Marcellus Drilling News

Industrywide Issues | Regulation

Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Damascus Citizens for Sustainability Sue Delaware River Basin Commission over Exploratory Wells
February 1, 2011February 1, 2011

Two anti-drilling “environmental” groups, The Delaware Riverkeeper Network (DRN) and Damascus Citizens for Sustainability (DCS), have joined forces in filing a federal lawsuit today against the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) in federal district court in Trenton, NJ. The anti-drilling groups are challenging the actions the DRBC took to allow some exploratory natural gas wells to be drilled “without DRBC review and approval and despite a Basin-wide moratorium on gas wells.”

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Air Quality | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Sullivan County | Susquehanna County

PA DEP Tests for Air Pollution at Gas Drilling Sites – Finds None
February 1, 2011

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) conducted air quality testing from August to October of 2010 at a number of natural gas drilling sites that use hydraulic fracturing in Susquehanna and Sullivan counties, including a Cabot Oil drilling site in Dimock, PA. The DEP looked for compounds associated with petroleum-based products that may have become airborne. They also looked for other compounds, like elevated levels of carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.

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Garrett County | Maryland

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley Looking at Issuing Permits for Hydraulic Fracturing
January 31, 2011January 31, 2011

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley indicates his administration may issue new permits for drilling in the Marcellus Shale in western Maryland. O’Malley maintains that Maryland will protect the natural environment “to a greater degree than other states” and he “makes no apology” for that.*

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

Democrats Allege Halliburton and Others are Using Diesel Fuel in Hydraulic Fracturing, Asks EPA to “Do Something”
January 31, 2011February 1, 2011

Prepare for the deafening noise now being generated by the mainstream press echo-chamber against the decades-old method of natural gas drilling called hydraulic fracturing. The latest attack comes courtesy of three Congressional Democrats. Reps. Henry A. Waxman, Edward J. Markey, and Diana DeGette sent a letter today to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson regarding the results of an investigation into the use of diesel fuel in hydraulic fracturing fluids.
Read More “Democrats Allege Halliburton and Others are Using Diesel Fuel in Hydraulic Fracturing, Asks EPA to “Do Something””
Carrizo Oil & Gas | Energy Companies | Lease & Royalty Payments | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania

New Gas Leases Filed in Luzerne County, PA – Exploratory Drilling Set to Begin in Next Two Weeks
January 31, 2011

Carrizo Oil & Gas has filed 41 records of gas leases in three Luzerne County municipalities:

Read More “New Gas Leases Filed in Luzerne County, PA – Exploratory Drilling Set to Begin in Next Two Weeks”
Accidents | Energy Companies | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Talisman Energy | Tioga County (PA)

Fracking Fluid Spill in Tioga County, PA – DEP Investigating, Talisman Shuts Down Operations for Eight Days
January 30, 2011January 30, 2011

Talisman Energy shut down its four North American shale gas drilling operations for eight days following a fracking fluid release (MDN would call it an “accident”) on Jan. 17th at its drilling operation in Tioga County, PA, in the Tioga State Forest. According to Talisman, there were no injuries and the fluid was contained at the well site.

Read More “Fracking Fluid Spill in Tioga County, PA – DEP Investigating, Talisman Shuts Down Operations for Eight Days”
Chesapeake Energy | Energy Companies | Lease & Royalty Payments | Pennsylvania | Washington County

Chesapeake Backs Down, Will Not Make PA Landowners Near Pittsburgh Return Royalty Checks
January 30, 2011January 30, 2011

Late last year, Chesapeake Energy asked landowners in Donora and Carroll, PA (near Pittsburgh) who had received royalty checks from Chesapeake, to give the money back.
Read More “Chesapeake Backs Down, Will Not Make PA Landowners Near Pittsburgh Return Royalty Checks”
Energy Companies | Lease & Royalty Payments | Pennsylvania | Shell | Tioga County (PA)

Some Landowners in Tioga, PA Area Receive Six-Figure Royalty Checks – Each Month
January 30, 2011February 1, 2011

An article discussing the potential impacts of shale gas drilling in the area around Erie, PA does a good job in exploring the benefits of shale gas drilling that have already occurred in Tioga County, PA. Tioga County is one of the most densely populated drilling regions in the entire Marcellus Shale play. A few facts from the article:
Read More “Some Landowners in Tioga, PA Area Receive Six-Figure Royalty Checks – Each Month”
About MDN

Marcellus Drilling News Resumes Publication
January 29, 2011January 30, 2011

Thank you to everyone who has asked when MDN would resume publication. Starting January 31, we’re back! The purpose of MDN (Marcellus Drilling News) is to bring news, resources and commentary that is of interest and benefit to landowners in the Marcellus Shale region of the U.S. That is, for those people who are potentially affected by drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale—which is just about everyone in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. But in particular, it is for landowners in the Marcellus—those who stand to gain (or lose) by leasing land for natural gas drilling.

