By Collin Eaton, FuelFix.com, October 11, 2013

Oil and gas jobs soar to new milestone

The U.S. oil and gas industry added new jobs faster than the total private sector during the year that ended in June, jumping 2.6 percent over the previous year and pushing the industry’s roster past 1 million jobs nationwide, according to a new report. During the first half of 2013, the ... READ MORE »

By Jim Fuquay, Star-Telegram, September 28, 2013

Study of air quality in Barnett Shale finds few health effects

A review of air quality in the Barnett Shale using data from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality finds that emissions related to natural gas production are below levels that would pose health concerns. The study, by Houston-based ToxStrategies, was funded by the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, an industry group. ... READ MORE »

By Jim Fuquay, Star-Telegram, September 25, 2013

First gas well being drilled at Texas Motor Speedway

As the first natural gas well at Texas Motor Speedway was being drilled Tuesday, Hideki Makihara was more than a casual observer. The Japanese lawmaker explained that Japan shut down its last nuclear reactor last week, a casualty of the Fukushima disaster in 2011. Since then, he said, electricity prices have ... READ MORE »

EDITORIAL, Star-Telegram, September 18, 2013

Study counters fears of gas well methane leaks

A single study — no matter how scientific, thorough and rigorous — probably wouldn’t silence all critics, but the natural gas industry has a powerful new defense against those who warn about the dangers of methane emissions at well sites. A study from the University of Texas at Austin, done in ... READ MORE »

By Jim Fuquay, Star-Telegram, September 16, 2013

UT study measures methane emissions in natural gas production

So-called “green” completion equipment is very effective at capturing methane emissions on new natural gas wells, but other devices at well sites allow more gas to escape than previously estimated, a new study shows. Overall, the emissions from natural gas well sites were in line with current estimates by the U.S. ... READ MORE »

By Jim Efstathiou Jr., Bloomberg.com, September 3, 2013

Fracking Boom Seen Raising Household Incomes by $1,200

Surging oil and natural gas production brought on by hydraulic fracturing is lifting the U.S. economy by lowering energy costs for consumers and manufacturers, according an industry-funded report. In 2012, the energy boom supported 2.1 million jobs, added almost $75 billion in federal and state revenues, contributed $283 billion to the ... READ MORE »

By Ed Ireland, Ph.D., Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, August 23, 2013

The outlook for the Barnett Shale

The Barnett Shale Energy Education Council (BSEEC) is frequently asked about the status and future of the Barnett Shale. It has been questioned if the Barnett Shale is over and done with. After all, only about 25 drilling rigs are running now compared to the peak of about 200 rigs ... READ MORE »

By Ed Ireland, Ph.D., Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, August 23, 2013

Fracking vs. watering lawns: the real guzzler of water

In the last 65 years, the technology behind hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" has been improved to the point that it is used to complete virtually every oil and natural gas well in the United States. Without fracking, the U.S. would not be able to access its vast bounty of oil ... READ MORE »

By Gene Lockard, Rigzone.com, August 12, 2013

BLS: Oil, Gas Sector Adds 4,000 Jobs in 2Q; Texas and Louisiana Pace Growth

New-job creation in the oil and natural gas industry was robust in the second quarter of 2013, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), with 4,000 positions created. Texas – with 2,400 positions – and Louisiana – with 1,100 positions – accounted for the lion’s share of the growth, ... READ MORE »

By David Blackmon, Forbes, August 7, 2013

Texas Oil And Gas Numbers Fly Off The Charts

The growing scale of the oil and natural gas boom in Texas continues to stun most observers.  We have discussed this phenomenon periodically (see prior pieces here and here) , but the newest developments are so off the charts that an update is warranted. We’ve pointed out a couple of times ... READ MORE »

Editorial, Dallas Morning News, July 30, 2013

Editorial: Father of fracking George Mitchell changed a nation

Watch the documentaries Gasland and Fracknation, and you’ll come away with impressions of natural gas exploration that don’t do justice to the complex legacy of Houston billionaire wildcatter George P. Mitchell. From Gasland, you’ll get the idea that hydraulic fracturing for natural gas doesn’t have a place in modern society. From ... READ MORE »

