Category:marcellus shale
>Other states look to Pennsylvania to learn from Marcellus Shale errors
>Other states are thinking twice about permitting process or even allowing wells
By Rona Kobell
Maryland natural resources officials are trying to learn everything they can about drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation before granting any permits, saying they hope to avoid the environmental problems that Pennsylvania has endured.
About a year ago, two companies applied to drill for natural gas in Garrett County, in Maryland’s far western corner. That county is one of two in the state that overlay the Marcellus Shale, a gas-rich rock formation about the size of Greece that also stretches across Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia. Already, several companies have leased 100,000 acres of land in Garrett and Allegany counties.
Maryland Department of the Environment Acting Secretary Robert Summers said the department has both the authority and the flexibility to regulate drilling effectively. But as he follows reports of water contamination and wastewater problems in Pennsylvania, he said, he can’t help but worry about what would happen should Maryland approve the permits before it had looked at every issue. As a result, Summers said, he supports a bill winding through the General Assembly that calls for a two-year study before drilling begins.
“All of us, not just the regulatory agencies but the companies as well, have learned from the mistakes made in Pennsylvania,” Summers said. “We’re making sure we don’t repeat the mistakes they’ve made.”
John Griffin, Maryland’s Secretary of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources, agrees that the state is not yet ready. He said the department still has to inventory its extensive land holdings in Garrett County and determine where it has mineral rights. Among his concerns is the preservation of the Savage River, its adjacent state forest, and the Youghiogheny River, which remains the state’s only scenic and wild river.
“There are a lot of great natural resources in Garrett County,” Griffin said. “We’re concerned about the overall cumulative impacts on landscapes, forest fragmentation and habitat destruction. The question is where, to what extent and how we can go forward in a more measured way than in the Wild-Wild-West way, which is what is happening in Pennsylvania.”
If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Annapolis Notes - March 28
>Bonding over shale
A debate over Western Maryland’s Marcellus Shale geologic formation, a rich natural-gas reserve, divided urban and rural legislators and pitted Republicans against Democrats — which, some say, is two ways of describing the same thing.
Del. Wendell R. Beitzel, R-Garrett, backed drilling as a boon for Western Maryland and tried several times to defeat or amend the bill, but skeptics say the drilling method has potential dangers.
The formation is in Garrett County and parts of Allegany County. (An analysis of the bill states that it’s in Washington County, too, but Beitzel said that’s not true.)
The final vote was 98-40, mostly with Democrats supporting the slowdown and Republicans opposed.
One exception was Del. John P. Donoghue, D-Washington, who voted with local Republicans, including Beitzel, LeRoy E. Myers Jr., Andrew A. Serafini, Neil C. Parrott and Michael J. Hough.
Afterward, Donoghue said Marcellus drilling is an economic issue, particularly as energy prices soar.
“I think the folks in Garrett County probably need an injection of some good luck,” he said. “And if it comes through the drilling, I think that’s terrific. They can desperately use the jobs and the money.”
If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Marcellus Shale Drilling Moratorium Poised For House Passage
>By David Saleh Rauf
ANNAPOLIS – Legislation to create a temporary moratorium on natural gas drilling in Western Maryland’s Marcellus Shale deposits appears poised for passage in the House of Delegates.
The full House gave the bill preliminary approval Tuesday after the chamber rejected five amendments and an attempt to shelve debate by the proposal’s staunchest opponent, Delegate Wendell Beitzel, R-Garrett.
The bill, dubbed the “Maryland Shale Safe Drilling Act of 2011,” would restrict drilling in Maryland’s slice of the Marcellus formation until 2013, when two state agencies would be required to complete a study that outlines the potential environmental impact associated with a drilling method called hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.”
The technique, which pumps water mixed with chemicals into rock formations, has been touted as a technological breakthrough because it allows oil and gas companies to drill deeper and horizontally to extract natural gas from the formation for the first time.
If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Sitting atop huge gas reserve, Maryland debates drilling practice known as fracking
>By Darryl Fears, Sunday, March 27, 6:21 PM
Natural gas is often hailed as the most promising energy source to feed America’s power-hungry future: cleaner than coal and oil, and free of the fears surrounding nuclear power. And sitting atop one of the largest gas reserves in the world, Maryland is one of several Chesapeake Bay region states that stand to profit handsomely.
But the process of drilling for the “clean fuel” is now embattled, as the Maryland General Assembly recently sought to do what no other state in the region has done. Before a single well has been drilled, it moved to ban the practice, boldly stepping into the center of a heated conflict.
