In this video CONSOL Energy CEO, Brett Harvey, talks about the company’s purchase of natural gas assets from Dominion Resources. He seems to think highly of the potential for natural gas. A quote: “Natural Gas will be the chosen fuel.” (Consol already owns a lot of coal mines between the surface and the Marcellus Shale which create conflicting land use problems when drilling for natural gas.)

A free webinar titled: “The Impact of Marcellus Shale: What Do the Economic Impact Studies Imply?” is scheduled for Thursday, March 18th at 1:00 PM and hosted by the Penn State Cooperative Extension. You can register on their website.

How long will the new natural gas shale plays be producing gas? 20 years? 40? More? This topic was discussed at IHS CERA conference last week in Houston. Some believe that they will be producing gas for a long time.

The Headline article in the West Virginia Observer gives a review of the objections to hydraulic fracturing and discusses potential actions by the West Virginia legislature aimed at protecting public health and the environment.

An article in Reuters explains that Statoil has a deal with Tennessee Gas Pipeline to transport Marcellus Shale natural gas from Pennsylvania to New York City and parts of New Jersey. This connection to cities on the east coast is part of what makes the Marcellus Shale gas play so important.

Range Resources has their 2009 production, reserves and drilling activity posted on the web. Their production increased 13% and their proved reserves were up by 18% with a leasehold position of 2.5 million net acres.

An article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources is going to increase the number of inspectors assigned to oversee natural gas drilling by 50%. Fees paid by companies who want to drill in the state will also be will also be significantly increased.

An article on the Syracuse.com website reports that Chesapeake Energy wants to store 663 million (??) gallons of hydrofrack water produced in Pennsylvania in a well about a mile from Keuka Lake.

Calvin Tillman, the Mayor of Dish, Texas gave a two hour presentation on how to prevent the harmful effects of natural gas drilling at the Elmira Heights Theater in Elmira Heights, New York. He encouraged local officials to “take control” of what happens in their jurisdiction. More at The Online Leader.

Drilling and hydrofracking a well in one of the natural gas plays such as the Marcellus or Haynesville requires at least a million gallons of water with chemical additives and will become salty when it comes in contact with subsurface brines. An article on the Reuters website explores this problem in New York.

Most of the publicity about natural gas drilling in New York has focused on environmental concerns and limiting resource development. A recent assembly of people in Binghamton focused on the rights of property owners to benefit from their resource. More in an article on Reuters.com.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is looking to the Marcellus Shale for revenues and lawmakers are considering a severance tax on natural gas. The gas companies say that a tax would slow development of the resource. More in an article on the Reuters website.

Some legislators in Harrisburg are trying to raise more revenue from the Marcellus Shale while others are trying to put on the brakes to reduce environmental impacts. More in an article at Philly.com.

An article on the Oil and Gas Journal website reports that the Sumitomo Corporation of Japan is considering a stake in the Marcellus Shale gas play. Last year they invested in Barnett Shale acreage.

An article on the Oil and Gas Journal website gives a detailed presentation on the huge number of opportunities that still exist in the Marcellus Shale gas play.