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Marcellus Drilling News
  • About MDN | MDN Weekly Update

    MDN Weekly Update – Nov 27, 2011: Is Fracking Safe?

    November 27, 2011November 27, 2011

    MDN left the previous poll up for a two week period to elicit more votes on the topic of where wet gas (ethane) should get processed: locally in the Marcellus/Utica Shale region, or pipeline it out to other locations like the Gulf Coast or Canada. MDN made it plain that we are not in favor of arbitrary government action to force private enterprise to select any given option—let the capitalist free market determine the best solution. However, we wanted to know what your preference would be, and most of you thought that keeping the ethane local for processing is the preferred outcome, given the choice. 

    Where should Marcellus & Utica ethane get processed?

    In the Marcellus/Utica region (cracker plant) (61%, 149 Votes)
    Either is fine, wherever it can be done the cheapest (37%, 91 Votes)
    Outside the Marcellus/Utica region (pipeline it out) (2%, 6 Votes)

    Total Voters: 246

    Is hydraulic fracturing safe, in your opinion?

    Time to take the pulse of MDN readers (again) on the subject of hydraulic fracturing. Increasing, those opposed to drilling have placed all of their bets on what to most people is a little-understood technology called hydraulic fracturing. Fear mongering is the standard tactic—transform a term people don’t understand into something to be feared so that it’s very utterance raises concern. Problem is, the tactic often works. What do you think? Do you think that the technology referred to as hydraulic fracturing, which is most often used to mean the entire horizontal natural gas drilling process, poses a significant health risk to the general population? Register your vote along the right side of any page on the website.

    Below are the most recent “top 5” lists and the calendar of Marcellus related events for the next two weeks.

    Happy reading,
    Jim Willis, Editor

    Read More “MDN Weekly Update – Nov 27, 2011: Is Fracking Safe?”

  • Maryland | Statewide MD

    The Future of Gas Drilling in Maryland? What Future?

    November 23, 2011November 23, 2011

    no futureWill Maryland ever allow shale gas drilling in the Marcellus-rich western part of the state? The honest answer—at this point in time—is that it’s very doubtful. In June, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley signed an executive order requiring the state to study the issue until 2014, which means drilling in Garrett and Allegany counties would likely not begin before that time (see this MDN story).

    Gov. O’Malley also created a 14-member advisory commission to develop recommendations. Here’s the prejudicial views of one of the committee members, a member of Maryland’s House of Delegates:

    Read More “The Future of Gas Drilling in Maryland? What Future?”

  • Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Medina County | Ohio | Regulation

    Eastern OH Town Bans Fracking on Town-Owned Property

    November 23, 2011November 23, 2011

    On Monday, Hinckley, Ohio trustees voted to ban the use of hydraulic fracturing on township-owned property.

    Read More “Eastern OH Town Bans Fracking on Town-Owned Property”

  • Best of the Rest

    Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Wednesday, Nov 23, 2011

    November 23, 2011

    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: Wednesday, Nov 23, 2011”

  • Housing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

    New Study Claims Housing Crisis in NE PA from Gas Drilling

    November 22, 2011November 3, 2012

    no rent controlA new report on a “housing crisis” in Pennsylvania’s northern-tier counties has just been released by The Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development, a research partnership among Keystone College, King’s College, Luzerne County Community College, Marywood University, Misericordia University, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, The Commonwealth Medical College, University of Scranton, and Wilkes University. A copy of the 200 page study is available to download below.

    The study purports to show that when counties attract a lot of shale gas drilling activity, they also attract a housing crisis because workers in the drilling industry make more money than non-drilling industry residents and are willing to pay more to rent housing.

    Read More “New Study Claims Housing Crisis in NE PA from Gas Drilling”

  • Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Meetings | Regulation

    Picture of Hypocritical Anti-Driller at Recent NY DEC Hearing

    November 22, 2011November 29, 2011

    At the recent Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) hearings on proposed new gas drilling regulations held in Binghamton, NY on Nov. 17, one of the attendees snapped the picture below of a protesting anti-driller.

    MDN believes its readers are sharp enough to spot the obvious hypocrisy.

    Read More “Picture of Hypocritical Anti-Driller at Recent NY DEC Hearing”

  • Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

    PA DEP Allows Acid Mine Water to be Used in Fracking

    November 22, 2011November 22, 2011

    The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is attempting to “kill two birds with stone” by allowing Marcellus Shale gas drillers to use acid mine drainage from abandoned coal mines as water for hydraulic fracturing of shale gas wells. Yet another example of how gas drilling can be good for the environment.

    Read More “PA DEP Allows Acid Mine Water to be Used in Fracking”

  • Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

    Tennesee Gas Pipeline Receives Approval for Northeast Upgrade

    November 22, 2011November 22, 2011

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) yesterday approved a request by the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company to upgrade its Northeast Project with construction of extra pipeline loops in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as compressor plant upgrades in both states. The end result will be an extra 636,000 dekatherms of gas delivered per year in the important northeast market—most of it Marcellus Shale gas.