By Barnett Powering Progress

RECENT STUDIES OFFER ENCOURAGING FACTS AND POSITIVE PERSPECTIVES ON HYDRAULIC FRACTURING SAFETY AND WATER USAGE

There is new evidence confirming the safety of fluids used in hydraulic fracturing, as well as the relative low water usage of natural gas producers. Both studies provide welcome assurance for anyone interested in responsible water use in North Texas.  On Friday, July 20, the U.S. Department of Energy released findings ... READ MORE »

By Tom Fowler, Wall Street Journal, July 26, 2013

'Father of Fracking' Dies at 94

George P. Mitchell turned hydraulic fracturing from an experimental technique into an energy-industry mainstay, making it possible to pump oil and gas from once untappable rocks and unleashing an energy boom across the U.S. Known as the father of fracking, Mr. Mitchell died Friday at age 94 at his home in ... READ MORE »

By Ryan Tracy, Wall Street Journal, July 25, 2013

China, India to Drive World's Growing Energy Use

The world will use far more of every type of energy in coming decades, the U.S. Energy Department said Thursday in a report that predicts China and India will drive growing consumption. The department's statistical arm, the Energy Information Administration, estimated world-wide use of energy—mostly for transportation and electricity—will surge 56% ... READ MORE »

By Nicholas Sakelaris, Dallas Business Journal, July 16, 2013

U.S. shale oil could reach 5 million barrels per day by 2017

Domestic shale oil production could shoot up to 5 million barrels per day by 2017, making the United States the top oil producing country in the world, according to a researcher at Harvard Kennedy School. And, it’s not hard to predict, Texas’ oil plays lead the way. Last week, I reported ... READ MORE »

By Sanford Nowlin, San Antonio Business Journal, July 15, 2013

Texas accounted for nearly half of all U.S. oil and gas rigs

Texas’ 832 oil-and-gas drilling rigs accounted for 47 percent of all active U.S. rigs, according to the latest tally from oilfield-services giant Baker Hughes. West Texas’ Permian Basin had the state’s highest rig count with 394. South Texas’ Eagle Ford Shale ranked second with 227. Most of the other Texas rigs were ... READ MORE »

By Simone Sebastian, FuelFix.com, July 10, 2013

Texas pumping more oil than some OPEC countries

We all know oil production in Texas has soared in recent years. But putting the rise in graphic form shows just how phenomenal the energy turnaround has been: The surge looks exponential. In March, Texas oil production reached its highest level since 1984. That month, the Lone Star State pumped more ... READ MORE »

By Sheryl Jean, DallasNews.com, June 10, 2013

Surprise: Oil and gas drove Texas’ real GDP growth in 2012

Despite the housing recovery, it was the stalwart oil and gas industry that drove the economies of the fastest-growing states, including Texas, last year. Texas’ real gross domestic product — the total value of all economic activity adjusted for inflation — increased 4.8 percent in 2012, according to new statistics from ... READ MORE »

By Zack Colman, TheHill.com, June 10, 2013

Energy agency: US oil-and-gas reserves up 35 percent, thanks to shale boom

The amount of technically recoverable United States oil-and-gas reserves is 35 percent greater than in 2011, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Monday. The report credited the spike to new geologic and well-drilling results, as well as the adoption of hydraulic fracturing. The U.S. clocked in at second behind Russia in ... READ MORE »

By Morgan Frances, KRISTV.com, June 6, 2013

Professor Pushes Expansion Of Natural Gas Vehicles

There is a new push to switch the vehicles we use now with ones that run on natural gas. The Westside Business Association held an annual fundraiser where the keynote speaker talked about some of the benefits with using natural gas vehicles. "I pay 90 cents a gallon," proclaimed Dr. Ken ... READ MORE »

By Ed Ireland, Fort Worth Business Press, May 24, 2013

A decade of performance in the Barnett Shale

The year 2012 marked the 10-year anniversary of natural gas drilling and production in the Barnett Shale in North Texas. While a thousand or so shale wells had been drilled in the 20 years after the first Barnett well was drilled in 1981, drilling activity blasted off in 2002. By ... READ MORE »

By Jim Fuquay, Star-Telegram, May 14, 2013

Texas House honors Barnett Shale pioneer George Mitchell

George P. Mitchell, the Houston-area oilman whose efforts to combine hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling led to the development of North Texas’ Barnett Shale and launched a nationwide boom in shale production, was honored Monday by the Texas House. The House resolution says Mitchell was “responsible for one of the most ... READ MORE »

