Global Frac News

Hauling fracking explosives through our streets by TxSharon, August 19, 2013, Bluedaze Above snaps from: Perforating Gun Surface Detonation Encana perforated repeatedly into Rosebud’s drinking water aquifers in 2001 on one gas well and in 2004 on another, later repeatedly hydraulically fractured the aquifers. Source: EnCana Corporation Site Investigation Report by Hydrogeological Consultants Ltd., January 2005 “EnCana admits it fractured into ...

Le citoyen Encana – Le double visage de la plus importante corporation de Calgary Translation by Amie du Richelieu, August 21, 2013 Citizen EnCana The double life of Calgary’s greatest corporation by Adrian Morrow, published in Fast Forward, July 10, 2008. Source: Cover Fast Forward Weekly, Encana Bow Building & CEO Gwyn Morgan Alberta Oil & Gas Collateral Damage: She Can Light Her ...

Fracking Gag Orders For Kids Go Too Far by Law360, August 20, 2013 A recently uncovered settlement between a family of Pennsylvania residents and energy companies with hydraulic fracturing operations near their home featured a nondisclosure agreement that included two children, but experts say businesses have little hope of getting gag orders for minors enforced. WATCH: Stephen Colbert On Fracking ...

Balcombe Battle 2013 by Fundacja Indigena, August 18, 2013 Peter Lilley MP challenges Vanessa Vine over the Balcombe protest from 1:08:30 by Stephen Nolan, August 16, 2013, BBC News “How long do you plan stay at the protest?” Vanessa: “Well, I live here” … “At what point do I act in self-defence? Because this is threatening me and my son…. We’ve already ...

WATCH: Texan drought sets residents against fracking by The Guardian, August 11, 2013 “Dear God, help us.” “When you run out of water, and you have to haul your water, it’s like some body slapped you.” “I may go without a bath, but do you want your grandchild not be bathed?” “It hurts you. It hurts you, like nobody understands.” “It ...

Politicians avoiding tough questions on fracking issue, While the shale gas mantra focuses on jobs, cheap energy and recovery, the evidence contradicts these claims by Scott Coombs, August 19, 2013, The Irish Times When I was in school, my English teacher introduced me to the concept of “God words”, words whose associations are so visceral that ...

Fracking Linked To 109 Earthquakes In Youngstown, Ohio by science20.com, August 19th 2013 The people of Youngstown, Ohio say they never felt an earthquake before two-and-a-half years ago. But between January of 2011 and February of 2012, 109 tremors were recorded and the author of a new article points the finger at hydraulic fracturing – fracking. ...

‘Just a Fracking Few’ and ‘Rosebud, Not Our Problem’ in Alberta Views, July/August 2013 Print Issue Just a Fracking Few is from the November 29, 2012 Alberta Hansard: Laurie Blakeman questions Alberta Environment Minister Diana McQueen on Groundwater and Hydraulic Fracturing, McQueen responds “That’s a silly question” when asked about baseline water testing before fracing Alberta Environment Minister Dianna ...

New drilling rules aim to reduce noise at oil and gas sites by Sharon Dunn, Greeley Tribune, August 18, 2013, VivaColorado.com As part of recent rule-making, the state tightened the noise allowances at drilling sites to “light industrial” versus the previous “industrial,” a move regulators say should cut drilling site noise in half. That may signal ...

Railroad Commission whistleblower sues agency for wrongful firing by TXSHARON, August 18, 2013, Bluedaze An engineer who worked for the Texas Railroad Commission and was actually trying to do his job, claims he was fired because he filed a whistleblower complaint against his supervisor. Frederick Wright was promoted several times during his six-year tenure at the RRC but ...

Fracking runs “high risk” of polluting countryside, Government report warns by The Daily Mirror, August 16, 2013 Fracking for shale gas runs a high risk of polluting the countryside, a Government report has warned. A study by the Environment Agency says the controversial mining technique could result in chemicals damaging the environment. Other risks include earthquakes ...

Let headlines tell fracking’s true, bad, story by Mark Lichty, August 18, 2013, Pocono Record A Pocono Record news item on July 29 carried the headline, “Experts: Bad PR has hurt fracking industry.” The headline missed the real news in the story, which was that a former Shell president, John Hofmeister, admitted that, “everybody knows that ...

