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Guest Post: "Don't Frack Me Up"

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Submitted by Marin Katusa of Casey Research

"Don't Frack Me Up"

To many walking the planet, fracking has a seriously bad reputation. Thanks to hyperbole and misinformation, fracking opponents have convinced a lot of people that the operators who drill and then hydraulically fracture underground rock layers thumb their noses at and even hate the environment.

Anti-fracking claims may be twists on reality – for example, that a legislative loophole makes fracking exempt from the America's Safe Drinking Water Act, when really this federal legislation never regulated fracking because it is a state concern. Then there's the completely absurd, such as the idea that frac operators are allowed to and regularly do inject frac fluids directly into underground water supplies.

We decided to set the record straight by using facts, not playing on emotion like many of the frac-tivists do. It's important because unconventional oil and gas constitute an increasingly pivotal part of the world's energy scene. In the United States, where shale gas abounds but imported energy rules the day, this is especially true.

America's shale deposits hold a heck of a lot of gas. According to the United States Geological Survey, the Marcellus Shale alone is home to 84 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of technically recoverable natural gas. Estimates of the amount of recoverable gas contained in all of America's shale basins range as high as 3,000 TCF.

To access this gas, fluids made of water, sand, and chemicals to increase lubrication, inhibit corrosion of equipment, and possessing other qualities are pumped into the shale formation. When the pressure from the fluids exceeds the strength of the rocks, the rock fractures, and in a demonstration of might by the mighty small, the granules of sand prop the fractures open. Once the fracturing is completed, the internal pressure from the formation pushes the injected fluids to the surface again.

Frac wells are only open to the surrounding rock at the depth of the target formation. Starting at 250 feet (76 meters) or thereabouts above the producing interval – it varies a bit from state to state – the production casing must be cemented. This graphic, borrowed from the Texas Oil and Gas Association, shows what the procedure entails.

 

 

Casings are the liners that isolate the inside of the well from the surrounding rock, and from any

Casings are the liners that isolate the inside of the well from the surrounding rock, and from any water that might be contained in that rock. The surface casing is the first line of defense, while the production casing provides a second layer of protection for the groundwater.

Casings do require proper cementation to be effective: the cement seals the annular spaces between successive casing layers to provide a barrier to vertical and horizontal fluid movement. A poor cementation job was a significant factor in the Deepwater Horizon well blowout, and that transpired because deepwater regulations were insufficient. On land, however, cementation is highly regulated, and inspections of wells in progress, announced and unannounced, are common.

Unlike deepwater drilling, fracking is not new. Nor is fracking specific to natural gas or to the United States. Drillers frac many thousands of oil and gas wells around the world every year. In America, oil and gas producers have been using hydraulic fracturing since at least the 1940s to enhance recoveries from older oil wells and to access the oil in tight reservoirs, such as the Bakken.

Then there's shale gas, a domestic source of energy for North America that's much more reliable and secure than the millions of barrels of oil that come from places like Nigeria, Venezuela, Iraq, Angola, and Algeria every day. And as we've said, accessing that gas using hydraulic fracturing is much less dangerous and damaging than many people think.

Gasland – More Drama Than Documentary

Frac-bashing really took off last year, with the debut of the film Gasland. After receiving a letter offering his family US$100,000 for the right to drill frac wells on their land, a documentary film maker by the name of Josh Fox decided to investigate. Gasland is the product of that investigation, which took Fox to Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia to interview other people living atop the newly discovered Marcellus Shale. Fox also visits Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Texas to talk to those who have been living alongside natural gas drilling for the last decade.

The resulting film is well crafted, dramatic, and emotional. However, documentaries are also supposed to convey context and a fair representation of the facts. That's where Fox failed.

Let's be clear: fracking is not without drawbacks (and more on that in a moment). What drives us Casey "Focused on Facts" Research types crazy is messing with the data. Some examples:

Fox "Fact"
Fracking Reality
An energy bill pushed through Congress by Dick Cheney in 2005 exempts the oil and gas industries from the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA), the Superfund Law, and about a dozen other regulations. The oil and gas industry is regulated by every single one of these laws except for the SDWA, which has never regulated oil and gas activities. If it seems these federal statutes do not sufficiently regulate fracking, that's because the states do it instead.
Oil and gas drillers are allowed "to inject hazardous materials, unchecked, directly into or adjacent to underground water supplies." Disposing of frac fluids is a challenge. One method does involve sending them down old natural gas wells, but the wells are always cased, cemented, and grouted where they pass through drinking water supplies to seal off contact with the surrounding rock and terminate in formations many thousands of feet below water reserves.
Drilling and fracking a well pollutes aquifers. The shales that contain natural gas are 5,000 to as much as 18,000 feet below ground. The aquifers we tap for drinking water are at about 500 feet. That means roughly 2 miles of rock lie between aquifer and frac. A 2010 report by Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection concluded "no groundwater pollution or disruption of underground sources of drinking water have been attributed to hydraulic fracturing of deep gas formations."
Frac fluids are toxic mixtures of 596 deadly chemicals. Allowing for variance among companies and operations, fracking fluid is typically a bit under 91% water and 9% sand. Tiny amounts of added chemicals reduce friction, fight microbes, control pH, and prevent corrosion of equipment. Many are found around the house, including guar gum (in ice cream), borate salts (a fungicide), and mineral oil. And yes, there are 596 ingredients that have at some point been used to make frac fluids, but any single fracturing job uses only a few of the available options.

Figure 1. Composition of typical gas shale frac fluid (modified from Bohm et al., All Consulting, 2008a).
Drilling companies refuse to disclose just which deadly chemicals they use to create their frac fluids. Drilling companies must disclose the names of all chemicals stored and used at a drilling site. Anyone who knows how to read a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) can find out what chemicals are present.
Fracking makes people's drinking water flammable. It's possible for improperly cemented wells to leak, but one study after another has failed to find frac fluid chemicals in drinking water supplies. Flammable tap water is more likely related to dissolved methane, which is naturally found in well water. (No worries here either – the methane bubbles out quickly, and the US Environmental Protection Agency does not even regulate it.)
Fracking is severely underregulated, and it's because the industry has lobbied for and achieved so many regulatory exemptions. Fracking is very closely regulated, and reviews of fracking regulations regularly find them to be very rigorous. For example, the State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations, an independent panel of environment, industry, and EPA personnel, found Pennsylvania's fracking process was not only safe but "merits special recognition."
Frac fluids that flow back out of a well are often stored in pits in the ground that aren't even lined, where a lot of the fluid just seeps into the ground; even if they are lined, they often leak. Here Fox has finally hit upon some truth – that some pits have in the past leaked. That's why they are being phased out in most states in favor of above-ground storage solutions that enable much better leak detection and repair capabilities. In fact, this month's recommendation is a rapidly growing company with an innovative solution to storing frac fluids.
People who live near fracs have been found to have elevated levels of benzene in their blood. The only residents who had elevated benzene levels were those who smoked. Cigarettes contain benzene.
The EPA has never really studied fracking – the current study, which won't even release its preliminary findings until the end of next year, is the first real environmental assessment of the practice. EPA started a study on hydraulic fracturing in 1999 that focused on coalbed methane reservoirs and whether fracturing them impacted underground sources of drinking water. Published in 2004 after peer review, the study concluded that fracking posed little to no risk in terms of contaminating drinking water.

Industry Efforts

As we alluded to earlier, fracking does has its drawbacks, two of which stand out in particular. The first is that hydraulic fracturing uses a fair chunk of water – an average multi-stage frac requires a total 5 million gallons of water. To put that number in context, electric generation uses nearly 150 million gallons per day in the Susquehanna River Basin of Pennsylvania.

Nonetheless, industry engineers are working hard to reduce water usage. After all, they know as well as anyone else what their livelihood depends on.

The most important shift here has been toward recycling frac fluids. In Pennsylvania, the fracking industry now reuses more than 60% of its water, for example. In addition, companies are exploring other, more creative water reduction strategies. In British Columbia, energy giant EnCana Corp (T.ECA) and its partner Apache Corp (NYSE.APA) spent nine months and C$10 million finding a deep, sour water aquifer and then figuring out how to make the super-salty, hydrogen sulfide-laced water usable for fracking. This novel technique could significantly reduce the need for fracking operations to use freshwater supplies.

