John Pinkerton, CEO of Range Resources, explains the “Triple Play” in natural gas that can be had in parts of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and West Virginia. Shale gas can be produced from the Upper Devonian Shale, the Marcellus Shale, and the Utica Shale – all from a single drill pad. More in the Star-Telegram Blogs.
From the PAGasDirectory Blog…. In an assessment of its lease holdings, Range Resources has included 10 to 14 trillion cubic feet of Upper Devonian natural gas as an unproven resource. The Upper Devonian is above the Marcellus Shale and includes multiple organic shales such as the Cleveland, Huron-Dunkirk, Rhinestreet, Middlesex and Geneseo-Burket Shales. See an article on SearchAndDiscovery.net for a generalized stratigraphic sequence.
The Common Council of Buffalo, New York voted to ban the practice of hydraulic fracturing within city limits. In addition, it bans the disposal of drilling waste water anywhere within the city. More at Empire State News.
A rock layer below the Marcellus Shale could prove to be another incredible source of natural gas. The Utica Shale is thicker, more geographically extensive and has already proven its ability to support commercial production.
The Delaware River Basin Commission is proposing a new Article 7 of DRBC’s Water Quality Regulations to protect the water resources of the Basin during the construction and operation of natural gas development projects. This Article applies to all natural gas development projects involving siting, construction or use of production, exploratory or other wells in the Basin regardless of the target geologic formation, and to water withdrawals, well pad and related activities and wastewater disposal activities comprising part of, associated with or serving such projects. Quoted from the DRBC factsheet.
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 in the Williamsport (PA) SunGazette.com summarizes a very optimistic assessment (with qualifiers) for natural gas production from the Utica Shale from a presentation given by Penn State faculty.
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.
Homeowners refused to join a Marcellus Shale production unit in New York but were pulled in through “compulsory integration” (the term used in New York for “forced pooling”). Now they have water problems. More at DCBureau.org.
The New York State Assembly voted 93 to 43 in favor of placing a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in the drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale. The bill now goes to Governor Patterson. More at CNN.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.
A review of some of the problems associated with developing the Marcellus Shale gas field in northwestern Pennsylvania and speculation on how many jobs have been lost in New York because of a drilling ban. More at BuffaloNews.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.
If you don’t believe that natural gas shales are attracting interest, the Developing Unconventional Gas East Conference, held last week in Pittsburgh, attracted over 2500 attendees. The Marcellus Shale was a focus of the conference. More in the Post-Gazette.
Development of the Utica Shale in Quebec could yield over one billion dollars per year in royalties and thousands of jobs. More on the CBC News site.
New York’s plan to cut programs at the state Department of Environmental Conservation has environmentalists worried that the environment will not be protected and drilling companies worried that permitting and regulatory processes will be extremely slow.
Gastem USA has received approval from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to do hydraulic fracturing tests of the Utica and Marcellus Shales in two wells. More at the Oil and Gas Journal.
The New York Metropolitan Transit Authority has a contract to purchase 135 heavy-duty transit buses with an option to purchase up to 340 more. All of these buses will run on compressed natural gas. More at treehugger.com. It’s great to see a large fleet of diesel vehicles converting to natural gas – maybe they will burn Marcellus Shale gas from Pennsylvania?
The ShaleCountry website has a collection videos, each featuring a person who lives or works in one of the major natural gas plays. These folks explain their job and how the natural gas industry is impacting their area. Featured are lawyer, roustabout, RV park owner, truck driver, welding supplier, diner worker, farmer, hose supplier, pastor and more. Each video represents a specific gas play such as the Haynesville, Marcellus or Fayetteville.
The Delaware River Basin Commission initially wanted a $5 million bond from natural gas drillers but is lowering the requirement because such a high amount would limit activity to all but the largest companies. More in the New York Times.
An article on Businessweek.com reports on a planned pipeline that will transport Marcellus Shale gas from Pennsylvania into upstate New York. The drilling moratorium in New York opens markets for Pennsylvania gas.
David Paterson, Governor of New York says that hydraulic fracturing will not be done in his state until there is “overwhelming evidence” that it will not damage water supplies. More at PressConnects.
The New York Senate passed a bill that will further delay the approval of permits for drilling the Marcellus Shale. The state assembly and the governor must approve before it would go into effect. More at Reuters.
An article in the StarGazette of Elmira, New York explores some of the economic and environmental impacts of developing the Marcellus Shale in the counties along the Pennsylvania-New York border. Blocking the use of hydraulic fracturing could cost the state $11 billion in lost revenue by 2020.
A New York Times article looks at some of the recent large investments in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field and quotes an industry estimate of 30,000 new wells drilled in the next ten years.
An article on The Daily Sentinel website reports that the Marcellus shale might yield $8 billion in natural gas in 2010, produce $785 million in state and local taxes, and produce 44,000 new jobs.
An article on the Reuters.com website reports that Chesapeake Energy plans to sell about 20% of its Marcellus Shale Assets for over $2 billion.
This is the third video in a three part series in which Dr. Anthony Ingraffea, an expert on hydraulic fracturing explains the process and its potential environmental impacts to a group of interested citizens in New York.
This is the second video in a three part series in which Dr. Anthony Ingraffea, an expert on hydraulic fracturing explains the process and its potential environmental impacts to a group of interested citizens in New York.