Report says access to justice in Canada ‘abysmal,’ Hardest on poor, those who make just enough money not to qualify for legal aid by Jennifer Graham, August 18, 2013, Calgary Herald Access to justice in Canada is being described as “abysmal” in a new report from the Canadian Bar Association, which also calls for much more ...

Fracking Lawsuit Nears Deadline by Bob Brown, June 13, 2013, Drumheller Online A lawsuit by a local woman against Encana and the Alberta Government over hydraulic fracturing drags on. The case hasn’t been in court since January, when the presiding judge was appointed to the Court of Appeal, taking her off the case before she could rule on whether ...

Fishermen concerned about industry if fracking approved, West coast fishermen wary of possible problems by CBC News, August 15, 2013 Port au Port Peninsula fishermen voiced concerns at a meeting Wednesday night about the future of their industry if fracking were to be approved near the waters where they fish. … Terry Tucker, a fisherman in the area, said he ...

Alberta Energy Regulator investigates eruption at storage tank near High Level, Oily water sprays over natural gas production site as lid lifts off steel tank by Sheila Pratt, August 15, 2013, Edmonton Journal AER investigators arrived Wednesday on the remote site, seven days after the company, Calgary-based DeeThree Exploration, reported the incident, said Bob Curran, spokesman ...

Fracking Blamed In Lawsuit Filed By Families In Johnson County by Arezow Doost, August 16, 2013, dfb.cbs ALVARADO – Two families in Johnson County are blaming fracking and earthquakes for damage to their homes. They have filed a lawsuit naming the controversial natural gas drilling process as the cause for cracking walls and shifting floors in ...

LISTEN: Questions linger after company spreads toxic chemicals on northern Michigan roads by Bob Allen, August 14, 2013, Interlochen Public Radio Earlier this summer, a Kalkaska company spread industrial waste on roads in Benzie County. The toxic contaminants were mixed with brine from oil wells – it’s used to keep down dust on gravel roads. The ...

Crossfield steer killed by sour gas release by Dan Healing, August 16, 2013, Calgary Herald A wandering Texas longhorn steer who broke through a fence and rubbed up against the wrong piece of pipe has been killed by exposure to poisonous hydrogen sulphide (H2S) gas. The incident was reported to the Alberta Energy Regulator on Aug. ...

Secret emails reveal the risk to water in Sussex from fracking was known by officials by Finn Scott-Delany, August 14, 2013, The Argus The risk that drinking water in Sussex could be contaminated by fracking chemicals was known by the Government more than a year ago, previously secret documents reveal. Ministers were privately briefed by the ...

Is Saskatchewan and North Dakota Bakken Oil safe enough for the Greater Toronto Area? Cenovus Bakken Oil’s flammability is Level 4, highest level there is Bakken Oil MSDS  “This product contains benzene a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and developmental harm.” DA drops charges against Fairfield rail protesters by Matt Hongoltz-Hetling, August 15, 2013, ...

Gaz de schiste – les “secrets commerciaux” de l’industrie Translation by Ami(e)s du Richelieu, August 14, 2013 NWT fracking water license allows for company to keep ‘trade secrets’ by Meagan Wohlberg, August 12, 2013, Northern Journal Alberta landowner and oil patch consultant Jessica Ernst says proper information on fracking chemicals and their impacts on human health and the environment is ...

Constitutional protection, Judge gives way to request on Chevron deal by Fermín Koop, August 14, 2013, Buenos Aires Herald The agreement between YPF and Chevron to exploit shale reserves in Neuquén could soon face new restrictions from the courts after a federal judge accepted a request for constitutional protections filed by an environmental group on the ...

St. Paul Settles Coverage Fight Over Toxic Waste Case by Juan Carlos Rodriguez, August 14, 203, Law360 St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co. and oil and gas waste transporter Bear Productions Inc. on Tuesday settled a coverage dispute related to a proposed class action alleging Bear polluted soil and water in Oklahoma with toxic waste ...

