Posts tagged "Marcellus Shale"

Oilfield Expo Sees Success, Growth in 2012

Tuesday, December 11th, 2012 | 0 Comments

The 2012 Ohio Oil & Gas Association (OOGA) Oilfield Expo was an opportunity for people to see firsthand how the industry is creating substantial economic benefits for our state. The event showcased all sectors of companies that are growing their businesses due to the Ohio oil and gas industry. Oil and gas producers, attorneys, auto dealers, security companies, financial analysts, contractors, clothing makers and manufacturers and consultants, all aspects of the industry, showcased their wares during the 2013 Oilfield Expo.

The Expo continues to see growth, as this year’s event was moved to the I-X Center in Cleveland due to the need to increase exhibitor space. The extra space was needed, as companies from all over Ohio and many from across the nation, jumped at the chance to display their company and network with key players in the industry. As companies continue to look at their acreage positions in the Utica Shale play, we expect the interest in the Expo to remain high and continue to grow in the near future.

We are grateful for the support and commitment of the crowd of 2,500 exhibitors and attendees to our 2012 Expo. Just like the previous Oilfield Expos, we look forward to the continued expansion of this event in 2013.

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Tags: Energy in Depth - Ohio, Energy jobs, Marcellus Shale, Ohio, Ohio Oil and Gas Association, OOGA, Shale, Utica Shale

2012 Candidate Archive: Our Brightest Days are Ahead of Us, and They Will be Powered by Ohio Energy

Monday, November 5th, 2012 | 1 Comment

*Editor’s note: This column was originally published on May 18, 2012

When it comes to energy, there is good news on the horizon for Ohio. With improvements to the process of extracting oil and natural gas, Ohio has an opportunity to become a major player in the domestic energy game.

An increase in shale development and natural gas production would, of course, come on top of our already massive supply of coal – which can now be burned more cleanly and efficiently than at any time in history. Several companies are looking at areas in northeast Ohio to tap into the Marcellus Shale formation, one of the largest natural gas reserves in the world.

That means more jobs for Ohioans and more domestic energy for all Americans, both significant positives. New employment would come from the industry itself, as well as in the industries providing the materials, supplies and services needed to meet the demands of expanding development. The Ohio steel industry and energy sector in particular would benefit greatly.

With shale development, Ohio can tackle two significant problems: high unemployment and lagging domestic energy production. The abundant, clean-burning fuel must play a key role in the “all-of-the-above” energy strategy I have advocated for since being elected. The new, less invasive techniques used to extract natural gas mean we have the ability access it without causing significant harm to our environment – something we can all agree we must avoid.

Unfortunately, the energy forum and community discussion at Walsh University on the evening of May 23. It will bring together a diverse group of experts to speak with the community about what is occurring now and what will happen in the future in northeast Ohio on the energy front.

The forum will focus on key aspects of energy development, such as the economic impact and job creation, environmental issues, leasing and landowner issues, and the geology and development of the Utica Shale formation. Attendees will also have an opportunity to voice their opinions and ask the panel specific questions.

We can develop our bountiful natural resources in Ohio. And thanks to technological advancements we can do it in a way that protects our environment. I have always believed Ohio and America’s best days are ahead of us. Thanks to cheap, reliable domestic energy tomorrow will be that much brighter.

Rep. Renacci is serving his first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he is a member of the Financial Services Committee. Prior to his election he worked as a Certified Public Accountant in the health care industry, and owned and operated over 60 other businesses in the automotive and sports management fields.

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Tags: Congressman Renacci, Energy in Depth - Ohio, EPA, Financial Services Committee, Jobs, manufacturing, Marcellus Shale, Ohio steel, Steel, Utica Shale

Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 396 Trains Ohioans for Oil and Gas Jobs

Tuesday, August 14th, 2012 | 0 Comments

Recently, Energy in Depth – Ohio traveled to Boardman, Ohio to attend the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 396 grant announcement.  Local 396, which represents highly skilled pipe trades in Mahoning, Trumbull, and Columbiana counties, won a competitive grant to receive job development funds that will allow them to train 60 new welders.  The award is meant to serve as an advantage to workers as Utica and Marcellus Shale development continues to grow in the region.