The second drawback is that the fluids that flow back to the surface after a fracturing are often stored in containment units that have been known to leak.

As we pointed out, pits, lined or not, are being phased out in many jurisdictions, precisely because it's truly difficult to tell whether a pit dug into the earth is leaking. This is where companies like  Poseidon Concepts (T.PSN) come in. Instead of lined pits and even the dozens of steel tanks that are the not-so-ideal alternative, PSN offers above-ground lined frames that are inexpensive and much more environmentally sound.

Another way to ease the problem of frac fluids spills or leaks is to make frac fluids so benign that we could literally drink them. It sounds pie-in-the-sky, but the world's second-largest oilfield services company is working hard on the idea. In fact, Halliburton (NYSE.HAL) has created a frac fluid called CleanStim, made from materials sourced from the food industry. A Halliburton executive showed the stuff at a recent conference – and then tossed it down his gullet.

Where there's a need, an innovator will rise to the challenge, and there are plenty of innovators in the world of oil and gas.

Fracking Earthquakes: Hazard or… Preventative?

A few weeks ago privately held Cuadrilla Resources, the first company to successfully frac natural gas shales in Europe and a Casey Energy team recommendation back in early 2008, announced that its fracking operations caused two small earthquakes in northwest England last April and May. After the earthquakes, Cuadrilla voluntarily suspended its fracking operations in the area while an independent group investigated the events.

The earthquakes measured 2.3 and 1.5 on the Richter scale. Seismic events, to be sure, but so gentle they were barely felt. Indeed, the independent report found that Cuadrilla's work had caused the tremors, but the earth moved so little that they posed no threat to anyone or anything.

And what others may consider concern, we consider potential. As two plates of Earth's crust naturally shift along their fault line, they can sometimes get hung up on rocky "hooks" called asperities. As the plates keep trying to move, stress builds and builds. The huge earthquakes we all fear occur when the stored energy has built enough to break through the asperity: the gradual slide becomes a destructive jerk.

Small tremors, on the other hand, reduce the pressure one bit at a time. Whenever there is a major earthquake or a discussion of when California or Vancouver or Japan will get hit with the next Big One, someone often laments, "If only we had a way to release the pressure beforehand!"

What if hydraulic fracturing could relieve the stress on the faults in earthquake-prone areas? Clearly the notion needs a battery of modeling and tests before it's anything but a concept, but on a basic level the idea makes sense. Perhaps by releasing the accumulated stress at depth slowly with small tremors, we could mitigate the Big One enough that it might not be so big after all.

If nothing else, the concept is a reminder not to fear serendipity. Finding something you didn't expect when attempting something else is how the scientific world achieved many of its major breakthroughs.

A Resource We Can't Ignore

The ability to produce clean-burning natural gas from the 48 shale basins in 32 countries around the world could transform the global energy economy and increase energy security, starting in the United States.

Hydraulic fracturing has become a scapegoat, targeted by environmentalists as another attempt by the oil and gas industry to lock America into fossil fuel dependence. The thing is, America is already addicted to fossil fuels. Until that changes, even environmentalists will need to heat their homes, charge their cell phones, and purchase products made at gas-powered factories.

We of the Casey Research energy team are always looking for alternative energy ideas that stand the test of economics, but to date only geothermal and run-of-river power have come close. In the case of geothermal power, the industry has gotten ahead of itself and for now, at least, has failed to come through on its promises. As for run-of-river, the projects often work, but they provide only a drop into the big bucket of power needs, and each project requires major negotiations from landowners afflicted with NIMBY ("not in my back yard") syndrome.

So next time someone says that America should put an end to fracking, ask them how they plan to ensure America's energy security over the next 30 to 50 years. If the answer involves alternative or renewable energies, ask for some hard facts and numbers to support it. Like it or not, none of our alternative energies are as yet even close to stepping up as a major energy pillar for America.

Natural gas is ready to step up. It's not a perfect solution – it's much better at providing peak demand than baseload power, still takes energy to produce, and still produces greenhouse gases – but it's an important part of the solution for now. Not only does America have the reserves, the fracturing process that can unlock them has been demonstrated as safe – and equally important, not demonstrated as not safe. And the industry that uses it seeks and incorporates improvements along the way. Just the facts, ma'am.

 

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Fri, 01/20/2012 - 12:22 | 2081251 DartThrowingMonkey
DartThrowingMonkey's picture

You originally replied to my comment, which addressed fracking. That's what the article was about, by the way. You should read it.

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 12:30 | 2081273 Flakmeister
Flakmeister's picture

I responded to your assinine statements about energy independence and the like...

Quit trying to weasel out....

----

BTW.... I identified Bakken plays a long time ago... I picked up KOG at 0.30 and CLR at 22....

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 12:48 | 2081336 DartThrowingMonkey
DartThrowingMonkey's picture

You're missing the point. Fracking comes with tons of benefits, among them we can at least agree on decreased reliance on foreign sources of energy, jobs, manufacturing, and cheap power. There are also some drawbacks, but they are greatly outweighed by the benefits.

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 12:52 | 2081352 Flakmeister
Flakmeister's picture

Go bark up another tree....

You are pleading like a delusional fool who cannot see the writing on the wall...

Just admit that you had your lunch handed to you and we will call it a day....

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 12:56 | 2081364 DartThrowingMonkey
DartThrowingMonkey's picture

Ha. I don't have any more time for you. I'm sure you'll make sure you get the last word though.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:36 | 2079854 Matt
Matt's picture

It kind of depends on the value of the land. If you paid $1,000 per acre and have very low taxes, then sure $15K per acre is great. If you paid $100,000 per acre and turning it into a moonscape devalues the property more than $15K per acre, its not so great.

What is your acceptable risk rate of your well being contaminated? What is the chance you are willing to take that you will get sick and die, for $15K per acre?

The article talks about how the burning water is dissolved methane. Well, if it didnt do that before the fracking, and now it does, the fracking MIGHT have caused it, and its up to the frackers to prove it is IMPOSSIBLE for this to happen. The person sitting there drinking water shouldn't have to determine if A caused B, the person making money from A should.

I also notice no mention of glycol ethers in the article. If glycol ethers are present in the water, and glycol ethers do not occur in nature, the source must be man-made, right? 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:37 | 2080152 pods
pods's picture

I don't think there is an acre on top of the Marcellus formation that woud go for 100k per acre, even now.

pods

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 09:58 | 2080766 DartThrowingMonkey
DartThrowingMonkey's picture

Not sure if you really mean $100k per acre. But if you mean today, land that produces $2.30 gas is much cheaper than yesterday when land produced $14 gas, you are correct.

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 10:28 | 2080862 pods
pods's picture

Merely meant that land values shot up on top of the Marcellus when the idea of drilling started.  Cheap hunting land was plentiful.  Now all the value is based upon the mineral rights underneath. 

But 100k per acre is way too high for that area.  100k per acre is only achieved in subdivision bubble land.

pods

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 10:00 | 2080776 DartThrowingMonkey
DartThrowingMonkey's picture

If you are not ok with the risks, don't sell the mineral rights.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:35 | 2080148 pods
pods's picture

My family's hunting land is smack dab on top of the Marcellus formation.  This past season I saw where they put in the feeder lines.  NYS is dragging their feet on the permits.  Upstate is turning into a ghost town.  No money, insane taxes, and two 500 year floods in 5 years.  They will issue the permits, as soon as NY increases their cut.  Right now it is all about the money.

pods 

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 08:47 | 2083861 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

lol you think?  so, turning down the money from a few acres, meh. not so hard.  but 15-20k an acre just to sign a lease changes lots of minds.  so far, i don't know of anyone around here that didn't welcome it with arms and eyes wide open.  we have a history of hydrocarbon production here and are wise to how o&g operates.  not that some suckers didn't get taken but mostly that was citizens preying on one another and flipping leases, not the companies.

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 01:07 | 2080377 Aulieude
Aulieude's picture

As I said above - the Debunking has suffered a reaming..