EPA to gather data on hydraulic fracturing fluid chemicals by Rick Boucher, Roger R Martella Jr, Sean M Moran, Catherine Karen, August 12, 2013, Sidley Austin LLP In response to a petition for rulemaking, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that it will gather data on chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluid. In 2011 environmental ...

Drilling Injury Lawsuit Settled for $12 Million, Worker Paralyzed  Repairing Rig at Harrison County Jobsite by Kate White, August 12, 2013, Charleston Gazette A lawsuit was settled last week in Harrison County for $12 million against drilling companies after an incident left a worker paralyzed. The lawsuit against Frontier Drilling and Antero Resources claimed unsafe working ...

Court reveals how shale drillers, Pittsburgh-area family agreed, Washington County documents detail couple’s settlement by Don Hopey, August 12, 2013, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The previously confidential agreement to settle a Washington County family’s claims that its health and property value were damaged by nearby shale gas development contains lifetime bans on what they can say and do, ...

Andy Oudman (1290 AM CJBK, London Ontario) and Pam Killeen (Health and Wellness Coach) August 8, 2013 live interview with Jessica Ernst, a scientist with 30 years petroleum industry experience, about her multi-million dollar landmark North American lawsuit on hydraulic fracturing and its impact on groundwater. Andy Oudman Pam Killeen Jessica Ernst.mp MP3 audio file Ernst: “I think ...

Tory agenda on fracking is approaching Goebbels lie proportions Press Release by Vanessa Vine, August 12, 2013, Frack Free Sussex and BIFF: Britain and Ireland FracK Free With its bizarre and disturbing mania to force this ecocidal industry upon us, the Tory agenda on fracking is approaching Goebbels lie proportions. The Prime Minister’s desperate and dishonest treatise ...

10 Signs The Fracking Industry Faces Big Trouble by Denis G. Campbell, August 12, 2o13, UK Progressive 6. The Industry Buys Their Own Science: What professor would not want private industry to throw £500K research pounds (of course the price is the science then has to say what the industry wants it to say)? Distinguished Cornell University ...

Methane Leaks from Fracking are Much Worse than We Thought by Jo Borras, August 11, 2013, Gas2.org A major new study in Geophysical Research Letters by 19 researchers from NOAA and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) shows that the natural gas fields leaked 6-12% of the total methane produced, on average, throughout the month ...

Profit-based fines sting water-permit violators in Oil Patch by Patrick Springer, August 10, 2013, INFORUM FARGO – North Dakota regulators recently collected $1.7 million in fines from companies that violated permit requirements for selling water to the oil industry under a policy shift aimed at denying profits for breaking the law. The fines were levied in 14 ...

Washington County gas well accord to be restored to court record by Don Hopey, August 10, 2013, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The confidential settlement agreement in the Hallowich case, mysteriously missing from court records unsealed in March, was ordered restored and made public by Washington County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Debbie O’Dell-Seneca Friday. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ...

‘They aren’t going to beat us’: Angry landowner locked in 40-year dispute with oil company by Marty Klinkenberg, August 10, 2013, Edmonton Journal First, Imperial Oil set fire to a field on her family’s farm, igniting a layer of peat that caused the ground to cave in. Next, a pipeline ruptured, spilling oil into the slough that ...

UK Prime Minister David Cameron: ‘UK fracking will be safe’ by Eoin O’Cinneide, August 9, 2013, upstreamonline Shale gas exploration will bring cheaper bills and not “earthquakes and fire coming out of taps” in Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron has promised. The country would be making “a big mistake” if it turned its back on hydraulic ...

NY Landowners Denied Homeowners Insurance because of Gas Well by Sue Heavenrich, August 9, 2013, Marcelluseffect Back on July 9 Greg May, senior vice president of Tompkins Trust Company Residential Mortgage lending, warned residents in Berkshire, NY that gas drilling can bring high costs to landowners. One of his biggest concerns: that “homeowners insurance normally ...

Healing Walk 2013 by environmentaldefence, August 8, 2013 It’s sad how they have to live. The haven’t drank their waters from their taps in two years.

