Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by 015334grltd9m on November 4, 2011 at 3:08am

Marianne,

Thank you for seeking to write a thorough article on what is the greatest blessing we have witnessed in a long time.  I am sure you will find a lot of post and exchanges here from those of us who are at the ground level of the newly found energy under us all.  Many of us, I am sure will be willing to help you with your work and please visit our area if you can.  We will infact give you a tour of our forgotten area if you like.  Incidentally, 30 years ago, after college I worked for Newport News Shipbuilding which designed and built LNG tankers for inporting gas.  If I may assist you, you may reach me at 330 707 9688.

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Permalink Reply by Nelson Roe on November 4, 2011 at 3:09am

I support the development of our resources, but I believe that they should be kept within the US to the extent that we do not need to rely so heavily (or preferably at all) on external sources for this type of resource.  If we ever get to the point that we are producing a surplus... Then I could see the validity in exporting it internationally.  But since there seems to be such a demand within the US, I do not understand why the US companies would have the desire to export it rather than to use it to supply the economy & industry that has allowed them to flourish.  But, then again... at the same time that I pose that question, a nagging little voice in the back of my head is answering the question by saying that it's all about the "almighty dollar" for the companies.

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Permalink Reply by Philip Brutz on November 4, 2011 at 9:51am

I have very mixed feelings about the whole issue of fracking, bigger pipelines, ethane cracking plants, LNG exports, wells on my land, compressor stations, trucks tearing up the roads, etc.  I own 82 acres of land in Guernsey Co. OH.  I just signed with Gulfport Energy for $5,000 an arce, 20% royalties.  So I am going to do well financially and it is going to bring much needed jobs to a poor community.  But it is going to come at a high price.  The thing scares me the most is how much C02 is going to be released.  Cheap, plentiful gas means that people have no reason to conserve.  The capitalist in me thinks that we should it sell to the highest bidder, here or over seas.  The environmentalist in me thinks that we we carefully ration this gift from the dinosaurs so that we don't end up like them.

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Permalink Reply by mark ayers on November 4, 2011 at 11:37am

With nat gas stuck @ $6 mmbtu in the USA and Europe paying $13.5 mmbtu and Japan paying $15 the economics look attractive, but imho, just as the shale gas development here in the States has suppressed prices, the same shale formation are being found in many places around the world and will in the future make transporting  LNG by ship not so economical. The main concern as a lease holder is to find ways to develope markets here in the USA and if that does not happen then we can kiss our gas goodbye.

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Permalink Reply by HB on November 4, 2011 at 2:11pm

One of the reported goals of the Chinese company that is in the JV with Chesapeake is to learn something of their technique/technology.  Whatever their other faults, the Chinese are enterprising and aggressive.  They will take whatever they learn about directional drilling and hydro-fracking and use it internally as well as internationally.  They are aggressively acquiring oil rights all over the world and will no doubt find plenty of customers for their products and ("borrowed") technology.

I am personally philosophically opposed to selling our gas internationally.  But, as a leaseholder, I would like to see US gas marketed around the world WHILE WE STILL CAN.  I believe in 10-15 years there will be shale fields all around the world spewing out cheap gas.

 

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Permalink Reply by 0l1a6laz7smpf on November 6, 2011 at 1:45pm

Thanks Marianne for introducing a very important topic.   When the primary leasing was done years ago we were told that the lease was for US companies to drill with no mention of foreign investors and of course we believed them as they the landmen were also US citizens and we had been listening to T. Boone Picket on TV.  Not only were verbal statements made that duped my dad as well as other landowners now we do not even know who or what our lease will end up with as the 'assigns  clause' in the flimsy contract (and it is flimsy) is so open for anyone and I mean anyone to receive that lease then we in America do not even know if we would end up purchasing NG with the profits going to China and India, and other non-citizen investors even though it was pumped from our own soils...especially when our own profits as landowners was negotiated so poorly.  I hope you will read the links I sent you such as this one:

http://gomarcellusshale.com/forum/topics/assigns-clause-and-a-global

If there are provisions for the landowner to be involved even monetary in the assigning of the lease then there at least would be more of a check and balance as to where and whom the lease is going.  And unless our US governmental leaders get involved in this soon...we may all be under lease agreements that ultimately and some even for many years beyond the primary terms with countries that we haven't even heard of as when China and these other countries purchase lease interests they can still turn around and sell their interests to even more foreigners (what if China sells their interest in our leases to North Korea or Iran?....why didn't our US companies think about that or did they?

http://gomarcellusshale.com/forum/topics/would-a-lawyer-pls-read-th...these things?

 

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Permalink Reply by Philip Brutz on November 7, 2011 at 2:45am

You may want to interview members of the Raven Rocks community.  They own over 1000 acres in Belmont Co. and they are not going to lease it for environmental reasons.  Passing up several million dollars in signing bonuses and royalties.

http://ravenrocks.org/What_is_RR/overview.htm

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