The grant came to fruition through the work of Congressman Bill Johnson, Congressman Tim Ryan, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce, Governor Kaisch’s office and Local 396.  The bipartisan effort also secured a partnership with Eastern Gateway Community College making it possible for trainees to receive a two-year degree by adding courses from the college to their training.

Hosting the event was Local 396 Business Manager Butch Taylor, who said he is seeing a rebirth of the area.  He introduced Marty Loney, Local 396’s Training Coordinator.  Loney said the training is a way to take the Mahoning Valley area and make it a globally competitive area.

The two Congressmen, who hail from different sides of the political aisle, overlooked the current hyper partisanship in our nation’s capital to ensure Local 396 earned this grant to train the many needed welders for Ohio’s growing natural gas industry.  Congressman Ryan who proudly described the work area leaders have put in for over a decade in hopes of a revitalization in the Valley.  We were able to get his speech on film:

We all just started to sit down and talk to each other and figured out that if anything good is going to happen, it’s going to happen because we all came together—Congressman Tim Ryan (1:09)

Following all of the official comments, the many individuals involved in the incredible effort took part in the training center’s “ribbon” cutting.  As you’ll see below, Taylor thought it’d be more appropriate if they actually cut a pipe!

Local 396 receiving such an amazing opportunity is another example of how Utica Shale development is changing Ohio for the better.  Because of this effort, more than 60 people will be trained for skilled labor that is immediately needed in the area.  More jobs will benefit the many families in the area with a higher standard of living in a region that has suffered the loss of manufacturing and jobs along with the rest of the “Rust Belt”.  Now, the area is seeing a step towards a better economy and a better community.

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Tags: Congressman Bill Johnson, Congressman Tim Ryan, Eastern Gateway Community College, Energy in Depth - Ohio, Jobs, manufacturing, Marcellus Shale, Ohio, Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 396, Shale, Utica Shale, Youngstown, Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce

OOGEEP Science Teacher Workshop Heads to Belmont

Monday, August 13th, 2012 | 2 Comments

Last week, EID-Ohio had a second opportunity to attend the Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program (OOGEEP) Teacher Workshop.  The workshops began fourteen years ago a midst a growing concern that children weren’t growing up pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).  The program was designed to help facilitate science teachers across the state (as well as a few from across the border) in gaining and understanding of the history, geology and science involved in oil and gas development.  To date, more than 2,800 teachers have gone through the two-day workshop.

Not only do teachers gain valuable information and materials to take back to the classroom, but they also earn their CEU credits and have the option to receive graduate credit from Ashland University upon completion.  Better still – the program is free!

This workshop took place at the Belmont Harrison Career Technical Center in St. Clairesville.  The first day of the workshop included informational sessions and hands on activities meant to educate teachers on curriculum they can bring back to the classroom.  Teacher consultants helped develop the workshop’s curriculum, so it would meet and exceed state and national standards.  The program’s participants received classroom supplies, lesson plans, and other educational materials to bring back to their classroom.   At the end of the first day, the teachers were able to join a networking reception with other teachers from around the state.

Day two was field trip day (who doesn’t still get excited for a field trip).  For this trip, teachers we able to visit three different wells under the direction of Scott Talmage, President of Northwood Energy, Inc.

First, the group hopped on the bus to a vertical well to get a sense of how older producing wells look and work:

Next, the group ventured to a completed Marcellus horizontal well:

The last stop led the groups to a Utica Shale vertical test well that was also completed.  The group was surprised to see how small of a footprint the completed well will take up once the area is reclaimed.  I got a chance to take a picture by the completed well to show that even someone of small stature is bigger than the well’s footprint!