Fracking ‘silence’ for life by Inter Press Service, August 9, 2013, Asia Times Online WASHINGTON – New signs have emerged in recent days which indicate extreme measures are being taken in order to suppress evidence of the pernicious effects of the energy extraction method known as hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”.  At the beginning of this month, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ...

Province of Quebec admits that taxpayers will have to pay for the cleanup MM&A granted creditor protection in wake of Lac-Mégantic disaster by Sophie Cousineau, August 8, 2013, The Globe and Mail The Canadian subsidiary of Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway, whose train ravaged Lac-Mégantic, got the creditor protection it was seeking, but the Quebec Superior Court ...

Leak at Oil Sands Project in Alberta Heightens Conservationists’ Concerns by Ian Austen, August 8, 2013, The New York Times The oil company calls it “seepage.” Environmentalists describe it as a “blow out.” Either way, the leak at the oil sands project in Northern Alberta — which has spilled 280,022 gallons of oil across 51 acres ...

MarkWest appeals judge’s ruling that unsealed Hallowich case by Barbara Miller, May 10, 2013, Observer Reporter Filing specific issues of appeal this week was MarkWest Energy Partners LP and MarkWest Energy Group LLC. … Pittsburgh attorney Erin McDowell, filing the appeal on behalf of MarkWest, listed three issues for Superior Court to consider: • Whether the trial ...

Canada steps up well monitoring to avoid ‘frack hits’ by Gayathri Vaidyanathan, August 8, 2013, E&E News On July 5, Encana Oil and Gas (USA) Inc. reported that a well it drilled in 2000 in Weld County, Colo., had leaked 840 gallons of produced water — benzene, toluene, arsenic and other petroleum hydrocarbons. The cause was ...

Yukon, Canada First Nation votes against fracking by CBC News, August 8, 2013, Alaska Dispatch Yukon First Nation opposes fracking until proven 100% safe, Chief wants to be sure drinking water not affected by CBC News, August 5, 2013 The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in Old Crow, Yukon is giving its leaders a clear and unequivocal message ...

David Cameron has mistakenly promised communities near shale gas fracking in the UK that they will get £1m “immediately” – ten times the amount they are actually set to receive by Emily Gosden, August 8, 2013, The Telegraph The Prime Minister told an audience in Lancashire, where fracking is due to resume next year: “We are looking at ...

Gag Order Bars 2 Children from Ever Discussing Fracking by Democracy Now, August 8, 2013 The gas drilling firm, Range Resources, has come under fire following revelations it imposed a gag order on a Pennsylvania couple that prevented their children from ever talking about fracking. … Transcripts show that during a hearing, a lawyer for Range ...

In a Utah Gas Field, Potent Quantities of Greenhouse Gas Rise into Atmosphere, A new study reveals that Utah’s lax laws have led to large leaks of natural gas by Stephanie Paige Ogburn and ClimateWire, August 7, 2013, Scientific American A methane problem in Utah by Zain Shauk, August 5, 2013, Houston Chronicle Almost a tenth of the methane ...

Gaz de schiste – Quand l’EPA est censuré Translation of article by Steve Horn below, by Ami(e)s du Richelieu, August 7, 2013 Revealed: EPA Fracking Study Rebukes Agency’s Own Safety Claims, DeSmog Exclusive: Censored EPA PA fracking water contamination presentation published for first time by Steve Horn, August 5, 2013, Common Dreams The PowerPoint’s conclusions are damning. DeSmogBlog has obtained a copy of an Obama Administration Environmental Protection ...

Ignacio company fined for water violations, EPA issues penalties for mechanical, reporting problems by Emery Cowan, August 05, 2013, The Durango Herald An Ignacio company that disposes of produced water from natural-gas and oil wells faces an $89,000 fine for multiple violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday it fined Maralex Disposal ...

Does Chesapeake Energy Sell Gas To Itself? by Marie Cusick, August 6, 2013, State Impact Pennsylvania Chesapeake was invited to the hearing, but no one from the company attended. Other landowners’ attorneys have voiced similar concerns about Chesapeake’s wholly owned subsidiary, Chesapeake Energy Marketing Inc. (CEMI). “We certainly think it’s a questionable arrangement,” says Scranton-area attorney Doug Clark, “We’re ...

