USGS has published: “Landscape Consequences of Natural Gas Extraction in Fayette and Lycoming Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004–2010″ as an open file report.
More at USGS.Marcellus Shale
PA Supreme Court on Who Owns Shale Gas
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided not to overturn over 100 years of property transactions in a case involving the ownership of natural gas produced from the Marcellus Shale. Shale gas is not to be treated differently from natural gas produced fro…
More at Mondaq.com.
Landscape Disturbance and Shale Gas Extraction
The United States Geological Survey has published: “Landscape Consequences of Natural Gas Extraction in Allegheny and Susquehanna Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004–2010″. This document explains metrics used to assess the disturbance caused by drilling pads, access roads, pipelines and other gas related activities.
More at USGS.
Foreign Investments in US Shale
Since 2008, foreign companies have entered into 21 joint ventures with U.S. acreage holders and operators, investing more than $26 billion in tight oil and shale gas plays.
More at Energy Information Administration.
PA Gas Production Up 69 Percent on Less Drilling
“Natural gas production in Pennsylvania averaged 6.1 Bcf/d in 2012, up from 3.6 Bcf/d in 2011, according to Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection data released in February 2013. This 69% increase came in spite of a significant drop in the number of new natural gas wells started during the year.” Quoted from the Energy Information Administration’s Today in Energy.
More at Energy Information Administration.
10BCF per Day from the Marcellus Shale in 2013?
Rising production from the Marcellus Shale could push the rock unit over the 10 billion cubic feet per day production milestone in 2013.
More at Seeking Alpha.
Marcellus Shale in the Federal Reserve Beige Book
An article at the Akron Beacon Journal Online summarizes content related to economic activity attributed to the Marcellus Shale from the latest Federal Reserve Beige Book.
More at Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio.com).
NORM from the Marcellus Shale
“Drill cuttings and other materials associated with oil and gas have occasionally triggered radiation monitors at landfills. DEP’s data indicates that less than half a percent of all drill cuttings produced by the Marcellus Shale industry in 2012 that were disposed of in landfills triggered radiation monitors. The cuttings did not contain levels of radioactivity that would be harmful to the public, and they were safely disposed of in the landfills.” Quoted from the DEP announcement.
More at Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Oil from the Marcellus in West Virginia
An article on the Ohio.com website reports that Chesapeake Energy has three wells in West Virginia that yield hundreds of barrels of oil per day from the Marcellus Shale. They are in the state’s northern panhandle.
More at Ohio.com.
Drilling for Gas Under an Airport
Consol Energy has reached an agreement that will allow it for drill for natural gas on 9,000 acres of land at the Pittsburgh International Airport. This isn’t the first time airport property has been drilled for natural gas. In 2006 land surrounding the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport was part of a drilling deal.
More at Centre Daily Times.
Marcellus Slowdown in 2013?
Some experts believe that the pace of drilling and hiring in the Marcellus Shale natural gas play will slow during 2013. This will be a response to a lack of pipeline capacity and production capacity that either exceeds or is unavailable to new consum…
More at Washington Post.
Ohio: Sources of Water for Hydraulic Fracturing
This Ohio Department of Natural Resources document summarizes the potential sources of water for hydraulic fracturing in the Utica Shale and Marcellus Shale of eastern Ohio. Also included are basic regulations and the contact/regulatory authority for…
More at Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Geologic Map of Western Maryland
“The “Geological Map of Garrett, Allegany and western Washington Counties in Maryland” is the first comprehensive geologic map of the region published in more than 50 years. [...] As residential, commercial and recreational development increases in the western portion of the State, and with the potential for the Marcellus Shale to serve as a natural gas resource, the updated map will provide necessary information on the geologic factors that affect and guide decisions about the wise use of the landscape and natural resources.” Quoted from the MGS press release.
More at Maryland Geological Survey.
New York Fracking Ban: A Force Majeure Event?
For the past several years New York state government has not allowed hydraulic fracturing of the Marcellus Shale so Chesapeake Energy didn’t drill their leases. Chesapeake tried to use force majeure to keep their leases from expiring but a federal judge ruled against them.
More at Ohio.com.
Most Popular: 11/18 to 11/24
Inaccurate News Reports about Newberry Caldera and Salton Buttes [1]
Life Beneath the Seafloor [2]
Not Caused by Fracking [3]
Rare Earth Elements in Arizona? [4]
Stolen Petroglyphs [5]
Dispute: Natural Gas Under Natural Gas Storage Fields [6]
Volcano Movies [7]
[1] http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/10/fearmongering-speculation-newberry-salton-buttes/
[2] http://nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=126049&WT_mc_id=USNSF_51&WT_mc_ev=click
[3] http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/ceus/usb0006klz/aftershocks.php
[4] http://arizonageology.blogspot.com/2012/11/rethinking-rare-earth-element-potential.html
[5] http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-petroglyphs-theft-20121119,0,6886011.story
[6] http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/11/gas_storage_fields_complicatin.html
[7] http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/11/your-guide-to-volcanoes-in-movies/
Dispute: Natural Gas Under Natural Gas Storage Fields
You own property over a natural gas storage field that has been operated for decades. There is a shale unit below the storage field that could produce natural gas. Who controls that gas?
There are lots of natural gas storage fields in Pennsylvania …
Shale Activity Boosts Rail Traffic
Activity in the Marcellus Shale play has been an enormous boost to rail traffic. The railroad is hauling frac sand, water, chemicals, pipe, crane mats, natural gas liquids and more.
More at Triblive.com.
Dry Shale Gas Production Growth
Since January 2010, most of the increase in the dry shale gas production in the United States has been generated by the Marcellus Shale and the Haynesville Formation.