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Broome County | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation

Shame on the EPA for Changing a Meeting on Hydraulic Fracturing the Night Before it’s Scheduled (Updated)
August 10, 2010January 29, 2011

UPDATE (Aug 11): Below is my original post, in all of its flawed glory. A confession: I’ve made a mistake, and I prefer to correct the record right here, up high for everyone to see. Part of my “rant” below is based on a simple and stupid mistake I made–the original EPA meeting was scheduled for August 12, not August 10. I had it incorrectly listed in my calendar. So my original contention that the EPA changed the meeting the night before was plain wrong. Second, it seems there was a dispute between the EPA and Binghamton University where the event was to be held about the amount of money needed to handle a larger than anticipated crowd. The number BU requested went from $6,000 to $40,000 and the EPA resisted and did not have much of a choice but to try and change the venue. Yes, I can point out that the EPA has no problem wasting $1.5M of taxpayer money on a new study of hydraulic fracturing when they just did one a few years ago and hey, what’s another $36K? But I won’t. I’ll simply say, I was wrong. When you make a mistake in public, you need to correct it in public.

Read More “Shame on the EPA for Changing a Meeting on Hydraulic Fracturing the Night Before it’s Scheduled (Updated)”
New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

New York Senate Bill S8129B Passes – Moratorium on Marcellus Gas Drilling Comes to New York
August 6, 2010January 29, 2011

Tuesday, August 4, was a sad day for New Yorkers who, after more than two years of waiting, found out they will have to wait longer to begin drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale. On Tuesday, the New York Senate voted 48-9 to prevent hydraulic fracturing (drilling) of gas wells in the Marcellus and Utica Shale formations in New York State. The moratorium, sponsored by State Senator Antoine Thompson (Democrat-Buffalo), prevents gas drilling for another nine months, until May 15, 2011.

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Atlas Energy | Energy Companies | Pennsylvania | Reliance Industries

Atlas Energy Figures Out a Way to Increase Marcellus Shale Gas Production an Average 138% Per Well
July 8, 2010January 29, 2011

Atlas Energy’s Marcellus Shale gas output is up 21% in the second quarter from the first quarter of 2010. At the end of June, their net production rate in the Marcellus region was 59 Mmcfe (million cubic feet of natural gas equivalents) per day. The company brought eight new horizontal Marcellus Shale wells online in southwestern Pennsylvania from April to June with average peak average daily rates of 5.1 Mmcf per day.

Read More “Atlas Energy Figures Out a Way to Increase Marcellus Shale Gas Production an Average 138% Per Well”
Chenango County | New York

Oxford Landowner Coalition Merges with CNY Land Coalition
July 8, 2010January 29, 2011

Two very active landowner groups in Upstate New York have agreed to merge. Here’s the official letter from CNY Land Coalition President Brian Conover:

Oxford Coalition Is Merging With The CNY Landowner’s Coalition

In what promises to be a win-win for both coalitions, the Oxford Coalition, which has been under the leadership of Bryant LaTourette, is merging with our coalition. Serious discussions for this merger began about 7 weeks ago and after a number of very positive conversations, both sides have agreed that we can accomplish more for our common cause if we work as one.

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Broome County | Energy Companies | Inflection Energy | Lease & Royalty Payments | New York

Broome County, NY May Sign a Deal to Lease County-Owned Land for $15.9M
July 7, 2010January 29, 2011

Lately it’s not been often MDN has reported on lease deals in New York State, due to the ongoing opposition of New York politicians to drilling in the state. So it’s with some surprise, and pleasure, that we noticed an article in today’s paper that Broome County, New York may soon sign a deal with Inflection Energy:
Read More “Broome County, NY May Sign a Deal to Lease County-Owned Land for $15.9M”
Energy Companies | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Range Resources Corp

The Burden of Proof that Hydraulic Fracturing Pollutes Water Supplies is with Those Who Oppose Drilling
July 7, 2010January 29, 2011

Those who oppose drilling for gas in the Marcellus Shale most often use the argument that harmful chemicals are pumped into the ground and therefore will find their way into surface water supplies. In meeting after meeting concerns about water are voiced most often. Those of us who support safe drilling have to patiently, methodically point out that of all the tens of thousands of gas wells that have been drilled in this country using hydraulic fracturing, there are no reported cases of chemicals finding their way from the well into ground water supplies. (Please! If you know of such a case, post the details in the comments.)

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Industrywide Issues

The Reason Big Oil is Getting Gassy
July 6, 2010January 29, 2011

An Economist article republished in the Winnipeg Free Press does a good job of explaining why natural gas is on the ascendancy in the energy universe, and why oil will soon be in decline. Need evidence? Last year, seven of eight Exxon Mobil projects that were completed were natural gas projects. This year two of three scheduled projects are natural gas related. Royal Dutch Shell says by 2012 half (50 percent!) of its energy output will come from natural gas.

Read More “The Reason Big Oil is Getting Gassy”