Oil and gas development in the Williston Basin of North Dakota and Montana has not impacted shallow water resources, according to a new study. However, the age of the groundwater sampled and the sample locations indicate additional research should be conducted to fully evaluate energy production impact on regional water resources. The study was published… Keep reading →
The 2014 US Midterm Elections significantly altered the balance of power in the US Congress. As a result, energy policy from now on ranks high on the upcoming Republican majority’s legislative agenda. Indeed, Republican leadership is wasting no time with both the US House of Representatives and the US Senate prepared to take up and… Keep reading →
EPA’s current estimate of the completion time for a draft of its study of the risks posed by hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) to drinking water is now projected by the agency to be developed in early 2015. This is based on comments in a letter originating from EPA’s Region 8 office stating that the study on the risks posed by fracking to drinking water won’t reach draft final form until “early 2015”. [Region 8 Letter]
Marcellus Gas Production Anticipated to Increase, Lead the Nation in November: The State Journal (West Virginia): The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Drilling Productivity Report, released Oct. 14, revealed that the Marcellus Shale play is anticipated to produce more gas than other reported regions in November. The Marcellus region is expected to produce 16,045 million cubic feet of… Keep reading →
If addressing climate change is as urgent as most evidence suggests then carbon capture and storage needs to be part of the solution. This is the thrust of a new book on the subject and a new animation helps depict global climate change in a manner that most people can grasp. “With an eye on… Keep reading →
Energy, Petrochemical & Natural Resources
Action item: To avoid and discourage duplicative and unnecessary federal oil and gas regulations, oil and gas operators should resist federal efforts to federalize hydraulic fracturing regulations and should actively engage with state regulators to craft innovative and practical regulations at the state level.
Historically, states have taken the lead in regulating oil and gas development given the states’ primary interest in securing rational oil and gas development in their own boundaries. Hydraulic fracturing—a 60-year-old technology used for oil and gas development—is a temporary process of pumping fluids underground for the purpose of extraction of natural gas or oil from deep formations lying 5,000 to 8,000 feet or more below the surface. Fresh groundwater is located from about less than 600 feet below the surface. Hydraulic fracturing has been practiced routinely for decades by operators in many states, including New York.
On September 12 World Resources Institute had an event to unveil their new report on the fresh water impacts of shale gas development. The WRI report examines the availability of freshwater across shale plays globally. Shale resources of natural gas, natural gas liquids and tight oil are extracted using hydrofracking techniques that require substantial quantities… Keep reading →
An Energy Boom Lifts the Heartland NY Times: Waist-high weeds and a crumbling old Chevy mark the entrance to a rust-colored factory complex on the edge of town here, seemingly another monument to the passing of the golden age of American industry. But deep inside the 14-acre site, the thwack-thwack-thwack sound of metal on metal tells… Keep reading →
A new report evaluates shale energy development potential around the world and the degree to which freshwater access is likely to impact that development. Despite a fair amount of water related risk in many regions, the upside is tight resources are in early stages of exploration and production, giving stakeholders time to collaborate on water… Keep reading →
Following up on last week’s rebuttal of a truth-challenged attack on hydraulic fracturing in a USA Today op-ed, in which we detail how federal and state regulation, combined with industry standards are protecting the environment, water supplies and communities. The op-ed by the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Amy Mall opens by posing a false choice for Americans: economic and energy security from… Keep reading →
