Marcellus Drilling News

Potential Cracker Plant Site in WV Leased for Drilling

February 15, 2012February 15, 2012

One of the possible locations for a new ethane cracker plant in West Virginia is a 1400-acre parcel of land owned by Bayer Corp. located on the border of Marshall and Wetzel counties. Ahead of an announcement on a cracker plant, Bayer has decided to move forward with leasing the New Martinsville plant for shale gas drilling to Gastar Exploration in a deal expected to net Bayer $30 million over 30 years.

Start a Company or Get a Job in the Marcellus? Try Water

February 15, 2012February 15, 2012

Looking for a way to participate in the Marcellus and Utica Shale economic boom? As an investor, or as a business owner or even as a job seeker, you might want to consider water. Yeah, water. Try these numbers on for size: In 2011, drillers paid somewhere between $1.3-$1.7 billion to dispose of fracking wastewater in the Marcellus Shale. In 10 years it’s estimated to be a $15-$22 billion market—just in the Marcellus Shale.

Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Steuben County

Fremont, NY Considers a Ban on Fracking

February 15, 2012February 15, 2012

The Town of Fremont, NY is heading toward a vote to ban hydraulic fracturing. Fremont is in Steuben County, and a ban would adversely affect the property rights of rural landowners in the township.

Alternative Energy | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Earthworks Admits Real Reason they Oppose Gas Drilling

February 15, 2012February 15, 2012

Although MDN has long pointed out the ideological underpinnings in the opposition of drilling for shale gas, here is yet another brief moment of honesty from an anti-drilling group about their true motivation:

Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Wed, Feb 15, 2012

February 15, 2012February 15, 2012

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

Gov. Corbett Signs New Marcellus Drilling Law

February 14, 2012April 16, 2026

private No public ceremony for the signing of historic legislation to regulate Marcellus Shale gas drilling in Pennsylvania. Monday evening, Gov. Tom Corbett’s office announced he had privately signed the new legislation into law. A detailed summary of the legislation is embedded below.

Among the key provisions in the final bill:

PA Finally Joins the Cracker Plant Sweepstakes

February 14, 2012February 14, 2012

It seems that Pennsylvania has finally woken up to the fact that Shell is about to decide where they will invest some $2 billion and generate thousands of new jobs by building an ethane cracker plant. One of three bills signed into law by PA Gov. Tom Corbett on Monday was a bill that,

Bradford County | Economic Impact | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania

Bradford County, PA: “The Recession Passed Right Over Us”

February 14, 2012February 15, 2012

A balanced article looking at arguments both for and against shale gas drilling posted on the 13-WHAM TV website begins this way:

Maryland Delegates Propose 15% Severance Tax

February 14, 2012February 14, 2012

They must be smoking something good in Maryland—at least in the Maryland House of Delegates where Del. Maggie McIntosh (D-Baltimore) and Del. Sheila Hixson (D-Montgomery) introduced a bill last Friday that would require the state collect 15 percent of the wholesale value of any natural gas produced from Maryland’s portion of the Marcellus Shale.

Mum’s the Word on New Tygart Valley Pipeline in WV

February 14, 2012February 14, 2012

In December, MDN reported that Houston-based Crestwood Midstream will construct a new 16” inch Marcellus gathering pipeline that will run 42 miles through Preston, Taylor and Barbour counties in northeast West Virginia, connecting to Columbia Gas Transmission’s WB Pipeline in Randolph County, WV, delivering Marcellus gas to the Washington, DC and Baltimore markets (see this MDN story).

Best of the Rest