 

http://un-naturalgas.org/Affirming_Gasland_Sept_2010.pdf

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:26 | 2079670 mr_sandman
mr_sandman's picture

Those kitchen faucets were lighting on fire years before production enhancement (fracking) even started in that region.

 

An inconvenient fact...

 

Like the author said, fracturing has been going on since the 1940s.  Probably 70+% of the wells in America today use it because they're on the downward part of the production curve, and yet, you don't hear about exploding faucets due to fracking all over the place because they don't happen.  Gasland was a propaganda piece.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:45 | 2079714 mr_sandman
mr_sandman's picture

Also, there have been millions of frac jobs conducted worldwide since the inception of the technology.  When a well gets on the downward slope of its production curve, every well where it becomes economically viable gets fracked.  Every one.  Globally.  For decades.  The entire oilfield services industry is built upon hydraulic fracturing.

 

The only reason this claptrap gets spewed is

   * the left is in power

   * U.S. oil and gas production is increasing because of the high price of oil (this does not invalidate peak oil)

 

Natural gas is cleaner than oil, but it is extracted along with oil drilling in most cases.  The environmental loons can't bear that people would actually continue using fossil fuels like natural gas, especially now that it is at all time low prices.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:28 | 2079820 dark pools of soros
dark pools of soros's picture

you are a complete jackass

 

i guess the companies are paying real fines for phantom concerns??   but the economy will drive everyone to be careless and just buy out the messes in our now normal impatient greedy short sighted madness

http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=597091

 

Wessel, the Blackhawk business manager, says that he was aware of environmental concerns surrounding fracking when the district entered into negotiations with Chesapeake, but that he and leaders at other schools he’s consulted with think it’s the responsibility of the DEP, and not schools, to ensure that drilling is conducted safely.

That assumption runs contrary to the thinking of Saunders, the oil and gas lawyer, who thinks that in Pennsylvania, at least, regulators have been behind the curve in terms of safety requirements. The smartest school districts, he says, have successfully negotiated with energy companies for some safety measures of their own, including water testing.

“You can’t get what you don’t ask for,” he says. “I wouldn’t recommend that any landowner simply rely on state regulations to guarantee that there aren’t going to be any violations.” 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:50 | 2079889 NoLongerABagHolder
NoLongerABagHolder's picture

What a complete envirowhack turd sandwhich you are. Fracking has been done safely for decades.

 

Go hug a tree, loser

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:55 | 2080058 dark pools of soros
dark pools of soros's picture

perhaps fracking can free your head outta the sand someday 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:18 | 2079459 malusDiaz
malusDiaz's picture

Who cares if its a toxic waste land for the next 30-50 years, we have 'cheep' energy!

 

Perhaps if the Renewables got the tax breaks, back room deals, and all the other $$$ that the Hydro-Carbo sector got, it would make it 'competative'.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:27 | 2079489 Hansel
Hansel's picture

'Renewables' get tax breaks and backroom deals.  Remember Solyndra?

The reality is there isn't a cheap new source of energy plentiful enough for 7 billion humans.  The biggest inroads can be made in conservation.  Stop commuting in 4,000 or 6,000 pound SUVs.  Stop living in a climate controlled house 24/7/365.  Stop watching the 60" TVs.  Using less energy means GDP goes down, but so what.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:32 | 2079512 malusDiaz
malusDiaz's picture

Call me when the MIC goes to war for renewables.

 

Yes. Cars & Trucks will be going away (HEllo Bubble... I got a loan on my car... and they didn't even look at, just the piece of paper... Driving home with a bag of silver.. in my car HAhahahhaha!)

 

Driving you car/truck around uses far more energy ineffeciently then all the rest of activities all day.  Just cutting that out will do the trick.

 

 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:44 | 2079557 trav7777
trav7777's picture

Gasoline or alcohol fuel cells would be helpful.

But, fuckit, cut ALL science because it's not very diverse.  Spend more money on FNM and wars.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:49 | 2079573 eddiebe
eddiebe's picture

 

So what if there are no more new cheap energy sources? There are plenty of unemployed willing to work, and it would be simple enough to print up the paychecks. What about pebble reactors, or tidal hydro power along with the better known renewables?

 It's political will that is lacking in doing what could and should be done, along with the obstructionist tactics of the established energy giants.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:09 | 2079628 goldfish1
goldfish1's picture

Here comes the sun.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:23 | 2079819 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

been hearing that shit for decades.  still waiting.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:35 | 2080007 UP Forester
UP Forester's picture

Don't look up.  A giant gasball on fire might hurt your retinas.

 

Oh, yeah, tell your mom to get bigger windows in the basement.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:23 | 2080125 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

uh huh.  no basements down here, water table's way too close to the surface.  it's amazing we haven't all been poisoned yet, what with certain death so close and all.

 

 

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 10:25 | 2080844 Flakmeister
Flakmeister's picture

You seem to have acquired a learning disability though....

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 07:54 | 2083821 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

yeah well don't blame it on the hydrofracking, skippy.  that was probably all of the paint chips i used to eat.  or maybe the paper mill.  or it could have been the coal plant down the street from my mom's attic where i live that i've been breathing all of my life.  what do you think?

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 11:13 | 2084019 Flakmeister
Flakmeister's picture

My money is on the coal and the flame retardant materials in your crib....

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 12:23 | 2084116 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

i swung off my mom's tit til i was three, so that leaves the coal.  if only there were a cleaner alternative.  oh well.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:18 | 2079800 Lord Koos
Lord Koos's picture

Right, like the fucking petroleum industry never gets a break?  We fight wars for those cocksuckers, never mind the tax breaks and sweetheart lease deals.

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 03:48 | 2080488 AnAnonymous
AnAnonymous's picture

The reality is there isn't a cheap new source of energy plentiful enough for 7 billion humans. The biggest inroads can be made in conservation. Stop commuting in 4,000 or 6,000 pound SUVs. Stop living in a climate controlled house 24/7/365. Stop watching the 60" TVs. Using less energy means GDP goes down, but so what.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Typical US citizenism.

No. The reality is that the depletion was caused not by 7billionpeople.

Not 7 billion people commute insuvs, live in climate controlled houses andthe rest.

There is not enough resources to ensure US citizens in their way of life.

The rest of humanity was only there to ensure the transfer of wealth from their zones tothe zones where US citizenslive.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:20 | 2079462 Snapperton
Snapperton's picture

A cleaner burning local source of fuel?!  No thanks - I'll take global wars, price manipulation, and social engineering instead.  Hey, we're talking growth industries.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:28 | 2079497 Robot Traders Mom
Robot Traders Mom's picture

The military industrial complex will continue, with or without oil. Why is nat gas exempt from "price manipulation?" Social engineering, not sure how eugenics fit into a story about the myths of fracking, but feel free to explain.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:28 | 2079673 weinerdog43
weinerdog43's picture

Well, the M1 Abrams gets about 6/10th of a mile to the gallon, so with a 500 gallon fuel tank, you get to go about, what, 290 miles on a 'tank'.  And of course, we can't just drive them to Iran, so I'm guessing a C-5 takes a little bit of fuel to get to our hotspot dejour.  Us stupid plebes will get rationing before our massive military takes a hit, but those guys use dead dinosaurs like it's going out of style.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:33 | 2079846 dark pools of soros
dark pools of soros's picture

they'll keep playing war until someone tries to take their toys away and then they'll really use them

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:20 | 2079463 Hansel
Hansel's picture

Living in a neighborhood that was fracked a few years ago, I think it is not worth it.  There were smells which would settle over the neighborhood for weeks.  There was also about a month timeframe where the drinking water tasted like chemicals.  The well that was fracked in my neighborhood was closed about a year ago, and now it just sits as a big concrete pad/eyesore.  This article is paid bullshit, imo.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:39 | 2079523 LetThemEatRand
LetThemEatRand's picture

But haven't you considered that the sour smells and the chemical taste in the water are actually good for you?  I mean, it's possible, right?  We should probably let these honorable men continue to do their fracking and study the issue.  I'm sure they will let us know in due time if it turns out that the smells/tastes are not actually beneficial to your health.  Until then, you may live foreover so long as you remain in a fracking rich environment.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:01 | 2079611 Teamtc321
Teamtc321's picture

What do you suggest the states heat with, fuel, power, etc? Your post's on the pipeline earlier today suggest you did not agree with the new line from the Canadian oil also.

