PITTSBURGH — Members of the leading Marcellus Shale industry group in Pennsylvania will voluntarily disclose chemicals used in each natural gas well as of Jan. 1, the organization said. An environmental group applauded the move, but said it’s not enough.

The Marcellus Shale Coalition represents many of the largest gas drillers in Pennsylvania. The drillers use a process called fracking, which forces millions of gallons of water, mixed with sand and chemicals, deep into shale formations to free the gas.

The industry believes the process is safe, but environmental groups and people who live in drilling areas have worried about the exact chemicals used in each well, and the possibility of groundwater contamination.

Kathryn Klaber, president of the Marcellus coalition, said that the full disclosure was an “obvious choice” that the group’s members had no problem supporting. The disclosure will be mandatory for members, who will list the chemicals used in each well on the website FracFocus.org.

“You want to make sure the transparency is worked in to everything we do,” Klaber said.

The state of Pennsylvania already requires drillers to list all chemicals used in drilling on a website. But that doesn’t tell people what’s being used in a specific well near them.

Klaber said the group wanted to go beyond what the state requires.

Jan Jarrett, president of the environmental group PennFuture, said she applauds the decision by the Marcellus Shale Coalition.

“I’m not saying it’s a bad thing for them to voluntarily do it,” Jarrett said.

But Jarrett said that is no protection against firms that aren’t members of the coalition, which companies join voluntarily.

“This is a matter of public policy. And it’s really a proper role of government to set these kinds of rules,” Jarrett said. She called for the state to make the disclosure of chemicals used in each well mandatory for all drillers.

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The water problems and debate in Dimmock Pennsylvania continue.  CABOT GAS,  gas drilling company does not need to provide additional water to residents.   Property owners claim that methane levels in their water are increasing.  Experts continue to fight over the water issues.  The thirteen (13) lawyers at Dougherty Leventhal Price LLP—PENNSYLVANIA TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYERS AND MARCELLUS SHALE DRILLING RIG ACCIDENT LAWYERS–CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS AND OTHER GAS DRILLING ISSUES IN CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

The boundaries for the Marcellus shale gas field in Pennsylvania are still being defined.  Drilling rigs are popping up at full speed in counties such as Bradford, Susquehanna and Tioga Counties.  However, fields are still undefined and the number of drilling rigs under construction have leveled off or declined in counties such as Wyoming, Luzerne and Potter Counties.  The thirteen lawyers (13) at DLP:–PENNSYLVANIA TRUCK ACCIDENT AND MARCELLUS SHALE GAS DRILLING RIG ACCIDENT LAWYERS continue to follow this and other gas drilling issues in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania.

The strength of Washington County’s economy was again confirmed last week as the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics determined that Washington County had the third highest percentage increase of employment in the entire country

By Jeff Kotula; Originally published on October 16 in the Observer Reporter

The strength of Washington County’s economy was again confirmed last week as the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics determined that Washington County had the third highest percentage increase of employment in the entire country. The bureau determined that between March 2010 and March 2011, Washington County’s employment growth was 4.3 percent. Only two other counties in the U.S. – Elkhart County in Indiana and Ottawa County in Michigan had higher employment growth rates. This is a significant finding and is directly related to the positive economic impact of the Marcellus Shale industry in our county.

We have every reason to feel energized about Washington County’s future as we are at the epicenter of Pennsylvania’s natural gas development. The county was the home to the first Marcellus Shale well and the first horizontal well. We have one of the highest rates of drilling activity and production in the state. With an abundant supply of these natural resources, our county is attracting energy companies every day and this means jobs for our residents.

In Southpointe alone, over 50 energy and energy-related companies have located offices and operations. Companies such as Consol Energy, one of the nation’s largest producers of natural resources, chose Southpointe for its world headquarters and Range Resources, the first company to test modern drilling and completion techniques in the Marcellus Shale, will expand on its already significant presence when it opens its new headquarters in Southpointe later this year. In addition, energy and energy-related companies such as Chesapeake Energy, Rice Energy, UniversalPegasus, Select Energy, Steptoe & Johnson and others have established operations or expanded across our county. While these companies alone are creating jobs and investment, we should not forget the positive secondary effects of the energy industry on our local economy.