LIPG conducts Lochend survey by Derek Clouthier,  August 01, 2013, Cochrane Eagle The Lochend Industry Producers Group (LIPG) is confident the majority of residents who reside in the Lochend area support oil and gas development in their backyard following a survey conducted by the group in May. According to the survey, 37.5 per cent of respondents said ...

UTA Study Finds Contaminants In Ground Water Near Gas Wells by Jason Allen, August 5, 2013, CBS Local High levels of contaminants, including arsenic are present, according to a University of Texas at Arlington study, in private water wells near gas operations. The study is one of the first water quality studies completed in North Texas ...

New law favors gas companies by John Finnerty, August 4, 2013, CNHI Harrisburg Bureau HARRISBURG — Legal experts working for property owners fighting gas companies say that language in a new law that makes it easier for gas companies to pool properties without the consent of the landowners is not the only problem. Act 66, signed into ...

everything you always wanted to know about fracking (but were too afraid to ask) by wall of controversy, August 5, 2013 Jessica Ernst, M.Sc. is a 55 year old Canadian environmental scientist with 30 years oil and gas industry experience. She is currently suing the Alberta government, Alberta energy regulator, the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB), and ...

SHALE OIL WIPES OUT CANADIAN TOWN ! by Chip Northrup, August 5, 2013, Shaleshockmedia Turns out it was shale oil on the train that exploded in Canada, light viscosity shale oil – from shale wells in North Dakota. Not heavy crude from Canada as was supposed at the time. Which accounts for why it exploded. Heavy crude oil ...

When 2 wells meet, spills can often follow by Gayathri Vaidyanathan, August 5, 2013, E&E News When a geyser of oil and fracking fluid spewed out of an oil well on a farmer’s field in Innisfail, Alberta, it coated 100 trees with a fine mist. About 20,000 gallons of oil and fluid collected on a snow-covered field and ...

Redford needs to come clean on flood costs before they sink Alberta by David Staples, July 24, 2013, Edmonton Journal Alberta Premier Alison Redford needs to come clean on how much flood relief is going to cost Alberta taxpayers. Will it be $1 billion, the money already set aside? $2 billion? $5 billion? More? … First off, she ...

Known mafia tactics used by drilling and fracking industry by TXSHARON, August 4, 2013, Bluedaze When the oil & gas industry traps people in the Cycle of Fracking Denial, they are quick to justify the gag order by saying it was a “mutual agreement.” But we know better. Peter Vallari, the Hallowichs’ lawyer:  “… it was imposed on my clients, put in ...

 Source: North West Network Against Fracking Balcombe backs anti-fracking protest by the Sun, August 4, 2013, express.co.uk The residents of Balcombe made their stand against fracking yesterday as more than 100 marched in support of protesters camped near the drilling site. After days of arrests amid a huge police operation in the tiny West Sussex community, organisers insisted ...

State-led Pavillion area groundwater investigation begins by Laura Hancock, August 3, 2013, Star-Tribune State employees who are investigating groundwater quality east of Pavillion will look at data collected from 14 domestic water wells found to contain chemicals of concern. They also will look at the integrity of oil and natural gas exploration and production wells and ...

Fracking affecting water pressure, homeowner says by Casey Junkins, August 4, 2013, The Herald-Star VALLEY GROVE – Ray Crow has no problem with natural gas drillers taking water for fracking operations, but he would like to have enough water to shave each morning. “We had no water at all in the lines for 14 days. Now, we ...

Nicholas van der Elst, the lead author on one of three studies published on Thursday in the journal Science said: “These fluids are driving faults to their tipping point.” Pumping water underground could trigger major earthquake, say scientists, New studies suggest injecting water for geothermal power or fracking can lead to larger earthquakes than previously thought by Natalie Starkey, ...

Lawsuit: Quakes caused by frack water disposal damaged homes,  Two Alvarado homeowners are suing several energy companies saying they induced earthquakes that damaged their homes by Nicholas Sakelaris, August 2, 2013, Dallas Business Journal The suit, believed to be the first of its kind in the Barnett Shale, goes after Houston-based EOG Resources, Houston-based Shell Trading ...

