Environmental
Washington Cty. farmers Ron Gulla and Terry Greenwood attacked the gas drilling industry during a forum in Lancaster, blaming leakage from wells for contamination of their properties and loss of livestock.
Chesapeake was fined $1.1 million by Pennsylvania regulators, including $900,000 for contaminating the sixteen residential water wells in Bradford County.
Last Thursday was the deadline for drillers to stop bringing their contaminated wastewater to riverside treatment plants. Some operators have stopped drilling while they develop alternative plans.
A music video? Yeah that'll stop fracking.
Pennsylvania American Water, a commercial water supply corporation, say they have found no detectable levels of radioactive or volatile chemicals from fracking wastewater in any of their supply intakes.
According to a report released by the Department of Environmental Protection, a study found no emission levels that would pose a public health concern near gas drilling operations in Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan and Tioga counties.
Washington, D.C.based activist group "Energy In Depth" is starting a Northeast Marcellus Initiative, a "grassroots education and outreach program also intended to mobilize supporters of responsible natural gas development in Northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New York." according to Citizens Voice.
Business and Operations
BP and Conoco canceled a plan gas pipeline in Alaska due to oversupply from gas shale deposits.
Enerplus will sell 91,000 acres of Marcellus holdings for $575 million. But the company intends to remain in a "concentrated, meaningful position" in the Marcellus, as it still holds 110,000 acres containing an estimated 2.3 trillion cubic feet of gas. (No indication whether that estimate is of recoverable reserves or not).
Exploration companies have begun drilling the Utica Formation, which underlies the Marcellus in westerm Pa. and is considered another possible source of shale gas.
Japanese owned Mitsui E&P USA is looking to expand into gas shale operations, including in the Marcellus Play.
Politics and Impact
State Sen. Tim Solobay had a Senate Policy Committee take testimony from the drilling industry, labor, environmental activists and others to assess the impact of Marcellus operations in the state.
The gas boom has created a demand for cell phone and internet service in the boonies.
The promise of wealth from natural gas production and the specter of contaminated water supplies from fracking waste is dividing Pennsylvania communities, and creating gas-related 'haves and 'have-nots' according to Reuters reports.
Showing posts with label DEP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DEP. Show all posts
Monday, May 23, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Monday Marcellus News Roundup, April 11
Politics, Policy and Legal Issues
Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania are pushing bills that "use tax credits and grants to expand the number of natural gas-powered vehicles on the state's roads." The state goal is to encourage that gas drilled in PA is used here.
Drilling companies are suing or threatening to sue Mt. Pleasant and North Bethlehem Townships over regulations the local governments have passed.
Plum Borough is discussing restrictions on where drilling can occur within the borough's jurisdiction.
Class action and personal injury lawyers are anticipating work resulting from accidents and environmental disaster scenarios related to Marcellus drilling.
Along these lines, Marcellus Shale Oil and Gas Litigation Group has been formed in Bradford County to assist landowners with legal issues regarding leasing, royalties etc. related to gas drilling.
Business, Development and Operations
Terry Engelder, of Penn. State, is talking up the potential of other gas-bearing shales in Pennsylvania, the Utica and Upper Devonian Shale units. Please see his website for details on his research.
Despite 1,797 leases by Range Resources and Chesapeake Appalachia in Beaver County, development has been slow to date for a number of possible reasons, including a "depressed gas market."
Drilling around Williamsport has created such a demand for diesel and other mechanical technicians that other business are having trouble finding qualified applicants, at least according to anecdotal reports. Would be nice to see some hard numbers, and some interviews with the people who took the gas jobs over other ones. Not saying its not happening (and it would makes sense that it would), but this story reads like boosterism.
In Bradford County, where more wells have been drilled than any other county in PA, there is hard data on jobs, as the unemployment rate there has fallen to the lowest countywide in the state.
More jobs news: US Steel operations are returning to McKeesport for the first time since 1987. It is speculated that this is due to the demand for pipe and other tubular steel in drilling operations, so we don't have hard data that this development is indeed related to Marcellus development.
A Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce Gas Expo attracted hundreds - two hundreds in fact.
Another industry expo was held in the East Wing of the State Capital. Good use of public property...
Environmental
New guidelines from the DEP will require twice-monthly testing for radioactive material in publicly owned waste-water treatment plants. Natural occurring radioactive minerals may be found in fracking waste and concern over contamination from these materials has become a contentious issue.
