Industry and Governors Promote Communications not Protection

March 7, 2012

Greetings Friends.  Would you believe it.   Oil and gas industry executives are saying that the industry can do better at managing their vast shale resources, particularly managing information in the public domain.    The implication is that much of the “problem” with shale gas development is one of public relations, i.e. an issue of how we [...]

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Gas CEOs Optimistic about Doing Business in West Virginia

February 25, 2012

“When I first came to this part of the country, West Virginia wasn’t known to be supportive of business. That’s all changed, and things are going to happen in West Virginia.”  This pronouncement was made by J. Brett Harvey, president and CEO of Consol Energy and reported in a State Journal story entitled  CEOs: Gas [...]

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New Public Health Project Opens to Assist Shale Pollution Victims in Southwestern Pennsylvania

February 24, 2012

The Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project is a non-profit that has opened in Washington County, PA. This project is in response to growing concerns over the potential health effects from hazardous pollutant releases associated with Marcellus shale gas development. It is funded by the Heinz Endowments, the Pittsburgh Foundation and the Claneil Foundation. Per the [...]

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Two Briefings on “Clean Energy”

February 22, 2012

The term “clean energy” is used in policy-making circles, at all levels of government. President Obama has proposed a goal of producing 80 percent of U.S. electricity from “clean energy” sources by 2035. However, different definitions of clean, differing metrics, and differing goals, among other reasons, makes this a complex issue. And, different and divergent [...]

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WV Water Research Institute: Water Management and Marcellus Gas Development

February 21, 2012

“JustBeneaththeSurfaceWV.com” is a web-site of the natural gas industry which has posted a slide presentation entitled Water Management and Marcellus Gas Development, by Paul Ziemkiewicz, PhD, Director, West Virginia Water Research Institute.  This covers the topics of water management including withdrawals, the management of returned frac water, produced water, disposal options and the effects on streams. [...]

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Gas Industry Is Trying to Reduce Explosions, Fires, and Accidents

February 20, 2012

There have been two or three major explosions at Marcellus shale drill sites in the northern panhandle of WV.  Fires and flares are not uncommon, resulting in substantial concern with the residents. One explosion occurred in June 2010 when workers at an AB Resources well site hit a “shallow pocket” of methane gas a little [...]

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New Study: Switching from Coal to Natural Gas is Not Recommended

February 19, 2012

The very first technical analysis published on the climate effects of a full transition from coal to natural gas has been prepared by Ken Caldeira, a climate scientist at the Carnegie Institution, and Nathan Myhrvold, the co-founder of Intellectual Ventures. Despite its reduced greenhouse gas emissions, the fossil fuel energy needed to build out natural [...]

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Pennsylvania Marcellus Gas Production Increases in 2011

February 18, 2012

Marcellus shale gas wells in Pennsylvania continued to see significant production increases in 2011. During the last half of 2011, the output was up over 40% from the same reporting period in 2010. New data come from the PA Department of Environmental Protection, showing over 2,200 producing wells, which is an increase of more than [...]

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Chambers of Commerce and County Commissioners Generally Promote Jobs But Not Environmental Protection

February 17, 2012

On February 3rd the Wetzel County Chamber of Commerce passed a resolution supporting appropriate efforts by the natural gas industry to explore and develop the resources located within the county to promote economic development through job creation and investment. The resolution states that: Whereas, WCCC represents over 150 businesses located in Wetzel County and surrounding [...]

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Volunteers Conduct a “Gas Well Study” for Kanawha & Putnam Counties in WV

February 16, 2012

A “Gas Well Study” report for 2011 has been prepared by George Monk and Molly Shaffnit for Kanawha and Putnam Counties in WV. Examined were surface owner issues and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s responses to problems and complaints. The last paragraph, in the Conclusions section, is worthy of consideration: Violations are rare in [...]

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