 Alberta privacy commissioner pushes for even more openness by James Wood, August 3, 2013, Calgary Herald Alberta needs to establish minimum standards to ensure that more government information is made freely available to the public without a fight, says the province’s information and privacy commissioner. That’s one of a series of recommendations made by Jill Clayton in ...

SkyTruth, the environment and the satellite revolution by Neely Tucker, July 31, updated August 1, 2013, Cover Story print edition August 4, 2013 Washington Post Sunday Magazine Skytruth, a small non-profit in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, is transforming the environmental movement with satellites. The Fold’s Zoeann Murphy zooms in for a look. Somewhere in the South ...

Fracking giant Halliburton nixes NC’s chemical disclosure rule by John Murawski, May 2, 2013, News Observer After more than six months of congenial meetings, the N.C. Mining & Energy Commission was set to approve its first fracking rule Friday, perhaps the most important of all the safety rules the commission will write to protect the public ...

Water wells near gas drilling more likely to have heavy metals, study finds by Dallas News, August 2, 2013 Private water wells near natural gas drilling in North Texas’ Barnett Shale gas field are more likely to be contaminated with heavy metals than those farther from gas operations, a study at the University of Texas at Arlington has ...

Fracking firm Cuadrilla trespassed on private land for geological surveys, Firm has had to pay out to at least one Lancashire homeowner and was warned by ministers by Damian Carrington, August 2, 2013, The Guardian Fracking company Cuadrilla repeatedly trespassed on to private land during geological surveys and in one garden marked a site for the ...

Michigan regulator cites Encana for spilling over 300 gallons of fracking waste water by David Eggert, August 2, 2013, The Associated Press, Global News Calgary LANSING, Mich. – A Canadian energy company has been cited for spilling 300 to 400 gallons of water, brine and fracking fluids into the ground on the site of a well ...

Shell writedown is bad news for US shale by Guy Chazan, August 1, 2013, Financial Times Over the past few years, the oil majors have been punch drunk on US shale. Now comes the hangover. Royal Dutch Shell surprised the market on Thursday with a $2.1bn impairment, mostly on its liquids-rich shale properties in North America. ...

WATCH: Illegal Frac Waste Dumping Pollutes Big Sandy River by Kristen Kennedy, July 8, 2012, WKYT LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – He came to WKYT to apologize for what he did. A man working for a natural gas company in Eastern Kentucky claims he dumped countless numbers of harmful pollutants into the Big Sandy River. He says his ...

Deadly Fracked Bakken Oil: Focus of Lac-Mégantic probe turns to North Dakota oil fields by Jacquie McNIsh and Justin Giovannetti, August 1, 2013, The Globe and Mail A federal investigation into the fatal Lac-Mégantic train derailment and fiery crude oil explosion has shifted from Quebec to North Dakota, where the oil was drilled, purchased and loaded onto rail cars. ...

Range Resources Hallowich Settlement Hearing Transcript This 7-Year-Old Is Banned From Talking About Fracking—Ever by Kate Sheppard, August 2, 2013, Mother Jones When a property owner reaches a settlement with an oil or gas driller, it’s not unusual for the company to demand that the plaintiffs in the case agree to a gag order that bars them ...

Whitefish builder severely burned in North Dakota home explosion near Williston by Matt Baldwin, July 10, 2013, Flathead News Group A Whitefish builder working in Williston, N.D. was severely burned after a house he was outside of exploded Monday evening. Casey Malmquist, owner of Malmquist Construction in Whitefish, was flown to the Regions Hospital burn center in ...

Oilfield company fined $1.5 million for disposal violation by TJ Jerke and Amy Dalrymple, July 31, 2013, Forum News Service BISMARCK — The North Dakota Industrial Commission levied $1.5 million in fines against an oil and gas operator Tuesday for violations that put a county’s drinking water at risk, the largest civil penalty the commission has ...

Company wants to start fracking downstate by Nicole Walton, July 30, 2013, WNMU.FM TRAVERSE CITY, MI (AP)– A proposal to draw natural gas from as many as 500 wells in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula by using hydraulic fracturing is attracting attention from environmentalists. The Detroit News reports Monday that Calgary, Alberta-based Encana Corp. proposed the wells. Spokesman Doug Hock says ...

