Touring the Natural Gas Fields; Opening Minds
Richard Downey
Unatego Area Landowners Association (with assistance from the Hometown Energy Group)
The Hometown Energy Group, an energized group of natural gas supporters from Otsego County, New York, arranged a tour of some Cabot Oil & Gas sites in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania recently and minds were opened as the visitors saw what natural gas development is really all about.
A group of elected and appointed officials, representatives from highway departments, landowners and others, interested in seeing natural gas development site in progress, traveled to Montrose, Pennsylvania on December 6th. We met with Cabot Oil and Gas personnel, both on and off site, with Tony Ventello of the Central Bradford Progress Authority, and one of Cabot’s hydraulic fracturing supervisors, Larry Fulmer, for presentations and Q&A.
We met Bill desRosiers at the Inn at Montrose. The Inn which is owned by Dan and Gretchen Backer was recently renovated (completed in 2009), fueled by the economic turnabout natural gas development has brought to Susquehanna County.
The Inn at Montrose
Bill desRosiers of Cabot served as both host and tour guide. He described a thriving gas field in the Montrose area, one producing 700,000,000 cubic feet per day with 15 of the 20 most productive wells in the Marcellus. Cabot projects a 30 year build-out with at least another 30 years of production after that. There may be more. The steep decline in production after the first year isn’t evident in the Montrose area wells. First year production rates have continued for as long as 3 years, indicating the strong possibility of a longer production cycle. This field is so productive that Cabot has no interest in expanding to New York State.
Tony Ventello of the “Progress Authority,” an industrial development association (“IDA” in New York parlance) centered in Towanda, gave us an overview of his experiences with the onset of this new industry in his county. In his capacity as County Planner, at the time, he and a group of potential stakeholders visited with their counterparts in Decatur, Texas, before development was fully implemented back home. Information gathered from Texas and later from Calgary, Canada, assisted county officials in subsequent decisions.
The change in the economy of Bradford County has been impressive. Aside from jobs and general welfare, freehold mineral rights have generated individual wealth for some. Spinoff benefits have included increased support for education and public charities. A new hospital is being constructed supplemented by Cabot, local support and the gas industry, new hotels, expansion of current businesses, and creation of businesses that never before existed. The railroad has suddenly come back to life and supplementary gas field services have occupied formerly dormant buildings.
Tony spoke about the cyclical nature of the industry. When prices are high, gas flows. Low prices, less gas. Price swings should moderate with increased gas use in heating, electrical generation, chemicals, and transportation. However, given the nature of the business, the Progress Alliance is investigating communities like Hobbs, New Mexico that are further along the production phase to see how they are managing their sudden wealth to ensure less cyclical disruptions. Tony also mentioned the disruptions caused by a rising real estate market. Great for the homeowner, less so for the renter. Bradford County’s experience and research will be a great resource when gas development comes to other regions.
New hospital being built in Montrose with industry help
(Photo credit/ Susquehanna Independent Weekender)
Bill desRosiers talked about the local Health Care System that had broken ground to a new facility. Cabot Oil and Gas Corp started off the hospital’s fundraising effort with a $1 million donation. The company then issued a challenge promising to match contributions up to the $1 million. This would give the health care system a total of $3 million dollars.
Our last speaker, Larry Fullmer, brought over three decades of experience to the podium. He described the transition of the art and science of hydraulic fracturing. He started in the days when he stood in the back of a pick-up truck, read charts off a mechanical transcriber, and calculated downhole mixtures in his head. Now he sits in a fully appointed trailer with banks of computers. No on-the-fly, rule-of-thumb calculations these days; the data sets the parameters. However, there is still room for experience and he packed that experience into his presentation. The group was fascinated and could have stayed for another hour. but we had to move on to a new well site. Larry is available for presentations.
