The explosion happened late Wednesday night. Included among the casualties was a 4 month old infant, a 16 year old girl and a 70 year old couple. And while 8 homes were leveled, 48 homes and 10 businesses were damaged. Utility workers had inspected the lines just the day before but hadn't detected any leaks. The lines in question were installed back in 1928.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
PA fracking blowout spews fluid onto state forest lands
The following article appeared in the Star Gazette on 1.25.2011.
Talisman Energy may face heavy penalties
By G. Jeffrey Aaron
Talisman Energy has resumed its Marcellus drilling operations in Pennsylvania, a week after one of the company's gas wells experienced a blowout that caused an uncontrolled discharge of sand and fracking fluids onto state forest lands in Tioga County.
As a result of the incident, Talisman shut down all of its hydraulic fracturing operations in North America while it conducted an internal investigation into the cause of the Jan. 17 blowout. Those operations have since resumed, with Talisman's Pennsylvania drilling program being the last to be brought back online.
Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has requested Talisman provide answers to nine questions related to the blowout as part of its investigation into the incident. The investigation could result in civil penalties levied against Talisman.
The well where the blowout occurred is on Pennsylvania State Forest lands in Ward Township, about nine miles southeast of Mansfield.
"There is certainly the possibility of a civil penalty that would be determined at a later time," DEP spokesman Daniel Spadoni said. "But we need to have the investigation concluded to our satisfaction before the civil penalties would be addressed."
Talisman, based in Calgary, Alberta has five days from receipt of letter, called a notice of violation, to submit the information requested by the DEP. The letter was dated Monday.
Among other items, the DEP wants Talisman to submit a sampling plan for the site, information on any fluids released during the blowout, an analysis of the incident's cause, changes in all of the company's Marcellus operations as a result of the incident and when those changes will be implemented.
DEP is also asking why it was notified shortly after 1:30 p.m. Jan. 17 when the incident began a little after noon.
"This was a serious incident that could have caused significant environmental harm had it not been brought under control," DEP North-central Regional Director Nels Taber said in a statement. "DEP is conducting a thorough investigation to determine why this incident occurred."
To read the remainder of the article, please click HERE.
Talisman Energy may face heavy penalties
By G. Jeffrey Aaron
Talisman Energy has resumed its Marcellus drilling operations in Pennsylvania, a week after one of the company's gas wells experienced a blowout that caused an uncontrolled discharge of sand and fracking fluids onto state forest lands in Tioga County.
As a result of the incident, Talisman shut down all of its hydraulic fracturing operations in North America while it conducted an internal investigation into the cause of the Jan. 17 blowout. Those operations have since resumed, with Talisman's Pennsylvania drilling program being the last to be brought back online.
Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has requested Talisman provide answers to nine questions related to the blowout as part of its investigation into the incident. The investigation could result in civil penalties levied against Talisman.
The well where the blowout occurred is on Pennsylvania State Forest lands in Ward Township, about nine miles southeast of Mansfield.
"There is certainly the possibility of a civil penalty that would be determined at a later time," DEP spokesman Daniel Spadoni said. "But we need to have the investigation concluded to our satisfaction before the civil penalties would be addressed."
Talisman, based in Calgary, Alberta has five days from receipt of letter, called a notice of violation, to submit the information requested by the DEP. The letter was dated Monday.
Among other items, the DEP wants Talisman to submit a sampling plan for the site, information on any fluids released during the blowout, an analysis of the incident's cause, changes in all of the company's Marcellus operations as a result of the incident and when those changes will be implemented.
DEP is also asking why it was notified shortly after 1:30 p.m. Jan. 17 when the incident began a little after noon.
"This was a serious incident that could have caused significant environmental harm had it not been brought under control," DEP North-central Regional Director Nels Taber said in a statement. "DEP is conducting a thorough investigation to determine why this incident occurred."
To read the remainder of the article, please click HERE.
