Marcellus Drilling News

Work on New Ethane Pipeline to Gulf Coast Now Underway in OH

November 28, 2011November 28, 2011

Survey work in central Ohio has already begun on a new ethane pipeline to be built by Enterprise Products Partners. The pipeline, which was recently announced (see this MDN story), will reach from the Marcellus and Utica Shale region in Washington County, PA all the way to Cape Girardeau, MO where it will connect with an existing pipeline to the Gulf Coast. Surveyors for the new pipeline have already turned up in Fairfield County, OH.

Best of the Rest

Marcellus & Utica Shale Story Links: Monday, Nov 28, 2011

November 28, 2011

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

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

Maryland | Statewide MD

The Future of Gas Drilling in Maryland? What Future?

November 23, 2011November 23, 2011

no future Will 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:

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.

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:

Housing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

New Study Claims Housing Crisis in NE PA from Gas Drilling

November 22, 2011November 3, 2012

no rent control A 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.

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.

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.

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:

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:

Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Jadela Oil

New Waterless Fracking Technology Tested in TX

November 21, 2011November 21, 2011

From 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.

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:

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).

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.

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: