2010 Archives

A webinar will be offered December 16 that focuses on the geology and technology that plays an important part in natural gas extraction in the Marcellus shale.

Opportunities available for businesses in the Marcellus shale can be found with some work. Here are some suggestions for exploring those opportunities.

This updated publication addresses the rapidly changing topic of water withdrawals for Marcellus shale gas drilling in Pennsylvania.

Have you received income from leasing and /or royalties in 2010? Need help figuring out how this income affects your taxes? Join us for year-end tax planning programs to outline options for sudden wealth management.

Seismic surveying plays an important role in natural gas development. This article will help to have a better understanding of the need for seismic testing.

This month's Marcellus Educational Webinar program hosts Dana Aunkst and Eugene Pine from DEP discussing new regulations for natural gas drilling.

As a hunter, you may be surprised by the level of drilling activity associated with Marcellus shale on public lands in Pennsylvania. This article provides information, resources, and advice to help you make your hunting plans.

A new publication titled, "Negotiating Pipeline Rights-of-Way in Pennsylvania" is now available free of charge on the Penn State Extension website.

Business development related to development of the Marcellus is an important topic for many local communities. Here we summarize the Penn State Extension "Your Business and Marcellus Shale" Webinar Series and provide links to additional information and resources.

Professor Ross Pifer, director of the Agricultural Law Research and Resource Center and of the new Rural Economic Development Clinic, summarizes the legal implications of Marcellus Shale development.

This is part 2 of last week's news item.

"Water Use and Water Reuse/Recycling in Marcellus Shale Gas Exploration and Production" is the next webinar in an ongoing series of web-based workshops addressing issues related to the development of the Marcellus Shale. This free web-based seminar will air Thursday, Oct. 21, at 1 p.m.

The 2010 Marcellus Summit, hosted by Penn State Extension, the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission and Penn State Outreach, was held October 10 through 12th at the Penn Stater Conference Center, University Park. This articles provides a brief recap of the Summit.

Landowners who lease their mineral rights have many decisions to make related to any potential income from a producing well. These decisions relate to managing that income, planning for taxes, and planning for future generations. This article describes potential consequences 'if I do nothing.' (This is part 1 of a 2-part series.)

Penn State Extension Water Resources has offered many programs related to water and natural gas drilling. What have been the impacts to you and your family personally?

Leasing land for natural gas extraction has many tax implications for the landowner. While there is no substitute for sound financial planning and advice, this article provides a few tips and explanations about tax implications of leasing.

The pace and extent of Marcellus Shale development across Pennsylvania can be “seen” in animated maps produced by the Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research.

New legislation has been introduced in the Pennsylvania General Assembly to further expand reporting requirements for Marcellus Shale wells.

EPA continues to collect comments on hydraulic fracturing. Comment period ends September 28, 2010.

The Institute for Public Policy & Economic Development announced the release of the report, Baseline Socioeconomic Analysis for the Marcellus Shale Development in Pennsylvania, this week.

A free, Web-based seminar titled, "Natural Gas Experiences of Marcellus Residents: Preliminary Results from the Community Satisfaction Survey," which will air at 1 p.m. on Sept. 16. Sponsored by Penn State Cooperative Extension, the "webinar" will provide an overview of the recent survey of residents in counties where shale-gas exploration has begun.

Common questions asked about right-of-ways

The Marcellus Summit scheduled for October 10th through 12th.

Penn State Dickinson School of Law will be starting a Rural Economic Development legal clinic this fall

A snapshot look at the rig activity in the various shale plays and in the Marcellus

Webinar Thursday, August 19th to hear from three County Commissioners regarding the Marcellus Development in their counties

New Penn State Extension Water program offered on How to Interpret Pre and Post Gas Drilling Water Test Reports

Outcome of a Fayette County court case involving a zoning ordinance

Extension programs regarding drinking water and Marcellus gas drilling has played a key role in educating the public

Testing drinking water wells is important, but it is also necessary to understand the results.

Penn State Extension works with county Natural Gas Task Forces

Local emergency responders benefit from gas industry training program.

Current update on a natural gas related court case.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has proposed updating existing regulations for oil and gas wells. The revisions would update existing rules for drilling, casing, cementing, testing, monitoring, and protecting oil and gas wells, as well as for protecting public and private water supplies.

Penn State Extension has been conducting programs for business owners and managers interested in developing new opportunities or expanding their firm's involvement in natural gas activities. This article, the second in a series of profiles of local entrepreneurs, describes PAGasDirectory.com and how its owner created the business after attending one of these Extension programs. We will continue to profile other businesses to demonstrate the pathways by which entrepreneurs identify and pursue opportunities related to natural gas.