Gas drilling isn't as "clean" as previously thought
Really? Anyone who lives in an area where they're drilling has known this since Day 1. The industry has spun a marvelous tale of how natural gas is the second coming--describing it as "clean" and even "green." If I see another commercial about it I just may throw my tv out the window! Natural gas might burn cleanER than oil but now there is finally evidence showing that when taking into account the entire lifecycle from extraction through burning, the benefits of natural gas are negligible at best. Click HERE to read the latest chapter in Abraham Lustgarten's provocative series on the natural gas industry for ProPublica: "Climate Benefits of Natural Gas May Be Overstated."
So instead of investing billions of dollars and destroying millions of acres, decimating property values (not to mention any tourism industry that might have existed pre-drilling), ruining wells, and risking the health and well-being of people, wildlife, and pets....WHY aren't those billions of dollars being invested in something that does none of the above: solar power, wind power or something yet to be discovered? Last night's State of the Union address touched upon how the United States needs to out-educate, out-innovate, and out-build; we can't expect to lead the pack again if our focus is on the fossil fuels of last century.
So instead of investing billions of dollars and destroying millions of acres, decimating property values (not to mention any tourism industry that might have existed pre-drilling), ruining wells, and risking the health and well-being of people, wildlife, and pets....WHY aren't those billions of dollars being invested in something that does none of the above: solar power, wind power or something yet to be discovered? Last night's State of the Union address touched upon how the United States needs to out-educate, out-innovate, and out-build; we can't expect to lead the pack again if our focus is on the fossil fuels of last century.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Catching up; deep thoughts
Dear Friends,
I realize it's been several weeks since my last post. First it was due to a tropical vacation, then the holidays hit, and before I knew it, it was mid-January. My apologies for seeming to drop into a black hole. Lately, however, I've struggled with what to post.
I started this blog a little more than a year ago, when gas drilling operations in my area began to overwhelm the landscape. As I watched what was happening around my beloved hometown, I wrestled to find a way to deal with my feelings of helplessness. To my dismay, many area residents seemed resigned to what was happening. After a few months of gas drilling on my mind (and in my hearing, in my sights....), it occurred to me that I didn't have to feel helpless--there *was* something I could do.
I put to use my skills as a librarian and created this site to be a sort of "one stop shop" for people like me--people who were concerned about what was happening, wanted to educate themselves about natural gas drilling and network with similar-minded folks. My goal was to reach the widest possible audience and to make the information easily accessible. I spent a considerable amount of time researching and identifying authoritative local, state and national resources. When I started this process, I didn't know beans about fracking, the current means by which natural gas is extracted. Now, I know more than I wish I did.
I had also never built a blog or linked it to other social media sites, so I had to educate myself on that too. I created links to other topical blogs and made it easy for visitors to find and contact their legislators or locate the latest information in their newspapers (you don't even have to do the search--click on the link and it's done for you!)
But over the course of the past year as the number of blog/Facebook fans grew, so did the number of drill sites in my area. Don't get me wrong. I'm not against gas drilling. Many people I know are finally out of debt or at the very least, aren't living paycheck to paycheck since they leased their mineral rights or allowed compressor stations to be built on their property. I'm thankful for that. But I'm increasingly frightened at the cost of this new-found wealth.
I'm for responsible gas extraction; unfortunately fracking is not a responsible means by which to extract gas. It's quicker and cheaper. It also negates the entire marketing campaign by which gas companies insist natural gas is a "cleaner, greener" fuel. I can assure anyone who believes that piece of fiction that it's just that: fiction. Anyone who doubts it need only live next to a drill site...or two. Or three.
The cost of this new-found wealth is steep and the repercussions far-reaching. As drilling activity increased, more of our roads were destroyed by the constant stream of heavy equipment and trucks that come with it; state police stings netted hundreds and hundreds of gas truck violations. More leaks, explosions and "accidents" occurred. A resident was murdered by a gas company worker. Jobs were promised; instead hotels were booked solid and new ones built to accomodate workers from out of state. Hunters were warned they could be stopped and questioned if they inadvertently stepped on land under development by gas companies. Even our state parks were not immune to the onslaught of the drills. Then came the recent state elections. Incredibly, PA residents elected a new governor and other legislators who were "gas friendly" and had received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations. Either people voted against their own self interests...or apathy prevented them from voting at all.