Solar, wind? What is the answer to this massive problem? And please give a response that the average person can afford and not just the elite 1% banker crowd can afford when oil is 200-300 per bbl with gas at 5-9 per gallon, diesel 10-15 per gallon.  

There is no answer right? 

I keep saying to add a good saddle horse with your shtf stash, that might be the only real answer in year's to come. 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:36 | 2079852 dark pools of soros
dark pools of soros's picture

easy answer, let the people fight each other for the little amount of clean energy..   reincarnation will allow everyone who died to live in the future Utopia in due turn...   :)

 

 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:25 | 2080130 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

i like it.  master blaster 2012~

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:01 | 2079924 Matt
Matt's picture

The problem is that you feel entitled to cheap energy. What the average person can afford is very dependant on the average person's behavior patterns, and those, I suspect, are really going to have to change with or without fracking. I suspect Fracking is just another kick-the-can-down-the-road-a-little-further-to-maintain-the-status-quo ploy.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:00 | 2080070 dark pools of soros
dark pools of soros's picture

exactly..  what is the gain of speeding to stripmine the world to boost the population higher and higher and need more and more energy???  simple greed not need

 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 23:52 | 2080261 Teamtc321
Teamtc321's picture

No Matt, I don't feel entitled. I work for mine and alway's have. I have personally been increasing our ranches ability to survive with less fuel sources due to the fact I see no real alternative's to oil coming down the pipeline.

That is really my point of my concern about alternative energies. I don't see any sustainable alternatives either.

I am concerned what will happen to the to our population with 200 to 300 hundred per barrel oil. I know personally from the 08' crash/print job, 145 per bbl oil with 4.65 diesel cost in Texas, we had huge margin squeeze in business. That is not to even mention part's, supplies, tires, steel, potash etc. 08' openend my eyes to get ready for real issue's if they come around again. It look's like to us there are going to be much worse issue's to trigger oil prices even higher again and possibly again. 

 

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 01:19 | 2080392 Matt
Matt's picture

These prices you are worried about, are the normal prices many people all over the world in non-oil producing countries pay all the time. I was just down in Belize, where gasoline worked out to about $6.50 USD per gallon. In Europe, after taxes and all, some places its around $8 per gallon.

Using freight trains and only trucking the last few miles, instead of shipping by jet planes and long haul trucks, is likely going to be a big part of the change; freight trains use 1/10th the fuel per ton of cargo mile as a long haul truck, and 1/30th the energy of airplanes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_efficiency_in_transportation 

Living closer to work, telecommuting, car pooling, public transit, 4 days X 11 hour shifts, in-camp work sites where you live at the job 14-21 days and have 4-7 days off at a time, there's lots of changes to be made.

As far as ranching goes, I don't know enough to say other than I suspect beef prices are going up, with same or smaller margins for producers.

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 00:54 | 2083398 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

as I always wonder, how much are we really paying for gas with our military subsidy? The countries paying the "real" price at least have a more honest assessment of the cost of business as opposed to the US which is about to blow up in debt and as you say, are in no way prepared to adjust to a reality they can not avoid. And you're right about meat prices, I have a feeling we will be eating a lot less of it - like other countries

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 10:34 | 2083968 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

"That is really my point of my concern about alternative energies. I don't see any sustainable alternatives either."

 

hey yah, they don't give a shit that china has been cornering the RE market by getting down and DIRRRTY, maybe they don't like all the yellow people whose ground water is ACTUALLY being contaminated.  bunch of racists.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:02 | 2079926 LetThemEatRand
LetThemEatRand's picture

Hyrdogen, bio-diesel, solar, wind -- all in much larger quantities.  This is not a black and white problem.  We could reduce our need for oil and gas now if we put our minds to it, but society is lazy and the oligarchs have convinced most people that we have no real alternative.  I can't really blame them, as they are made filthy rich through their monopoly on energy supply.  They have convinced most of the sheep that there's no answer other than poverty, while we pay untold trillions in military expenditures to keep their oil flowing.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:37 | 2080014 UP Forester
UP Forester's picture

I got wood.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 23:18 | 2080206 Teamtc321
Teamtc321's picture

I got sawmill.

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 00:11 | 2080290 Teamtc321
Teamtc321's picture

Very good point's.

I agree that some in society are lazy and also have zero comprehension of many of the problem's we face. I have worked and studied the energy/construction/ranching sector's most of my career, so energy need's has always been a very high concern of mine.

With the eye opening issue's I have learned here on ZH over the last year or so, I have tried to share some of the information with other's, people I know that listen very closely to me in traditional business, what I have found is shocking to say the least, it is almost like a fog is in there eye socket's. I never push the isssue's but energy and finance is a mega problem and I must say that most do not even want to take the time to discuss a what if or what to do problem solving scenario. I am not talking to stupid people either, most are very succesful in business. Almost scary to say the least.

It is almost laughable that where I was raised, the so called hill billies or mountain men know it is coming and they are way past prepared and will survive unless killed with some germ BS. The so called un-educated idiot's people who have worked off the land and or in the mountains are so far ahead of the game compared to alot of fiat succesful people I am around part time now. 

Thank you for the response. Great point's. 

 

 

 

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 03:11 | 2080467 respect the cock
respect the cock's picture

Good points.  

Humans waffle between complacency and panic.

Always have, always will.

 

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 07:56 | 2083825 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

paying $8 a gallon for transportation fuel is a brilliant scheme to help fight poverty.  where do i sign up?

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:35 | 2080009 epwpixieq-1
epwpixieq-1's picture

Very simple answer. Electricity! Note, that I am not saying Electrical Energy, as everyone will associate it with wall socket, and this is the last thing everyone needs. Centralized distribution of energy is a killer of innovation (Period). Everyone with some 0.25 acres land can extract energy from the environment. (What do you think is coming from the Sun? Popcorns?) And with some improvement of efficiency ALL of the heating and electrical needs of a families/household can be met no for the next 20-30 years, but to as long as the Earth continues to absorb the Sun electrical waves (and drives itself, like a dynamo, in a supersonic angular speed of  463 m/s), witch is a very long period of time. The real question is why people do not know about that, and ones you have the answer, you will start to understand that it is not a problem of LACK of energy but a problem people's understanding what Energy is and how it flows in Nature. And by the way, it is not a simplistic problem, by any means. It's roots can be traced back 105 years ago, but this is a totally different topic.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 22:25 | 2080128 Teamtc321
Teamtc321's picture

I understand problem's with lack of energy, I also understand how to frac a well. I do it, we manufacture the frac fluid which everyone freaks out about. It is salt mixed with water to make the water wieght 10# per gallon to force the sand into the well to fracture the so call rock layer's so the gas can flow freely to the well bore to escape once the well is turned live or to sales as we call it. 

Now with that said, I have extensive knowledge on gas well's, I am in the heart of Texas gas shales and have been for year's. My point is not to argue at all, I know that sun creates popcorn lol. 

I have been looking into solar for year's but have not really found a true source I would be completly reliable on. Fuel is going to be needed, for example we grow hay for our cattle, thus it takes fuel to harvest the hay and to put into roll's, pick up out of pasture and put into barn etc. for our winter feeding need's. This is a practice as you know that goes into many different uses, construction, travel, heat, road's, black top, pavement, the list is huge as you know. 

My point is solar is a great source, I agree totally. But how do we get off oil? Nat gas will burn in semi truck's and would slow our dependence on oil some say 50%, thus help with food inflation but how do we as a culture switch more uses to solar? 

I have a water well on solar but when pricing for our home the cost is very high to change over. That still does not cure our issue for diesel in tractor's just do what we have to do let alone what the country has to do to survive.

Sorry for the long winded quick blurb but my point is not to argue, I understand the issue's with frac's but where are the working alternatives? I see none that are ready to fill the gap's. All I have found is lip stick like http://www.solyndra.com/ that some what work but are far from filling the energy gaps we have a country. 