EPA will be holding informational public meetings on its proposed study of the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and potential impacts on drinking water.

Standardized safety and environmental awareness training programs are designed to help all natural gas workers recognize the many basic job hazards they may encounter and how to minimize the impact.

Impacts of Marcellus drilling on rural drinking water continues to be a significant concern of many landowners and local officials. Penn State research now underway will examine the effects of drilling on groundwater and drinking water supplies.

A team of faculty and students at Penn State and Cornell have been working together to conduct research on the community and economic impacts of Marcellus Shale development. This article provides an update on one component of that research program, case studies of 4 counties in Pennsylvania and New York to document perceptions of the impacts in the early stages of development.

Proposed changes to Pennsylvania's water quality standards regulating total dissolved solids (TDS) moved a step closer to becoming law after a decision made by the Pennsylvania Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) on June 17, 2010. The new effluent standards for wastewater discharges will affect the state's oil and gas industries and other water users. The regulations now go to the Pennsylvania Senate and House environment committees and then to the Attorney General’s office.

Legislation enacted in May requires well operators to provide production data to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection on a semi-annual basis. The legislation also requires production data to be made public, eliminating the previous 5-year confidentiality period.

A recent case in federal district court in western Pennsylvania denied the motion of Range Resources to dismiss a lawsuit for breach of a gas lease contract. The case will continue to mediation this summer.

New videos regarding Marcellus shale waste water treatment and disposal and the current level of Marcellus Shale Activity in Pennsylvania.

When a private water well is tested, sometimes the report may be confusing. Here is a simple breakdown of what will be included in the report and how to interpret the results.

The Bradford County Natural Gas Advisory Board sponsored a meeting that brought together county leaders to exchange and share ideas about organizing County Task Forces. Participants discussed ways of organizing a task force, how to make them effective, and specific projects they have worked on.

Recent figures taken from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s website show activity in the Marcellus Shale play has increased dramatically in 2009, and appears to be accelerating in the first four months of 2010.

A mixed verdict was received by farmers following the installation of natural gas pipelines and a compressor station on their land.

Drilling in the Marcellus Shale has many people concerned about their private water wells. Here are some suggestions and steps to take to monitor your drinking water supplies.

The Pennsylvania House and Senate are considering multiple bills pertaining to the natural gas industry. This article lists the bills introduced during the 2009/2010 session, and provides a brief synoposis of each bill. Interested citizens and organizations are encouraged to provide comments about bills of interest directly to their state senator and/or house representative.

One challenge for energy companies developing the Marcellus Shale has been the lack of infrastructure and services specific to this industry, the technology being used, and the scale of development. A challenge for communities trying to take advantage of the potential economic benefits of Marcellus Shale has been how to create and keep jobs locally. To help address both of these challenges, Penn State Extension has been conducting programs for business owners and managers interested in developing new opportunities or expanding their firm's involvement in natural gas activities. This article profiles one such entrepreneur and her business, Natural Gas Resource, created after attending one of these Extension programs. Over the next several months, we will profile other businesses to demonstrate the pathways by which entrepreneurs identify and pursue opportunities related to natural gas.

Pipeline infrastructure provides a crucial link between natural gas wells in the Marcellus Shale and the processors and consumers who use that gas. Landowners across Pennsylvania are increasingly being asked to lease land for pipeline right-of-ways. This article provides information about pipeline construction and maintenance requirements, the leasing process, and issues landowners might consider when negotiating their right-of-way agreements.

The PA Supreme Court issued an opinion interpreting the Guaranteed Minimum Royalty Act. The Court's opinion finds in favor of the gas company, meaning that leases can provide for calculation of royalties that deduct post-production costs from the amount due the landowners.

The Pennsylvania League of Women Voters recently completed a year-long study on Marcellus shale. Penn State Extension's Marcellus Education Team was a significant participant in many of the local LWV meetings, providing education and research-based information as members developed their study guide.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced the creation of the ‘Eyes on Drilling’ tip line for citizens to report non-emergency suspicious activity related to oil and natural gas development.

Drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus shale brings many new questions and uncertainties about the process. We have developed a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ's) and provided answers to these questions here, based on our research and experience.

To date, Penn State Extension has participated in over 350 programs and presentations in 60 of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania as well as surrounding states. This article describes the types of programming conducted by Penn State's Marcellus Education Team.

By Brian Kelly, Extension Educator, January 2009