Last night a crowd of more than 500 turned out in Ravenna (Portage County), Ohio to hear details about the oil and gas industry in OH, specifically about hydraulic fracturing (for “fracking”) and its current use in both oil and natural gas drilling.
Local economic leaders in Schuylkill County, PA hope that Marcellus gas drilling will come to the county, as it has for neighboring Luzerne and Columbia counties, and with it, jobs. Schuylkill lies along the edge of the Marcellus Shale formation, but some believe the county will eventually see drilling. And perhaps sooner than anyone thought:
Read More “Is Marcellus Gas Drilling Coming to Schuylkill County, PA?”
Supervisors in Upper Burrell Township (Westmoreland County), PA are working on a package of local ordinances that affect Marcellus shale drilling in the township.
Read More “PA County Drafts Local Ordinance for Marcellus Gas Drilling”
New high paying jobs are being created, right now, in the Marcellus Shale—that is, where drilling is happening. Here’s an example from Pleasant Gap, PA:
Read More “Marcellus Shale Jobs – How Does $55K a Year Starting Wage for a 19 Year-Old Grab You?”
On Dec. 9, 2010, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) released a draft of its proposed new regulations that will affect anything to do with the exploration, drilling and production of natural gas wells within the DRBC’s jurisdiction, which includes parts of the states of Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The DRBC is responsible for protecting the waters of the Delaware River basin, which brings fresh drinking water to some 15 million people in the U.S.
Pennsylvania State Rep. Phyllis Mundy (Democrat, Kingston) recently reintroduced several pieces of legislation designed to stop drilling in the Marcellus Shale in PA. Not that it will make much of a difference since Republicans now control the governorship, the Senate and the House in PA.
It appears the constant drumbeat that hydraulic fracturing is evil (coming from extremist environmental groups) is having the desired effect. At least on Democrat state politicians. Now it looks like Maryland may ban drilling in the Marcellus Shale that runs under a tiny section of that state:
Maryland state Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Montgomery County), is preparing legislation to ban drilling in the state until it is determined that it will not taint water. “We expect robust support,” she said. “The fuel source isn’t bad, we’re just concerned about the extraction method.”*
*The Washington Post (Feb 6) – Maryland county caught up in fight over energy extraction method
Pennsylvania State Senator Gene Yaw from Williamsport is proposing several bills that will address ongoing concerns from landowners about drilling in the Marcellus Shale in PA. Among the items he is proposing:
Triana Energy is stepping up its commitment to drilling in the Marcellus Shale by entering into a partnership with Marathon Oil. From the official press release:
Two landfills in South Central Pennsylvania—the Cumberland County Landfill and IESI Blue Ridge Landfill—have state approval to accept drill cuttings from Marcellus Shale gas drilling operations. Drill cuttings are the leftover dirt, rock, mud and lubricants that come out of the bore hole.
Those opposed to natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania have an uphill battle with a new governor (Tom Corbett) who is pro-drilling, and with pro-drilling majorities in both the Senate and House. So they pick and chose their battles. Some groups want an outright ban or moratorium (a moratorium being nothing more than a prelude to an outright ban). Others opposed to drilling, like Jan Jarrett, the president and CEO of statewide environmental group PennFuture, are concentrating on small victories now, hoping for bigger ones later when the political climate changes. And the political climate will one day change again—that much is certain. So what is on Ms. Jarrett’s to-do list for 2011?
The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finally close to launching their much ballyhooed study on hydraulic fracturing, according the EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. Jackson spoke before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee today.
Here’s what the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) had to say about the use of diesel fuel as a fracking fluid in PA as alleged by Congressional Democrats in their letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson two days ago:
Read More “PA DEP Not Aware of Any Companies Using Diesel Fuel in Fracking Fluids”
In 2004, US Airways stopped flying from Williamsport, PA to Pittsburgh, leaving only flights to Philadelphia to tie the Williamsport airport with the rest of the world. And in 2008, US Airways announced they would even stop those flights. Things looked pretty bleak for the airport. Then it all changed.
Read More “Marcellus Shale Drilling Saves the Williamsport, PA Airport”
EQT Corporation is reducing it’s commitments to other gas exploration and concentrating on the Marcellus Shale over the next few years:
Read More “EQT Plans to Drill 86 Wells in the Marcellus in 2011, Adding More Midstream Infrastructure Too”
A landowner group in Columbiana County, OH is looking to form a second group with new members interested in leasing their land in the Marcellus Shale. An organizational meeting will be held on Thursday, Feb. 3rd:
Read More “Columbiana County, OH Landowner Group Looks to Expand, Accepting New Members”