In a vote that reflects growing national concern over the practice known as hydraulic fracturing, state lawmakers in the House on Wednesday passed a bill that would essentially place a moratorium on drilling until the Maryland Department of the Environment completes a two-year study to determine whether it endangers drinking water and public health, as some environmentalists in nearby states that allow drilling charge.
“We’re not going to be like other states that drilled first and asked questions later,” said Maryland Del. Heather R. Mizeur (D-Montgomery), who drafted and sponsored the legislation. “We understand that second chances are expensive, so we should slow down and take the time to do this right the first time.”
If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>House OKs plan for 2-year study before allowing gas drilling in Marcellus Shale in western Md.
>BRIAN WITTE Associated Press
First Posted: March 23, 2011 – 12:36 pm
Last Updated: March 23, 2011 – 3:51 pm
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Natural gas drilling in western Maryland would be restricted until the state finishes a two-year study under a bill passed by House lawmakers on Wednesday.
The House of Delegates voted 98-40 to approve the measure on drilling in the Marcellus Shale region in far western Maryland.
A permit for drilling could be granted by the state before the study is completed in 2013, if it is shown that drilling could be done without harming health or the environment. But opponents of the bill say it essentially amounts to a two-year moratorium on drilling that could bring needed revenue to western Maryland and the state.
Supporters, however, said further study is needed to make sure the hydraulic fracturing method used to recover the natural gas doesn’t pose health or environmental risks.
The process involves blasting millions of gallons of chemical-laced water thousands of feet underground to crack shale and release natural gas trapped inside. The Environmental Protection Agency is examining the process to see if it may contaminate drinking water supplies.
Delegate Heather Mizeur, a Montgomery County Democrat who sponsored the bill, said she has received 400 emails from Garrett County residents who support the bill, because they have concerns about the drilling.
If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Blog: Five Strikes, And You’re Out: Beitzel Fails On Fracking
>Megan Poinski
Posted March 22, 2011
Megan@MarylandReporter.com
Del. Wendell Beitzel, R-Garrett County, made his support for drilling Marcellus shale to produce natural gas in his corner of the state quite clear on Tuesday morning.
Beitzel offered five unsuccessful amendments to a bill that would require a comprehensive study on the impact and risks of drilling the shale before permits could be issued. The Department of the Environment and the Department of Natural Resources would publish the study, including conclusions and recommendations for legislative changes, by August 2013.
A rig drills a Marcellus shale well in Roulette, Pa. Photo by Laurie Barr
Beitzel is one of the few lawmakers in Annapolis from the mountainous area in far western Maryland where the drilling would take place, and wants it started sooner. Debate on the bill was delayed to give Beitzel time to research and plan amendments.
“The bottom line is Marcellus shale and natural gas extraction can help our state,” Beitzel said.
If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>House ready to debate natural gas drilling; ban would close off Marcellus Shale in western Md.
>THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First Posted: March 21, 2011 – 12:11 am
Last Updated: March 21, 2011 – 12:11 am
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland House of Delegates is set to vote this week on an effort to restrict drilling for natural gas in western Maryland.
Democratic Delegate Heather Mizeur of Montgomery County is pushing a bill to severely limit when the state can issue drilling permits.
If the House approves it Tuesday, the bill would still need the approval of the Senate and Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley.
Oil and gas companies are seeking permission from many East Coast governments to access the multi-state Marcellus Shale. The formation holds large supplies of natural gas, but can only be accessed with hydraulic fracturing, a process environmentalists oppose.
A House committee last week rejected an effort by Republican Delegate Wendell Beitzel of Garrett County to require the Maryland Department of Environment to issue drilling permits.
If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Governor ‘pulled no punches’ in meeting with commissioners
>Marcellus shale focus of much discussion
Matthew Bieniek
Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Mon Mar 21, 2011, 07:55 AM EDT
CUMBERLAND — Allegany County commissioners said they had a productive meeting with Gov. Martin O’Malley and his staff last week, after the governor surprised them by showing up at what they thought was a meeting with several of his staff members.
Among other things, commissioners were pleasantly surprised when O’Malley indicated interest in the possibility of developing Marcellus shale in Garrett and Allegany counties through the use of a carbon dioxide gas process, rather than the more commonly used hydraulic fracturing.
“The governor pulled no punches with us in that meeting,” said Commission President Michael McKay.