Along the way, EID-Ohio got a chance to talk to a few teachers to find out how valuable the workshops really are.  Teacher Anna Schack talked about the wealth of information she could bring back to students:

The information we get about energy, the hands on activities, the on-site locations… all these experiences we have, we can take back to the classroom—Anna Schack (1:30)

Pat Holman and Kecia Stewart-Slob both emphasized how important this experience is for explaining the environmental impact to their students and how the information will be helpful in various science disciplines:

That’s why it’s great for me, because I’m like ‘Oh there’s a lot of stuff here I could use in my class’.  And I have a lot of trouble getting into some of these things, so just the stations and the way they presented it… it helps me to get an idea of how to get into it and help my students understand it—Kecia Stewart-Slob (1:11)

Jill Johnson touched on how this experience has helped her realize the difference between the reality of the oil and gas industry and what is discussed in the media.  She explained that she looks forward to explaining the difference to her students:

I had no idea Ohio had such a huge wealth of oil and gas and the job potential for the students. And for students that don’t want to go to college but maybe just vocational or a trade school and the career opportunities for them… it’s so impressive, this trip has been very worthwhile—Jill Johnson (:38)

As usual, the workshop was well attended and, as Jill Johnson said, “very worthwhile”. Each of the teachers are excited about the information they can bring back to their students.  They learned about the incredible opportunities shale development is bringing to Ohio, including jobs for when their students graduate.

 

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Tags: Ashland University, Belmont Harrison Career Technical Center, Energy in Depth - Ohio, Jobs, Marcellus Shale, Northwood Energy, Ohio, OOGEEP, St. Clairesville, teachers, Utica Shale

Ohio’s Future Powered by Ohio Energy

Thursday, August 9th, 2012 | 6 Comments

Lower energy prices. That’s what many folks first think when they hear about expanded oil and natural gas production in Ohio.

And they are right. Washington can’t repeal the laws of supply and demand. With more supply that is more reliable, it will help keep prices down.

But lower prices aren’t the only benefit the American people will reap by developing secure, reliable and affordable domestic energy. Expanded domestic production will also create jobs and lower costs for manufacturers.

We’re already seeing the job-creating potential of expanded production across Ohio as a result of the shale plays in the eastern part of our state, called the Marcellus and Utica Shale.

In recent decades, through hard work, risk-taking and investment, the private sector has developed techniques which make it possible and economical to recover this type of oil and gas that’s deep underground.

At a time when there are 443,000 unemployed Ohioans, energy production is set to create thousands of jobs, from the drill sites down the supply chains, across many sectors of our economy. A study from university researchers found that the Utica Shale alone created more than 2,000 jobs in 2011 and is on track to create another 12,000 jobs in 2012.

These tens of thousands of jobs are just the beginning. One industry study says that more than 200,000 Ohio jobs will be created and supported by 2015 as a result of Utica Shale exploration in Ohio.

One sector that’s benefitting is manufacturing. Ohio’s manufacturers make a lot of the pipes and pumps and other materials used in energy production. The steel companies in northeast Ohio are expanding in order to keep up with pipe orders from the oil and gas industry.

Ohio is ahead of some other states in providing a proper regulatory framework, and in my view has done a good job ensuring that these drilling technologies are being used properly. We need to continue to ensure Ohio rules are working to protect our communities, but we also have to be sure new, one-size-fits-all Washington rules aren’t imposed on Ohio that could stop this exciting potential for new jobs and a stronger Ohio economy before it can really get started.

Tags: American Iron and Steel Institute, Energy in Depth - Ohio, Energy Security, Marcellus Shale, NAM, National Association of Manufacturers, natural gas, Senator Rob Portman, US Steel, Utica Shale

Welcome to the Energy in Depth – Ohio Jobs Portal

Monday, August 6th, 2012 | 1 Comment

Today, Energy in Depth – Ohio is proud to announce the launch of Ohio’s first energy  jobs portal.

As many Ohioans continue to look for work during a challenging economy, this portal is Ohio’s energy-only jobs site focusing on opportunities supported by the Utica Shale. It is designed as a one-stop resource to help Ohioans and rewarding work in Ohio’s oil and natural gas industry. This site looks to take advantage of the great opportunities our geological gift affords by connecting job seekers with energy companies and vendors in the Ohio-Utica Shale supply chain. Rhonda Reda, Executive Director, of the Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program, had the following to say about the jobs portal:

According to the Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program, Ohio’s oil and gas industry – through the development of the Utica Shale – will create and support over 204,000 jobs through 2015. With this incredible potential, it is imperative now,  more than ever, that Ohioans need know that great careers exist right here in the Buckeye State. Energy In Depth Ohio is committed to ensuring Ohioans know about, and have access to, these great opportunities.