By Sarah Kent and Justin Scheck, Wall Street Journal, May 14, 2013

IEA: North American Oil to Dominate World Supply Growth

North American oil production will dominate world-wide supply growth over the next five years, the International Energy Agency predicted Tuesday, the result of growing production from "fracking" and other technologies that access once-inaccessible reserves. It is a shift that few predicted five years ago, and will come at the expense of ... READ MORE »

By Shirley Jinkins, Star-Telegram, May 5, 2013

Gas-drilling fund yields scholarships for Arlington students

Five graduating seniors who live in southeast Arlington have been the first to collect scholarship money that was negotiated by their neighborhood in gas-drilling contracts in 2008. Winners Derek Rodriquez, Sydney Ann Szmuc and Chandra Hamilton of Arlington High School, and Mykayla Coates and Relius Johnson of Bowie High School all ... READ MORE »

By Ed Ireland, Ph.D., Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, April 30, 2013

Natural gas is a “natural” transportation fuel

The United States is a world leader in many areas, but using natural gas as a transportation fuel is, unfortunately, not yet one of them. According to statistics from the Natural Gas Vehicle Knowledge Base, there were over 15 million natural gas-powered cars and trucks in the world as of 2011, ... READ MORE »

By Mark J. Perry, AEI-Ideas.org, April 30, 2013

The meteoric rise in Texas oil output continues and is one of the most remarkable energy success stories in US history

The Energy Information Administration released new US crude oil production data today for the month of February by state, and one of the highlights of the monthly update is that oil output in America’s No. 1 oil-producing state – Texas – continues its phenomenal, meteoric rise. Here are some details ... READ MORE »

By Harry C. Alford, Atlanta Daily World, April 19, 2013

Natural Gas is Boosting the U.S. Economy

Yes, indeed, and it is documented that the growth of natural gas production is creating jobs, expanding manufacturing at a rate that was inconceivable a few years ago.  The reason for all of this is fracking. The formal name is hydraulic fracturing.  It is a process for extracting natural gas ... READ MORE »

By Jennifer Hiller, FuelFix.com, April 11, 2013

Texas oil and gas jobs flourished in 2012

A recent report confirms what you already knew: People in the oil and gas industry make more money than you, and Texas is producing lots more oil. The Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association’s “State of Energy Report” says the industry employs more than 971,000 people in the U.S., including ... READ MORE »

By Jeannie Kever, FuelFix.com, April 9, 2013

US recoverable natural gas estimate jumps 26 percent

Reflecting both new information about natural gas reservoirs and advances in technology, a committee convened to study natural gas resources said Tuesday that the United States has 2.4 quadrillion cubic feet of natural gas that can be recovered by current drilling techniques. That’s 26 percent higher than the previous assessment at ... READ MORE »

By Jeannie Kever, FuelFix.com, April 4, 2013

Reports make it official: Oil and gas are booming

In case you had any doubts, two reports released this week confirm that the oil and gas economy in Texas is still hot. Drilling permits issued in January and February were up 10 percent over the same period in 2012, according to economist Karr Ingham, who created the Texas Petro Index. The ... READ MORE »

Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, March 26, 2013

Study predicts Barnett Shale will produce for years to come

According to the recent Barnett Shale Gas Assessment Study conducted by the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) at The University of Texas at Austin, the Barnett Shale will still be producing natural gas for years to come – well beyond the year 2030. The study is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan ... READ MORE »

By Nicholas Sakelaris, Dallas Business Journal, March 27, 2013

Texas Railroad Commission changes frack water rules

The Texas Railroad Commission passed new rules that make it easier for drilling companies to recycle frack water, a move that could save money and millions of gallons of potable water. The three-member commission summed up the amendment by saying: “With the adoption of this rulemaking, the commission sets up a regulatory framework in ... READ MORE »

By Nicholas Sakelaris, Dallas Business Journal, March 22, 2013

New natural gas fueling stations coming to DFW this year

Fleets that use natural gas to power their vehicles will have more options in Dallas-Fort Worth soon, thanks in large part to investments made by Dallas billionaire T. Boone Pickens. Clean Energy Fuels will open fueling stations in south Fort Worth and Mesquite in the next six months and has plans for ... READ MORE »

By Meg Handley, U.S.news.com, March 20, 2013

U.S. Oil Production Set to Surpass Imports For First Time in 20 Years

The domestic oil boom is poised to reach another milestone as projections have the nation's monthly crude oil production outpacing imports for the first time in almost 20 years. Buoyed by booming shale plays in North Dakota and Texas, U.S. oil production will be 2 million barrels a day higher than ... READ MORE »