New industry also brings new opportunities for local businesses and residents. Many local industrial suppliers, manufacturers, restaurants, hotels, shops and services in our county are all experiencing an increase in business because of the energy industry. New business means new jobs. In addition, our agricultural sector, which is still one of the county’s largest industries, is being re-energized by leasing activities and is re-investing those resources into new equipment and improvements. This translates into new customers for farm suppliers and other businesses that support our local agricultural communities. The natural gas industry has created “economies of shale” that not only provides jobs and economic benefits for those in the energy industry itself, but also for local businesses, services and residents that are experiencing new growth by supporting the industry. All of these new jobs are why Washington County is third in the nation in percentage increase of employment growth, has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the region and why we are now considered “The Energy Capital of the East.”

Washington County is at the center of the largest nonconventional natural gas reserve in the world, and it is up to us to make the most of it. Exploring for and producing clean-burning natural gas in the Marcellus Shale will generate billions of dollars and continue to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs in Pennsylvania, many of them in Washington County. With states such as Ohio and West Virginia also looking to capitalize on natural gas opportunities, we must continue to support the industry locally and work with our legislators and business community to insure their growth continues to be ours. In Washington County we do not just believe the energy industry is revitalizing our county and creating jobs, we can prove it.

The writer is president of Washington County Chamber of Commerce.

Posted at Pioga.org

The number of drilling rigs in the Marcellus Shale regions of Pennsylvania is approaching two thousand (2000).  Reports note that over one thousand and eight hundred gas drilling rigs  (1800) have been placed in operation.  Industry leaders are touting the great positive economic impact of the expanding natural gas industry.  Hundreds of new Marcellus Shale gas drilling rigs are planned throughout Pennsylvania.  Thr thirteen lawyers at DOUGHERTY LEVENTHAL PRICE LLP—DLP—PENNSYLVANIA TRUCK ACCIDENT AND MARCELLUS SHALE GAS DRILLING RIG INJURY LAWYERS, continue to follow this and other Marcellus Shale gas drilling issues in Pennsylvania.

Reports note that construction of the 30 mile pipeline for transporting Marcellus Shale natural gas in Northeastern Pennsylvania is moving forward.  Pipeline clearing, digging, routing under the Susquehanna River and other construction activities remain on schedule.  Opposition in various municipalities continues and meetings are being held.  The thirteen (13) lawyers at DOUGHERTY LEVENTHAL PRICE LLP –DLP–PENNSYLVANIA TRUCK ACCIDENT AND MARCELLUS SHALE GAS DRILLING RIG INJURY AND ACCIDENT LAWYERS continue to follow this and other gas drilling issues in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania.

A recent trip to New York farm country revealed an anxious number of people waiting for drilling to commence in their state.  Local property owners have signed gas leases, some at rate as high as $6500/acre with 20 per cent royalties.  Discussions elsewhere focused on environmental concerns especially water safety.   A moratorium on gas drilling continues statewide in New York.  the thirteen (13) lawyers at DOUGHERTY LEVENTHAL PRICE LLP—DLP-  PENNSYLVANIA TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYERS AND MARCELLUS SHALE DRILLING RIG INJURY LAWYERS continue to follow this and other gas drilling related issues.

The Deleware River Basin Authority has delayed a vote on permitting natural gas drilling in the Pennsylvania and New York water shed areas until late November.  Environmental concerns remain a top issue in the debate.  the thirteen (13) lawyers at DLP-PENNSYLVANIA TRUCK ACCIDENT AND MARCELLUS SHALE GAS DRILLING RIG ACCIDENT LAWYERS CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS AND OTHER GAS INDUSTRY ISSUES.