Some people in San Diego are concerned that the liquefied natural gas being brought there from overseas suppliers has a slightly different chemistry than local gas resulting in more air pollution. Not mentioned in the SignOnSanDiego.com article is the pollution generated when the gas is compressed into LNG, transported and converted from LNG back into a gaseous fuel.
In a online presentation, Michael Arthur of Pennsylvania State University, reports that the Onondaga Limestone below the Marcellus Shale and the Tully Limestone above the Marcellus Shale, are competent rock units that block the migration of hydraulic fractures. In addition, the induced fractures do not migrate upwards into freshwater aquifers because of the great overburden stress and the horsepower limitations of the equipment.
This is a June, 2010 fact sheet that explains why EPA is studying hydraulic fracturing and the connection between natural ground waters and the fluids used in the hydraulic fracturing process.
“Public concerns have focused recently on the impacts of the hydraulic fracturing process used during natural gas production from shale and coalbed methane formations.” Quoted from the EPA fact sheet.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has approved the first mobile treatment plant for hydraulic fracturing return water. The plant processes the water and yields about 80% of it as a clean liquid that can be discharged into the environment. The remaining 20% is a brine that requires further treatment. Read more at WorldOil.com.
During the past three months over 500 small earthquakes have shaken the area around Guy, Arkansas. These earthquakes have been blamed on drilling the Fayetteville Shale, wastewater injection wells and natural processes. Which is it?
Over the past few years natural gas companies have been drilling the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania but have been blocked from drilling in New York because of environmental concerns. An article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette offers several different perspectives on the two methods of resource management.
An article on the FuelFix.com website reviews improvements in the hydraulic fracturing process that could be implemented in the next few years. These involve more efficient equipment, new and safer chemicals, automation of tasks and recycling waste w
In a recent letter to the editor of the Daily American, Lou D’Amico, President of the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association explains how drilling multiple horizontal wells from a single drilling site allows the natural gas of an area to be harvested with only 2 to 3 percent of the total surface acreage being disturbed.
The Civil Society Institute conducted a survey to determine the attitudes of people related to hydraulic fracturing and water quality. The NewsOK.com website published commentary on the survey. The survey revealed that nearly half of Americans have heard of hydraulic fracturing.
Chemicals added to hydraulic fracturing fluids include: friction reducers that allow fluids to pumped more efficiently; biocides to prevent microorganism growth and to reduce biofouling of the fractures; oxygen scavengers and other stabilizers to prevent corrosion of metal pipes; and acids that are used to remove drilling mud damage within the near-well bore area.
Three developers have proposed liquefied natural gas import terminals in the Passamaquoddy Bay area of Maine – Calais LNG, Quoddy Bay LNG and Downeast LNG. Quoddy’s application was dismissed, Calais withdrew their application last week and now, Downeast is the only application pending. More at the Maine Sunday Telegram.
“The State of the Susquehanna” is a report prepared for the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. It will be updated every few years to track issues that include: water use, water supply, mine drainage impact, nutrient levels, aquatic life, drilling impact, sediments and more.
Concerned about the purity of their water supply, the Philadelphia City Council has called for a ban on Marcellus Shale gas drilling until the EPA says that it is safe. More at NewsWorks.org.
The Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission will require drilling companies to release generalized information about the composition of fluids used in the hydraulic fracturing fluid starting on January 15, 2011. Hydraulic fracturing and directional drilling have been used heavily in Arkansas to develop the Fayetteville Shale. More at Platts.com.
The Delaware River Basin Commission has proposed natural gas drilling regulations that will significantly increase the requirements placed on companies who must abide by them. More in the New York Times.
New York Governor, David Patterson, took two actions related to natural gas. First he issued an executive order that will prohibit the use of hydraulic fracturing in the state until July 1, 2011. Second, he vetoed a temporary ban on all natural gas drilling in the state. More at NY1.com.
Two household water supplies in Texas were found to contain methane and benzene. Range Resources is working to restore their water supplies and determine the source of the gas. More at the New York Times.
Sometimes drilling companies release natural gas into the atmosphere because they don’t have the ability to capture the gas and transport it to market. The Government Accountability Office says that 50 billion cubic feet of natural gas is lost this way each year from federal lands – that could be worth over $23 million in tax dollars. More at Forbes.com.
No permits for the use of hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale will be issued in New York until at least May 15, 2011 if a bill passed by the State Assembly is signed by the Governor. Gas companies sitting on ticking leases were again frustrated that they can not drill and develop their assets. More at Reuters.
Ken Salazar, head of the US Department of the Interior says: “we will be considering issuing a policy that will deal with the issue of disclosure requirements with respect to the fluids used in hydraulic fracturing”. More on TheHill.com.
“Hydraulic fracturing is a procedure that can increase the flow of oil or gas from a well. It is done by pumping liquids down a well into subsurface rock units under pressures that are high enough to fracture the rock. The goal is to create a network of interconnected fractures that will serve as pore spaces for the movement of oil and natural gas to the well bore.” Quote from the Geology.com article.
Video below by Chesapeake Energy.
API, the American Petroleum Institute, cautions lawmakers that over-regulating the use of hydraulic fracturing could do significant damage to the oil and gas industry along with consumers who will pay higher prices when less effective technologies must be used. More at the Houston Chronicle.
“Long recognized as the industry leader in advancing the science and engineering of the production enhancement technology known as hydraulic fracturing, Halliburton today announced the introduction of a first-of-its-kind fracture fluid system comprised of materials sourced entirely from the food industry.” Quoted from the Halliburton press release.
An article in the Energy and Environment pages of the New York Times explains how and why many coal-fired electric power plants are converting to natural gas.
An article on the NBBusinessJournal.com website explores some positive and negative aspects of natural gas drilling in New Brunswick and compares it to the Marcellus Shale development in Pennsylvania.
ArkansasMatters reports that lots of small earthquakes are occurring in Faulkner County, Arkansas. Some people think that they are related to natural gas drilling or hydraulic fracturing in the Fayetteville Shale.
How deep are the earthquakes compared to the depth of the drilling?
A Penn State wildlife expert says that hunters going into the woods this year will be shocked to find the amount of land that has been disturbed by roads, pipelines and drilling pads used to develop the Marcellus Shale. More at the TimesLeader.com.
Steve Kirchhoff, the ExxonMobil vice president for natural gas, reviewed a number of factors that will determine the long-term direction of the natural gas industry in the United States. More at PennEnergy.com.
Jessica Ball has posted a very interesting photo of a flaming natural gas seep taken where the Hanover Shale outcrops in a waterfall at Shale Creek Preserve in western New York. These seeps were known long before hydraulic fracturing was invented.
Thanks to a number of shale gas plays in the United States the supply of natural gas is up and the price of natural gas is down. An article at Reuters.com reviews opportunities for natural gas to displace other fuels that emit more carbon dioxide when they are used.