With 15 plus trillion in debt as a nation are we past the point of being able to invest in alternative energy? Solar, wind along with other alternative's sources are very expensive to set up infastucture. Look at T Boone Picken's, he has shelved his wind energy project's due to red tape, slow permit's. Eastern Oregon has been trying to install wind energy for two year's and the public has been blocking the wind mill's for 3 year's saying they are ugly. This is a common issue with alternatives, we as people have option's but what is the option going to be? Look at the Canadian keystone pipeline, 3 year's of studies on the line and is still blocked. Middle East oil or Canadian oil? Pick your car and pick your lane.

It appear's to me energy sources have been getting shelved to the point now with oil at 100 buck's a bbl that we have put lip stick on the pig for to long. Fuel cost are totally crushing our transportation fleet's, small businesses, etc. Not to mention the ballon inflation in our food sources for our families. What are we going to do when the printing continue's driving inflation and also if/when oil hit's 200-300 per barrel? 

Where is our energy plan as a country? We do not have one period!!

In the time being, I will make sure I have my saddle horses just in case shtf lol.   

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 23:42 | 2080245 blunderdog
blunderdog's picture

Great post. 

Where is our energy plan as a country?

Central planning is evil.  :)

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 00:16 | 2080301 DoChenRollingBearing
DoChenRollingBearing's picture

Thank you for the detailed explanation.  Hearing from guys with their boots on the ground is refreshing.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:22 | 2079660 goldfish1
goldfish1's picture

Sure they're good for you. So is extra radiation according to

Ann Coulter:

"... this whole Japanese nuclear crisis is overblown and “radiation is actually good for you” and the media isn’t reporting its benefits enough..."

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:23 | 2079465 bob_dabolina
bob_dabolina's picture

Can the author explain this? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEtgvwllNpg

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:26 | 2079479 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

He doesn't have to explain it because in his world it never happened.

That's the power of money; it creates entire new parallel universes! Now if they could just throw enough money at the universe such that I get a unicorn shitting skittles, we're good.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:52 | 2079591 JW n FL
JW n FL's picture

 

 

Can the author explain this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEtgvwllNpg

 

Bob! everyone knows you cant trust a disabled Vet who served his Country!

Next thing ya know you will want accountability in Washington DC!

So lets nip this in the bud, Vet's can NOT! be trusted.. even less so when there is Video of the un-proven statement(s)!

Get it?

Got it??

GOOD!

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 10:21 | 2083945 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

he says they started drilling in spencer, which is something like 8 miles away from candor, where he lives, and all of a sudden he could light his well water?  even if he's only a few miles away from a drill site, it's laughable that people are buying this bullshit.  i have over a dozen fracked and producing wells less than TWO miles from my little lot, one of them about 600 yards away, and so do my neighbors.  if anyone were suddenly able to light their tap water we'd all know about it almost immediately.  hell if ANYONE in the entire parish (county for you yankees) were suddenly able to light tap water we'd ALL know about it.  either this guy has some super anomalous geology under his place or he's full of CRAP and looking for some attention and/or money.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:10 | 2079953 Matt
Matt's picture

Didn't read the article, did you bob? FTA:

Fracking makes people's drinking water flammable. It's possible for improperly cemented wells to leak, but one study after another has failed to find frac fluid chemicals in drinking water supplies. Flammable tap water is more likely related to dissolved methane, which is naturally found in well water. (No worries here either – the methane bubbles out quickly, and the US Environmental Protection Agency does not even regulate it.)

Now, he doesn't address that this is happening after fracking where it wasn't occuring before (although before GasLand, most people didn't try to light their water on fire). If the Methane is getting through, why not the glycol ethers, which is the bad part? And "no worries here"? really? you pour a bath and the bathroom fills with methane and you switch on the light and FLAME ON!

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:31 | 2079997 Axenolith
Axenolith's picture

Yea, it's natural gas.  Any proof it's even remotely related to oil and gas drilling?  NO...  I've had a million cubic feet of gas come out of a freakin' 70 foot deep 2 inch diameter piezometer (over about a month).  It was from an organic rich quaternary stream meander.

In the plethora of instances of people bitching and carping about their [insert environmental media du-jour here] being "contaminated" that I see, I have yet to see one posted with "And I took amber 1 liter bottles and VOA vials of the water and had it analyzed" or "so I got a SUMA cannister and collected an 8 hour air sample" and the results were [X] or "I took soil samples to the lab"...

The shit isn't expensive, hell, your local health department will probably pay for the damn bottles, the analysis and send a guy out to either do it, or watch you to make sure you aren't salting them with crap for a dramatic story.

 

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 00:02 | 2080276 UP Forester
UP Forester's picture

Yeah, and they'll conveniently tell you tests came up negative on the water that was good for 50 years but now isn't because the surface of the Earth slipped like a steamed peach skin and now your house is located over an organic rich quaternary stream meander.

 

And for those who don't want to look it up, that's an old, still decomposing, creek-bed area that is venting methane.

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 07:59 | 2083829 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

science is hard.

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 09:34 | 2080720 The Wolf
The Wolf's picture

Methane flowing out of faucets...and people insist on lighting them... I am going long banjo's...short candles...

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:21 | 2079466 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

Captain Casey to the rescue, presenting the best energy industry analysis money can buy.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:22 | 2079469 catacl1sm
catacl1sm's picture

Meh.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:23 | 2079470 vocational tainee
vocational tainee's picture

Nearly the same sort of arguments where used whe clean nuclear energgy was introduced...

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:28 | 2079474 tgatliff
tgatliff's picture

This advertisement was brought to you by the Natural Gas Drillers of America.

In all seriousness, I do not think it matters how vilified fracking becomes.  Also, once people start to feel the full effects of 3x energy prices, then like the author of this article, they will naturally start to try to justify them as a good thing.  

However, If we truly have reached "peak oil" as most seem to believe, then the US economy will naturally shift to being more natural gas based and the enviromental types will be ignored.   People need cheap energy and will do whatever is needed to keep it cheap.   Natural gas is not a bad option as gas based engines are nearly trivial to convert to CNG, and migrating the transportation fleet to LNG is a pretty straight forward process.   To force the change, however, it will require oil to go much higher, however.   My guess is that the depression over the medium term will supress oil prices, but my guess is about as good as any one else...

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 08:01 | 2083832 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

oil doesn't have to go higher, gas has gone lower.  the future is now.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:23 | 2079475 Tsar Pointless
Tsar Pointless's picture

Yes yes yes.

Frack baby, frack!

Another "get rich quick" fascist little scheme.

I've read enough about fracking to know, I don't like it.

And I live in Western PA, right in the heart of the Marcellus Shale.

But who am I to argue with progress and those who are in power? I mean, QE and unlimited debt hasn't hurt us, has it?

There.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:16 | 2079648 JW n FL
JW n FL's picture

 

 

The Job Creators are trying to do Gods Work!

You would stand in the way of the Job Creators or Gods Work?

I am reporting you! http://www.dhs.gov/files/reportincidents/see-something-say-something.shtm

FEMA will help you.. that is if the Police dont kill you first! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FAbUZd3zoM or wait? are you white? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILEmYeX7eHQ there ya go!

People like you.. with your negative thinking need to be rehabilitated!

 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:25 | 2079478 fastfish
fastfish's picture

You poor fool Mr. Marin Katusa. Trying to fight emotion and greed with rationality and a sense of national best interest. You will loose everytime. The system is now such that a fool or a liar has greater standing at impact studies/hearings than an honest scientist or analyst. Rome is burning...

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:16 | 2079649 cossack55
cossack55's picture

Katusa = Korean Augmentation {to the} United States Army.

Rich Korean kids who bought there way to an easy tour with the round eyes.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:25 | 2079671 Bangin7GramRocks
Bangin7GramRocks's picture

Lose. Not loose asshole.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:29 | 2079675 goldfish1
goldfish1's picture

Trouble with your commentary is, the honest scientists seem to be on the opposite side of where Mr. Katusa stands.

