Archive for the ‘Pennsylvania Natural Gas Drilling’ Category

Posted: March 22, 2011

Copyright: PSU.edu

The PEC Basic-SafeGulf/SafeLand Orientation safety awareness course was designed to take the place of multiple Operator orientations and to give each student a general idea of life and safety issues in the oil and gas industry, upstream, downstream, onshore or offshore. This one-day program meets API RP 75 and API RP T-1 requirements and provides a basic understanding at an awareness level of certain general safety information that an employee should know before entering a company facility and while performing their assigned work duties. Over 25 of the leading oil and gas operators accept this orientation as it meets their requirements. Upon successful completion of course, each student is issued a picture ID with unique barcode. The student information is then stored in an online database. PLEASE BRING PHOTO I.D.

PSU Cooperative Extension: “In counties with ten or more Marcellus wells…tax income increased 325.3 percent”

Canonsburg, Pa. – The Marcellus Education Team at Penn State University’s Cooperative Extension recently issued a comprehensive analysis highlighting the positive and growing tax revenues being generated throughout the Commonwealth tied directly to the responsible development of clean-burning, homegrown natural gas. Kathryn Klaber, president and executive director of the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC), issued this statement regarding Penn State’s findings:

“The responsible development of clean-burning natural gas is creating tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, providing stable, American energy supplies for consumers and generating hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues at the same time. This data brings into perspective the enormous amount of taxes our industry’s work is generating for Pennsylvania’s economy, especially in rural communities. Without question, each and every Pennsylvanian is benefitting from Marcellus Shale development.

“Unfortunately the ongoing tax debate has been framed too narrowly. This study, however, importantly broadens the understanding of the tax revenues our industry is helping to produce for state and local governments.”

Key excepts from Penn State University’s new study: “State Tax Implications of Marcellus Shale: What the Pennsylvania Data Say in 2010”

• State Sales Tax Revenues Soar in Marcellus Producing Counties: “The data indicate that counties with 150 or more Marcellus wells experienced an 11.36 percent increase in state sales tax collections between 2007 and 2010. Counties with fewer Marcellus wells reported declining state sales tax collections, but they still did better than counties with no Marcellus wells, which reported steeper declines. These data suggest that counties with Marcellus shale development fared better in retail sales during the years 2007–2010 than those counties without.
• Realty Transfer Tax Collections in Marcellus Producing Counties Stronger than Non-Marcellus Counties: “Across the state, realty transfer tax collections were down between July 2007 and June 2010, reflecting overall weaknesses in the real estate market. However, counties with Marcellus shale development typically declined less than those without such development.”
• “Counties With Marcellus Activity Showed Greater Increases in Tax Income”: “The state personal income tax is a levy on personal income, including wages and salaries, investment income, and leasing and royalty income. Counties with Marcellus activity showed greater increases in tax income than non-Marcellus counties even though there was little difference in the number of returns filed. Counties with ten or more wells reported an average 6.96 percent increase in taxable income, and counties with between one and nine wells reported a 3.08 percent increase. Those areas with no wells witnessed a 0.89 percent increase in taxable income.”
  • “In counties with ten or more Marcellus wells, returns reporting royalty income increased 44.1 percent and tax income increased 325.3 percent.”
    
  • “Counties with ten or more wells recorded an 10.8 percent increase in net profits[what business owners pay on their business earnings] between 2007 and 2008, and counties with fewer than ten wells saw a 7.1 percent increase in such income. Counties with no gas activity had increases of only 1.5 percent.”

• “Positive Economic Activity for [Marcellus] Communities”: “State tax collections in counties with significant activity related to Marcellus shale on average had larger increases in sales and personal income tax collections and less precipitous declines in realty transfer tax collections than did other Pennsylvania counties. The data indicate that Marcellus shale development brings some positive economic activity for communities.”

NOTE: Click HERE to view this study online.

