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MATT HUGHES mhughes@timesleader.com

HANOVER TWP. – Audience members asked a lot of questions at Tuesday’s meeting of the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority Board meeting, but few walked away with the answers they sought.

The board has for the past 18 months been studying the feasibility of opening an additional facility to treat flow-back water produced by hydraulic fracturing, the process used by natural gas drillers to unlock gas trapped in shale formations.

About 50 packed the meeting room at the authority to comment on the project, which would be built on sanitary authority property in the Lyndwood section of the township.

They voiced concerns about air and noise pollution, the number of trucks that would visit the facility daily, chemicals, heavy metals and radioactive materials in the flowback water, and contamination of the Susquehanna River in the event of an accident.

Chairman James Hankey said the board is still conducting its study and considering different types of facility and different methods of bringing water there for treatment, and as such did not have the answers to many questions asked.

There are no concrete plans or timeline in place for the project, the board said.

When asked by audience members, Hankey responded he could not say if water treated by the facility would contain hazardous or radioactive chemicals, what would be done with sediment removed from treated water, how many trucks would be needed to bring water to the plant daily and what would happen if there were a chemical spill at the site or if the site were flooded.

The crowd grew most impassioned when Hankey said the board was asked to look into the possibility of building the treatment facility.

When asked by whom, Hankey stated “I’m not sure,” prompting cries of “ah, come on, you know,” “pathetic,” and the names of natural gas drilling companies.

Township residents also questioned why the sanitary authority wants to build the facility in Hanover rather than in the northern tier, where gas drilling is much more prevalent.

“Can’t you build a plant closer to where this activity is actually going on?” asked Frank Marra of Hanover Township. “We don’t get the benefit of the leased property up there, and we want to get the tail end of it?”

Hankey said profits raised by the facility could reduce frequency and severity of sewer fees Wyoming Valley property owners pay.

After the meeting, board members referred questions to John Minora, spokesman for Pennsylvania Northeast Aqua Resources, the authority’s consultant.

Minora said much of the water produced from Pennsylvania shale gas wells is currently being trucked to Ohio and West Virginia for treatment and disposal.

“We’re closer,” Minora said. “We’re reducing truck traffic, we’re reducing wear and tear on the roads and we’re reducing pollution.”

Minora added that existing infrastructure at the sanitary authority, including unused tanks that could be used to store treated water and excess heat currently being wasted by the authority, make the site an attractive one.

Minora said the authority is considering three methods of bringing water to the proposed facility: tanker trucks, rail transport, and piping in water from staging areas away from residential areas.

“We want to do it in a way that impacts on the community as minimally as possible,” he said.

Hankey said the authority would consider all scientific information the public submitted.

Members of the audience submitted a draft plan of the recently begun federal Environmental Protection Agency study of hydraulic fracturing’s effect on water supplies recently, a scientific article about the health risks posed by chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing and the Pennsylvania State Police’s FracNET enforcement effort, which targets trucks hauling water for gas drillers.

Tom Jiunta of the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition also submitted a list of more than 40 questions about the project he hopes the authority will answer.

“I think their lack of transparency had the crowd quite perturbed,” Jiunta said of the board after the meeting.

“I think they need to be more forthcoming. … They need to go above and beyond to show that their decisions are science-based, not profit-based. People in Luzerne County demand accountability.”

Copyright: Times Leader

 

On Wednesday, January 26^th, testimony was offered by numerous Northeast Pennsylvania officials at a Senate Republican Party Policy Committee hearing regarding the impact of Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling.

Among the issues discussed were the possibility of imposing an impact fee to drilling companies, environmental issues stemming from roadside ditches, and the effects of the increasing truck traffic.

To read more, click here.

Visit The Daily Review

As a hunter, you may be surprised by the level of drilling activity associated with Marcellus shale on public lands in Pennsylvania. This article provides information, resources, and advice to help you make your hunting plans.

