Commentary: When Minerals Owners Lease Their Oil & Gas Rights

October 19, 2012

Thoughts on Leasing the Right to Produce Oil and Gas By S. Thomas Bond Leases, like many things, don’t get much deep thought by lessors or by lawyers. They just “are.” They are talked about, used, and sometimes fought over. Often there is much unhappiness as the result of features someone didn’t think out thoroughly. [...]

Read the full article →

Marcellus Shale Coalition Issues Guidelines for Managing Stray Gas

October 18, 2012

MSC industry trade group Managing stray gas is the subject of a fourth guidance document from the Marcellus Shale Coalition, issued October16th. The essentials of this article were compiled by Pam Kasey as published by the State Journal.  In its three-page “Recommended Practices: Responding to Stray Gas Incidents,” the Pennsylvania-based natural gas industry group lays [...]

Read the full article →

Meet and Greet at Sky Truth in Shepherdstown WV on October 24th

October 17, 2012

The SKY TRUTH “meet and greet” session is set now for Wednesday, October 24th at 1 PM in the Byrd Center for Legislative Studies Auditorium at Shepherd University, in Shepherdstown, WV.  Come out and meet the fearless leader, John Amos, the Chief Laboratory Rat, Paul Woods, and the amazing group of Sky Truth interns and volunteers. [...]

Read the full article →

Call for Moratorium on Marcellus Drilling Permits in Lewis County

October 16, 2012

On Monday, October 15th, representatives of three local organizations addressed the Lewis County Commission, asking for a moratorium until seven conditions outlined by the Sierra Club and ten other state-wide organizations could be met:  The conditions are: 1. No new permits should be issued until DEP inspections of drilling operations and gas wells become mandatory. [...]

Read the full article →

USGS Report Details How Natural Gas Extraction Destroys Forests

October 16, 2012

US Geological Survey Bradford & Washington Counties in PA A new analysis from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) of two counties in Pennsylvania found that natural gas extraction creates “potentially serious patterns of disturbance on the landscape.” Wellpads, roads, pipelines and waste pits are clearcuts in forests. Cumulatively they are very destructive to the natural ecosystem. According to the [...]

Read the full article →

Public Service Commission Lowers Gas Rates in West Virginia

October 15, 2012

Natural gas rates lower The Public Service Commission  on October 12th ordered natural gas utilities to lower the purchased gas portion of their rates for the upcoming heating season. The lower interim rates will go into effect on November 1, 2012. Final rates will be set in early 2013. Hope Gas customers will see their [...]

Read the full article →

WV Needs A Moratorium on Permits for Marcellus Gas Wells

October 14, 2012

Eleven Environmental / Conservation Groups Call for a Moratorium on Marcellus Permits In accordance with the West Virginia Code establishing the Department of Environmental Protection:  Chapter 22, Article 1-1 (a):  The Legislature finds that:  (1) Restoring and protecting the environment is fundamental to the health and welfare of individual citizens, and our government has a [...]

Read the full article →

ELECTION 2012: Candidates for WV Governor Discuss Fracking Regulation

October 13, 2012

The article below is from a story in The Morgantown Dominion Post on October 12, 2012 by David Beard. THIS IS the first in a series of stories profiling the views of the candidates for West Virginia governor on a variety of issues: Democrat  Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, Republican Bill Maloney, Mountain Party’s Jesse Johnson and [...]

Read the full article →

“Clean Coal” Projects Involving Carbon Capture & Storage Face Problems Worldwide

October 12, 2012

Carbon Capture & Storage The information below is from the Reuters article of Valerie Volcovici dated October 10th: Projects that capture and store carbon emissions at coal power and industrial plants must come online by 2020 if the world is to stay on course to keeping the rise in global temperatures below a threshold deemed [...]

Read the full article →

Conventional Natural Gas Wells Proposed at Capital High School in Charleston, WV

October 11, 2012

Capitol High School Band The following information comes from the Charleston Daily Mail as published on October 7, 2012: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kanawha County Schools officials say natural gas wells might be drilled on Capital High School property. But, no plans are finalized. They believe it could provide much needed savings and revenue to the [...]

Read the full article →