THE 60 MINUTES SHALE GAS MISINFORMATION - WHY IT MATTERS...

Minute 6:06 is where it all went south. Minute 10:45 is where I laughed out loud. Like an aged rollercoaster that you were foolish enough to hop on. I, however, continued to watch, hoping that it would right itself. But it wasn’t to be. Ms. Stahl, what did we do to you to deserve such “royal treatment?”

You can watch the segment here.

What I won’t do is be overly critical of the landowners who find themselves with polluted drinking water or faulty equipment spewing poison 200 feet away from their living space. However, when you buy land or lease your property, you need to know what you are getting yourself into-that’s just the reality of it. And, indeed, the industry needs to be held accountable when they are at fault. I don’t know too many arguing this point.

Let’s just get this out of the way; the segment was wrongly titled. Rather than “Shaleionaires,” a more appropriate title would have been, “Shale Gas: The Greed, the Industry & the Ugly.” If you thought, “Shaleionaires” indicated that it would be a positive segment, or at least 51% positive, boy were you fooled!

What was missed was an opportunity to open up many people to the wonders of natural gas and the role it can play in freeing us from Middle East oil. You know; those people who want to kill us. Rather, CBS utilized classic fear mongering that would make Gasland proud. They even evoked those boogey-words that bring fear into the heart of every New Yorker – Cheney, Halliburton…Hydrocarbons. Boo!

BTW, where are the independent experts CBS? Well spoken they may be, but oil and gas CEOs don’t exactly usher in soft fuzzies. I can already see the preview for next week’s 60 Minutes; “Exxon’s CEO advocates for the combustible engine.” By making a CEO the main advocate for natural gas, CBS is saying, “There are no independent people that can make the argument for natural gas.” And, “We are going to pit the industry against the people that really care- the environmentalists.” Of course, we know natural gas can win this debate if given equal footing.

What can also get lost in the excitement are the facts or the other side of the story? In what may have been the most malicious act of omission, Lesley Stahl affirmatively states, “the EPA has just begun to study the effects of Hydraulic Fracturing.” What? Did someone from CBS not come across the 2004 Study on Hydraulic Fracturing? If there are questions regarding the study that make it not credible, then that is one thing, but to communicate that fracking has never been looked at is simply misleading.

Some I have spoken with have said that, “people won’t really pay attention.” But I disagree. Mass media has influence. 13 million is a big audience. Perhaps not big enough to alter U.S. energy policy, shape geopolitics, or rewrite science, but big enough to make our jobs of public education a lot harder.

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Comment by Oil and Gas nightmare on December 3, 2010 at 7:56am
should that was not shouldnt ha
Comment by Oil and Gas nightmare on December 3, 2010 at 7:54am
I saw that it wasnt all that positive either...but what i listened too adn saw was the CEO of chesapeak being extremely excited about the amount of gas there and the wealth transfer it was going to give americans, and that they and other gas companies want it and want to push using it in more adn more ways...that is the main thing that should matter to us as the people that are going to get paid for something we own. Too many people seem to think this is as passing fancy but if you watch it agian and focus on his enthusiam about the whole matter, you will have an insite of the real long term value of your gas rights and why you shouldn't consider, it hasnt even began to reach its full potential yet...
Comment by Keith Mauck (Site Publisher) on December 2, 2010 at 10:22am
@Carolyn - Newsflash - natural gas can have a much more profound effect on energy consumption than wind and solar. You can't haul freight utilizing the breeze, or by using sunlight. Many local municipalities are already switching to CNG fleets. So where in your "homework" did you find that we (I assume you meant US companies) are selling our gas to Europe and China - I'd like to see your citation on that. Considering how many wells have been fracked vs how many aquifers have been contaminated - by any industry standard that ratio would be considered safe. Carolyn - do you realize that gas migrates on it's own? Do you use pipes in your house - how do you know when/if they wear out - that's right, you monitor it and make sure you abiding by adequate safety standards. So, what are your answers to our energy needs?
Comment by MonBel O & G Landowner Watchman on December 2, 2010 at 10:19am
NEWFLASH REBUTTAL: Carollyn, how do know we aren't sitting on the largest "OIL" deposit in the entire world? Who is paying for or promoting your anti drilling/ production agenda? Provide your proof of mitiagation of anything? WeThePeople are Awakening to AGENDAS and PLAN TO MOVE THiS COUNTRY FORWARD LIKE THE SHOCK WAVE YOU WITNESSED on 2November2010. It is time we take responsible control for ourselves and our nation. If you and others do not like it, there are plane tickets available for destinations to lands from whence my ancestors escaped to America for the "Right of Pursuit of Happiness"! It is past time to DRILL and PRODUCE HERE and WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT VERY THING as WELL AS SELL IT TO THE FOREIGN HAVE NOTS! IS THAT NOT A ROLE REVERSAL?
Comment by MonBel O & G Landowner Watchman on November 20, 2010 at 5:31pm
Hello Keith.....You did a superb job of dissecting that showing, as well as properly presentiing the MEDIA CONTROLLED THOUGHT PROCESS (for some, but not this sheep). Thanks again for a job well done. BTW, I thought the most informative part of that showing was the words that came out of the mouth of the Grey Haired Texan. Most people do not understand what he is saying! My Best Regards, RL Burgess

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