The fallout from The New York Times series of articles claiming radioactive contamination from Marcellus Shale drilling wastewater is finding its way into water supplies continues:
Read More “Pittsburgh to Test for Radioactivity in City Water Supplies, Wastewater Scare Continues”
The Bayer CropScience plant in Institute, WV is rumored to be downsizing. Currently 500 people are employed there, but the plant will soon stop making and storing the same chemical (MIC) that leaked in the Union Carbide chemical plant in Bhopal, India killing thousands back in 1984. If that happens, some 200 people will lose their jobs. But there may be hope to keep those jobs because of Marcellus Shale drilling:
Read More “Marcellus Drilling May Help Save 200 Jobs at Bayer Plant in WV”
The New York Times continues its vendetta against drilling in the Marcellus Shale—it sells papers and God knows they sell far fewer today than they did even a year ago. MDN wonders what made-up quotes pulled from past public statements adorn this new article? The theme of the new article: “Yes, yes, drilling companies say they’re recycling more wastewater (some even approaching 100 percent), but not all of them do! And even recycling produces nasty stuff that pollutes water supplies anyway. So pay no attention to all that recycling talk.” And of course, Pennsylvania continues to be the whipping boy.
Public relations firm Gregory FCA recently used the Nielsen BuzzMetrics service to conduct a study of traditional media, as well as social media, to determine whether public sentiment or perception on the whole is pro, neutral, or anti-drilling with respect to drilling in the Marcellus Shale. Gregory FCA’s survey included more than 100 million online and traditional media comments as part of the study.
The results for traditional media—newspapers, television, and radio:
Pittsburgh is located in the middle of some of the most active drilling in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania. Many drilling and other related companies have located either branch or even headquarters offices in the Pittsburgh area, making it the defacto capital of drilling in the Marcellus Shale. So plenty of news comes out of Western PA to do with drilling in the Marcellus.
One of the chief objections of those who oppose drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale is the amount of water used in drilling—an average of 3-4 million gallons per well. Environmentalists raise the alarm of sourcing the water from rivers and streams, and the disposal of what’s left over.
Here’s how the numbers break down: It takes between 100,000 and 300,000 gallons of water during the drilling process itself, and another 3-4 million gallons of water gets mixed with sand and chemicals and pumped in under pressure to fracture the shale, releasing the gas. Anywhere from 10 to 50 percent of the water comes back out—something called “flowback.”
Below is a detailed response from the Marcellus Shale Coalition to the New York Times “hit piece” on gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale (see MDN’s review of that article here).
Read More “Marcellus Shale Coalition Provides Devastating Critique of NYT Anti-Gas Article”
The rumor mill has been working overtime in Harrisburg, PA with talk that newly minted Gov. Tom Corbett is planning to merge two state agencies that oversee drilling in the Marcellus Shale into one. Corbett officials are trying to tamp down the rumors:
Read More “Will PA Merge DEP and DCNR to Oversee Marcellus Shale Drilling?”
PPG Industries, a $12 billion global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass, is about to get another $50 million from the gas beneath one of it’s chemical plants located in Marshall County, WV.
Read More “PPG Chemical Plant in Marshall County, WV Gets a $50M Marcellus Shale Payday”
A new Marcellus Shale gas pipeline is coming to Preston County, WV which will ultimately mean more drilling in the region.
Read More “New Marcellus Shale Gas Pipeline Coming to Preston County, WV”
Have no fear, the great New York Times is now on the case of natural gas drilling, and it has “uncovered” some rather disturbing news:
With hydrofracking, a well can produce over a million gallons of wastewater that is often laced with highly corrosive salts, carcinogens like benzene and radioactive elements like radium, all of which can occur naturally thousands of feet underground. Other carcinogenic materials can be added to the wastewater by the chemicals used in the hydrofracking itself.
While the existence of the toxic wastes has been reported, thousands of internal documents obtained by The New York Times from the Environmental Protection Agency, state regulators and drillers show that the dangers to the environment and health are greater than previously understood.(1)
Opponents of drilling for natural gas usually key in on the process of hydraulic fracturing, claiming that it pollutes groundwater supplies. “Clean water!” becomes the rallying cry—and who is not for clean water? The Environmental Protection Agency has joined the chorus by ordering a “cradle to grave” study of hydraulic fracturing that will begin this year and run until 2014 before the final results are in. Waiting for the results of the study will no doubt be used as an excuse to delay drilling in some states and municipalities.
Read More “Subjecting Wind Power to the Same Scrutiny as Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing”
In an article on the developing situation of whether and where to allow Marcellus Shale drilling in Allegheny County, PA, we get this update of how much land has been leased, and the likelihood of whether or not drilling will commence in the county:
This is a new, regular post on MDN. Below I list the five most viewed stories from last week, two weeks ago and the past 30 days. There is also a list of any events MDN is aware of happening this coming week (from the MDN Calendar). Be sure to send your event announcements to jim@marcellusdrilling.com.
I’m excited to announce a new special report coming soon exclusively from MDN titled: Will There Be Marcellus Shale Drilling Near Me? Subtitled, Drilling Permits for Marcellus Shale Gas Wells from January 2010 to February 2011. This new report, created by MDN, shows how many permits have been applied for or issued by county and in most cases by local municipality for New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The report not only details the number of well permits, but also lists the numbers by drilling company. Leases are being signed in many locations—landmen are on the move. Although signing a lease can yield a good source of income now, the real money is when an energy company drills on or near your property. You need a permit in order to drill, so permits are a good barometer of the intentions of drilling companies. If you’re a landowner, you can use this special report to see who’s “serious” about drilling near you. If you’ve already signed a lease, use this report to see if drilling may be coming in your area in the near future. Many other interested parties will use this report as well, to see when and if drilling is happening in their communities (local business owners, government officials, residents concerned about traffic, etc.).
So, stay tuned for further announcements about how you can get your copy of this important new special report.
Happy reading,
Jim Willis, Editor
Newly elected Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, will be a key figure (perhaps the key figure) in determining whether or not drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale goes forward in the state. His appointment of Joe Martens on Jan. 4 to be head of the Department of Environmental Conservation which oversees drilling was not a good sign to those who favor drilling (see MDN’s story here). But Mr. Martens seems to be signing a different tune these days.
Read More “A Glimmer of Hope for Marcellus Drilling in New York State”
Chesapeake Energy was flaring three gas wells in Avella, located in Washington County, PA on Feb. 23 when tanks holding some 105,000 gallons of natural gas liquids exploded. Contrary to some reports, the explosion had nothing to do with hydraulic fracturing fluids. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation and not known at this time.
As for the three workers injured, at least one of them is still in critical condition: