Comment

Comment by daniel cohen on February 10, 2010 at 3:50pm

Dear Shalers,
Drillman, on another site, called my attention to the following:

http://www.dittus.com/energy_in_depth/pdfs/gwpc_kell_testimony.pdf

Basically this is information by people who should know, that there have NOT been aquifer contaminations due to the fracing process. They maintain that any and all cases of contamination were satisfactorily traced to operator error, faulty preparation of well casings, improper procedures by the company or improper materials used in the drilling process. They also identify the need for regulatory control, but on a state level rather than federal.

Assuming that all that they say is true, that the process is not to blame for the contamination, and that regulatory agencies look over everybody's shoulder- then we can begin to focus on how best to protect ourselves from potential contamination. Bottom line, we need to be very alert to avoid the pitfalls of the past and to share in the wealth of the land while still protecting our land and our loved ones.
Dan

Comment by daniel cohen on February 9, 2010 at 12:24pm

Dear Ruby,
I take your point, and it would be valuable to find out the geologist point of view. If I come across it I'll reference it on this site, and I'd invite us all to keep an eye out for informative sites for us to check out. On your point about the medical risks- personally I prefer to have the info in order to come to an informed decision for myself and my family.
Dan

Comment by daniel cohen on February 9, 2010 at 10:35am

Dear Shalers,
I've just come across a site that you should be aware of:http://www.ithacamed.com/
This is from a medical man, with a voice and a position. Satisfy yourself that his reasoning is sound or not, but best for us all to be aware of what he is saying.
Dan

Comment by daniel cohen on February 3, 2010 at 2:23pm

Dear Bonnie, inherent in your comment is the assumption that someone else(oil company, gov't,EPA,etc.) can be relied upon to do the right thing and to protect your interests. I wish that that were the case. From what I've been reading, it has not been the case for a lot of folks. As I understand it, the profit motive drives the actions- profit for the oil companies with little regard for the land/animals/water resources.land owner. It doesn't have to be like that, but we as land owners need to be alert to protect our own interests as well as those of our neighbors. I believe we can partner with the companies to be ecologically protective and to minimize the impact of extracting the gas. Our job is to be informed and alert.

Comment by Bonnie Gray on February 3, 2010 at 1:57pm

the wells will be tested and taken care of if something goes wrong, there is nothing that is 100%.

Comment by daniel cohen on January 31, 2010 at 7:09am

Dear Girdon, Following up on your suggestion to find info based upon facts and not hype, I poked about and found the following website:
http://naturalgas.extension.psu.edu/webinars.htm
This is put out by Penn State University, and they present a ton of information. One presentation was " Treatment/Disposal Options for Wastewaters from Shale Gas Drilling" by Bryan Swistock, Water Resources Specialist, School of Forest Resources, Penn State University, 10-28-09
and I've come away from that webinar more concerned than ever. The fears we were discussing previously are very real, and the solutions are not yet in sight. If you'd like to discuss the specifics, you know where to find me.

Some other interesting discussions were:
1)Community Response Options to Marcellus Shale and Energy Development by Kathy Brasier, Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology, and Walt Whitmer, Extension Associate, Economic and Community Development, Penn State Cooperative Extension, 9-17-09

2)The Marcellus Shale: Reason for the Pattern of Well Locations Through April 2009 by Dr. Terry Engelder, Dept. of GeoSciences, Penn State University. re-recorded on May 6, 2009

3)Above the Marcellus Shale - Minimizing Impacts to Forests and Wildlife
by Margaret Brittingham, Professor of Wildlife Resources and Extension Wildlife Specialist, 3-18-09

4)Considerations When Negotiating a Lease: Impact of the Current Economical Environment by Tom Murphy, Extension Educator, Agricultural Sciences/Energy Development 1-22-09


5)Water Use and Water Quality Issues by Bryan Swistock, Penn State Water Resources Specialist, 2-19-09

Bottom line, in general, we have much to be aware of, much to be afraid of, and an obligation not to be talked into anything until we understand the consequences of what we decide to do. I personally believe that we as educated landowners can effectively partner with oil companies to tap into our mineral wealth and at the same time protect that which we hold dear. The responsibility is for us to become educated, to learn from the mistakes of others, and to be champions for the land and the water.

Comment by daniel cohen on January 29, 2010 at 11:21am

Dear Ruby, The background funding information you presented is quite interesting. Thank you for it. It's always wise to keep in mind the funding sources to help separate truth from hype.

Comment by daniel cohen on January 29, 2010 at 11:17am

Dear Girdon, We may be like billy goats butting our heads together, but I'm assuming that your intentions are well meaning and that you also are striving for the truth. With that in mind, I have some thoughts I'd like to share. On Jan.23 you posted a number of observations, which I responded to the next day and raised some questions about your posting. So far you haven't responded to the questions raised there.
In your current observations you refer to a fact sheet put out by one of the drilling companies. I can agree with you that we, as land owners, need to be on the alert for facts and not hype- the question is always which is which. The last time you sent me searching, the facts were not what you were reporting, as my post after would seem to suggest. Now you raise the following when you write"You would do well to have persons review this more factual data as well as your interpretations of newsy articles which are written & slanted for inciting emotions to sell newspapers." Again, we can agree that articles are often written to slant the truth and to incite emotions. You continue however, to state that I (Dan) have presented my personal interpretations of the points made. To my knowledge, that is inaccurate. Please indicate where I may have done that- I would owe a public apology if I did do that.

Comment by Girdon E. Buck on January 29, 2010 at 4:50am

Hi Dan - From Girdon - I just finished reviewing Chesapeake Energy's web-site - fact sheet on HYDRO-FRACING. it lists in detail the materials (chemicals) used & specifically details the applicable purpose of each. It also explains that the deep well drilling has about a 1: 200,000 chance of effecting any acquifiers. You would do well to have persons review this more factual data as well as your interpretations of newsy articles which are written & slanted for inciting emotions to sell newspapers. Thanks

Comment by daniel cohen on January 24, 2010 at 6:21pm

Dear Scott, Thanks for the encouragement. I've had a chance to look into some of the details of the Cabot situation in Dimock. Really scary stuff. Very briefly, the below quotes will give you the idea:

"Pat Farnelli, Ronald Carter, Richard Seymour, and Norma Fiorentino, live in Dimock, Pa. A year after Cabot Oil & Gas landmen knocked on their doors to sign drilling leases, they are finding that their drinking water now contains methane, the largest component of natural gas." (Abrahm Lustgarten/ProPublica)
"We feel pretty alone on this, pretty frustrated," Seymour said. "I assumed the DEP, EPA, the state -- the government -- would protect our land. We didn't know that as a landowner the burden was on us."

There needs to be a way to have a win-win situation out of the potential extraction of the minerals, without the side effects of poor quality or management control. Trusting to the government, or the economic interests of the drilling companies just isn't the way to protect our land as well as benefiting from the potential mineral wealth. We, as landowners, need to take a very active part in what goes on and how it is done. We need to become personally aware of the issues involved, and partner with the companies in a way that allows them to extract the gas as well as protecting the aquifer and the land. We are the custodians of a precious legacy, one hopefully we can pass down intact to our heirs. We owe it to them, ourselves, and to that which we were given to protect. Hopefully this blog and others like it can help to bring that about.

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