On Hydraulic Fracturing’s Critical Role for U.S. Energy, Economic Security

Top ND Oil, Gas Regulator: “We don’t think the EPA should regulate hydraulic fracturing”: Lynn Helms, director of the ND Dept. of Mineral Resources’ Oil and Gas Division, said disclosure is already required in the event of a spill. “The Industrial Commission and the Department of Mineral Resources have made it no secret that we don’t think the EPA should regulate hydraulic fracturing,” Helms told The Minot Daily News in October. (Minot Daily News, 12/26/10)

Fmr. White House Energy Adviser: Hydraulic Fracturing “Can fuel economic growth”: As a clean-burning fuel, [natural gas] can reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. And because hydraulic fracturing has enabled extraction of “tight gas” from resources across the country, from New York’s Marcellus Shale to the Barnett Shale in Texas, these huge new gas reserves provide promise for economic growth. (Washington Times Op-Ed, 12/23/10)

Facts About Shale Gas Development, Hydrofracturing Are Relevant (Even in Annapolis & Dallas)

Top PA Environmental Watchdog Slams MD Del. Who Parrots Debunked Gasland Claims: She ignores the reality that no other state since 2008 has added more staff or strengthened and enforced its rules governing natural gas drilling more than Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania now requires a water plan controlling water withdrawals associated with drilling; prohibits drillers from dumping wastewater into waterways without first treating it to the safe drinking water standard; mandates a 150-foot buffer along 20,000 miles of streams from all development; and enforces state-of-the-art rules for designing, building and operating all gas wells. Additionally, we’ve more than doubled our oversight staff during the past two years to 202 employees. … Natural gas production offers significant economic and energy security benefits. (Baltimore Sun, PADEP Sec. John Hanger, 12/22/10)

Wash. Ex. Fact-Checks MD Del.’s Baseless Claims on Hydrofracturing: “Mizeur’s argument is nothing more than a regurgitation of the HBO “Documentary” Gasland, a greatly flawed Michael Moore-style polemic. In Gasland the flim’s director, Josh Fox traipsing through the Marcellus Shale region filming residents, who claim fracking, has contaminated their well water, setting the water from their kitchen faucets afire. John Hanger, the Pennsylvania secretary of the environment featured in the movie, labeled it “fundamentally dishonest, a deliberately false presentation for dramatic effect.” (Washington Examiner, 12/23/10)

EPA Overreaches, Swings and Misses on the Facts in Texas: The Environmental Protection Agency and Region 6 Director Al Armendariz have once again abused the agency’s massive powers. Evidence collected after the EPA issued an emergency order against a natural gas exploration company in early December shows that it prematurely determined, and without sufficient evidence, that the company polluted nearby water wells. In effect, the EPA tried, convicted and sentenced the company, Range Resources in Fort Worth, without any notice or opportunity to appear before the EPA to show that it was not at fault. … The RRC tested the water and soil around the wells, and it performed pressure tests on the wellhead of Range’s two wells. The wells passed pressure tests, showing that the leak did not come from the gas wells drilled by Range. (San Angelo Standard Times, Alex Mills, 12/25/10)

Tightly-Regulated Shale Gas Production Revitalizing Rural America, Driving Down Energy Costs for Struggling Consumers

Responsible Shale Gas Development Creating Opportunity for Small, Family-Owned Businesses: Local businessman Nick Hurley runs the cafeteria at the complex, serving 700 meals a day, including lunches that workers grab on their way out the door. Hurley also provides janitorial and laundry services for the facility. He can’t believe his good fortune. His family owns two grocery stores, but business was suffering before the gas boom hit last year. “Our backs were against the wall,” said Hurley, 36. He started catering to gas rigs, and the business kept growing. His family’s companies now employ 160 people, up from 90 before the boom, including 35 at the Man Camp alone. “This is wonderful,” he said. “We grew up in kind of a repressed area. There is no way we could have built this up without natural gas.” (Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/27/10)

