Chesapeake Appalachia and Seitel Data have settled lawsuits against several Monongalia County landowners who had refused Seitel access to their lands for natural gas seismic testing. Seitel attorney Christopher Power — with the Charleston office of Dinsmore & Shohl — said he was not at liberty to reveal the terms of the settlements, but access was granted.

Seitel is the company that has been flying a helicopter over western Mon County dropping wireless sensors, called geophones, to record shockwaves sent underground to help create a picture of the earth, including possible pockets of natural gas, using sound waves. Seitel and Chesapeake filed five separate cases, against Charles and Sue Loya, Aaron and Cynthia Cox, Donald and Donnis Price, all of Core; Scott Rice, of Fairview; and Jimmy Perani, of Blacksville. All five parties are surface owners without royalty rights to the minerals that may underlie their properties.

Through a subcontractor, Seitel approached the landowners about access. The agent explained the “minimal impact.” The landowners also received a proposed surface-owner use agreement and a notice form issued by the Department of Environmental Protection, which includes a reclamation plan
    
The seismic testing in question in the lawsuit involves placement of explosive charges in small bore holes drilled at various points. Seismic equipment measures the shock waves to help determine the presence of natural gas pockets.
    
Chesapeake contracted with Seitel to conduct the testing project — called the Cassville West 3D Seismic Testing Program — over a 170-square mile area across Mon, Marion and Wetzel counties. “Without reliable seismic data,” the suits said, “Chesapeake is unable to fully and efficiently develop its oil and gas properties,” particularly its Marcellus shale holdings, “and risks losing the value of its investment in oil and gas leases.”

Helicopters Used In Seismic Testing
June 10, 2009, Wetzel Chronicle, New Martinsville, WV

In Wetzel County in 2009, the Dawson Geophysical Company, contracted by Chesapeake Energy, performed seismic testing using helicopters.

Shale gas is more wishful thinking

Why do people buy forecasts by the burgeoning shale gas industry? So many thousand jobs by such a date, for example. This is just solicitation for more investment and less regulation. There is everything to be gained and nothing to be lost by putting out such figures — if they are not reached they will have been long since forgotten.

In this industry the big money is being made in attracting investment and financing and in leasing. Success depends on the perception of the future. Production is a poor cousin because the game is believed to be so good by investors and governments regulating it so many have entered the business.

Reliable estimates of coal reserves can be done by core drilling, but the contents of shale is highly variable from place to place. The industry is now in the process of finding and extracting “hot spots.” Future reserves will inevitably be lower quality. Production of individual wells falls off rapidly, half or more of the total production being received in the first two years, so new wells must constantly be drilled to maintain production.

All concerned would do well to consider conservation and to make conservative long-range plans. Wishful thinking has no place.

S. Thomas Bond, Jane Lew