 2012

One of the arguments used against natural gas drilling is that it can drive down property values of nearby homes. While MDN has not seen studies to prove or disprove that argument, we did spot this story about a homeowner in western PA who has been refused refinancing of their mortgage by three different national lenders because there’s active natural gas drilling across the street from their home:

Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

Vermont will Become First State to Ban Fracking

May 9, 2012May 9, 2012

Not that it matters beyond PR value, but Vermont will become the first state to ban the practice of hydraulic fracturing, either later this week or next:

Industrial Complex near Columbiana, OH Gets Shale Makeover

May 9, 2012May 9, 2012

The former National Refractories complex just outside Columbiana, OH is getting a shale gas makeover. Owner Jerry Stoneburner says the 300,000 square foot facility that sits on 100 acres will become both a shale gas wastewater treatment center and a transfer point to load railroad cars with crude oil and condensate being produced in the Marcellus and Utica Shale.