Written by Margaret Brittingham, Penn State University

Hunters venturing out this hunting season may be surprised by the level of Marcellus activity on public land in the North central, Northeastern and Southwestern regions of the state where gas exploration and development associated with the Marcellus Shale formation have increased exponentially over the past year.  As of October 1 there were 4,510 active Marcellus permits.  Compare this with October 1, 2009 when there were 1,970 permits.  Associated with the drilling activity, hunters will find new or modified roads in many areas and may encounter large amounts of truck traffic in areas where active drilling is occurring.  To accommodate hunters and reduce conflicts, DCNR will be limiting heavy truck traffic associated with Marcellus activities on the three days of bear season (November 20,22,23) and other days when numbers of hunters are high (November 29 and 30, and December 4 and 11) in many areas.

Hunters may also come upon large open areas that are cleared or being cleared as well pad sites.  The well pad is considered to be a restricted area that is not open to the public.  The dividing line between the public forest and the restricted area is the native vegetation line.  Individuals standing in the native vegetation are considered to be on public ground.  Those standing on the well pad are in restricted areas and fall under the rules and regulations of the company doing the drilling and completion activities.  Most active drilling locations have a guard shack to identify all individuals accessing the pad.  This is mainly a safety feature should a major accident or event happen on the pad and to keep the general public from being injured.  Individuals hunting within the pad boundaries may be asked for their names and purpose for being there. The well pad locations where there are drilling and fracing activities occurring will be posted with Safety Zone signs 150 yards from the edge of the pad.  No hunting will be allowed within the safety zone.  With both drilling and fracing there are workers temporarily living on site 24 hours a day. Pads not subject to drilling or production activities will not be posted.

Hunters are advised to check out their favorite hunting sites ahead of time as access may be restricted in areas surrounding active drilling operations.

A number of websites have information on where drilling is occurring.  The Pennsylvania DCNR provides a map of current Marcellus permits and a list of what roads are open for hunting season on State Forest Land.

For the most up to date and accurate information, contact the appropriate DCNR district forest office.

Originally Published At: PSU.edu

Published:  January 3, 2011

The Scranton Times Tribune

By Laura Legere, Staff Writer

 

 A Laflin-based coal company has signed the largest Marcellus Shale gas lease so far recorded in Lackawanna County.

 Silverbrook Anthracite leased six parcels totaling 1,635 acres in Archbald and Carbondale Twp. To Davis Land Services, a Texas-based land services agency, in October.

To view this article in its entirety, click here.

University Park, Pa. — Penn State Cooperative Extension will be holding three Natural Gas Taxation and Finance Workshops across the state in January 2011.

The first will be Jan. 12, at the Westmoreland County Cooperative Extension office, 214 Donohue Road, Greensburg; the second will be Jan. 19 at the Genetti Hotel and Suites, 200 West 4th Street, Williamsport; and the third will be Jan. 26 at the Riverstone Inn on Route 6 in Towanda.

The programs will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will be geared for financial advisers, such as attorneys, accountants, financial planners, tax preparers and small-business owners. Landowners also are welcome.

“Gas taxation is extremely complicated, and it’s important for landowners to get the best advice possible to save money and avoid unnecessary taxes,” said Michael Jacobson, Penn State associate professor of forest resources. “But these programs are for educational purposes only and are not intended to be legal advice — if you need that, consult a tax professional or an attorney.”

Besides Jacobson, instructors will include Tim Gooch with the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and ParenteBeard LLC; Dale Tice, attorney with Marshall, Parker and Associates; Jeffrey Kern, president of Resource Technologies Corporation; and Ross Pifer, director of the Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center at Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law.

The registration fee is $120 if paid a week or more prior to the programs; registration will cost $150 after that. The fee will cover breaks, lunch and all course materials. The workshop will provide eight hours of continuing-education credits for attorneys, accountants and professional foresters.

Additional information and registration may be found online at http://guest.cvent.com/d/wdqt61. Questions related to course content may be directed to Mike Jacobson at 814-865-3994 or mgj2@psu.edu.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. Those who anticipate needing special accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided should contact Jacobson in advance of their participation or visit.

Originally Posted At: PSU.edu

The atrium of the Penn State Downtown Theatre Center was standing room only last Wednesday for the first Research Unplugged event of the fall semester, a conversation with Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research co-directors Michael Arthur and Tom Murphy on the economic and environmental impacts of Marcellus Shale drilling in Pennsylvania.