Shale development energy has the potential to create thousands of jobs for Ohioans. To capitalize on that opportunity we must ensure that our businesses have the tools to succeed and our citizens are prepared for the jobs they create. Ohio Shale Coalition salutes Energy in Depth Ohio for creating a comprehensive center on its website for Ohioan’s seeking employment opportunities related to shale developement energy. – It is another example of how Ohio is doing it right! – Linda Woggon, Ohio Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Shale Coalition.

Stable jobs, good pay and an opportunity for career advancement are all possible. Job-seekers need only to start their job search at Energy in Depth:

ENTER SITE:  http://www.EIDOhio.org/Jobsite

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Tags: Crude Oil, Economy, EID, EID-O, EID-Ohio, Energy In Depth, Energy in Depth - Ohio, Energy jobs, Hydraulic fracturing, industry jobs, Jobs, manufacturing, Marcellus Shale, natural gas, Ohio, Ohio Governor John Kasich, OOGA, OOGEEP, shale gas, Utica, Utica Shale

The Tale of Two Mansfields

Thursday, July 12th, 2012 | 1 Comment

The shale gas plays occurring in Ohio and Pennsylvania have a few differences, the most obvious being the oil and wet gas rich Utica Shale versus the largely dry gas of the Marcellus.  Both also present potentially huge opportunities for economic development, job creation and energy independence for our nation. Accordingly, one would expect Mansfield, Ohio (county seat of Richland County, which had a population of 124,475 in 2010) and Mansfield, Pennsylvania (located in Tioga County, which had a population of 41,981 in 2010) to make for almost mirror images of each other, yet as we sat down together awhile back, we realized there was a world of difference in more than just the makeup of natural resources below our feet.

Mansfield, Ohio, is obviously the big sister in the relationship, given the size of the counties, so one might naturally expect it to demonstrate more horsepower, but if that’s correct they must be using the Old Gray Mare.  Two communities with the same name and similar opportunities, couldn’t be experiencing a more different reality. So why is it that Mansfield, Pennsylvania is thriving while Mansfield, Ohio is struggling to keep businesses open?  Read on to see a comparison of these two communities.

Anne Looks at Mansfield, Ohio’s Media Biases Against Oil and Natural Gas Development

With articles and letters to the editor reading “Mansfield residents oppose fracking”, “Increase in fracking raises concerns”, and “Find out real dangers of fracking, and do something”, it doesn’t seem like there is much of a conversation about shale development happening in Mansfield, Ohio.  The town I’ve called home my entire life has been plagued with unemployment and disappointment since manufacturing left.

Mansfield was once a vital part of the Midwest’s manufacturing renaissance.  Companies including Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Tappan Stove Company, Mansfield Tire & Rubber Company, and Ohio Brass Company, started by my Great Great Uncle, all made Mansfield their home.  Like most cities in the Rustbelt, these companies left.  Some did survive for a while, including General Motors.

Many family friends worked for GM, until it filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009 and left Mansfield in 2010.  Manufacturing is no longer the largest employer, however.  No, today, Mansfield’s largest employer is the hospital.  The loss of those manufacturing jobs resulted, in turn, in many smaller businesses having to shut down.  Downtown Mansfield and that part of the city previously known as the “Miracle Mile” might well now be described as “the miracle that was.”

One would think a town in desperate need of economic revitalization would embrace, or at least talk about, an industry poised to bring economic opportunities to families around the community.   Instead, the local paper  has taken a biased tone and has seemingly chosen to focus its efforts on  rumors regarding shale development and the oil and gas industry.

Multiple letters have warned residents of water contamination because of hydraulic fracturing, but we have disproved that time and time again.  Yet, these claims keeps popping back up faster than prairie dogs sounding the alarm about intruders.  Isn’t this what it’s all about, really, for the opposition – fighting change, fighting supposed intruders who might actually help bring Mansfield back?  Letters claim there is not enough or no regulation on the oil and gas industries, but as we’ve covered before that’s blatantly untrue.  Some letters complain shale development won’t actually help Americans with their energy needs, but we’ve already seen a boost in manufacturing , $250 billion in savings for utility customers nationwide, and a world-leading reduction in carbon dioxide emissions because of shale development.