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 01:12 | 2080384 fastfish
fastfish's picture

Okay let's talk facts. How many wells have been fraced in Canada? How many water contamination complaints have been filed with the regulatory authorities? Get back to me.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:25 | 2079481 Robot Traders Mom
Robot Traders Mom's picture

God I'm glad to see my ZH friends calling this piece out.

 

Is natural gas any more environmentally destructive than other sources of energy? I don't know. What I do know is there are many problems with it that need to be addressed.

 

I'm not an environmentalist by any means, but I know a bullshit story when I see one.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:27 | 2079486 Payable on Death
Payable on Death's picture

Another nail in the coffin of Peak Oil wing nuts.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:38 | 2079533 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

Yeah? And Dick Fuld saying his company was golden didn't make it so.

Opinions ain't worth shit. When the rubber meets the road, that's when things get real.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:46 | 2079564 trav7777
trav7777's picture

perhaps you didn't read the article...it was about natural gas, not oil. 

Moron.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:51 | 2079583 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

Shows what you know! Gasoline comes from oil!! They are actually getting high-grade gasoline from fracking shales! I run my diesel truck by pouring shale sand in the tank, no kidding. But I have to change the filter every so often, so I use wadded up toilet paper instead. Now who looks unedumacated?!

Just kidding. The poster really is a moron.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:38 | 2080018 Axenolith
Axenolith's picture

They are actually getting high-grade gasoline from fracking shales!

You get Condensate ("knockout juice") from gas production.  I've known folks who run their boats on it right out of the ground.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:44 | 2079713 Canadian Dirtlump
Canadian Dirtlump's picture

Fracking is used in tight oil as well. Implications regarding and demonization of fracking can be applied to both commodities

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 03:18 | 2080470 respect the cock
respect the cock's picture

Trav, you are the most entertaining online asshole I have ever encountered.  I would like to offer you a cyber high five.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:28 | 2079491 HungrySeagull
HungrySeagull's picture

The only residents who had elevated benzene levels were those who smoked. Cigarettes contain benzene.

 

Jaysus.

 

Thanks for the article. Saves me much digging.

 

I sure wish we have the balls as a Nation to do another Deep Water Horizion properly.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:06 | 2079622 JW n FL
JW n FL's picture

 

 

 

HungrySeagull

The only residents who had elevated benzene levels were those who smoked. Cigarettes contain benzene.

 

Jaysus.

 

Thanks for the article. Saves me much digging.

 

I sure wish we have the balls as a Nation to do another Deep Water Horizion properly.

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/OnWingsOfCare1

there are plenty of leaking oil rigs still out in the Gulf of Mexico.. but I guess having a Brand new rig leaking would kind of spruce up the place!

I am all for it!

sign me up!

maybe Rick Scott can settle any and ALL! oil spills that may (or may not, wink wink)  occur in the future now for a sixxer of Pabst Blue Ribbon!!

SCORE BITCHEZ!!

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:31 | 2079493 Alpha Monkey
Alpha Monkey's picture

I'm just going to go out on a limb here and continue believing that the major energy corporations behind the push for fracking do not have the interests of the locals, who's environment they destroy, in mind.  I'm also not going to take the word of a regulatory agency inside the United States as the final word, seeing as how corruption is to the core, and likely on the skin as well.  Your fox fact checks aren't much more specific in detail, only more slanted toward the protection of fracking interests.

I'll tell you what we can't ignore... the petro dollar won't survive well as a natgas dollar.  Let's focus on something that is about to absolutely transform the global market: dollar death.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:42 | 2079682 goldfish1
goldfish1's picture

US Dollar Paper Tiger - Jim Willie

 

http://news.goldseek.com/GoldenJackass/1326306021.php

(with a shout out to Tyler)

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 23:06 | 2080154 Goldilocks
Goldilocks's picture

+1   "...the intrepid indefatigable Tyler Durden..."

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 13:29 | 2081484 blindman
blindman's picture

Nouriel Roubini, Ian Bremmer on Economy, Risks
http://www.bloomberg.com/video/84608720/
.
n.r. says credit event is inevitable 03/20/2012.
in other news , j.p. morgue currently attempting to
set precedent in courts for stealing money from
segregated accounts, deposit accounts as of secondary
or less status to the claims of cds loaded creditors.
see max interview with Warren E. Pollock here.

[KR238] Keiser Report: Scam On Epic Scale
Posted on January 19, 2012 by stacyherbert
http://maxkeiser.com/2012/01/19/kr238-keiser-report-scam-on-epic-scale/
.
who will find out that they really didn't understand the terms
they were using, their trust was misplaced and their "money"
is gone? " and ... it's gone ... ah what?
the money you had in the bank, it's gone."
South Park vs. Cafe Del Mar - And It's Gone (Johannes Dahlberg Financial Crisis Mash)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TlPo0yCSa4
.
never gets old, just when i thought they had that euro problem
all isolated and whatnot. this when we leave it to the best and
brightest and self interested. guess what, they steal everything
and then kill everyone. that's their plan. the money system demands
it, don't blame them, their just doing god's work. sometimes they
mash it up and kill everyone and then steal everything, either way
they command/demand your respect.
war games, financial war, online gambling issues; i think i've
seen enough. chow

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 13:34 | 2081492 blindman
blindman's picture

"The conquest of Iran's oil riches is the driving force behind America's military agenda. "
WAR PLAN IRAN: Dispelling the Lies, Telling the Truth about Western Aggression in the Persian Gulf
GR ONLINE NEWS READER
by Finian Cunningham and Michel Chossudovsky
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28675

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:28 | 2079495 no1ego
no1ego's picture

Talk to the folks on Grand Mesa, and in and around Rifle Co,  small landowners here out west about how harmless nat gas frac drilling is. 

New York shut it down fearing NYC water contamination; I wonder why?

"The earthquakes measured 2.3 and 1.5 on the Richter scale. Seismic events, to be sure, but so gentle they were barely felt. Indeed, the independent report found that Cuadrilla's work had caused the tremors, but the earth moved so little that they posed no threat to anyone or anything." 

geeze what an ass.

 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:47 | 2079567 Catullus
Catullus's picture

New York shut it down because the midstream gas companies don't want the NY city gate price to drop like a rock.  But "regulators" can never be bribed.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:30 | 2079499 grid-b-gone
grid-b-gone's picture

The solution was stated in the article. Only allow new fracking operations that use the drinkable concoction. The gas has been there for tens of thousands of years. It'll wait. 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:31 | 2079500 Canadian Dirtlump
Canadian Dirtlump's picture

Doesn't seem to cause earthquakes in otherwise stable formations.. I work for a pipeline construction company and our clients frack themselves silly right outside our backyard and we've had no water quality issues or seismic anomalies..

 

As for EROI, the saudis have to pay off their population not to revolt, so they want 100 dollar oil.. the cost in the bakken and the cardiem formations is not high. I'd expect 50 dollar oil would still have us flat out, as we are now.

 

ironic that the US propping up a corrupt dictatorship has guaranteed that oil will always be expensive.

 

our clients typically frack with diesel fuel, not a satanic mix of other shit, and being that they are oil wells or high liquid gas wells, much is recovered.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:32 | 2079511 Vergeltung
Vergeltung's picture

diggin' the avatar bro.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:40 | 2079537 Canadian Dirtlump
Canadian Dirtlump's picture

Thanks... I see our man chuck testa is a fan of it too..

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJP1DphOWPs

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:32 | 2079503 punxsutawney phil
punxsutawney phil's picture

Hey Marin Katusa of Casey Research, as soon as you start feeding your kids and your relatives the water from sources within range of fracking mines, I will take your research to heart.

 


Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:19 | 2079805 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

there's so much fucking dumbshit asshattery in this thread i had to pick something and i figured this would be it.  i have a story for you.  i live in a rural area in the haynesville shale.  before the "mining" boom, i never.  ever.  drank the municipal tap water.  now i do.  figure that shit out.

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 00:06 | 2080283 UP Forester
UP Forester's picture

It sounds like they clean it up with sodium fluoride.