As spill continues, operator contradicts details on previous incidents by Gayathrig Vvaidyanathan, August 1, 2013, E&E News Oil leak flummoxes experts, CNRL can’t stop bitumen leaks at on Cold Lake weapons range by Terry reith, July 26, 2013, CBC News “….that’s why this failure causes so much concern.  If this project can fail in this way in a sort ...

Denbury fined $662,500 for Mississippi blowout of CO2 injected in high pressure enhanced oil recovery, So much carbon dioxide came out that it settled in hollows, suffocating deer and other animals by the Newstar.com, July 26, 2013 Denbury Resources promises to bring new life to old oilfields by pumping in carbon dioxide to force additional oil to the ...

Alberta desperately needs a water-management plan, A strategy to manage water use in Alberta must coexist with the oil and gas sector’s appetite for this precious resource by Patrycja Romanowska, July 29, 2013, Alberta Oil Magazine The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producer’s 2013 Crude Oil Forecast says oil production will jump from an average of 3.2 ...

Fracking and the Contamination of Groundwater, EPA Censored Key Pennsylvania Fracking Water Contamination Study by Steve Horn, July 30, 2013, Global Research A must-read Los Angeles Times story by Neela Banerjee demonstrates that – once again – the Obama administration put the kibosh on a key Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study on hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) groundwater contamination, this time in ...

Will Fracking Become the Next Mass Tort? by Sharon L. Caffrey, July 30, 2013, The Legal Intelligencer Whether those health concerns are legitimate and who would be responsible for adverse health effects is of interest to the plaintiffs bar. Whether or not fracking raises potential health hazards is the subject of much controversy. In an op-ed article ...

Fracking lawsuit decision in Barry County case against Michigan DNR expected in three weeks by Yvonne Zipp, July 29, 2013, MLive HASTINGS, MI – A Barry County Circuit Court judge will decide within three weeks whether to allow an anti-fracking case to go forward against the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. On Monday, a Barry County ...

Issues With Fracking Could Be Eased If Industry Was More Honest by Kevin Bego, July 28, 2013, Huffingtonpost.com Another drilling critic who battled Colorado’s Encana Oil & Gas for 10 years over its work around his property said he was angered not only by noise and pollution but also by industry attitudes. “Those people moved into our valley like ...

Waterless Fracking Moves Into California Market, With Its Own Set Of Safety Issues, Dry-fracking is expected to make its way to California communities soon if the oil industry has its way by Trisha Marczak, July 29, 2013, Mint Press News As debate rages on over the health impacts associated with petroleum companies’ practice of hydraulic fracturing, ...

Canada: Fracking Increases Gas In Domestic Wells by Dianne Saxe, July 16 2013, Mondaq Natural gas fracking does increase petroleum gases in the domestic water wells of nearby homes, according to a Duke University study of the Marcellus Shale published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This also increases its carbon footprint. ...

Second man dies from injuries suffered in W.Va. gas well explosion by Molly Born, July 28, 2013, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Jason Mearns, 37, of Beverly, W.Va., died at 11:42 a.m. today at the West Penn Hospital burn unit, according to the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office. A lung injury caused by thermal burn deprived Mr. Mearns’ brain of oxygen. Tommy Paxton, 45, ...

285 Homes in Carson Contaminated by Shell by Shannen Hill, July 26, 2013, Los Angeles Sentinel City officials have partnered with 285 homeowners in the city of Carson, CA to expedite a cleanup of an oil contamination, which has led to lawsuits involving cancer, skin rashes and tumors in the Carousel housing tract, which sits on ...

Tight oil writedowns spark Cenovus Energy miss, Shares fall five per cent on second-quarter results disappointment by Dan Healing, July 24, 2013, Calgary Herald The stock market was quick to react, knocking $1.76 or 5.5 per cent off its shares to close at $30.49. The company known for its industry-leading thermal oilsands operations in northern Alberta ...

