I just returned from the meeting at Montrose HS, presented by our great friends and benefactors The Marcellus Shale Committee.

I would say about 100-150 people were there.

Representatives from Cabot, Chief, Chesapeake and Alta gas companies and (possibly some others) were there en masse.

Dave Speigelmeyer ? (sp.)  who does legislative work for Chesapeake and spends at least three days a week in Harrisburg doing this work took the floor. He assured us he was NOT from Texas, but grew up in central PA and his industry had our best interests in mind and he especially wanted to assure us that the safety of our environment was an uppermost concern to the industry.

He started his presentation by asking us, "How many of you heat with natural gas?"

Blank faces.

"How many of you have gas hot water heaters?"

Again no reponse. Ok, lets try again...

"How many of you have natural gas dryers?

NADA

 

"Well" he continued "My point is, natural gas is important to all of us."

 

If this man had bothered to do a bit of research on his target audience he would know that we do not have natural gas in rural areas.

And as another representative on the panel said when asked if we would have this in future, there is no company who will provide it because it is ECONOMICALLY unfeasible to bring natural gas to those whom you are busy sucking it out from under.

 

Mr Speigelmeyer enumerated some wonderful things, such as oil and gas industry originally started in PA.

And

the Marcellus Shale play covers 95,000 acres and could provide 90% percent of domestic production which would be in the national interest for the purpose of energy independence.

And

The industry focus is on environmental responsibility and the responsible use of water.

Also,

PA and southern NY can provide the total supply of NG for the US for the next 25 yrs.

It will provide 26,000 local jobs in PA by developing a local product.

 

By the way, you know that economic impact study that recently came out from Penn State? The one that Tim Considine and that ole Penn State grandaddy, and expert on the gas industry, Dr. Bob Watson authored? It was funded by, guess who? The Marcellus Shale Commitee, because as Mr. Speigelmeyer pointed out, "No one else stepped up to the plate to pay for it."

 

We were shown a nice Powerpoint.

It explained that NG in the future will be "Secure, Green, Domestic, Good Business Sense"

nad that NG gives out no particulate emissions in vehicular usage.

It has 40% less green house gases than other fuels.

Horizontal technology minimizes surface disturbance, the old vertical wells required 24 wells per 500 acres, horizontal drilling requires 1. (When I asked later if this was so then why were there so many wells drilled so closely in Dimock and Springville? The answer was they were trying to maximize capture and production)

The PP finished up with a picture of the grand old flag flapping in the breeze.

 

Here's a memorable quote by Mr. Speigelmeyer;

After asking us how many if us had a bigger house than the one we grew up in and how many TV's and computers we had he said,

"Our nation has an unquenchable thirst for energy, and Marcellus Shale will help to satisfy that."

He stressed that all methods of energy production including wind, solar to Ng and nuclear power must be developed to meet our future demand for energy.

He said that his industry sat with the DEP to streamline the application process, has agreed to pay a higher permit fee up from $10 to $300, and works hard to ensure the industries best practices.

He stated that there is currently adequate permitted flowback water disposal capacity in PA, including permitted waste disposal plants (3) and hundreds of private municipal water treatment plants in PA as well as some in NY and W. Virginia.

 

His industry is working hard to find methods to minimise water usage. And that the water required for drilling is half of that used for golf courses in PA. When it was pointed out that water is not toxic after being used on golf courses or for power plants (which are the biggest users of water,)  it was stated by Ken Komorowski (former DEP) and now Cabot spokesman that the toxic water is treated in an approved manner and NEVER releases ANY toxins into the environment.

Another representive stated that load manifests exist for trucks that carry fracking fluid and can be viewed on the DEP website or found in their records.

 

 

There was more...but I am too depressed right now to write about it. And soon you will be hearing a version of the same thing in NY at the informational presentations that are being set up in your state.

 

I hope more of you come out to them than do here and more of you speak up. Yell even, wave banners and holler, I'm mad as hell! and be visible. It works for the anti-healthcare folks. Maybe you'll get on the news too.

 

In my county, people sit there quietly and when the Q&A time comes, many of the questions are focused on the financial aspects of drilling, such as pooling, leases, royalties, production rates, etc.

I loved how the answers to these questions were all, "Well, I am not a lawyer, but this should be covered in the leasing agreement between you and your land agent. You should consult a good lawyer with knowlegde in the gas and oil field'

 

Funny how they didn't give this advice when they came through here in 2005 and got people to sign for $25- $50 bucks an acre!

 

We are so passive here.

 

I really have no hope for PA at this point. I do not believe I can stomach much more of the informational meetings.

 

A few of us did hand out the packets I had prepared, for what it is worth.

It will be interesting to see if anyone asks to join the Forum.