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 08:02 | 2083835 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

no we got a rehabilitated system because my brokeass town finally got some money to fix the shit.  we do put birth control into that mothertrucker though.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:32 | 2079504 zilverreiger
zilverreiger's picture

fracking is a bad idea stop spreading misinformation about it oilboy

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:37 | 2079700 Canadian Dirtlump
Canadian Dirtlump's picture

It has been safe and great in my area. It has given us alot of prosperity (which only will continue) with no environmental impact yet. Not to mention gives north america a domestic option until we have some alternative.

 

I can't support it being done in ways or in areas which are dangerous or harmful but to write it off is ridiculous.

 

With respect to natural gas, even beyond shale gas north america has huge tapped and untapped natural gas reserves. Why the Us government isn't looking into more power generation this way, and into natural gas use in automobiles is beyond me.. We could be energy independant - but of course that is not a goal of the US government.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:47 | 2079510 Griffin
Griffin's picture

There are a few kinds of fracking, one of the latest ideas is to frack deep drilling Geo thermal bore holes.

When a IDDP borehole is drilled its drilled into a active volcano close to a magma reservoir, then liquid is pumped into the hole to frack it and get even closer to the magma.

The problem is that its not just hot steam that comes up, but also considerable ammounts of toxic material that must be pumped down at least under 800 meters, if not it will contaminate ground water.

The fracking causes large clusters of earthquakes that sometimes continue or re appear when no fracking is taking place. Down pumping of toxic material from the bore holes also causes earthquakes.

This is very dangerous and can spin out of control very quicly.

Deep drilling at Krafla volcano Iceland http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0RckH8xjQ8

There is a new project being prepared for this summer at Theistareykir volcano, who is a much larger volcano.

 

 

 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:35 | 2079515 Goldilocks
Goldilocks's picture

Lunacy

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:50 | 2079721 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

Not lunacy at all.

Nothing crazy about writing twisted fiction for hard cash. I bet the author made a ton of money writing that aborted piece of mental ofal. And probably had a good laugh while he was at it:

George: Hey Marin what's so funny? You've been laughing your ass off all afternoon.

Marin: Sorry George. It's just this Gas Industry puff piece I've been asked to write on fracking. It's so full of crap I don't think I can keep it up. My ribs hurt, I might reopen my hernia.

George: Don't talk like that, dude. You're a pro at this. Go ahead, slip in one more brain fart.

Marin: I'm out of ideas. What you got?

George: You could make a bunch of people's heads explode if you say something like drilling wells is never a problem and the industry learned a lot from the Gulf effort.

Marin: Oh hey yeah that helped. I got something. How about if I mention properly cemented so anyone who remembers Macondo and all the crappy PR spin will die of apoplexy?

George: People can die of apoplexy? Wish I'd knew that earlier, I'd have gunned for it.

Marin: Okay here it goes. I can hear the bodies falling already.

 

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 07:24 | 2083799 Element
Element's picture

cougar, where have you been! ... so fucking funny.

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 09:53 | 2080756 falak pema
falak pema's picture

pithy for 'nutty' and a pity for luna worhsippers.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:35 | 2079517 Tsar Pointless
Tsar Pointless's picture

Oh, and let's get rid of the EPA.

"The EPA also said that start delivering water to four homes on Friday where the well water is undrinkable. Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. stopped supplying the residents with water on Nov. 30, after the state Department of Environmental Protection ruled that the gas company had met its obligations under a 2010 consent agreement."

Read more: http://post-gazette.com/pg/12019/1204630-100.stm#ixzz1jwjPYDOs Who needs water? Can't you just drink gas instead? Geez.
Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:36 | 2079521 Ronstradamus
Ronstradamus's picture

Lying and namecalling is what Democrats do, especially during an election year. What else do they have?

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:39 | 2079532 malusDiaz
malusDiaz's picture

You must watch the TV & listen to the Radio.... AKA: You think this is a republocat or a demotocron problem.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:48 | 2079527 bob_dabolina
bob_dabolina's picture

The reason for high oil prices is a monetary and credit issue. 

In 2008 did peak oil all of a sudden unpeak before it recently repeaked?

5 years ago a Gym membership was $100 for 6 months at our local rec-center. Now it's $200 so we must have reached peak gym memberships. The world is simply running out of rec-centers.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:49 | 2079574 trav7777
trav7777's picture

you don't understand how commodities are priced, I see.

Just accept the facts, ok?

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:00 | 2079582 bob_dabolina
bob_dabolina's picture

I understand how commodities are priced. 

Let me ask you a question...

How many barrels of oil are consumed each day (U.S) vs. how many barrels traded on the market (NYMEX)? 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:03 | 2079615 israhole
israhole's picture

Too late, bro.  Trav already ate your cake.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:45 | 2079716 bob_dabolina
bob_dabolina's picture

He stated I don't know how commodites are priced. They're priced in dollars and when you print dollars and increase credit the price....goes up. Inversely when the money supply contracts and credit dries up the price....goes down.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:34 | 2080005 LetThemEatRand
LetThemEatRand's picture

 By selecting a smiley face flipping us all off as his identity, Trav is boldly proclaiming his superior knowledge.   Turns out that this is much easier than actually having superior knowledge.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:28 | 2079989 Matt
Matt's picture

So what you are saying is, when demand goes down, but supply remains the same, or when demand declines faster than supply, the price should stay the same?

Peak Oil is about limits to maximum SUPPLY (in barrels per day produced). The economic "downturn" "recession" "depression" whatever you want to call it, caused a sudden massive decline in DEMAND. The supply stayed about the same (slow decline from 2005 peak) while demand has somewhat rebounded during the "recovery". Feb 2009 was about the lag between when demand dropped off, and production adjusted to lower prices (i.e. reduced activity on tarsands and other expensive sources).

Yes, credit is a factor, as lower interest rates and lower margin requirements mean more room for speculation. Yes, money supply is also a factor, as late 2008- thru 2009 people were worried about deflation, and then during and post-QEx people became more concerned with inflation. Also, the price levels OPEC needs to keep their masses from revolting is another factor. It seems there are more than two variables involved in oil prices. That doesn't impact the reality of peak oil.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:41 | 2079541 JW n FL
JW n FL's picture

 

 

a legislative loophole makes fracking exempt from the America's Safe Drinking Water Act, when really this federal legislation never regulated fracking because it is a state concern.

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/ef35bd26a80d6ce3852579600065c94e?OpenDocument

EPA Releases Draft Findings of Pavillion, Wyoming Ground Water Investigation for Public Comment and Independent Scientific Review

Release Date: 12/08/2011
Contact Information: EPA HQ: Larry Jackson, 202-564-0236, jackson.larry@epa.gov; EPA Region 8: Richard Mylott, 303-312-6654, mylott.richard@epa.gov

(Denver, Colo. –December 8, 2011) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released a draft analysis of data from its Pavillion, Wyoming ground water investigation. At the request of Pavillion residents, EPA began investigating water quality concerns in private drinking water wells three years ago. Since that time, in conjunction with the state of Wyoming, the local community, and the owner of the gas field, Encana, EPA has been working to assess ground water quality and identify potential sources of contamination.

EPA constructed two deep monitoring wells to sample water in the aquifer. The draft report indicates that ground water in the aquifer contains compounds likely associated with gas production practices, including hydraulic fracturing. EPA also re-tested private and public drinking water wells in the community. The samples were consistent with chemicals identified in earlier EPA results released in 2010 and are generally below established health and safety standards. To ensure a transparent and rigorous analysis, EPA is releasing these findings for public comment and will submit them to an independent scientific review panel. The draft findings announced today are specific to Pavillion, where the fracturing is taking place in and below the drinking water aquifer and in close proximity to drinking water wells – production conditions different from those in many other areas of the country.

Natural gas plays a key role in our nation’s clean energy future and the Obama Administration is committed to ensuring that the development of this vital resource occurs safely and responsibly. At the direction of Congress, and separate from this ground water investigation, EPA has begun a national study on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources.

“EPA’s highest priority remains ensuring that Pavillion residents have access to safe drinking water,” said Jim Martin, EPA’s regional administrator in Denver. “We will continue to work cooperatively with the State, Tribes, Encana and the community to secure long-term drinking water solutions. We look forward to having these findings in the draft report informed by a transparent and public review process. In consultation with the Tribes, EPA will also work with the State on additional investigation of the Pavillion field.”