By Jim Landers, The Dallas Morning News, March 11, 2013

Natural-gas bonanza gives Texas an edge in manufacturing

The natural-gas bonanza is providing Texas with a rapidly growing competitive advantage in manufacturing. Executives from across the country and around the world last week marveled at the state’s success during IHS CERAWeek, the energy industry’s premier annual conference. Gérard Mestrallet, chairman and CEO of the global power company GDF Suez, called ... READ MORE »

By Bradley Olson, Edward Klulmp and Jack Kaskey, Star-Telegram, March 9, 2013

Salaries Soar for Oil, Gas Drilling Professionals

After spending years searching for enough crude to pump, the U.S. oil and natural gas industry is struggling to find and pay for enough skilled workers to tap the abundant supply in shale rock, putting $100 billion in planned petrochemical projects at risk. Engineers and similar professionals earned an average $183,000 ... READ MORE »

By Jim Fuquay, Star-Telegram, March 5, 2013

U.S. has big edge on world in shale oil and gas development, experts say

When global energy players compare the opportunities for shale oil and gas development around the world, it becomes clear that the United States, not just the Pennsylvania community portrayed in the recent Matt Damon movie, is the real Promised Land. Nowhere else in the world do the factors exist that allowed ... READ MORE »

Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, February 27, 2013

Natural gas leads the way in carbon reductions

Recently, there has been good news and bad news regarding emissions of carbon dioxide in the United States and the world. The good news is that last year, America’s carbon dioxide emissions fell to their lowest levels since 1994, according to a new Energy Information Administration (EIA) report. Additionally, carbon dioxide ... READ MORE »

By Emily Pickrell, FuelFix.com, February 27, 2013

Texas oil production surpasses Norway

Texas is now producing more oil than Norway, a country whose riches have been directly tied to its supplies of black gold. Norway produced about 1.4 million barrels per day in January, down from historical rates of more than 3 million barrels per day at the turn of the century, said ... READ MORE »

By Karen A. Harbert, Tulsa World, February 17, 2013

We must remove barriers to exploration

Can increasing American energy exploration improve our economy? Yes, but more to the point, it's already happening. Energy - and the jobs and growth it will drive - is the foundation for our economic recovery. Our nation is blessed with some of the most abundant energy resources on earth. Thanks in large ... READ MORE »

By Mose Buchele, NPR.org, February 13, 2013

Texas Watches State of the Union with an Eye on Energy

Even before the President’s State of the Union Address was over last night, some environmental and renewable energy groups were sending out congratulatory emails. “We thank President Obama for his leadership” read one from the Solar Energy Industries Association. The speech outlined “clean energy solutions”  said the group Environment Texas. And while some observed ... READ MORE »

By Alex Lawler, Reuters, February 12, 2013

OPEC Lifts 2013 World Oil Demand Growth Forecast

World oil demand will grow faster than previously thought in 2013, producer group OPEC said on Tuesday, citing signs of a recovery in the world economy. Consumption of oil will expand by 840,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year, the 12-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said in its monthly ... READ MORE »

By Jim Angle, Fox News, February 8, 2013

Fuel industry envisions American energy independence as domestic production rises

The U.S. has discovered so much more energy than it thought it had that some now talk about the possibility for North American energy independence. The reason? Advances in technology such as fracking, horizontal drilling and other improvements, which have increased natural gas production by 27 percent in just four years, ... READ MORE »

By Myra P. Saefong, MarketWatch.com, February 4, 2013

The U.S. is turning into an energy ‘superpower’: API

A revolution in oil and natural-gas development hasn’t just spurred economic growth and new job creation in the United States, it’s turning the nation into an “energy superpower,” according to the American Petroleum Institute. “There is a new energy reality of vast domestic resources of oil and natural gas brought about ... READ MORE »

By Jeannie Kever, FuelFix.com, January 29, 2013

Texas oil output hits highest level in two decades

Texas oil production rose by almost 100 million barrels in 2012 over the previous year, to the highest level in two decades. It was the fifth consecutive year with an increase. Despite a drop in oil prices last spring, economist Karr Ingham predicts production will rise again in 2013. Ingham offered a ... READ MORE »

