We will have a discussion and reply to our readers about the process of gaining access to the natural gas in the shale zones with the use of drilling techniques and the use of resources, namely water. Today, through the use of hydraulic fracturing, combined with sophisticated horizontal drilling, extraordinary amounts of natural gas from deep shale formations across the United States are being safely produced. The true art is how we know get it out and ready to get to work for us. And yes it uses water.

To have a regular inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing without exploring the obvious concerns would be a lost opportunity.

Water is a carrier, it moves things we need out of our way. Nature on its own moves whatever is in its way, it is a vehicle used by people to clean, drink, wash, recreate and used for whatever can be imagined. We create power with waterfalls, it offers hope to the Marcellus Shale communities first off, but it benefits our national energy supply foremost.

I learned about gomarcellus.com while visiting the DUG conference in Pittsburgh 2009. Since first logging on I have looked at the people who join, there is a chance to describe yourself, what type of "Shaler" are you? It surprised me how many responded, “huh”, but I find these folks also are the ones with the most concerns.

Nature on its own adds things as well, metals, minerals and salts The people in the area who bred fear to this process called Hydraulic Fracing also claim AMD (acid mine drainage) is an epidemic problem and have reaped havoc on our waterways. Both notions are nonsense; the watershed groups and DEP need the problems to keep their jobs. Many processes are openly available to clean, treat the AMD is moments and eliminate the problem at its source, the players involved don’t want to correct the process. St. Vincent College has turned their AMD problem into a classroom further preparing people to care and carry on non-correction efforts.

This industry is different, they pay and they do a lot in advance to assure fracing is safe. The natural gas producers have an opportunity to bring energy to our county, many businesses will be needed in our communities and we need to use a natural resource, water. Yet they are encountering and accommodating every demand of the state, they need to handle each site to the best available management practices available.

Water is the single most talked about item in Marcellus Shale. It is a misunderstood process that occupies the discussion of Marcellus Shale. The region that is now known as the Marcellus Shale play (a formation) was in the not to distant past ignored, the Appalachian Region. World Oil has had Marcellus on their cover or written about in three of past 10 issues.

In 1991 the major industry press published their last directory for the region. Low pressure and exhausted was the thought of the major oil & gas producers and industry experts. The distributors in Worcester, OH could supply the #2000 lb. ball valves most wellheads consisted of, a surprising large number of wells.

Now we are in the Marcellus and Hydraulic fracturing is a proven technological advancement that allows natural gas producers to safely recover natural gas from deep shale formations. We can’t forget each producer’s technique for there sophisticated horizontal drilling approach.

This discovery has the potential to not only dramatically reduce our reliance on foreign energy imports, but also to significantly better for our environment. Clearly development of deep shale gas formation is critical to our countries energy needs and its economic renewal.

Industry leaders have known for years that natural gas deposits existed in deep shale formations, but until recently the vast quantities of natural gas in these formations were not thought to be recoverable. What has changed? If playing a game, I'd say, " What is hydraulic fracturing". Hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as fracing, is essential for the production of natural gas from shale formations.

Fracturing fluids are comprised of more than 99% water and sand and are handled in self-contained systems. Multiple layers of protective steel casing surrounded by cement protect our freshwater aquifers; this is administered and enforced under a mix & match group of state regulations.

Hydraulic fracturing has been used by the industry since the early 40s and has become a key process to in the development and recovery of natural gas in nearly all natural gas wells drilled in the U.S. today. Properly conducted modern hydraulic fracturing is a safe, sophisticated, highly engineered and controlled procedure.

Gene Citrone, Jr. is a project manager for a Cranberry Township based engineering company. Team leader of a project and service being used in the fracing process to clean salts and chlorides from frac flowback pits to the disbelieve of many this reduces to the levels for re-use.

He can be reached at gcitrone@ppc-site.com