A Rotary meeting in East Liverpool, Ohio discussed shale gas drilling in Columbiana and Carroll Counties for both the Marcellus and Utica shales. Among the things learned at the meeting:
Read More “Carroll County, OH Landowners Offered $3200 Per Acre for Shale Gas Leases”
A local union in West Virginia is set to protest natural gas transmission facilities owned by Dominion over the issue of jobs and out-of-state workers being brought in to build new pipelines in the Wetzel County.
In a press release issued yesterday, Chesapeake Energy announced it is working on 14 different roadway repair projects in Bradford and Sullivan Counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania due to be completed this summer.
Read More “Chesapeake Energy Repairing 14 Roadways in Northeastern PA This Summer”
Forced pooling is the concept that forces landowners to allow drilling under their property if enough of their neighbors have signed leases. Many people (PA Gov. Tom Corbett and MDN among them) think it’s not a good idea—calling it the equivalent of “private eminent domain.” But the reality is, it does widely exist. In fact, forced pooling exists (by various names) in all of the Marcellus Shale states except Maryland.
In New York and Pennsylvania its called compulsory integration. In West Virginia its called mandatory pooling, and in Virginia its called compulsory pooling. So when you hear those terms bandied about, it means “forced pooling.” A special note: Forced pooling provisions in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia do not (yet) apply to Marcellus Shale drilling, but proponents are trying to make it happen in those states.
Read More “Forced Pooling for Landowners in the Marcellus Shale Region”
MarkWest wants to build a Marcellus Shale gas compressor station in Cecil Township (Washington County), PA. They filed an application for a “special exception” to allow them to build the plant but were denied by the zoning board. On April 21, MarkWest filed an appeal in Washington County civil court to have the decision overturned. MarkWest said at the time it hopes to settle the matter “amiably” but was filing to “preserve its rights.” Part of the appeal states:
Swiss-based energy company Mercuria is interested in the effluent (sewage wastewater) that comes from the treatment plant in Weirton, West Virginia to use as a source of water for hydraulic fracturing operations.
Read More “Mercuria Energy Interested in Sewage Wastewater from Weirton, WV for Use in Fracking”
The first application for a drilling permit has been received in Columbiana County, Ohio, and it’s an application to drill in the Utica Shale with the hope of someday striking oil. This is likely the first of many applications to come, according to Ohio officials.
For some time now, MDN has admired (and referenced) the work done by drilling industry group Energy in Depth (EID). Chris Tucker and the people at EID work hard to bring the pro-drilling side of the story to the masses and to counterbalance much of the hype and rhetoric circulated in the media. EID recently launched a new website for the Northeast Marcellus region under the leadership of Tom Shepstone (//eidmarcellus.org).
EID has also launched a major new grassroots initiative now spreading from county to county in the region. EID and the Northeast Marcellus Initiative should be on your list of “must read” resources if you’re interested in the Marcellus Shale drilling debate.
A little more than a month ago, Robert Howarth, a Cornell University professor of ecology and environmental biology, along with two other Cornell professors, Renee Santoro and Tony Ingraffea, published a peer-reviewed study in the journal Climate Change titled, “Methane and the greenhouse-gas footprint of natural gas from shale formations.” The study evaluates natural gas from shale compared with other energy sources with respect to how much “greenhouse gases” are created during the extraction process. The study makes the claim that shale gas extraction is actually worse for the environment than burning coal because of greenhouse gases.
The initial media reaction was a breathless Paul Revere-style recitation of the slug “shale gas worse for global warming than coal.” Howarth’s paper has now been roundly refuted by none other than the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory. Howarth, Santoro and Ingraffea’s conclusions are based on assumptions rather than hard data, and those assumptions were wrong.
One of the concerns landowners and those living near Marcellus gas well drilling sites and gas compressor stations have is potential air pollution. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) periodically conducts air sample testing near compressor stations and active drilling sites. The latest results show the air is safe to breathe.
Pennsylvania has a decades old problem with abandoned coal mines. The mines fill with rain water. The water becomes highly acidic and contains dissolved metals such as iron, aluminum and manganese. The water then runs off into waterways and is responsible for thousands of miles of streams that are uninhabitable for wildlife and not suitable for human use. Marcellus Shale gas drilling may provide at least a partial solution to the problem.
Read More “Marcellus Shale Drilling May Provide a Solution to Coal Mine Water Runoff Problem”
Thank you to those who voted in last week’s online poll. Here are the results:
Should the federal EPA regulate hydraulic fracturing?
No (52%, 131 Votes)
Yes (44%, 111 Votes)
I don’t know (4%, 10 Votes)
Total Voters: 252
This Week’s Poll
Eminent domain is one of the strongest powers granted to government, and in some cases delegated by government to private companies. It is the right to seize a piece of property and use it for the common good. The owner of the private property seized or used in this way is given “fair and just” compensation by the government or organization. The power of eminent domain is used to secure land for roads and highways, run electrical lines above (and below) ground, for railroads, water and sewer lines and for other purposes. It’s also used for natural gas pipelines installed by public utilities like your local electric and gas company to deliver gas to your house (if you live in an urban area). In order for a company to use the power of eminent domain, it first must be designated as a public utility. That is, it’s a private company, but serving the general public. There are commissions set up in individual states to regulate and control these private companies that serve the public—public utility commissions.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUG) this past week rendered a decision that will, in all likelihood, lead to designating a private company (Laser Northeast Gathering) as a public utility. Laser is building pipelines for gathering gas from Marcellus Shale wells in Northeastern PA. If Laser is designated as a public utility, it will have the power of eminent domain, meaning they can run their gas pipelines wherever they want (within reason). By all accounts Laser is an excellent and responsible company.
The question at hand is, should gathering pipelines from gas wells be granted the status of public utility? Some would say running a pipeline from a well is different than running, say, an interstate pipeline. Those who oppose gas drilling would likely oppose a pipeline running under their property. Should they be forced to allow it? On the other hand, should a pipeline company have to go miles out of the way to lay a pipeline if there’s only one or two property owners who won’t allow it under their land? Isn’t there a greater public good? It’s a tough issue. MDN has already commented which side we come down on (read the story here). How about you?
Should Marcellus Shale pipeline companies be granted public utility status (i.e. eminent domain)? Go to any page on the website and click to vote on the right-hand side of the page in this week’s poll. I’ll report the results next week.
Below you’ll find the “top 5” lists and this week’s calendar listings.
Happy reading,
Jim Willis, Editor
Chesapeake Energy has been slapped with the largest fine given to date by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for methane migration and for a fire at a well.
Read More “Chesapeake Energy Fined $1.1 Million for Methane Migration and Tank Fire in PA”
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) has voted to grant Laser Northeast Gathering, a natural gas pipeline company, status as a public utility. The decision will grant Laser the power to condemn private property by eminent domain. That is, Laser will have the power to run pipelines under people’s property even if they don’t want it.
An opinion piece published in today’s New York Post succinctly (and with attitude) makes the case that hydraulic fracturing is safe and Marcellus Shale drilling should go forward in New York State. A brief extract for your reading pleasure:
Read More “Memo to Actor Mark Ruffalo: Fracking Chemicals are in Your Cosmetics”
One of the issues raised in Marcellus Shale drilling is a concern that pumping water into, and then extracting it out of the ground will bring with it radioactivity from naturally occurring sources deep underground. In particular, the “cuttings” or leftover rock and dirt that come out of the bore hole might contain higher than normal levels of radioactivity. Officials in West Virginia say there’s no reason for concern in their state:
Read More “West Virginia Officials Say Radioactivity from Gas Drilling a Non-Issue”