Tom Murphy opened with the question “Why here? Why now?”

“The geology here is really superior,” Murphy noted. He presented data showing that the first six months of gas extraction in Bradford (the highest-performing county in Pennsylvania) has resulted in more than double the yield of a comparable county in Texas where gas companies are drilling into the Barnett shale.

Tapping the gas reserves in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale will have a big impact on the state’s economy, he said. “We’ve been a net importer of energy over the course of time…but the expectation is that by 2013 we’ll actually be a net energy exporter.”

Murphy explained that yields from the wells are already exceeding early expectations. “Most of these wells are expected to run somewhere between 30 and 50 years…They’re looking at the overall yield for those wells at being somewhere between 3.5 and 4.5 billion cubic feet of gas over that whole duration of time,” he said.

Geoscientist Michael Arthur stepped in to explain the technical steps of extracting gas from the Marcellus Shale, including the controversial process known as hydraulic fracturing—or “fracking. Arthur explained that proper cementing of well shafts is critical to protect groundwater. “As you can imagine,” said Murphy, “just statistically, if nothing else—with more trucks, more people, more activity, with an industrial process—there’s going to be accidents and we’re seeing those occur…That’s likely something we’re going to see again statistically going forward. But the level of that at this point in time, with the amount development that’s occurring, still seems relatively low.”

Fielding questions from the audience, Murphy and Arthur touched on a variety of concerns, including where the large volume of wastewater goes, the prospect of a severance tax for the extraction of natural resources, the impact of well construction on highway traffic, and several other issues.

In wrapping up the hour-long discussion, Murphy stressed the importance of proper well construction. “My concern goes back to the integrity of the well as it is being drilled. The way it’s being cased—the grouting and the standards that are being used there—that’s where my concern is.” And, he added, well safety standards are being addressed, among a number of other issues, by Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection, with more inspectors being added to enforce the state’s environmental regulations.

Join us Wednesday, October 20, for our next conversation: “The Diabesity Tsunami: Facing the Crisis of Diabetes and Obesity,” featuring Associate Professor of Medicine, Robert Gabbay.

— Kelsey Bradbury, Research Unplugged intern

Originally Posted At: PSU.edu

December 14, 2010 – John Hellmann is a professor of materials science and engineering and associate dean for education, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

• Part 1
• Part 2

Originally Posted At: PSU.edu

This updated publication addresses the rapidly changing topic of water withdrawals for Marcellus shale gas drilling in Pennsylvania.

Penn State Cooperative Extension has released an updated version of a publication that addresses the rapidly changing topic of water withdrawals for Marcellus Shale gas drilling.

Originally published in September 2009, “Water Withdrawals for Development of Marcellus Shale Gas in Pennsylvania” reflects the latest Marcellus-related regulatory changes enacted by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, the Delaware River Basin Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Water is a critical component in the process of extracting natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation. Public policies for managing and protecting water resources are common concerns of Pennsylvania residents, according to a water-policy expert in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

“Development of the Marcellus Shale could have major economic and environmental effects for Pennsylvanians and residents of neighboring states,” said Charles Abdalla, professor of agricultural and environmental economics. “Individuals, businesses and communities will be affected well into the future as this energy resource is fully developed.

“Citizens need to become aware of their stake in water-resource issues and policies and effectively participate in public policy-making,” he said. “Public policies for water management and protection will be improved if the affected parties — which include almost everyone — are well-informed about likely impacts and take advantage of opportunities to participate in decisions.”

Seeking to engage residents, landowners, federal and state agency personnel, environmental organizations, economic development groups and others, the publication discusses the fast-evolving issues and public policies related to water resources and Marcellus Shale gas exploration.

While adequate supplies of water are one of several essential inputs needed to extract gas from the shale, wastewater is an output from the process that must be treated or disposed of properly.

“Through this publication, we hope to increase the public’s understanding of water use and management related to Marcellus Shale gas development and help people understand how and where they can offer input into public decisions about water use and wastewater treatment,” said Abdalla, the publication’s lead author.