EPA head Lisa Jackson said she has tried to reach PA Governor Corbett to discuss drilling regulations, but he hasn't returned her calls. Corbett denies this. I would think the truth could be found in the phone records, not from some political staffer, but from the phone company.
Little bit of trivia, Ray Walker, Range Resources VP for Marcellus ops made $1.9 million in 2010.
Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania are pushing bills that "use tax credits and grants to expand the number of natural gas-powered vehicles on the state's roads." The state goal is to encourage that gas drilled in PA is used here.
Drilling companies are suing or threatening to sue Mt. Pleasant and North Bethlehem Townships over regulations the local governments have passed.
Plum Borough is discussing restrictions on where drilling can occur within the borough's jurisdiction.
Class action and personal injury lawyers are anticipating work resulting from accidents and environmental disaster scenarios related to Marcellus drilling.
Along these lines, Marcellus Shale Oil and Gas Litigation Group has been formed in Bradford County to assist landowners with legal issues regarding leasing, royalties etc. related to gas drilling.
Business, Development and Operations
Terry Engelder, of Penn. State, is talking up the potential of other gas-bearing shales in Pennsylvania, the Utica and Upper Devonian Shale units. Please see his website for details on his research.
Despite 1,797 leases by Range Resources and Chesapeake Appalachia in Beaver County, development has been slow to date for a number of possible reasons, including a "depressed gas market."
Drilling around Williamsport has created such a demand for diesel and other mechanical technicians that other business are having trouble finding qualified applicants, at least according to anecdotal reports. Would be nice to see some hard numbers, and some interviews with the people who took the gas jobs over other ones. Not saying its not happening (and it would makes sense that it would), but this story reads like boosterism.
In Bradford County, where more wells have been drilled than any other county in PA, there is hard data on jobs, as the unemployment rate there has fallen to the lowest countywide in the state.
More jobs news: US Steel operations are returning to McKeesport for the first time since 1987. It is speculated that this is due to the demand for pipe and other tubular steel in drilling operations, so we don't have hard data that this development is indeed related to Marcellus development.
A Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce Gas Expo attracted hundreds - two hundreds in fact.
Another industry expo was held in the East Wing of the State Capital. Good use of public property...
Environmental
New guidelines from the DEP will require twice-monthly testing for radioactive material in publicly owned waste-water treatment plants. Natural occurring radioactive minerals may be found in fracking waste and concern over contamination from these materials has become a contentious issue.
EPA head Lisa Jackson said she has tried to reach PA Governor Corbett to discuss drilling regulations, but he hasn't returned her calls. Corbett denies this. I would think the truth could be found in the phone records, not from some political staffer, but from the phone company.
Little bit of trivia, Ray Walker, Range Resources VP for Marcellus ops made $1.9 million in 2010.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Marcellus News for Pennsylvania, Jan. 12
In W. Virginia, legislators are working on a bill that addresses many of the same issues in Pennsylvania, such as rules and fees, but they punted on the pooling issues.
National Fuel Gas is expanding its operations, shelling out $23 million to obtain of wells and property in Tioga County.
Talisman Energy of Canada plans to divest much of their Marcellus holdings, preferring to work in Texas gas shale plays that also yield liquids. The Marcellus Shale mainly yields natural gas and is considered "dry".
Speaking of Talisman, they were fined $24,608 by the DEP for a diesel fuel spill that occurred in March 2010 at a Armenia Township well site in Bradford County, PA.
State Senator Pat Vance (R-31) voiced concerns about the disposal of drill cuttings at a Newburg (Cumberland Cty) landfill, which is some distance far from the gas shale dilling operations.
New Gov. Corbett, chose Michael L. Krancer, a judge on the Environmental Hearing Board, to head the Department of Environmental Protection.
National Fuel Gas is expanding its operations, shelling out $23 million to obtain of wells and property in Tioga County.
Talisman Energy of Canada plans to divest much of their Marcellus holdings, preferring to work in Texas gas shale plays that also yield liquids. The Marcellus Shale mainly yields natural gas and is considered "dry".
Speaking of Talisman, they were fined $24,608 by the DEP for a diesel fuel spill that occurred in March 2010 at a Armenia Township well site in Bradford County, PA.
State Senator Pat Vance (R-31) voiced concerns about the disposal of drill cuttings at a Newburg (Cumberland Cty) landfill, which is some distance far from the gas shale dilling operations.
New Gov. Corbett, chose Michael L. Krancer, a judge on the Environmental Hearing Board, to head the Department of Environmental Protection.
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