McKay credited Commissioner Creade Brodie Jr. with setting up the meeting with O’Malley’s staff in order to discuss Marcellus shale, among other matters. O’Malley arrived during the Sunday evening meeting with Allegany and Garrett County officials at Will O’ the Wisp near Oakland.
The governor told commissioners that as a former mayor, he understood the impact state cuts were having on local governments. The largest part of their discussion though, centered on Marcellus shale, said commissioners.
The commissioners said they conveyed what they believed to be the importance of Marcellus shale development and their willingness to look at various options to develop natural gas while protecting the environment. O’Malley seemed particularly interested in using carbon dioxide gas for pushing the gas out of the shale. The gas method is used daily in Canada, said Commissioner Bill Valentine.
O’Malley has been very cautious about drilling for natural gas in Marcellus shale, asking for further study before large scale drilling commences. O’Malley’s staff last week denied seeking a moratorium on gas exploration.
Valentine said a local company captures carbon dioxide gas from one of its operations and conceivably, that gas could be used to assist the so-called fracking process to push natural gas out from Marcellus shale. It’s believed using carbon dioxide would be more environmentally friendly than the so-called hydrofracking process, which involves using water and chemicals to open cracks in the shale sufficient to allow the gas to escape into pipes and be brought to the surface. Because it opens the seams more gently than hydrofracking, the industry refers to the use of carbon dioxide gas in the process as “massaging,” Valentine said.
McKay said the governor was “definitely interested” in looking at using carbon dioxide gas as an environmentally friendly way to conduct Marcellus shale exploration for natural gas.
If Allegany County used this process in a test well, it could set the standard for Maryland, Valentine said. “They (the governor’s staff) seemed interested in that process,” said Valentine.
The current stalemate in Marcellus shale exploration isn’t good for Maryland, Brodie said. Competing bills in the General Assembly are supported by environmentalists and the industry.
“It’s like working at the … fountain and I can’t take a drink,” he said. Brodie said the governor and his staff went above and beyond to accommodate the commissioners.
The Maryland Department of the Environment is already using existing regulations for the protection of air, water and land and applying them to Marcellus-related permits, Delegate Wendell Beitzel has said.
Marcellus shale formations throughout the Eastern United States are believed to harbor large untapped natural gas resources. The shale is a sedimentary rock formation that extends underground through about 95,000 square miles in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland. The total value of the natural gas in Allegany County’s Marcellus shale could be close to $15.72 billion, with the average well earning $65,000 to $524,000 yearly, University of Maryland Extension staff have said.
“There is a little bit of sunshine peeking through the clouds,” McKay said.
Contact Matthew Bieniek at mbieniek@times-news.com
If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
>Panelists talk pros, cons of Marcellus shale drilling
>Kristin Harty Barkley
The Cumberland Times-News
Fri Mar 04, 2011, 08:01 AM EST
FROSTBURG — The conversation almost stayed civil Wednesday night.
About 150 people gathered at the Palace Theatre to hear two panelists discuss the pros and cons of drilling for natural gas in Western Maryland’s portion of the Marcellus shale.
Gas industry representative Gregory Wrightstone explained why he thinks drilling is desireable, emphasizing the potential economic benefits the region stands to gain.
Filmmaker Josh Fox, whose Oscar-nominated movie, “Gasland,” documents serious public health and environmental problems associated with the process of extracting gas from the earth, explained why he thinks drilling must stop.
For almost two hours, the exchange was strained, but respectful.
Then Wrightson, confronted by a Garrett County resident who doesn’t want to see the area spoiled by industrialization, asked a rhetorical question.
“You’re right about this — it will change Garrett County,” said Wrightstone, director of geology for Texas Keystone, Inc., of Pittsburgh. “I remember when my grandfather subdivided his farm. It was bittersweet to see a bunch of houses going up. But he benefited from that. Garrett County’s going to have to make that decision …
“Are you suggesting that we ban drilling in Garrett County?” Wrightson asked.
The audience erupted.
“Yes!” a majority shouted, applauding fervently. The moderator, struggling to restore order, reminded the crowd of its tacit promise to remain “civil” during the panel.
Then Fox, who has asked Congress for a nationwide moratorium on drilling until safety issues have been addressed, interrupted.
“I gotta say something here — there’s nothing uncivil about standing up for your rights,” Fox said. “I’m sorry, that is not uncivil. That is an expression of actual political will. It’s not against the rules to be able to say, ‘No, I don’t want this here.’”