The final hour was spent on-site at a new Cabot rig that can reposition itself. We broke into groups, one led by Bill desRosiers and the other by the “company man,” the man in charge of the operation. Hard hats and safety glasses were distributed. The group was spilt in half; each group had the opportunity to walk about an active drilling sit with various operations being fully explained. Pipes, drill bits, compressors, berms, the “doghouse” with its attendant computers were the backdrop for question on safety features and regulations.
A $50, 000 drill bit
Bill desRosiers explains how directional drilling works
Group 2 at the “doghouse”
Watching and monitoring drilling in the “doghouse.”
Computer readouts are monitored in Pittsburgh and in Houston
The following are comments from one attendee.
I observed none of the “horrors” we hear about. I found the employees to be just good people who are dedicated, hardworking, caring Local Americans, like anyone else. They answered any question asked. One young lady was from Afton.
The presence of N/G drilling has transformed the area in a positive manner. There were thriving businesses and I never observed one “for sale” sign of any home. In fact, many new homes were being built behind the old ones. The noise was not that loud. You could not hear the rig in the bus as they were drilling. The rig normally stays on the site a maximum of 15 weeks and drills up to 6 wells. Seldom are sites re-drilled.
We were allowed all over the sight and in the control room and were free to talk to any employee. Not the actions of people with something to hide. The farmer was there on his Harley with side car when we arrived just hanging out.
More “Trips to PA” are scheduled next year, potentially starting in April. Possible venues include Williams, Southwest, Exxon, and maybe some Shell sites further west. The Progress Authority holds an industry exposition in early summer, a good place to pick up information. The face-to-face contact with the industry and those who do business with it is an excellent way to gain information. We intend to invite realtors, bankers, and insurance representatives to speak to their counterparts to share experiences.
Stay tuned!
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Mr. Downey, you need to come and attend a Citizens Tour of our Susquehanna County, Pa., which I give for years now.
How can there be no problems? Of course, Industry will not show any problems.
Come and see the other side and get a more complete picture.
And interesting that Cabot says they don’t want to come to New York.
Of course not, too much opposition and people who have educated themselves about
all aspects of the industry.
And I can show you the DEP production reports of the wells in our county and how much they significantly drop in the first three years. Did Cabot show you the actual reports or just make their “positive” statements.
These DEP reports of production are public and on the DEP site.
I can show you all the “for sale ” signs and “for rent” signs and businesses closing and selling and the water buffaloes and methane vent stacks because of CAbot’s and other gas companies contamination of water wells. I’m sure they didn’t show you any of this.
Get a rounded picture and don’t fall for the usual Corporate image to lure in investors and compliant, willing landowners.
I suggest you look at Terry Engelder’s presentations which demonstrate the decline curves for Marcellus Shale are much better than expected, meaning many areas previously thought marginal are actually now feasible for production. As another commenter notes, Vera, “you’re not fooling anyone.”
Vera
You reply on many of the blogs lately with things like:
“Royalty checks are 1/8 of what they were four years ago”
“Farmers are not getting as much per acre”
And all I can do is sigh….It must be really annoying to you that the farmers in PA are getting paid while here in NY environmental hypocrites like you are holding our land hostage to BS Fear mongering and political pandering. In one blog you talk about the threat of violence and how you would never advocate for it but yet you are perhaps unbeknown. Our ancestors went to war against the very tyranny you are using to hold our land hostage. You cannot tax a holding and then deny it’s owner prosperity of its yields based on the false and unproven presumption of immeasurable threat to the environment.
You and William Huston often accuse me of threaten you and I never have. Yet everyday you, not even being from NY, and Mr. Huston threaten my rights under the constitution of the United States by working to deny me my deeded rights to develop my land under the premise that I would destroy yours and that I would do so without offering proof. I assure you Vera I have no such intention of poisoning my neighbors property and as the owner of my land nor do I want my property poisoned.
