The current fossil energy boom in the United States is natural gas from shale. The next one could be oil shales [1].
[1] http://geology.com/usgs/oil-shale/
More at TheHill.com.Fracking = Profanity?
Some people don’t like the word “fracking” and want the term hydraulic fracturing to always be used in its place.
More at FuelFix.com.
Consumer Natural Gas Prices
The Energy Information Administration’s Natural Gas Monthly features a short-term history graph of natural gas prices [1] for four consumer categories (residential, industrial, commercial, electric power). It clearly shows long term trends and how residential prices spike in the summer when consumers are being billed at low-volume rates.
[1] http://geology.com/articles/natural-gas-prices/
More at Energy Information Administration.
Oil and Natural Gas Data for Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has created interactive reports that allow citizens create reports that summarize oil and gas production information, permits issued, drilling commence date, county data, operator specific data, a…
More at Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Eminent Domain and Pennsylvania Pipelines
An article on the ABC News website reports on how eminent domain is being used in Pennsylvania by a natural gas pipeline company to acquire missing pieces of a pipeline right-of-way.
More at ABC News.
Promoting Natural Gas Trucks
President Obama proposes a tax credit that will refund 50% of the extra cost paid for a natural gas-fueled truck above what would have been paid for the same truck with a diesel or gasoline fuel system. This is the type of incentive needed to assure t…
More at Business Week.
Turkmenistan Oil and Natural Gas Report
“Turkmenistan has some of the largest natural gas reserves in the world, yet the country faces a myriad of challenges in bringing those reserves to world markets. It is geographically far from end-use markets and lacks sufficient pipeline infrastructure to export more hydrocarbons.” Quoted from the EIA report.
More at Energy Information Administration.
Homeowner Savings from Low Natural Gas Prices
An article on BusinessWeek.com reports that the recent slump in natural gas prices could save US homeowners $16.5 billion if prices persist for a year.
More at Business Week.
Will Exporting Natural Gas Damage Domestic Energy Markets?
DOE/FE asked the U.S. Energy Information Administration to assess how specified scenarios of increased natural gas exports could affect domestic energy markets, focusing on consumption, production, and prices.
More at Energy Information Administration.
Overproduction in the Natural Gas Industry
National Public Radio has a podcast titled: “Is The Booming Natural Gas Industry Overproducing?”. It explores how natural gas companies are cutting back on production, filling underground storage and moving their rigs out of the dry gas areas.
More at National Public Radio.
EIA Cuts Shale Gas Resource Estimates
“The estimated unproved technically recoverable resource (TRR) of shale gas for the United States is 482 trillion cubic feet, substantially below the estimate of 827 trillion cubic feet in AEO2011. The decline largely reflects a decrease in the estimate for the Marcellus shale, from 410 trillion cubic feet to 141 trillion cubic feet.” Quoted from the Annual Energy Outlook 2012 Early Release.
More at Energy Information Administration.
Economic Benefits from the Haynesville Shale
An article on the NOLA.com website reports on the economic benefits that natural gas from the Haynesville Shale as brought to Louisiana. The Shreveport Times website reports on two new reality shows [1] that focus on lifestyle changes brought to the area by natural gas money.
[1] http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20120120/ENT/201200324/2-new-CMT-reality-shows-feature-NW-Louisiana-residents?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE
More at NOLA.com.
Natural Gas Prices are Still Falling
The price of natural gas [1] is still going down, hitting $2.32/MCF on Thursday, January 19th. This is the lowest natural gas price since early 2002.
Bank of America expects the price to fall below $2.00 [2].
[1] http://geology.com/articles/natural-gas-prices/
[2] http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/01/20/bloomberg_articlesLXYEJ50UQVI901-LY3LP.DTL
Shale Gas Increases 17X
Since 2000, shale gas production in the United States has increased 17-fold and now comprises about 30 percent of total United States dry production.
More at Energy Information Administration.
Fracking Backlog in North Dakota
Even though oil production from North Dakota’s Bakken Formation has propelled the state to new production records there is still a backlog of wells to be fracked.
More at Bloomberg.
Uzbekistan Oil and Natural Gas Report
“Uzbekistan has abundant oil and natural gas reserves. However, several factors such as lack of sufficient foreign investment and inadequate transportation infrastructure have deterred the country from becoming a major energy exporter.” Quoted from the Energy Information Administration.
More at Energy Information Administration.
25% of New England’s Natural Gas is LNG
Natural gas in the Northeast trades at premium prices compared to the rest of the United States due to pipeline constraints during periods of high demand in the winter. Liquefied natural gas has met over 25% of New England’s average daily natural gas demand since November 2010.
More at Energy Information Administration.
Eagle Ford Shale
The Eagle Ford Shale is a black shale with a high organic carbon content in central Texas. I has become one of the most important economic generators in central Texas.
More at Geology.com.
Oil India Wants an Eagle Ford Shale Stake
An article on Reuters.com reports that Oil India Limited, a public oil and gas company under the control of the Government of India, is interested in buying a stake in the Eagle Ford Shale in the United States as well as stakes in natural gas shales in…
More at Reuters.com.
No Hydraulic Fracturing in Bulgaria
Chevron has been denied the option to use hydraulic fracturing while drilling natural gas shales in Bulgaria.
More at Star-Telegram.
Texas: Fracking Chemicals and Water Consumption Reports
A new regulation will require drillers in Texas to report the chemicals in their hydraulic fracturing fluid and the amount of water used to frack each well.
More at The Texas Tribune.
Support for Falling Natural Gas Prices?
An article on The Globe and Mail website explores what might be the price support for falling gas prices – energy companies moving their investments to more profitable areas.
More at The Globe and Mail.
India Gas Shale Assessment
USGS has released a a fact sheet titled: “Assessment of Potential Shale Gas Resources of the Bombay, Cauvery, and Krishna–Godavari Provinces, India, 2011″.
More at USGS.
Azerbaijan Oil and Natural Gas Report
“Oil and gas development and export is central to Azerbaijan’s economic growth and the country is one of Caspian region’s most important strategic export openings to the West.” Quoted from the EIA report.
More at Energy Information Administration.
Errors in Marcellus Shale Well Counts?
Newspapers, legislators, drillers and environmental organizations have been confused by Marcellus Shale drilling data published by the State.
More at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Natural Gas Futures Price – $2.77
The price of natural gas continues to fall with the Nymex Henry Hub Future price closing at $2.77/MMBtu today. That is the lowest price in ten years.
Current energy prices at Bloomberg. [1]
[1] http://www.bloomberg.com/energy/
More at Associated Press.
Shale Gas and Shale Oil Resources of the Norte Basin, Uruguay
USGS has completed an assessment of the potential natural gas and oil resources present in shales of the Norte Basin of Uruguay.
More at USGS.
Methane Is Ubiquitous in Shallow Groundwater
An article published by the Oil and Gas Journal shows that methane was ubiquitous in shallow groundwater prior to oil and gas drilling in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.
More at Oil and Gas Journal.
US Gas Shales Attract Worldwide Investors
In just the past few weeks companies from China, France and Japan have purchased large holdings in the Eagle Ford, Utica and Marcellus Shales.
More at Bloomberg.
Fracking Did Not Cause the 8/23/11 Virginia Earthquake
Someone must have blamed the Virginia earthquake of August 23 on hydraulic fracturing. An extensive article in the Daily Press explains why that is impossible.
More at Daily Press.