However, despite all of this, even the Mayor of Mansfield has turned his back on an industry already bringing opportunity to eastern Ohio.  He seems to have it out  for development and is supporting the City Council’s efforts to give city officials the power to vote down future development.

This is very similar to what our EID Marcellus team has seen occur in Binghamton, New York. There a lame-duck City Council, at their last meeting of 2011, and last meeting ever for five of the seven members, voted to approve a natural gas moratorium. Local businesses like the Holiday Inn, which are thriving, thanks to Marcellus Shale development over the border, spoke at a recent meeting to urge the city to reject the ill-fated moratorium that will stymy local businesses.

Instead, the council followed the very anti-shale gas agenda of Mayor Matt Ryan and now faces a lawsuit from several local organizations and businesses.

“The legal wrangling will center on whether or not the city’s ban was a land use law or a police action meant to protect the city’s drinking water supply. Ryan and company will have to prove the ban was a police action and not a land use law—a very dicey proposition and not one that’s likely to hold up in court. Meanwhile, the legal bills will start piling up for city taxpayers. Thanks Matt!” (Marcellus Drilling News, May 31, 2012)

A lawsuit or putting up a “closed for business sign” is not something our city can afford to do. We’re already struggling. With an unemployment rate of 7.9%, higher than the state of Ohio, it is imperative the tone changes and changes quickly in Mansfield.  I want to see the city where I grew up flourish once again, especially when I look to Mansfield, Pennsylvania and see such progress there.

Nicole Delves Into Mansfield, PA’s Economic Revitalization Thanks to Marcellus Shale

Unlike Anne, I didn’t grow up in Mansfield, but just down the road in Williamsport, and I have quite a few family members who still call Tioga County home. It’s always been one of my favorite places to visit. I remember my grandmother taking me on the Tioga Central Railroad and we would always stop at the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon on our way home from visiting family in Galeton.

When I looked at colleges in 2003-04, Mansfield University was high on my list of schools to visit. One of the things I remember vividly was the lack of things to do in town. When I visit now, I’m happy to see a lot has changed in the almost 10 years since I considered moving there. According to the Mansfield Chamber of Commerce, this, is in large part, due to the increased opportunities created by the Marcellus Shale, which collectively has replaced Mansfield University and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) as the largest employer:

“The most predominant industry in the area today is Marcellus Shale.”

This is precisely the opposite of what’s happening in Mansfield, Ohio, where institutional uses have become the largest employers by unfortunate default.

Just a quick glance through the Chamber’s member companies shows just how big of an impact Marcellus development is having on the business community in Mansfield, Pa. Members like Allison Crane and Rigging, Talisman Energy, and Ward Manufacturing, just to name a few, all work in some capacity in the natural gas industry.

The economic development and new businesses that have moved into this quaint, little college town are highlighted in this video by Energy Tomorrow.

Since Marcellus Shale became a household name, Mansfield University is even making changes to keep up with the growing demand for natural gas related jobs the industry is bringing. The newly created Marcellus Institute of Mansfield University recently received approval from PASSHE for two new degree programs; the Associate of Applied Science in Natural Gas Production and Services and the Bachelor of Science in Safety Management.

“We are very grateful to the Board of Governors for their support of our program initiatives as evidenced by their approval of two new academic programs,” MU Interim President Allan Golden said.  “These programs will enable Mansfield University to help meet the workforce development needs of our region while expanding career opportunities for our students.” “Mansfield University is a public liberal arts institution,” Golden said.   “We’re in the heart of Marcellus Shale, and that puts us in the unique position to continue to fulfill our mission, serving not only our area but the entire Commonwealth.”

Take a look at the following video from the Marcellus Institute and their partners the Marcellus Shale Coalition, the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association, PASSHE, the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission and the Southern Tioga School District.

Alternate Realities

The differences between these two areas, only a state apart, shouldn’t be so extreme.  Given the recent increase in development in Ohio, its Mansfield should not only be on par with Pennsylvania’s, but potentially even surpass it in economic development and growth. It should be right up there with Williamsport, Pennsylvania as one of the fastest growing cities in the country or Canton, Ohio which is quickly becoming the Utica Shale capitol.