I wait 5 years now for Albany to rule with a fair and just ruling on gas development even as you and the well funded opposition that you work for try to interject your unfounded fears and socialistic agenda upon state and federal Goverment, to assure NY State continue’s its downward spiral into a state without a fair and balanced representation of all its people, Using Hollywood actors paid for by the United Arab Emirates, Soros & Park foundation funding, as well as funding from Russia, Venezuela, and other gas producing countries to keep the USA & NY from competing in global energy markets, portraying Upstate Farmers as careless idiots who are only money grubbers, As well as NYs over taxation over spending that has put NY on the bottom of desirable states to live in as we are the highest taxed population in the nation I will stand no more in silence
Threats of Violence are not what I promise shall my rights as a landowner be taken away from me and the course of NY law be guided down the twisted political path of placation because of a well funded movement of foriegn interest. Martyrdom will be my last breath as I take the same action wether alone or joined… as my forefathers did in their protection of new world freedom from the tyrants who called themselves lords & kings who wanted control of their land and its fruits. To deny me my property rights will be a declaration of war just as your side has stated “we will use our bodies to stop the dril and rise up against the goverment shall the goverment allow drilling” you will be doing so on my land of which I will fight harder to keep then you will to take.
I can see you are very passionate , Vic, about your position and desire to fight for your rights as you see it. I appreciate your passion. I am just as passionate to protect my home, land, children, grandchildren, friends, State, Nation, World.
I believe deeply , as you do, in my view of what is happening. I see it and hear it and smell it
and view it daily and talk to the people who are the silent ones and the ones who are brave enough to speak out and hear their hurt and pain and see what they are experiencing.
You must do what you believe in and I must do what I believe in.
We will see what history will show about this. Whether it takes months, years to show the damage we humans have done once again to the Earth because we thought that our way was harmless and it would make us financially secure.
I do not threaten you and have not ever threatened you. I speak to you whenever I can and know that you truly believe what you are advocating and think you are doing a good thing.
I wish you well and hope you can do what you can and make whatever money you can and gain whatever prosperity you can from your five acres in New York.
But do no harm to your neighbors or they will rise up and not be silent.
I am not funded or anyone in our county from any outside sources except our own incomes and any small donations from concerned citizens for some of my camera equipment and gas as I travel my county to document what the gas companies do not show on their tours, which I’ve taken the Cabot Tour twice. I’ve been doing this since 2008, when I first heard about it and decided to protect my family and county from Corporate invasion and the taking of our resources at the expense of our beautiful environment.
Vera:
In your failed attempt to sound like a caring person addressing my cause you managed to insult as I am sure your aware yet once again, You Said:
“I wish you well and hope you can do what you can and make whatever money you can and gain whatever prosperity you can from your five acres in New York.”
Let me get you straight on this again Vera. I am not in this for the money. I am in this for the same reason Superman would be “Truth – Justice , and The American Way. “But” these are not the funnies and the truth is something you can not deal with as you work to destroy the American way with your false persona and socialistic ideals. I have seen your tours Vera thanks to your filming of them. Although I agree there are some concerns that can be mitigated in some of the points you make the dramatics of your presentations are so very misleading and serve but only one purpose, and you know it. Tears Vera need to be real and from the heart, not on cue. the fear mongering in your films serve the only purpose it is meant too serve. With the deception you have created a powerful tool which drags the frightened right into your cause. It is cold out Vera and the weatherman says it’s going to be in the signal digits for a week. Have you quit buying home heating fuel yet? are you still on the fossil fuel grid? solar to expensive for ya? Windmill permits hard to get?. Where was this anti fossil fuel activism before it came to our back yard? I mean we been taken advantage of fossil fuels in this country particularly in the Northern East for over 175 years now, we have been using Hydraulically Fractured natural gas for 70 years minimum, Horizontally since 1981, and you decided to get involved in 2008? Where were you before America’s energy was available from your back yard?????
