Houston Advanced Research Center

The Houston Advanced Research Center  has awarded a contract to the “epic software group, inc.” to create an innovative multimedia web application. This application is designed to help the public, the workforce, and government officials by showing many of the new environmentally sustainable technologies now available or being developed in the energy industry.

“epic will create an interactive application that demonstrates the conventional way we drill for oil and gas, then contrast it with videos and 3D animations of a host of new tools and techniques designed to reduce the impact of energy production on the environment,” said Dr. Richard Haut of HARC. While some of these technologies may be in the development phase, others are available and ready for commercialization.

 A series of videos will be created and hosted by “Ralph and Rhonda” two roughnecks that don’t always see eye to eye. Ralph is an old-timer and likes to do things ..… the way we’ve always done ‘em in the oil patch’. Rhonda is relatively new to the industry, but has recently come back from visiting companies working with these new technologies. She is anxious to share what she has learned with Ralph. The web based application will be available to the public and used in workshops to develop a new breed of skilled individuals. Some of the new environmentally friendly technologies include: Closed Loop Mud Systems, Small Footprint Rigs, Advanced Hydraulic Fracturing Systems, High Efficiency Water Handling and Processing Systems.

Phase I of the project is scheduled for completion at the end of September, 2012, with additional phases to follow. For more information on the HARC Environmentally Friendly Drilling Systems organization, visit: www.efdsystems.org.

The public is invited to attend a rally to demonstrate support for a moratorium on Marcellus shale drilling and fracking to be held from 10AM to 2PM on Monday, July 11, 2011 at the State Capitol Building in Charleston, WV. This event is sponsored by WV4MOM (West Virginia for a Moratorium on Marcellus). More info about an agenda, speakers, transportation, and parking will be released soon.   For more information contact frackinquestions@gmail.com.  For carpooling arrangements contact  wv4momcarpool@gmail.com.

Concerned citizens showed up in force at the City Council meeting on Tuesday evening in Morgantown, WV.   About 20 people addressed the council members with concerns regarding a permitted Marcellus shale well near the Monongahela River within 3,000 feet of a public water intake that serves 100,000 people.   Many inquired about getting an injunction to stop the drilling of the wells permitted to Northeast Natural Energy, a West Virginia company.   The council responded with a letter to Randy Huffman, the Secretary of the WVDEP, supporting the permit modifications proposed by the Morgantown Utility Board.  The letter was faxed on Wednesday the 18th.  The WVDEP negotiated with Northeast and a modified permit which complies with the MUB requests is expected to be completed today.  Drilling can be expected to start as soon as the permit is issued as modified.

Wednesday morning, an estimated 120 concerned citizens assembled at the Courthouse Square in downtown Morgantown to protest the  controversial well permit.   Delegates Barbara Fleischauer and Charlene Marshall addressed the crowd to discuss their work on the issue of regulation of hydraulic fracturing.   Several citizens addressed the crowd, sharing their concerns about various aspects of hydraulic fracturing including the impact of industrialization on West Virginia, water contamination, air pollution, lack of regulation and lack of funding for the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.  Attorney Hiram Lewis, who represents clients with water contamination problems in Wetzel County, told that water is being contaminated with acrylonitrile, a toxic substance that is not being checked by testing.  He also observed that the concrete well casings may be incapable of withstanding the forces of fracking and may crack.  He stated that there is no proof that well casings can withstand more than 7,000 psi and that frack pressures exceed 10,000 psi.

As the protest demonstration was going on in the square outside the courthouse, inside the courthouse the County Commissioners were meeting.  Duane Nichols, representing the Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition, presented a position statement which expressed opposition to hydraulic fracturing in the Mon River Valley, noting in particular  dangerous threats to air quality.  ”The two Marcellus wells recently sited at or near the Morgantown Industrial Park are too close to the other facilities of the Industrial Park, too close to the Skyview Elementary School, too close to the Westwood Middle School, too close to the County Athletic Field between these schools, and too close to the City of Morgantown.”   Marc Glass is a certified soil remediation specialist who lives near the controversial drilling sites.  He described the Superfund site currently within the Morgantown Industrial Park where the wells are planned and the  proximity of a hazardous waste dump, both of significant concern if these come into contact with drilling fluids.  Glass also described the activities of the EPA and the Department of Energy toward developing best practices for drilling operations.

The three Commissioners agreed that that action at the state level is needed.  They agreed to draft a letter to the governor to call for a Special Session to create law for hydraulic fracking and pointing out that an untenable situation exists in West Virginia due to risks and uncertainties involved in Marcellus gas projects.