Instead, we see businesses opening in Mansfield, Pennsylvania while they’re slamming their doors shut in Ohio. Take a look at this chart for a visual breakdown of these differences as reflected in employment patterns.  See a trend?  Can you hear us now, Mansfield, Ohio?

See a trend?  Can you hear us now, Mansfield, Ohio?

Mansfield, Ohio has a long way to go before it can reclaim the splendor it once had and join other businesses in rebuilding the Rust Belt. The first step is to sort through all of the misinformation circulating in the media and really start discussing a plan for improving the city, one that includes the oil and gas industry.

Perhaps it’s time Mansfield, Ohio starts looking across the border at Mansfield, Pennsylvania and the improvements there as a goal for the future.

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Tags: Crude Oil, EID, Energy in Depth - Ohio, Energy in Depth-Marcellus, fracking, Hydraulic fracturing, Mansfield, Marcellus Shale, natural gas, Ohio, PA, Pennsylvania, Richland County, Tioga County, Utica Shale

Shelly’s Truthland Experience in Her Own Words

Friday, June 15th, 2012 | 0 Comments

Who am I?  My name is Shelly, I have been married to my husband Philip for 30 years. I am a mom to our four children, ages 20 – 25, and a grandma to our beautiful granddaughter.  I am a teacher by trade and a dairy farmer by marriage and choice.  We currently have four generations living on our place which has been continuously farmed for 122 years.  We love our home and want to take care of it for future generations.

When we were told we had natural gas under our farm we felt very blessed.  But what about all we heard about fracking and water problems?   Then there was the movie Gasland; was what we saw in that film really true?  We had to know, it was after all our livelihood and potentially our health at stake.

The science teacher in me had many questions. I owed it to my family to find out just what the truth was. Natural gas was new to our area, but not to our nation. So to get our questions answered, I needed to go where the “experts” were. These people had been dealing with the gas industry and the environment for years.

As I went along questioning the many people I interviewed, it became very evident that concerns regarding fracking and contaminating our drinking water were unfounded. Expert after expert said the process is inherently safe and the statistics show this to be true. I was amazed that even the “environmentalists” stated that natural gas, even if not perfect, is the best energy choice we have at this point and time. It is abundant and here, a domestic energy source that needs to be utilized for our nation’s benefit.

The more people I interviewed, the more relieved I was. That’s not to say that I wasn’t nervous anticipating negative reports from agencies like the PA DEP and EPA, but I wanted to keep an open mind. If the evidence pointed a different direction, I needed to accept that. To my surprise, they agreed. Natural gas is clean, efficient, and cheap. All this made our decision regarding leasing our farm to the gas company a “no brainer”, hands down.

It is my hope that anyone that will take the time to follow this and the movie Truthland in its entirety will draw the same conclusions I have. Open your mind, eyes, and ears, examine the evidence presented and let it speak for itself.

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Tags: Citizens for Water, climate change, Dimock, Energy, Energy In Depth, environment, Gasland, Haynesville Shale, hydrofracking, Josh Fox, Marcellus Shale, Mark Ruffalo, Natgas truth, Ohio, Pennsylvania, power, Susquehanna County, Truth, Truthland, Truthland movie, Utica Shale, Water Defense, water is life

Shale Opportunities Highlight Youngstown Energy Forum

Friday, June 8th, 2012 | 0 Comments

On June 5th, EID-Ohio attended Youngstown State University’s 2012 Sustainable Energy Forum.  The event was held by the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and attracted industry representatives and students from around the country. On the first day were treated to addresses by Congressman Bill Johnson  and Jason Walsh, a Senior Adviser with the Department of Energy.  The second day was filled with parallel breakout sessions, including “Cleaner Applications of Fossil Fuels Technologies”, “Energy Management and Systems”, “Water Resources and Technology”, among several others.