Copyright: MarcellusCoalition.org

PSU Cooperative Extension: “In counties with ten or more Marcellus wells…tax income increased 325.3 percent”

Canonsburg, Pa. – The Marcellus Education Team at Penn State University’s Cooperative Extension recently issued a comprehensive analysis highlighting the positive and growing tax revenues being generated throughout the Commonwealth tied directly to the responsible development of clean-burning, homegrown natural gas. Kathryn Klaber, president and executive director of the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC), issued this statement regarding Penn State’s findings:

“The responsible development of clean-burning natural gas is creating tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, providing stable, American energy supplies for consumers and generating hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues at the same time. This data brings into perspective the enormous amount of taxes our industry’s work is generating for Pennsylvania’s economy, especially in rural communities. Without question, each and every Pennsylvanian is benefitting from Marcellus Shale development.

“Unfortunately the ongoing tax debate has been framed too narrowly. This study, however, importantly broadens the understanding of the tax revenues our industry is helping to produce for state and local governments.”

Key excepts from Penn State University’s new study: “State Tax Implications of Marcellus Shale: What the Pennsylvania Data Say in 2010”

• State Sales Tax Revenues Soar in Marcellus Producing Counties: “The data indicate that counties with 150 or more Marcellus wells experienced an 11.36 percent increase in state sales tax collections between 2007 and 2010. Counties with fewer Marcellus wells reported declining state sales tax collections, but they still did better than counties with no Marcellus wells, which reported steeper declines. These data suggest that counties with Marcellus shale development fared better in retail sales during the years 2007–2010 than those counties without.
• Realty Transfer Tax Collections in Marcellus Producing Counties Stronger than Non-Marcellus Counties: “Across the state, realty transfer tax collections were down between July 2007 and June 2010, reflecting overall weaknesses in the real estate market. However, counties with Marcellus shale development typically declined less than those without such development.”
• “Counties With Marcellus Activity Showed Greater Increases in Tax Income”: “The state personal income tax is a levy on personal income, including wages and salaries, investment income, and leasing and royalty income. Counties with Marcellus activity showed greater increases in tax income than non-Marcellus counties even though there was little difference in the number of returns filed. Counties with ten or more wells reported an average 6.96 percent increase in taxable income, and counties with between one and nine wells reported a 3.08 percent increase. Those areas with no wells witnessed a 0.89 percent increase in taxable income.”
  • “In counties with ten or more Marcellus wells, returns reporting royalty income increased 44.1 percent and tax income increased 325.3 percent.”
    
  • “Counties with ten or more wells recorded an 10.8 percent increase in net profits [what business owners pay on their business earnings] between 2007 and 2008, and counties with fewer than ten wells saw a 7.1 percent increase in such income. Counties with no gas activity had increases of only 1.5 percent.”

• “Positive Economic Activity for [Marcellus] Communities”: “State tax collections in counties with significant activity related to Marcellus shale on average had larger increases in sales and personal income tax collections and less precipitous declines in realty transfer tax collections than did other Pennsylvania counties. The data indicate that Marcellus shale development brings some positive economic activity for communities.”

NOTE: Click HERE to view this study online.

This course focuses on the welding process that is commonly used in the oil and natural gas industry. Participants will be trained in all aspects of pipe welding, starting with up-hand open-root welding. Multiple position welding methods will be addressed to get the participant hands-on application time in multiple positions. Theory and classroom teaching methods will be reinforced with hands-on application of this welding process.

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania’s oil and natural gas industry, represented by the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC), American Petroleum Institute of PA (API-PA) and the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA) issued the following joint-statement in response to news reports that a waste transportation company illegally discharged “sewer sludge and greasy restaurant slop” as well as produced water from drilling operations, “in holes, mine shafts and waterways,” across a six-county region in southwestern Pennsylvania:

“Illegal actions that threaten Pennsylvania’s environment and waterways cannot be tolerated. If found guilty of these appalling acts, those charged must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The oil and natural gas industry speaks with one voice in condemning these unthinkable acts and blatant disregard for the environment.”

NOTE: A press release from Commonwealth’s Acting Attorney General announcing these charges, ranging from 2003 and 2009, is available HERE.