Appointees to Alberta Energy Regulator have varied backgrounds, experience by The Canadian Press, July 25, 2013, Brandon Sun The provincial government has appointed six people with varied backgrounds to serve as commissioners for the Alberta Energy Regulator. The appointees have experience in farming, drinking water safety, environmental law and public service. They will sit on panels, conduct ...

Appointment of judges politically biased in Alberta, critics say, Process favours candidates with ties to the PC party by Jennie Russell, July 25, 2013, CBC News The process for appointing provincial court judges in Alberta should be reformed because it favours candidates with ties to the Progressive Conservative party, lawyers say. “You can find judicial appointments ...

Not Strong Enough: Oil Spill Disaster Preventers by Gayathri Vaidyanathan, July 26, 2013, Discovery Flames engulfing a drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico decreased to a small fire yesterday, as officials worked around the clock to bring the well under control. The rig, called Hercules, is stationed 55 miles off the coast of Louisiana. Crews ...

Jared Polis drops lawsuit over fracking near his property, but may refile, Boulder congressman sees new role as ‘poster boy’ in hot-button issue by Charlie Brennan, July 26, 2013, Daily Camera A scheduled court hearing in the dispute over drilling for natural gas on a property across the street from U.S. Rep. Jared Polis’s weekend getaway in unincorporated Weld ...

Former Mobil VP Warns of Fracking by Ellen Cantarow, July 19, 2013, Truthout Louis Allstadt: The fracking that’s going on right now is the real wake-up call on just what extreme lengths are required to pull oil or gas out of the ground now that most of the conventional reservoirs have been exploited – at least ...

Halliburton Pleads Guilty To Destroying Evidence In Connection With Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill by Paul Szoldra, July 25, 2013, Business Insider Halliburton has agreed to plead guilty to destruction of evidence in the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling tragedy. The plea deal — which is still subject to court approval — means they’ll pay the maximum available statutory ...

WATCH 1 injured when casing ruptures during fracturing at Corsicana gas well owned by Halliburton by Jason Trahan, July 25, 2013, WFAA8 At about 6 a.m. Thursday, a casing ruptured in a gas well near SE County Road 3100 near Eureka just outside Corsicana, said Eric Meyers, Navarro County emergency management coordinator. One person was injured in the incident ...

Halliburton, Baker Hughes receive antitrust inquiries from Department of Justice about fracking business by The Associated Press, July 25, 2013, The Times Colonist Federal officials have contacted Halliburton Co. and Baker Hughes Inc. as part of an antitrust investigation into an oil and gas drilling process used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Halliburton spokeswoman Beverly Blohm ...

Alberta beset by lax enforcement of environmental rules — report by Gayathri Vaidyanathan, July 25, 2013, E&E News Less than 1 percent of the violations by oil sands producers get penalized by regulators in Alberta, according to a new report put out by an environmental group that examined 9,000 environmental contamination cases in the province between 1996 and ...

Obama Administration Sues Exxon for Polluting Pennsylvania Drinking Water with Toxic Fracking Waste by Noel Brinkerhoff, July 24, 2013, allgov.com Having settled one water pollution case, an Exxon subsidiary is now facing a federal lawsuit alleging its hydraulic fracturing operations contaminated water supplies in Pennsylvania. XTO Energy is accused of polluting groundwater with fracking waste from ...

Polish authorities, industry slam shale EIA proposal by ENDS Europe, July 24, 2015 Some Polish shale gas companies are gearing up for a rush of drilling ahead of possible changes to the EU’s environment impact assessment (EIA) rules. A proposal by the European Parliament’s environment committee to include shale exploration, evaluation and extraction in the revised EIA directive will face stiff ...

New Encana head Suttles plays cards close to chest by Carrie Tait, July 21, 2013, The Globe and Mail New chief executives often means new strategies – especially when the fresh face is in charge because shareholders grew tired of the previous boss. Encana Corp.’s new top executive will host his first conference call during this ...

Cabot well under probe to be shut by Paul J. Gough, July 16, 2013, Pittsburgh Business Times A Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. well in northeastern Pennsylvania is being shut down in the midst of a state Department of Environmental Protection investigation. The Scranton Times-Tribune reported the Costello 1 vertical well in Dimock Township will be ...