During the first breakout session (Cleaner Applications of Fossil Fuels Technologies), the group heard from Chris Jaskiewicz of Valley Electrical Consolidated on the impacts and opportunities shale development is providing for the construction industry.  Much of his discussion revolved around the common misconceptions of Ohio’s oil and gas industry, it’s history and it’s practices.  He pointed out the fact that Ohio has had wells for 150 years  - something many Ohioans don’t realize - and that there are more than 273,000 wells that have been developed to date.  He said there are currently 64,400 active wells and 60,000 Utica Shale wells projected by 2030. Although wells have been around for very long time he said today’s well sites are 30% the size of a well site in 1970.  This, of course, means less surface impact, as we can see in the illustration below:

 

Jaskiewicz touched on the opportunities for Ohioans through jobs and benefits to landowners.  The industry is posed to bring thousands of jobs to Ohioans whether it be through working on actual sites, building the infrastructure, or indirect  jobs.  Ohio has already seen a revitalization in the steel industry that once thrived in the Buckeye State. While the demands of the growing oil and gas industry have brought about a resurgence in manufacturing, Ohio’s ability to continue to draw interest in investment from these companies will continue to grow with development driving down the cost of natural gas.

The biggest cost for manufacturers is utilities, if they can find wet gas for less, they’ll bring facilities to the area—Chris Jaskiewicz, Valley Electrical Consolidated

Last but certainly not least,  Mr. Jaskiewicz discussed the incredible benefits for Ohio landowners and their families - highlighted this week by the New York Times - in regions of our state that need it the most.  Between families leasing their land and new employment opportunities arriving in their communities thanks to Utica Shale development , eastern Ohio is poised to thrive for generations to come.

Next in the session was Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program Executive Director Rhonda Reda. Her presentation, Utica and Marcellus Gas production and outlooks for future drilling in Ohio, echoed many of the opportunities Jaskiewicz pointed out, but emphasized how both industry and education and training centers across the state are working together to ensure Ohioans are in the best position to gain from these employment opportunities.  OOGEEP has continued their stalwart effort to organize programs across the state in order to best position the Ohio workforce to take advantage of the opportunities now and in the years to come.

Since the release of  OOGEEP’s  2011 Economic Impact Study, Youngstown has already seen programs developed in their community and career opportunities highlighted, most recently highlighted at Mrs. Reda’s presentation to students at ITT-Youngstown.

With these efforts, and the fact we are still in the early stages of this play (the leasing and exploration phase), Ohio is in a position to best even the incredible statistics coming from Pennsylvania, where 70% of workers hired are from in-state.  Since OOGEEP released their 2011 Economic Impact Study, reported employment tied to shale development has surpassed initial projections, and students and workers are priming themselves to take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead.

In the afternoon session of “Cleaner Applications”, Dr. Jerry Hutton of Clean Fuels Ohio presented on “Advanced Fuels for Transportation”.  To start, Dr. Hutton pointed out why transportation matters.  He showed that 28% of US greenhouse gas emissions were from transportation.  Because of this, their company works with fleets to develop projects aimed at switching to alternative fuels including natural gas. They work with fleets, including refuse (garbage/waste trucks) and public transit systems.  He pointed out that Canton, Ohio’s public transit has made the switch and others will soon follow suit. Hutton highlighted the fact that, thanks to shale development across the country driving down prices, natural gas is a very cheap alternative.  Because of this, we are seeing the growth of natural gas vehicles as more and more companies take advantage. We’re already seeing it here at home as EID-O’s Mike Chadsey reported in covering Ohio’s own Smith Dairy which converted its trucking line to natural gas earlier this year.

EID-O also had a chance to talk to a couple folks in attendance.  Tom Bowman of Zoresco Equipment Company displayed a truck that runs on natural gas.

We’re out promoting and trying to increase the market on the CNG side—Tom Bowman (:47)

Brian Alls, a Junior Mechanical Engineering student at YSU explained that the forum provides information and resources for people interested in the industry and how his major piqued his interest in the subject.

This is one of the reasons why I’m here, it’s very interesting to see all the advancements and the growth of the industry that is definitely occurring in this area—Brian Alls (:24)

All in all, the forum was an incredible resource for students and those in the industry interested in sustainable energy, especially those interested in learning about the opportunities shale development is bringing to the great state of Ohio.

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Tags: Economy, Energy in Depth - Ohio, Energy jobs, Marcellus Shale, natural gas, natural gas vehicles, OOGEEP, Utica Shale, Youngstown, Youngstown State University

A Fox in Sheep’s Clothing Creeps West Toward Ohio

Wednesday, May 30th, 2012 | 6 Comments

I know a few folks on the Energy In Depth team and they asked me recently if I had heard about Josh Fox’s upcoming trip to Ohio and what I thought about it.  Well, I’ve done some Josh Fox debunking of my own (see here, here, and here) and I am happy to offer my thoughts again.  Plus as a resident of southwestern Pennsylvania, and as a professional in the natural gas industry, I know a thing or two about shale.