Perhaps I was fooling myself into thinking that I could actually make a difference. As I look at what's happening around me, it's hard not to feel that the gas companies have won. And dear readers, I'm having a really hard time coming to terms with that.
I realize it's been several weeks since my last post. First it was due to a tropical vacation, then the holidays hit, and before I knew it, it was mid-January. My apologies for seeming to drop into a black hole. Lately, however, I've struggled with what to post.
I started this blog a little more than a year ago, when gas drilling operations in my area began to overwhelm the landscape. As I watched what was happening around my beloved hometown, I wrestled to find a way to deal with my feelings of helplessness. To my dismay, many area residents seemed resigned to what was happening. After a few months of gas drilling on my mind (and in my hearing, in my sights....), it occurred to me that I didn't have to feel helpless--there *was* something I could do.
I put to use my skills as a librarian and created this site to be a sort of "one stop shop" for people like me--people who were concerned about what was happening, wanted to educate themselves about natural gas drilling and network with similar-minded folks. My goal was to reach the widest possible audience and to make the information easily accessible. I spent a considerable amount of time researching and identifying authoritative local, state and national resources. When I started this process, I didn't know beans about fracking, the current means by which natural gas is extracted. Now, I know more than I wish I did.
I had also never built a blog or linked it to other social media sites, so I had to educate myself on that too. I created links to other topical blogs and made it easy for visitors to find and contact their legislators or locate the latest information in their newspapers (you don't even have to do the search--click on the link and it's done for you!)
But over the course of the past year as the number of blog/Facebook fans grew, so did the number of drill sites in my area. Don't get me wrong. I'm not against gas drilling. Many people I know are finally out of debt or at the very least, aren't living paycheck to paycheck since they leased their mineral rights or allowed compressor stations to be built on their property. I'm thankful for that. But I'm increasingly frightened at the cost of this new-found wealth.
I'm for responsible gas extraction; unfortunately fracking is not a responsible means by which to extract gas. It's quicker and cheaper. It also negates the entire marketing campaign by which gas companies insist natural gas is a "cleaner, greener" fuel. I can assure anyone who believes that piece of fiction that it's just that: fiction. Anyone who doubts it need only live next to a drill site...or two. Or three.
The cost of this new-found wealth is steep and the repercussions far-reaching. As drilling activity increased, more of our roads were destroyed by the constant stream of heavy equipment and trucks that come with it; state police stings netted hundreds and hundreds of gas truck violations. More leaks, explosions and "accidents" occurred. A resident was murdered by a gas company worker. Jobs were promised; instead hotels were booked solid and new ones built to accomodate workers from out of state. Hunters were warned they could be stopped and questioned if they inadvertently stepped on land under development by gas companies. Even our state parks were not immune to the onslaught of the drills. Then came the recent state elections. Incredibly, PA residents elected a new governor and other legislators who were "gas friendly" and had received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations. Either people voted against their own self interests...or apathy prevented them from voting at all.
Perhaps I was fooling myself into thinking that I could actually make a difference. As I look at what's happening around me, it's hard not to feel that the gas companies have won. And dear readers, I'm having a really hard time coming to terms with that.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Submit your question to Dept of Energy Secretary for tomorrow's live chat
Now's the time to make your voice heard! Tomorrow (Tuesday), Steven Chu, Secretary for the Department of Energy, will be taking questions on building a "clean energy economy" during a live video chat. Even if he is unable to answer all of the questions, it will surely make an impact if he receives an avalanche of them on the "cleanliness" of natural gas drilling as an alternative. To submit your question, click HERE for the online submission form.
From the White House: "This week, Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu is answering your questions in a live video chat. Secretary Chu recently delivered a speech calling on the United States to sharply accelerate innovations in clean energy -- citing China and other countries' recent advances in clean technology as a critical "Sputnik Moment" for the U.S. Now, it’s your chance to ask the Secretary your questions on building a clean energy economy."
From the White House: "This week, Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu is answering your questions in a live video chat. Secretary Chu recently delivered a speech calling on the United States to sharply accelerate innovations in clean energy -- citing China and other countries' recent advances in clean technology as a critical "Sputnik Moment" for the U.S. Now, it’s your chance to ask the Secretary your questions on building a clean energy economy."
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