More at Energy Information Administration.
Dissolved Methane in New York Groundwater
USGS has published a report titled: Dissolved Methane in New York Groundwater. The study includes data collection to document the natural occurrence of methane in New York Aquifers.
More at USGS.
Gas Lease: Deal Breaker for Mortgage Refinance?
Some homeowners in Pennsylvania have been surprised to learn that they can not refinance their homes when their property has been leased to a company planning to drill for Marcellus Shale gas.
More at Philly.com.
Natural Gas Price Divergence
Since early spring there has been a large divergence in natural gas prices at HenryHub and Tennessee Zone 4 Marcellus. The divergence has often been over $1/MMBtu demonstrating the glut of gas in the Marcellus region.
More at Energy Information Administration.
Marcellus Shale Organic Thickness Map
Ohio DNR has publised a regional organic-thickness map of the Marcellus Shale with additional organic-rich beds in the Hamilton Group. The map covers areas in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and New York.
More at Ohio DNR.
Horizontal Wells in Pennsylvania
Natural gas drillers in Pennsylvania begin at least four new wells every day and most of those wells will have a horizontal leg.
More at Energy Information Administration.
80,000 Wells in Ohio Have Been Fracked Since 1950
Ohio DNR has a fact sheet about wastewater flowback during hydraulic fracturing. A quote from the fact sheet: “Hydraulic fracturing (sometimes called fracking) has been used since the 1950s in Ohio as part of the oil and gas drilling process. About 80,000 wells have been drilled in Ohio using hydraulic fracturing.”
More at Ohio DNR.
Marcellus Gas Shuts down the Rockies Express Pipeline
The Rockies Express pipeline used to deliver lots of natural gas from the western US to eastern US markets. Now natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica Shales is eliminating the need for gas transported in from great distances.
More at Platts.com.
TCO Appalachia and Henry Hub Gas Prices at Parity
“Natural gas at the TCO Appalachia index has historically been priced about $0.25 per million British thermal units above Henry Hub. However, the spread between these two points in spot markets reflects rough parity now, and in forward markets TCO is priced less than at the Henry Hub.” Quoted from the Energy Information Administration website.
More at Energy Information Administration.
Utica Shale Logistics in Ohio
A logistics conference in Ohio focused on the transportation challenges that will be faced in developing the Utica Shale.
More at Ohio.com.
AASG on Hydraulic Fracturing
“After decades of hydraulic fracturing-related activity there is little evidence if any that hydraulic fracturing itself has contaminated fresh groundwater. No occurrences are known where hydraulic fracturing fluids have moved upward from the zone of fracturing of a horizontal well into the fresh drinking water.” Quoted from the Association of American State Geologists statement.
More at Association of American State Geologists.
Monitoring Hydraulic Fracturing in Ohio
This short video by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources explains the hydraulic fracturing process and how Ohio DNR is involved in regulating and monitoring the well construction process.
More at Ohio DNR YouTube Channel.
Pennsylvania: Natural Gas Production Doubles
“Annual gross natural gas production more than doubled in Pennsylvania in 2011, exceeding 1 trillion cubic feet, due to production from the Marcellus shale.” Quoted from the Energy Information Administration state energy report.
More at Energy Information Administration.
Regulating Natural Gas Drilling Through Zoning?
State and local governments in Pennsylvania are at odds over who has the legal authority to control natural gas drilling. State regulations, local zoning and state-wide zoning are all in contention.
More at Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
EPA Report on Dimock Water
EPA has tested drinking water from Dimock, Pennsylvania and reports that it is safe to drink. There has been a long dispute about contamination of Dimock area water by hydraulic fracturing.
More at NorthCentralPA.com.
No Premium for Appalachian Natural Gas
Spreads between Appalachian Index natural gas in southwest Pennsylvania — and the Henry Hub in the Gulf Coast are changing due mainly to growth in Marcellus production. Appalachian Index gas has historically been priced about $0.25 per MMBtu above He…
More at Energy Information Administration.
Marcellus Shale Slowdown
An article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explores the slowdown in natural gas drilling experienced in most parts of the Marcellus Shale region. The drillers are not the only ones feeling the drop in activity.
More at Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
Water Quality Where Hydraulic Fracturing is Used
The United States Geological Survey has published: “Water Quality Studied in Areas of Unconventional Oil and Gas Development, Including Areas Where Hydraulic Fracturing Techniques are Used, in the United States.”
More at United States Geological Survey.
Natural Gas Bottlenecks
The Energy Information Administration has identified three “bottleneck” areas where new natural gas pipeline capacity is urgently needed. These include the Marcellus producing region of northeastern Pennsylvania the consuming regions in New York City and New England.
More at Energy Information Administration.
Production Profiles: Shale Play Wells
The EIA Annual Energy Outlook 2012 report includes information about projected average production profiles for shale gas wells in major United States shale plays by years of operation.
More at Energy Information Administration.
Drill or Forfeit the Lease?
Chesapeake and Statoil have lots of Marcellus leases that require them to drill or forfeit the lease. However, they are hesitant to drill because gas prices are very low and much of the gas will be without pipeline.
More at Marketwatch.
Appalachian Basin Cross Section
“Geologic cross section C–C′ is the third in a series of cross sections constructed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to document and improve understanding of the geologic framework and petroleum systems of the Appalachian basin.” Quoted from the USGS publication release.
More at USGS.
Worthless Marcellus Leases in New York
After a long moratorium on Marcellus Shale drilling in New York, a variety of proposed regulations and local bans on drilling could render millions of leased acres as worthless.
More at FuelFix.com.