The outbursts Wednesday night underscored the intense emotions the issue is arousing here and across the region, as gas companies approach landowners for leases permitting them to drill.
The Marcellus shale, a black shale formation that extends deep underground from Ohio and West Virginia, northeast into Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York, is believed to hold vast natural gas deposits. Using a technologically advanced process called hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” gas companies have been extracting natural gas from wells in Pennsylvania and New York in recent years.
To date, no permits for drilling have been issued in Allegany County; gas companies have applied for two permits in Garrett County, state environmental officials have said.
Over the last year or so, events to educate the public here about natural gas drilling have drawn large crowds. In February, about 100 people attended a discussion at the Allegany County Fairgrounds; in January, an estimated 300 gathered at a hall in Oakland for a four-hour public hearing on the topic.
Wednesday’s panel discussion was part of the Maryland Humanities Council’s new initiative, “Practicing Democracy: Seeking Common Ground,” an effort to provide opportunities for “people with divergent opinions and perspectives to engage in respectful and effective civic dialogue.”
Facilitators showed clips from Fox’s “Gasland” and a gas industry-produced film called “Shale Gas and America’s Future” to set up opposing perspectives on drilling’s benefits and dangers.
Wrightstone, who has been involved with natural gas drilling for more than 30 years, including many wells in the region, called the Marcellus shale a “great gift” and an “incredible resource” that can boost local economies and decrease America’s dependence on foreign oil.
The total value of the natural gas in Allegany County’s Marcellus shale could be close to $15.72 billion, with the average well earning $65,000 to $524,000 yearly, University of Maryland Extension staff have said.
Though he claimed that much of Fox’s data showing ground water contamination was flawed, Wrightstone admitted that drilling can cause environmental problems.
“Anything you do on the surface can degrade the fresh water,” he said. “What’s the industry that pollutes fresh water the most in Maryland? I think we can all agree it’s farming,” said Wrightstone, who said he grew up on a farm.
“What industry has the highest mortality rate? Farming. Is anybody out there trying to get a moratorium on farming? No. We’re doing this in an environmentally safe manner, and hydrofracturing is definitely not harming ground water. … Are there going to be incidences out there sometimes? Absolutely. But it’s an incredible natural resource that we need to develop safely.”
Fox, who began investigating the gas industry after a company offered to lease some of his Pennsylvania land for a well, said there aren’t enough government regulations in place to monitor the industry. He encouraged local residents to be “detectives” and do their own investigating before deciding whether they think drilling should take place.
“What my film is calling for is an investigation before any more of this is to occur,” said Fox, who travels the country talking about the issue. “Because it is putting people at risk.”
Contact Kristin Harty Barkley at kbarkley@times-news.com
>Commissioner Crawford Testifies On Behalf Of Marcellus Shale Legislation
>
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Feb. 24, 2011
Board of Garrett County Commissioners chairman Gregan Crawford and Commissioner Bob Gatto attended a public hearing in Annapolis yesterday to provide support for House Bill 411. Sponsored by Del. Wendell Beitzel, the proposed legislation requires the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to establish certain regulations regarding natural gas drilling.
“The Board of Garrett County Commissioners desires to see the process of exploration into the development of Marcellus gas resources managed in the best possible manner,” Gregan told the House Environmental Affairs Committee, which was assigned HB 411. “That requires oversight on both state as well as the local level. The board does not desire to see drilling commence without a prudent and in-depth review. Our county is reviewing the local aspects of this industry, and we believe that House Bill 411 is an essential step in the pro-cess.”
A companion bill, Senate Bill 422, sponsored by Sen. George Edwards, has been assigned to the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee, which will hold a hearing next Tuesday, March 1, at 1 p.m.
The proposed legislation outlines several issues that the MDE would have to address. Those include requirements relating to the following:
1. A water testing plan to ensure drinking water resources are protected, including requirements for surface well casing, grouting, and inspections.
2. The containment and disposal of fluid used in hydraulic fracturing pro-cesses.
3. The identification of all chemicals and materials used in hydraulic fracturing processes.
4. Prohibiting the unregulated discharge of drilling materials and fluids into streams, ponds, and other bodies of water for which the discharge has not been approved by the department.
5. Site reclamation and bonding.
HB 411/SB 422 would require MDE to submit regulations to the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review regarding natural gas exploration and production in the Marcellus shale formation no later than Dec. 31.