By Kevin Begos, Star-Telegram, January 27, 2013

As drilling increases, so do royalties to landowners

Private landowners are reaping billions of dollars in royalties each year from the boom in natural gas drilling, transforming lives and livelihoods even as the windfall provides only a modest boost to the broader economy. In Pennsylvania alone, royalty payments could top $1.2 billion for 2012, according to an analysis by ... READ MORE »

By Ed Ireland, Ph.D., Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, January 22, 2013

The Budget Bounty from Texas Natural Gas and Oil

The state budget prospects laid out recently by Texas Comptroller Susan Combs in the Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE) were rosy, thanks to the natural gas and crude oil industries. Taxes from natural gas and oil increased 41 percent in fiscal 2012, triple the increases for total collections statewide. Only sales ... READ MORE »

By Emily Pickrell, FuelFix.com, January 22, 2013

Friendly business environment fuels U.S. oil boom, report says

A favorable business climate in the United States has helped make the country the world leader in the shale revolution, a report said Monday. In the report, “Energy and the New Global Industrial Landscape: A Tectonic Shift?”, research firm IHS notes that shale gas and tight oil deposits are being discovered ... READ MORE »

By Mitchell Schnurman, The Dallas Morning News, January 12, 2013

The Sweet State of Oil and Gas in Texas

Texas is sitting in a sweet, sweet spot with energy. While the state has been whipsawed by booms and busts in the past, the oil and gas business has settled into a pattern of high volume and low prices. It’s a Goldilocks combination that has something for just about everyone, plus ... READ MORE »

By Asjylyn Loder, Bloomberg.com, January 9, 2013

Fracking Pushes U.S. Oil Production to Highest in 20 Years

U.S. oil production exceeded 7 million barrels a day for the first time since March 1993 as improved drilling techniques boosted exploration across the country and reinforced a shift toward energy independence. The Energy Department reported today that weekly average output rose to 7.002 million barrels a day in the week ... READ MORE »

By Kevin Bullis, MIT Technology Review, January 9, 2013

Shale Gas Will Fuel a U.S. Manufacturing Boom

People predicting a manufacturing renaissance in the United States usually imagine whirring robots or advanced factories turning out wind turbines and solar panels. The real American edge might be in something entirely more mundane: cheap starting materials for plastic bottles and plastic bags. The plummeting price of natural gas, which can ... READ MORE »

By Ed Ireland, Ph.D., Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, January 3, 2013

Cinematic Propaganda

In 2010, a “documentary” about the evils of natural gas drilling, funded by the Park Foundation, an anti-drilling group, was shown at the Sundance Film Festival. The actor Robert Redford, an outspoken anti-drilling advocate, hosts the annual festival. The documentary film, named “Gasland,” went on to win an award at ... READ MORE »

By Harry R. Weber, FuelFix.com, December 19, 2012

Study: Texas leads nation in unconventional oil and gas jobs

Texas accounts for almost half the nearly 1.3 million industry jobs associated with unconventional oil and gas production in the 16 producing states this year, according to a new study. Some 576,000 Texans were in jobs linked to unconventional oil and gas in 2012, and that is expected to rise to ... READ MORE »

By Allison Bennett & Emma Charlton, Bloomberg, December 17, 2012

Fracking Boom Is Dollar Boon in Energy Independence: Currencies

Oil’s negative drag on the dollar is weakening as rising U.S. natural gas and crude production propels the nation to the highest level of energy self- sufficiency in two decades. The boom from hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which uses pressurized water to drive gas and oil from shale rock, will bolster ... READ MORE »

Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, December 10, 2012

More firms and states converting vehicles to natural gas

The shale energy revolution has led the energy industry to seek out new markets for its products, and energy companies are increasingly setting their sights on the transportation sector. Promoting natural gas as a cheaper, cleaner-burning alternative to gasoline and diesel, energy companies, public utilities and government officials are trying ... READ MORE »

Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, December 10, 2012

Natural gas: a game changer

When George Mitchell went on a quest to coax natural gas out of the Barnett Shale in the early 1980s, he was not trying to start an energy revolution. He just wanted to have enough natural gas to run his gas processing plant in Bridgeport, Texas. He achieved his goal ... READ MORE »

By Andrew Restuccia, Politco.com, December 6, 2012

Oil production booming, imports falling

A federal report released Wednesday offers the latest indication that U.S. energy production will continue to boom in the coming decades amid surging production from shale while imports plummet and gasoline consumption falls below previous estimates. The Energy Information Administration, in a summary of its 2013 Annual Energy Outlook, said domestic ... READ MORE »