“Now is the time for people to learn about and help shape public policies that will guide development of the Marcellus Shale,” he said. “These policies will play a large part in determining the economic well-being and quality of life for residents of the commonwealth for a long time — perhaps generations — to come.”

Funding for the updated publication comes from the Pennsylvania Water Center at Penn State. To obtain a free copy, contact the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Publication Distribution Center, The Pennsylvania State University, 112 Agricultural Administration Building, University Park, PA 16802-2602; telephone: 814-865-6713; fax: 814-863-5560; e-mail: AgPubsDist@psu.edu.

This publication also is available online athttp://extension.psu.edu/water/resources/publications/consumption-and-usage/marcelluswater.pdf/view.

The publication is the latest in a series initiated by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Penn State Cooperative Extension to address issues related to Marcellus Shale gas exploration and development. Other publications in the series, along with related webinars, presentations and events, can be viewed at http://extension.psu.edu/naturalgas.

from Chuck Gill, Penn State Ag Sciences News

Originally Published at: PSU.edu

Seismic surveying plays an important role in natural gas development. This article will help to have a better understanding of the need for seismic testing.

An important part of natural gas development is seismic surveying.  Seismic surveys provide the data that geologists use to model the Earth’s subsurface conditions as deep as two miles or greater.  In Pennsylvania, geologists are using these surveys to characterize or “map” the Marcellus and other shale targets.

Seismic testing does not specifically tell geologists whether or not there is gas present but does help identify the better areas for potential well sites. The data also provide a picture of what to expect when companies decide to drill such as whether there are faults or other geohazards present, so these can be avoided during drilling.  It also tells them the angle they need to be drilling the horizontal lateral for maximum effectiveness during the process.

There are two kinds of seismic surveys—2-D and 3-D. Two-dimensional seismic surveys use variable signal frequencies to “shake” the ground. Vibroseis or “thumper” vehicles send seismic pulses into the ground that are reflected off the various geologic layers and features.  2-D surveying is mainly done along public roadways with permits from PennDOT or the appropriate township.  The trucks run in a series of 3 or sometimes four with the related ground crews for cabling and traffic control.  Vibrations are not normally detected 30 feet away from the truck when it is working.

3-D surveys typically employ charges set off in shallow borings to produce seismic reflections. Collected by an array of geophones, these reflections are modeled to form an image of the subsurface.  There is very little surface disruption, and companies are willing to work with landowners.  The explosive charges used for 3-D are generally small (approx. 2 lbs. of dynamite) and placed 20 feet in the ground.  ATVs are often used in setting up for 3-D surveying, and in remote areas, helicopters may be used to transport the cables and equipment needed.

Companies doing seismic normally are under contract to one or more energy companies to conduct the study.  It is very expensive and is a multi-million dollar effort for a most 3-D shoots.  This is not a random activity.  Seismic companies sometimes will do the studies independent of an energy company with the hope of selling the very valuable information on the open market to one or more companies.  Energy companies will sometimes pay for seismic, then decide against an area, and later sell the seismic information to another energy company with a different point of view on the potential geology.  Because the information has cost to derive and value to sell, it is not given freely to landowners even if their land was included.  It would be very difficult to understand except to a trained geologist.  It is not placed in the public domain due to the companies having paid for the information.

So why all the seismic activity in PA?  Energy companies with large Marcellus acreage are looking at the best places to exploit the shale and retrieve the natural gas at the lowest cost to produce.  They are looking for shale thickness, geologic faulting, and confining layers of other types of rock as well.  And they are also looking for other shale targets.  Much has been spoken about the Marcellus because that is what is driving the economics and what will get the infrastructure built in many parts of PA.  But there are other shales and the Trenton Black River formation in areas.  Although they might not have been commercially viable in the past, they could become so with new pipelines, compressor stations, and water facilities built nearby based on Marcellus economics.  The confining layers are important for drillers to know because that is what contains the frac energy during that part of the process.  Faulting is generally seen as a negative because it could allow the frac energy to be lost without breaking the target shale rock.  Seismic can also potentially discover PA geology to allow deep well injection of the waste water and several companies are intensely working on this issue, some are even now leasing acreage they feel is promising.

