Chair of DOE Shale Gas Panel Presents Summary of Recommendations

August 19, 2011

Fracking Protest Rally In January, Energy Secretary Steven Chu formed a subcommittee of his advisory board on natural gas. The subcommittee, which John Deutch chaired, presented recommendations this week intended to give the public, regulators and industry a measurable way to monitor progress in reducing current and potential environmental impacts of shale-gas production, not just from fracking. [...]

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Hot Topics & Opinions: Ban, Regulate, Drill / Frack, Crack, or Pipeline

August 18, 2011

The City of Morgantown is still under pressure to ban fracking within the City limits and out one mile, given the voices of the residents at the last City Council meeting and the Morgantown Dominion-Post editorial “We respectfully object, your honor.”  The local newspaper says that the City should appeal the decision of the Monongalia [...]

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The “Open Season” for the “Marcellus Ethane Pipeline System” Closes on September 15th

August 16, 2011

A proposed pipeline project, tentatively scheduled for completion in late 2014, is being developed as the “Marcellus Ethane Pipeline System” jointly by El Paso Midstream Group and Spectra Energy Transmission. This project would involve  “110 miles of newly constructed liquid ethane pipeline from at or near Houston, Pa., and at or near Natrium, W.Va. (assuming [...]

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WAJR in Morgantown Broadcasts “Inside Shale Weekly” for the WV Oil and Natural Gas Association

August 16, 2011

This week “Inside Shale Weekly” broadcast an interview with Hoppy Kercheval on the recent events in northern WV. And, Cabinet Secretary Randy Huffman answered questions about the WV Office of Oil and Gas. He said that the Governor’s Executive Order will be implemented within a few days via a filing with the Secretary of State. [...]

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State and Federal Agencies Involved in Permitting New Marcellus Gas Pipelines

August 15, 2011

One of the largest pipeline projects of the Marcellus region, a $700 million expansion of Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co.’s “300” pipeline, is already under construction, employing 2,100 surveyors, inspectors and construction workers. It received federal approval last year to lay approximately 127 miles of 30-inch pipeline — along the existing “300” pipeline where possible — [...]

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An Extensive Campaign Underway in the Marcellus Gas Industry of WV & PA

August 14, 2011

As reported today in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the gas industry companies are  reaching out to communities via fairs and other projects.  These global giants are looking to improve local ties.   Projects in West Virginia may well have influenced the Wellsburg city council to remove the ban on drilling and fracking within the city limits.  [...]

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Monongalia County Judge Declares Morgantown Fracking Ban Invalid

August 13, 2011

On August 12th, Circuit Judge Susan Tucker of Monongalia County overturned the fracking ban of the City of Morgantown, which extended one mile beyond the City limits, according to the Morgantown Dominion-Post.  “The ordinance passed by the City of Morgantown,” she concluded, “is pre-empted by state legislation and is invalid.” Northeast Natural Energy has already [...]

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WV Invests in Startup Offering Alternative to Cracker Plant

August 13, 2011

There has been much talk of bringing an ethane cracker plant to West Virginia.  But the state is investing in an alternative technology via an investment of $250,000 by the West Virginia Jobs Investment Trust in Aither Chemicals, LLC. A traditional cracker plant requires an investment of approximately $1 billion or more.  According to the press [...]

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DOE Panel Warns of Serious Impacts, Urges Holistic Approach to Regulation

August 11, 2011

Ninety days ago, the Department of Energy assigned a subcommittee of 7 members to study hydraulic fracturing and make regulatory recommendations.  The panel was criticized by 109 organizations and 28 scientists for being biased– six of the seven members were identified as having financial ties to the industry. When the final 41-page report was released today, several [...]

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SEC Subpoenas Shale Gas Producers

August 8, 2011

Many an eyebrow was raised in June, when Ian Urbina’s article in the New York Times called into question the economics behind the profitability of shale gas plays.  He went so far as to quote an analyst who called them “Ponzi schemes.”  The article was one of his  series on Marcellus Shale gas, covered in [...]

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