Western Pennsylvania/eastern Ohio has always been a blue collar region. A region I’m proud to call home. Born from the toil of its tempered inhabitants are the steel industry, which built our cities… the coal industry, which for decades has kept the lights on for millions of Americans… and the oil and gas industry, which perhaps more than anything else is responsible for the comfortable standard of living that society enjoys today. It’s a region that’s not afraid to roll up its sleeves and get to work. A region that has little use for excuses, and much use for rolling up sleeves and getting the job done. Mother Nature provides us what we need to survive, but has little sympathy for those who refuse to help themselves.

When the Marcellus Shale came to town, it was greeted with open arms. An outpatient, non-invasive alternative to the neck to navel open heart surgery that is the coal mining that we’ve long since become accustomed to. Five to eight acres of surface disturbance can drain 1,200 acres of gas, as opposed to 1,200 acres of disturbance to reach 1,200 acres of coal via surface mining. This Marcellus gas burns much cleaner than coal, and places where coal couldn’t burn…in cars, trucks, and buses. It was cheap, it was clean, and it was ours – and in such abundance that the decades old dream of energy independence and the shackles it shed were no longer a dream, but an inevitability.

But you don’t just discover you’re sitting on the second largest energy field in the world without garnering some attention. And in today’s world, attention is a marketable commodity. Enter Josh Fox. Fox, an unknown theater director from New York City, with no knowledge whatsoever of the natural gas industry, saw an opportunity to spin Marcellus mania to his gain. In the information vacuum that existed in the first years of development, Fox jumped in head first. Facts and truth meant little, while sensationalism and outright fabrication ruled the day in the early stages of Marcellus development.

Fox’s home spun “documentary” was just that: sensationalism and outright fabrication. He peddled his wares and found a buyer. The Park Foundation, a huge endowment which has spent millions to try to ban hydraulic fracturing, has subsidized him beyond his wildest dreams. HBO coughed up a sweet $750,000 to Fox for Gasland 2. Fox even charges $7,500 to college kids to show up and speak at their school (not counting first class airfare to and from New York City). Fox went from unknown starving artist to a big bankroll celebrity activist almost overnight, and why quit a gig that pays like that, right?

Looking for a new battleground (and the cameras and free media attention that comes with it), and in turn a new batch of suckers to sell his snake oil to, Fox has settled his crosshairs on Ohio. Hard working families, farmers, and property rights be damned! Ohio residents, Mr. Fox will soon be in your back yard, using and abusing local folks to advance his narrative (and his wallet), just like he did in Colorado and Pennsylvania.

To the good people in Eastern Ohio, I hope you decide to listen to the facts, and dismiss the for-profit hyperbole. Listen to the science. Gain perspective and context. Look to us on your eastern border. Natural gas development is no longer in the incubation stage here, and we’re still alive to tell about it. In fact, we’re quite better off. Our kids have a place to work, over a billion dollars of new tax revenues have been generated, our heating and electric bills are lower, and maybe most importantly, we’ve regained our identity. Once again, our region has the opportunity to fuel the world through our hard work and determination. And with today’s technology, we don’t have to choose between the environment and the energy.

Press your legislators for good, practical regulations and a fair tax climate. Trust, but verify. If you do so, you will be rewarded with jobs, cleaner air, deeper tax coffers, healthier children, and a more secure nation….all

of which can be wisely parlayed to ensure that the rising tide raises all ships. Learn from our mistakes and our successes. And for goodness sake, when Josh Fox comes skulking around in your bad yard to tell you what you should and should not be allowed to do with your resources, tell him to shed his sheep’s clothing, pack it up, and drive his posterior back to New York City… and while you’ve got his ear, feel free to remind him that it was our families that burned our gas and coal in our mills to make the steel that built it.

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Tags: Energy in Depth - Ohio, Hydraulic fracturing, Josh Fox, Marcellus Shale, Mike Knapp, Ohio, Utica Shale