Copyright: MarcellusCoalition.org

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania’s oil and natural gas industry, represented by the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC), American Petroleum Institute of PA (API-PA) and the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA) issued the following joint-statement in response to news reports that a waste transportation company illegally discharged “sewer sludge and greasy restaurant slop” as well as produced water from drilling operations, “in holes, mine shafts and waterways,” across a six-county region in southwestern Pennsylvania:

“Illegal actions that threaten Pennsylvania’s environment and waterways cannot be tolerated. If found guilty of these appalling acts, those charged must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The oil and natural gas industry speaks with one voice in condemning these unthinkable acts and blatant disregard for the environment.”

NOTE: A press release from Commonwealth’s Acting Attorney General announcing these charges, ranging from 2003 and 2009, is available HERE.

Posted: March 13, 2011

ICYMI — “Friends of the Marcellus Shale” Rally Support for Responsible Natural Gas Development

• · An hour before the hearing began, a group calling itself “Friends of the Marcellus Shale” held a rally that drew about 40 people to the portico of the City-County Building, next to the courthouse on Grant Street. “Say yes to Marcellus,” they chanted. Asked why they were there, rally participants talked about jobs and spin-off economic benefits that Marcellus Shale drilling have brought to the region. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/11/11)

• Natural gas worker Robert Henwood: “It comes down to jobs and our families. … I just had a baby, he’s two months old and I want to feed him.” (KDKA-TV, 3/10/11

Supporters of drilling demonstrate on Thursday evening in front of the City County Building, Downtown,

while a public hearing is conducted before Allegheny County Council. (Tribune-Review, 3/11/11)

• Terry Clark, of Arlington Heights, said natural gas production created a win-win situation. “It creates jobs, helps us with our energy problems and boosts tax revenues,” the retired Pittsburgh firefighter said. Joe Myzak said he had experienced the practical benefits of the gas boom. His company, Myzak Hydraulics of Houston, Pa., which rents heavy equipment to the industry, has grown from 12 to 52 workers in two years, he said. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/11/11)

• · Natural gas worker Mike Yilit: “You reap the benefits of it. It’s a natural resource. In Western Pennsylvania…there are 40,000 jobs that have been created.” (WPXI-TV, 3/10/11)

• State-of-the-art technologies, transparency and strict regulation are assuring that natural gas drilling is being done responsibly in southwestern Pennsylvania, Steve Forde told council. He is policy and communications director for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry group. Mr. Forde said he had personal reasons for wanting to assure that extraction is done safely. He, his wife and two young daughters make their home in Cranberry. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/11/11)

* * To view more pictures from yesterday’s “Friends of Marcellus” rally,

visit the Marcellus Shale Coalition’s Facebook page. * *

* * * Interested in becoming a “Friend of the Marcellus”? Join our team today.

MCLEAN, Va. (March 10, 2011) — Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) announced today that it has joined the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) as an associate member in order to provide technical expertise and demonstrate the company’s strong commitment to the natural gas industry. SAIC has a solid understanding of the multidiscipline permitting, regional geology, water resources/management, engineering, and site investigation/remediation requirements for exploration and development in the Marcellus Shale.

“SAIC is driven to help tackle the growing need for a clean, reliable, and secure energy supply while addressing our concern for the environment and preserving our natural resources. By becoming a member of the MSC, we will be able to apply our business acumen and technical expertise to further the advancement of natural gas production while fostering the MSC’s commitment to responsible gas extraction in the Marcellus region,” said Herschel Roberts, SAIC’s Water, Environment, and Transportation operations manager.

SAIC has supported oil and gas companies nationally and within the Appalachian Basin for more than 30 years and has extensive experience providing solutions to companies that are developing natural resources in the Marcellus Shale footprint. With four Pennsylvania offices, the company has performed a broad array of science, engineering, and compliance services for exploration and production firms, midstream firms, and service providers in the Marcellus shale area.

To learn more about production of natural gas from the Marcellus shale, visit www.marcelluscoalition.org.

NOTE: Click HERE to view this release on SAIC’s website.