Pa. Paper: “The Economic Development is Obvious”: The region’s landscape in 2010 was painted literally and figuratively by the advent of the natural gas industry. The industry’s development of the Marcellus Shale deposits underneath our Earth took full flight during the year, with varied impact emerging. The economic development is obvious. Jobs and opportunity are springing up like mushrooms throughout our region. … The industry’s positive impact on the economy was a big part of the local portfolio in 2010 and a major reason why the region showed signs of recovery from the nation’s economic malaise. (Williamsport Sun-Gazette Editorial, 12/24/10)

“AP: Oil voted top story” in North Dakota: North Dakota’s oil patch, which has helped the state boast a near billion-dollar budget surplus and a booming economy, has been voted the state’s top news story of 2010 by print and broadcast members of The Associated Press. North Dakota is on pace to pump a record 110 million barrels of oil in 2010, up from 79.7 last year and more than double the amount produced less than three years ago. More than 95 percent of the rigs drilling in North Dakota are aiming at the rich Bakken shale and Three Forks-Sanish oil reservoirs in western North Dakota. (Associated Press, 12/27/10)

Local Pa. Resident, Mayor on Job-Creating Marcellus Development: “It’s a very safe industry.” … “There is a safe way to extract this gas,” Mayor Marc Mantini said. (Leader Times, 12/28/10)

Hydraulic Fracturing Helping to Create Thousands of Good-Paying Jobs, Driving Down Unemployment Throughout Rural America: Not so long ago, this town was just the seat of Bradford County. Now, it lies at the epicenter of natural gas development in the Marcellus Shale region. It used to be a sleepy little place on the Susquehanna River. Now, it’s a boom town. Help-wanted signs plead for waitresses, mechanics, truck drivers. Once-empty storefronts are now occupied in this hilly borough, population 3,000. … According to the state Department of Environmental Protection, 355 of the 1,368 Marcellus wells drilled in Pennsylvania this year were drilled in this rural county on the New York border. Bradford County also leads the state in gas production. … Unemployment is dropping faster here than in any other county in Pennsylvania – the jobless rate was 6.8 percent in October, fourth best in the state, down from 8.1 percent a year ago. (Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/27/10)

Hydraulic Fracturing-Enabled Shale Gas Production Lowering Energy Costs for Hoosiers, All American Consumers: “Last winter, as you know, it was a colder than normal winter. So far this winter, it’s maybe a little bit warmer than normal,” Atmos Energy V.P. David Park says. … So the average consumer could see their bill drop about $17 per month through February. You can thank the large amount of gas in storage. Park says, “It’s abundant. We’re seeing a lot of production from the shale plays – Barnett and Marcellus and others – that have produced more gas in the market.” (WFIE-TV (IN), 12/26/10)

Science, Hard Work and American Ingenuity Putting Nation on Path Toward Energy Security, Helping Law Enforcement

Bill Nye Isn’t the Only Science Guy: “Geophysicist helps map where to drill for oil, gas deposits”: Drilling for oil or natural gas is too expensive to leave to chance, so energy companies rely on employees like Ryan Miller to point them in the right direction. Miller is a geophysicist at Devon Energy Corp. His job is to interpret scientific data from seismic tests that can send sound waves as deep as 30,000 feet below ground and identify oil and gas deposits. “We can’t drill on imagination or hopes and dreams,” he said. (The Oklahoman, 12/26/10)

Clean-Burning Shale Gas Development in La. Giving Law Enforcement the Resources They Need to Keep Us Safe: Bank deposits of the Red River Parish sheriff’s office exceeded Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. coverage and the banks did not pledge sufficient securities to cover the funds, according to an annual audit released recently. It’s the second year for the same finding for the office that’s flush with cash from the Haynesville Shale activity. Total revenues for year ending June 30 topped $10.8 million, representing an increase of $5.6 million, or 109 percent, from the prior year. (Shreveport Times, 12/27/10)