    From the FERC press release:

    Read More “Tennesee Gas Pipeline Receives Approval for Northeast Upgrade”

  • Best of the Rest

    Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011

    November 22, 2011November 22, 2011

    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: Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011”

  • Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Jadela Oil

    New Waterless Fracking Technology Tested in TX

    November 21, 2011November 21, 2011

    no waterFrom time to time MDN has covered alternative fracking technologies. As a few MDN readers have repeatedly noted in the comments, a new technology which uses natural gas itself (instead of water) in the fracking process is being used in Canada and now, it is being tried in Texas. Jadela Oil is conducting what they call a “science experiment” in Maverick County, Texas, in the Eagle Ford Shale, to see if this new waterless fracking technology will work as well in our shale deposits as it does in Canada.

    Jadela recently completed fracking their first well in September using propane/butane and they are waiting for full data on how the well is producing before making the results known.

    Read More “New Waterless Fracking Technology Tested in TX”

  • Meetings

    Insights from Pittsburgh Shale Gas Conference

    November 21, 2011November 21, 2011

    Last week Pittsburgh hosted a two day conference on Developing Unconventional Gas. A number of heavy-hitter speakers were on hand to discuss shale gas. Shell Chemicals, set to announce a new ethane cracker plant in the next two months, was among the speakers, as was Texas oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens.

    Some of the speakers and the points they made:

    Read More “Insights from Pittsburgh Shale Gas Conference”

  • Industrywide Issues | Pipelines

    Mariner East Ethane Pipeline/Shipping Combo Still Alive

    November 21, 2011November 21, 2011

    There’s more than one way to get ethane to a cracker plant. MDN has chronicled the debate over whether pipelines to other regions like the Gulf Coast or Canada, or locally built ethane cracker (processing) plants, or a mix of the two, should be used to process the ethane-rich “wet gas” from the Marcellus and Utica Shales. Four ethane pipeline projects and at least one locally built ethane cracker plant have been promoted by various companies. Two of the four pipelines are “solid” and moving forward. The other two, according to one analyst, are in doubt (see this MDN story).

    Read More “Mariner East Ethane Pipeline/Shipping Combo Still Alive”

  • Belmont County | Energy Companies | Exxon Mobil | Ohio | XTO

    Exxon Pays for After Hours Access to OH Property Records

    November 21, 2011November 21, 2011

    Interest from drilling companies in Eastern Ohio continues to be red hot with respect to the Marcellus and Utica Shales, as proven by how local county offices are overrun with researchers wanting access to property deed records. One such place is the Belmont County Recorder’s office in Belmont, Ohio. One company, Permian Oil (acting as an agent for XTO Energy, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil) has gone so far as to pay for after hours access.

    Read More “Exxon Pays for After Hours Access to OH Property Records”

  • Best of the Rest

    Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Monday, Nov 21, 2011

    November 21, 2011

    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: Monday, Nov 21, 2011”

  • About MDN | MDN Weekly Update

    MDN Weekly Update – Nov 20, 2011: Catching Up

    November 20, 2011November 20, 2011

    catching upA very brief weekly update. MDN editor Jim Willis was traveling most of this past week (making a living with my day job), hence lack of daily updates from Wednesday to Friday. A lot can happen in just a few days! The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) held two of four public hearings supposedly on the newest revisions to the draft drilling regulations (Wednesday in Dansville, Thursday in Binghamton)—sessions which devolved into either “drill here drill now” or “ban drilling altogether” arguments as reported by the media. Sorry to miss those hearings!

    And on Friday, the Delaware River Basin Commission decided to postpone a vote tomorrow (Monday, Nov. 21) on whether to finally release new drilling rules for land inside of the DRBC’s jurisdiction. Looks like the antis have scored at least a temporary victory.

    I’ve posted stories on both of the above items today, plus another hot topic: An update on the situation in Pennsylvania on whether or not local municipalities will have an ongoing role to play in zoning and other laws to restrict gas drilling in their borders.

    Continue to vote in the poll for another week, and refer to the rather light calendar of events below for the next two weeks. Seems meetings are light due to the Thanksgiving holiday here in the U.S. later this week.

    Be sure to spend time with your family and friends on Thursday, and forget about the politics of drilling for a day!

    Happy Thanksgiving,
    Jim Willis, Editor

    Read More “MDN Weekly Update – Nov 20, 2011: Catching Up”

  • Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

    DRBC Postpones Vote to Finally Allow Safe Gas Drilling

    November 20, 2011November 20, 2011

    The five voting members of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) have decided to postpone a vote scheduled for Monday to finally, after a years-long delay, allow some (a teeny, tiny bit) of gas drilling to proceed in the DRBC’s jurisdictional area. It seems environmental groups have convinced both Delaware and New York to vote against the new drilling regulations—regulations that have been vetted repeatedly in public forums, with public comments, reworking, refining and with multiple delays. And because two of the four states who belong to the DRBC are voting no, at least one other state (NJ) wants to wait.

    Obviously anti-drilling forces want no drilling. They are not interested in safe drilling—a total and permanent ban on drilling is their goal, and the DRBC is the place they want to start with it. A permanent ban in the DRBC is the antis’ “stake in the ground.”

    Read More “DRBC Postpones Vote to Finally Allow Safe Gas Drilling”

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