Findings in the Two Deep Water Monitoring Wells:
EPA’s analysis of samples taken from the Agency’s deep monitoring wells in the aquifer indicates detection of synthetic chemicals, like glycols and alcohols consistent with gas production and hydraulic fracturing fluids, benzene concentrations well above Safe Drinking Water Act standards and high methane levels. Given the area’s complex geology and the proximity of drinking water wells to ground water contamination, EPA is concerned about the movement of contaminants within the aquifer and the safety of drinking water wells over time.

Findings in the Private and Public Drinking Water Wells:
EPA also updated its sampling of Pavillion area drinking water wells. Chemicals detected in the most recent samples are consistent with those identified in earlier EPA samples and include methane, other petroleum hydrocarbons and other chemical compounds. The presence of these compounds is consistent with migration from areas of gas production. Detections in drinking water wells are generally below established health and safety standards. In the fall of 2010, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry reviewed EPA’s data and recommended that affected well owners take several precautionary steps, including using alternate sources of water for drinking and cooking, and ventilation when showering. Those recommendations remain in place and Encana has been funding the provision of alternate water supplies.

Before issuing the draft report, EPA shared preliminary data with, and obtained feedback from, Wyoming state officials, Encana, Tribes and Pavillion residents. The draft report is available for a 45 day public comment period and a 30 day peer-review process led by a panel of independent scientists.

For more information on EPA's Pavillion groundwater investigation, visit: http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/wy/pavillion/index.html

 

Obama the Commie Liberal! he just hates American Oil!

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:42 | 2079548 JW n FL
JW n FL's picture

 

 

and the EPA is KNOWN! for being Liberal Commie's too!

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:38 | 2079703 goldfish1
goldfish1's picture

Is Marin Katusa reading this thread?

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:41 | 2079545 LetThemEatRand
LetThemEatRand's picture
"People who live near fracs have been found to have elevated levels of benzene in their blood.  vs The only residents who had elevated benzene levels were those who smoked. Cigarettes contain benzene."

 

As a tobacco scientist, I take issue with the suggestion that benzene is bad for you.  We have studies going back to the 1950's that clearly indicate the benefit of benzene.  Oh, and we also have studies that cigarettes do not contain benzene.  It is a health nut myth foisted upon a gullible public.  

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:47 | 2079565 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

They still make tobacco scientists?

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 09:50 | 2080750 falak pema
falak pema's picture

the tobacco shamans, those who said 'a puff a day keeps the doc away' have gone out of existence, with lung C. So the industry changed horses and named the new shamans 'scientists'. 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:43 | 2079554 We need Geronimo
We need Geronimo's picture

Hey....wait a second....isn't that the slide from BP's presentation on the "blowout preventer"?

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:23 | 2079818 hardcleareye
hardcleareye's picture

lmao

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:48 | 2079571 LeBalance
LeBalance's picture

a most telling resume addition for Casey Research.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:48 | 2079572 kekekekekekeke
kekekekekekeke's picture

what is this shit

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 19:38 | 2079698 Goldilocks
Goldilocks's picture

The law of diminishing returns?

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:22 | 2079813 hardcleareye
hardcleareye's picture

ZH filler?

Tyler has momentary lost his (her) mind?

Tyler whats to present a balanced point of view (tongue in cheek)? 

Pretty good review on shale gas from TOD, NOT in agreement with "Tyler's article..."

" We have shown that the true structural cost of shale gas production is higher than present prices can support ($4.15/mcf average price for the year ending July 30, 2011), and that per-well reserves are about one-half of the volumes claimed by operators."

Written by "Lynn Pittinger is a consultant in petroleum engineering with 30 years of industry experience. He managed economic and engineering evaluations for Unocal and Occidental Oil & Gas, and has been an independent consultant since 2008."

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/8212

 

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 09:21 | 2080669 falak pema
falak pema's picture

Lynn Pittinger sounds like a woman, but if she had been a man I would say to you HCE : he has a very well hung brain and impressive track record to show for it!

The pump n dump flesh industry would have offered 'him' a job for his attributes, as obviously the Oil majors won't touch him for his blatant pessimism which hangs out for all to see. I wonder if we could say the same about Lynn in the other fleshy world of tinsel swirl and bodily unfurl. Just a fleeting fantasy. I know oil sector specialists are not usually Playboy pinups; but there are exceptions. I knew one, so its not pie in the sky.

"Don't frack me up" Indeed!

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 11:28 | 2081041 Archduke
Archduke's picture

probably a texan cowboy-wannabe-oilman with a sissy country name:  lynn, stacey... oh, and casey.

 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:57 | 2079580 slewie the pi-rat
slewie the pi-rat's picture

my whole life, i've been the recipient of "news and information" about energy

nuclear energy is cheap, clean and safe

ever seen the mobil oil "washing machine"? for their "detergent" gasoline?

in CA we were required to use safe, clean, MTBE in our gas fuels b/c it would keep the air clean;  but it fouled water supplies throughout the state;  parts per billion = toxic-type stuff

who could have known?

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:54 | 2079595 harposox
harposox's picture

I've seen shameless industry propaganda before, but holy jesus, this little turd dropping takes the cake.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 18:59 | 2079603 Catullus
Catullus's picture

Thank god.  The lack of facts the anti-fracking crowd uses in their arguments is absurd.  It's mostly people who are terrified of the word "chemicals" and have a religious, cult-like following to environmentalism.  It's Gia Worshipping.  No amount of science or research is going to convince them that fracking is relatively benign.  There are obvious risks, but they're so small and unrelated to the drilling fluids used or the extraction process itself. 

Your water is probably polluted because of road run-off or pesticides or emissions from coal plants. There hasn't been benzene used in fracking in over 30 years, which is how long this method has been around.  The only reason it's being remotely talked about is that they found a lot of reserves of natural gas under states that broke as shit (PA, MD, WV, NY, OH) and local officals are lining up to use it as source of tax revenue.  But first they have demonize it so that they can kill jobs without anyone getting wise to them.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:08 | 2079771 hardcleareye
hardcleareye's picture

Junked you for being stupid and for being a troll.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:28 | 2079830 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

junked you for being a fucking moron that can't discern an honest post.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:35 | 2079849 cartonero
cartonero's picture

Junked you for just being a fucking moron.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:49 | 2079884 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

really?  unlike most of the armchair experts who seem to bash fossil energy and bring up deepwater horizon at every opportunity, i actually live in louisiana.  i apparently know WAY more about what actually happened than the average solar panel acolyte posting on zh.  i also know all about the big fucking anaerobic dead zone in the gulf from the algae blooms caused by agricultural runoff into the mississippi.  i know about acid rain from coal and lignite plants that could be stopped by switching to gas.  ever seen a barbed wire fence literally melt in 3-4 years?  what the fuck do you know about it, asshole?

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:03 | 2079929 hardcleareye
hardcleareye's picture

My bullshit detector just went off... 

Perhaps you should spend a bit your time reading this paper by Lynn Pittinger petroleum engineering with 30 years of industry experience. He managed economic and engineering evaluations for Unocal and Occidental Oil & Gas, and has been an independent consultant since 2008I don't think any reasonable person would refer to his as a "armchair expert"......   http://www.theoildrum.com/node/8212

I dare say I think he knows a bit more about this subject matter than you do!!!!

 

 

 

 

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:08 | 2079937 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

art berman is a shill for the coal lobby, pottymouth.  better get that meter checked by an expert.

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 10:55 | 2080938 DarkAgeAhead
DarkAgeAhead's picture

yeah the guy who junked you is right.  you're a f@cking moron.

you're right about the dead zones.  and the acid rain from coal.  but dead wrong about fracking.

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 08:04 | 2083837 Fedaykinx
Fedaykinx's picture

fuck you, jerkoff.  you know jack shit.  i live here, remember.

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 20:51 | 2079893 hardcleareye
hardcleareye's picture

I stand by my post either he is a troll or if it is "an honest post" he is STUPID and ignorant!!!  And at my age I am gettin tired of stupid people. 

I'm to old to know everything.

Junked you for being vulgar, your mother should have washed your mouth out with soap when you were a child! lol

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