Do seismic companies need landowner permission to conduct seismic testing?  Companies leasing the gas rights may have the right to do the seismic testing as part of a signed lease agreement. It is advisable to consult an attorney to learn what is and what is not covered in a lease. If it is not covered, there are pros and cons for allowing the testing.  Leasing rates are in the $5/acre range in PA.  An attorney that has been working on much of this advises the use of addendums to protect your unique interests and also suggests a limit on the time to conduct the study vs. open ended agreements.  Many existing leases already allow seismic testing.  If you don’t allow seismic, it creates a hole in the map.  Companies don’t like holes and won’t likely be back to fill them at a later date due to the cost.  If the hole is small enough it doesn’t really matter because the map will still give an overall picture with enough data for a company to make a decision on where or where not to drill and where to place the well pad.  If you do allow the seismic, your parcel will have data on it for future consideration.  If your goal is a gas well, you probably want to be in the seismic shoot.  But what if they do the seismic and they find geologic conditions, i.e. major faulting, which is problematic for drilling?  They will likely not be interested in continuing work in your area and move on to other more promising areas.  The value of your lease could diminish greatly or drop to zero but this is more likely an issue for larger parcels vs. smaller ones.  If they do the seismic, especially 3-D, and come back to you for leasing, it is likely you are in an area with a higher probability of commercial success.  Your opportunity to negotiate better lease terms and value could potentially rise.  Always remember that although millions of acres have been leased, not all will be drilled on.  Seismic will determine largely in the end, where much of the drilling activity will occur.

Written by Tom Murphy, Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research

Originally Posted At: PSU.edu

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AG5VR20101117

U.S. can slash carbon emissions with natgas: report
Wed, Nov 17 2010
By Timothy Gardner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The shale gas boom could help the United States reduce greenhouse gas emissions even if Congress does not pass broad climate legislation, according to a Deutsche Bank report.

U.S. natural gas prices have fallen sharply over the last two years as supplies expanded due to the unexpectedly swift development of technologies to tap the fuel in shale formations a mile or more underground.

Lower natural gas costs have also already helped raise the proportion of U.S. electricity generated from the fuel to 23 percent from 20 percent two years ago.

As coal costs rise, the percentage for natural gas in power generation could rise to 35 percent by 2030, according to the Deutsche Bank report released on Wednesday.

The report assumes that environmental problems associated with hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” of shale gas are minimized as the technologies mature.

With Republicans taking control of the House of Representatives early next year, expectations that Congress will pass broad measures on renewable energy and climate are low.

But progress on emissions can still be made because natural gas releases about half as much of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide as coal does.

“The role natural gas can play is so significant, it can form a type of a potentially bipartisan area of agreement,” on cutting emissions, Mark Fulton, Deutsche Bank’s global head of climate change investment research, told reporters in a teleconference.

The report said broader use of natural gas, and renewable energy like wind and solar power, could slash coal use. The efforts would cut emissions from power generation by 44 percent by 2030, it said.

Looming Environmental Protection Agency rules on mercury, particulates, and other emissions from coal-fired power plants could help reduce electricity generated from coal from about 47 percent now to about 22 percent by 2030, the report said.

That’s because scrubbers and other technologies that would have to be added to coal-fired power plants could push up the cost of power from that energy source.

A Bernstein Research note earlier this year also concluded that the EPA rules on air toxics would lead old coal plants into early retirements.

“The economics of this are compelling,” said Fulton. “This really is just pure economics, the industry will want to do this because it is cheaper.” The report assumed natural gas prices would average about $6 per mmBtu, about $2 higher than current prices.

Existing U.S. natural gas plants also have extra capacity. Two-thirds of the extra natural gas generation will come from existing plants near existing power lines, the report said.

Not everyone is happy about the gas boom. Environmentalists have complained that fracking, in which companies blast a mix of water, sand and chemicals underground to break open fissures in the shale rock, pollutes water supplies.

The report downplayed the risks and said with best practices, like recycling water used in the process, the environmental issues can be managed.

Originally Posted at: Reuters.com