Vera, The housing market here is more stable now than it was 6 years ago. Homes were taking over 5 years to sell on average, now they are gone in a year if that long. The ones that lay on the market are ones that would always sit, poor location, no property, sitting on main road,, run down, or the one thing since the industry came is trying to sell it for more than its worth and holding the mineral rights, which the seller is learning it will not work, but it is a much better market than before. the resturants and shops are doing better, nothing is forever, small businesses come and go as product trends change. But look around, cartlons county homes moved to a bigger location, leaving an empty spot, for how long? A new REALESTATE OFFICE moved in to the location, failing housing market? and we now have more realestate offices for less sales? NO vera because there is a better market(the old realestate office that was located on the block had gone out of business several year back, ) . Also new modular homes on vacant land has replaced old run down home sales, its a shift in the market, due to an improved economy, people can afford to buy new and not the handy man as is special. When you focus only on trouble you will see only trouble, take your own words get a rounded picture, it is not the horror you try and sell to people. I see things coming alive again here, i believe that is just what you hate, you want to live in the forest undisturbed, this is where you moved to from a city like area in jersey, well the rest of this area wants to offer work to their growing kids and keep them here, pass on their farms to them. We want a new hospital and resturants that have Fresh food because they have so much business. I went to Originals for dinner, i had a five minute wait, Wow that is great for the owner!! but i guess that is an inconvenience to you. I would love to see you refilm the pipeline by the creek that had the blow-outs to see today how it looks(well in the spring) you never show the people that there was no permanent damage that what you where filming was just contruction, show the after. I have seen it, its beatiful and undamaged, but your youtube fans will never know the whole truth, just what you want them to see.
Glad you like it; we all have different standards;
the creek with the blowouts and four other creeks were sited by Fish and Boat Commission and they fined Laser Pipeline in our county for damages.
Guess they don’t know what you know either?
and now the new pipeline owners, Williams is repairing the damages left behind by Laser.
I got this from their own people, but of course, this won’t be advertised.
Thats right, being held responsible, being fined, regulations, all you claim dont exsist. All being repaired, no damaged left behind. I would like you to film the finished product.
Tom, It is nice that you let everyone have their say with your website but, the Veras,Bills,Toms, Wendy Lynn’s… Are trying their best to to take over your site. Must be their websites aren’t getting any traction. Just like here in NYS, most people are getting very tired of the anti bs. Keep up the good work. 99% of us really enjoy it.
How true it is….
HELP KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL & CLEAN “BURN GAS NOT COAL”
I think some of them left their brain back in the sixties.
On their “FRACKING IN NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA” website a call went out to the antis to dominate EID’s facebook and try to control the conversation…
welcome to those who heed the call but fair warning !!!!!
YOU MAY LEARN SOMETHING
I drove through Dimmock and Montrose Pa. on my own last year, and this month I went on Vera’s tour. Your right, there is a lot to learn. I learned that the well heads are all over the place. That beautiful vistas are ruined now with drilling operations. We saw many houses with water buffaloes exactly as Vera said. We talked with some of the people who now live with water buffaloes in their front yards. Gee gottta tell ya, they weren’t to happy about it. Wonder why? Nicely covered in particle board and blue plastic tarps, smack dab in their front yard. Just wondering does the gas company throw in the plastic tarps, and particle board for free, after they ruin your water? Cause I’m thinking from the looks of things Montrose is anything but booming. These folks are hurtin it’s clear any one saying other wise is workin for the holy dollar. Shame on you.
Your opinion is certainly counter to the guests we regularly hear from on and our own experience. I suggest you saw what you wanted to see.
And I suggest Sir that perhaps you have your eyes closed. You have merely to open them. Look into the eyes of the people suffering there, and speak to them honestly as one human being to another. We do share this planet. It is indeed our responsibility to care not only for it but for those who are in need of help. I implore you to look deeply. Smell the air, look at the mountains. Consider what is happening to this beautiful country, with out regard
You’re a fool. That’s all that needs to be said.
is that the best you can say, Loren, is insult people who you don’t agree with; a rude , low-blow shot;
and do you drink your water after having a filtering system put in by Cabot for a couple of years;
and how low are your royalties now from the gas site near you?
give us some personal facts–
and how is your business doing?
Vera
Loren’s financials are personal but if he decides to share them with you thats fine.
http://www.jlcny.org/site/pdf/Methane%20Migration.pdf
Methane Migration
Methane (CH4) is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas found underground. It can be
present in groundwater as a result of decaying organic matter (biogenic), septic systems
(biogenic) or from water wells that are completed in shallow rock units such as coal beds
and shales (thermogenic). Many water wells actually produce groundwater from these
shallow shale or coal beds that often contain methane.
An Example of Naturally Occurring Methane Gas in Water Well
Unrelated to Oil and Gas Drilling
I’m not surprised, Vic, you’re still pushing the old methane story; there’s methane everywhere story;
when the pre-tests show let’s say, 7 mg/l and then it shoots to 68 mg/l , do you wonder
if something is going on ?
and if it increases month to month after fracking and drilling nearby?
and it starts to fizzle out of the faucet when it never did before after fracking and drilling
nearby!
and other things shoot up like metals, aluminum, arsenic, barium, strontium, etc. !
does that mean anything to you?
and what about any number of tests in our county, where the tests show “no methane” that was picked up?
Well, we have hydro-geologists and universities , who are keeping data to show what the ranges are in our county and state and how it changes after drilling and fracking nearby.
Otherwise, you can argue with the DEP since they have investigated cases for over a year and then determined that gas drilling is responsible for their water changes.
I have documents to show that and sent some to Tom and Joe in your group. Did you get to see them?
Sure, there’s methane that’s unrelated to drilling or fracking and there is methane that is related to drilling and fracking.
You want to live in any of those homes with the gas-drilling-related methane and metals and use their water on a daily basis and buy the home, since the owner may want to sell after what happened. I can hook you up with such a home and you can live near gas wells, drilling, fracking, compressor stations — they smell really great and make a lot of noise , 24/7 and near pipelines.
You can have it all– just move to PA.
You’re ignoring the evidence from 80 years ago, Vera, when the PA Geologic Survey identified everything Vic said was the case. You refuse to accept facts. No is denying methane migration can be caused on occasion by drilling a gas well or a water well but those instances are rare.
Would love to move to PA, but the home sales are far more pricey then NY what with the lower taxes, new hospitals, and job opportunities. The temporary noice from developing America’s freedom from foreign fuel would be music to my ears. Now if methane were proven harmful too my health then I would have a problem but vented it poses no threat… Perhaps that’s why one Carter Road resident built a new 7,000 square foot home right on the very land he sued the gas companies for supposed contamination and hooked up to the same well. Perhaps why Victoria Switzer, the only anti I have any respect for, still lives in her home even after getting double it’s value affording her the opportunity to move in PA-DEPs Consent order. Long ago, I came to the conclusion most antis are not in the fight for right…. their in it because people finally connect with them and give them purpose in a life where no one paid any attention before. As long as they get to ride up high on their horse they’re happy and feel loved… but it is a false love. Just ask those folks who sold you all down the river with a gag order they promised never to sign for all the money in the world, but did when their lawsuit fell out from under them as the EPA determined their well water was not contaminated by hydraulic fracturing. And you call any pro gas activist greedy landowner going so far as saying we will move out when drilled.
Vic, please get correct info; the Ely’s on Carter Road who are building their home, because their home got damaged by a tree falling on it, are not hooked up to their water well; Their water well has the worst water and they don’t drink it; they are hooked to a water container that holds 1,000 gallons of water and they get water delivered to them. Montrose treated water, and they refuse to sign a gag order and so have not taken a settlement, like most of the others. And Victoria has not taken twice the value of her home she was building; she was offered twice the value of her trailer that she lived in while building the home. Our homes are not more pricey than NY. Not much is selling in our county. We even have “for rent” signs on homes because they can’t sell and owners willing to do “owner financing” and they are not selling. You make whatever conclusions you want to figure us out. When someone feels threatened, they do whatever they can to save themselves.
Scott Ely still building…. The rest…well..you don’t convince me of anything with that tripe.