By Andrew Maykuth, Star-Telegram, December 2, 2012

Natural gas production getting greener

The towering flares that turn night into day in the Marcellus Shale are becoming an increasingly rare sight. Natural gas producers are turning to new techniques to capture the gas emitted during the well-completion process. In the past, a well's initial production was typically vented or burned off to allow impurities ... READ MORE »

By Michael Rubinkam, Star-Telegram, November 25, 2012

More firms and states converting vehicles to natural gas

If the trash truck or bus rolling down your street seems a little quieter, you're not imagining things. It's probably running on natural gas. Surging gas production has led the drilling industry to seek out new markets for its product, and energy companies are increasingly setting their sights on the transportation ... READ MORE »

By PennEnergy Editorial Staff, PennEnergy.com, November 13, 2012

North America leads shift in global energy balance, according to IEA

The global energy map is changing in dramatic fashion, the International Energy Agency said as it launched the 2012 edition of the World Energy Outlook (WEO). The Agency's flagship publication, released today in London, said these changes will recast expectations about the role of different countries, regions and fuels in ... READ MORE »

By Guy Chazan and Ed Crooks, Financial Times, November 12, 2012

U.S. set to become biggest oil producer

The US will overtake Saudi Arabia and Russia to become the world’s largest global oil producer by 2017, according to the International Energy Agency, in one of the clearest signs yet of how the shale revolution is redrawing the global energy landscape. This marks the first time the IEA, the developed ... READ MORE »

By Rob Verdonck and Mathew Carr, Bloomberg, November 12, 2012

Natural Gas to Become Largest Fuel in U.S. by 2030, IEA Says

Natural gas will overtake oil as the most used fuel in the U.S. by 2030 as the country's supplies balloon, the International Energy Agency said. So called unconventional supplies, extracted from sources including shale rock and coal beds, will account for almost half of the increase in global output of the ... READ MORE »

By Bloomberg, FuelFix.com, November 8, 2012

U.S. oil production sets new record

U.S. oil production rose to the highest in almost 18 years as a shale drilling boom cut reliance on foreign fuel and nudged the country closer to energy independence. Output swelled by 8,000 barrels to 6.68 million barrels a day in the week ended Nov. 2, the Energy Department reported today. ... READ MORE »

By Margaret Ryan, AOL.com, October 31, 2012

Fracking the Economy

The economic boom in oil and natural gas production resulting from advanced drilling technology lifted the US gross domestic product a full percentage point during the recent recession, says an IHS Global Insight expert, and it can continue to boost the economy for the foreseeable future. John Larson, Vice President, Public ... READ MORE »

Barnett Shale Energy Council, October 24, 2012

Switching from coal to natural gas for generating electricity saves water

The Webber Energy Group recently released a study entitled “Can switching fuels save water? A life cycle quantification of freshwater consumption for Texas coal- and natural gas-fired electricity.” The study, led by Michael Webber, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin, concludes that Texas could save a ... READ MORE »

By Jim Fuquay, Star-Telegram, October 23, 2012

Monitor posting data on air quality near Mansfield

A monitor that automatically tests air quality around the clock and then posts the results online has started operations at a site southeast of downtown Mansfield, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said Tuesday. It's the second automated gas chromatograph monitor activated this year as part of efforts by state regulators ... READ MORE »

By Daniel Yergin, The Wall Street Journal, October 22, 2012

Daniel Yergin: The Real Stimulus: Low-Cost Natural Gas

An unconventional oil and gas revolution is under way in the United States, but its full ramifications are only beginning to be understood. The basic facts are clear enough. Half a decade ago, it was assumed that the U.S. would become a large importer of liquefied natural gas; now the ... READ MORE »

By Jennifer A. Dlouhy, FuelFix.com, October 23, 2012

IHS report: Unconventional oil & gas to be economic driver

A  surge in unconventional oil and gas extraction nationwide will trigger more than $5.1 trillion in capital spending and support more than 3.5 million jobs by 2035, according to a new IHS Global Insight study. The findings suggest that domestic energy development — specifically unconventional oil and gas extraction — will ... READ MORE »

By Simone Sebastian, FuelFix.com, October 23, 2012

Texas leads nation in energy use, feds say

Texas guzzles more than 10 percent of the nation’s energy, fueled by the state’s growing population and energy-intensive industries, according to a new federal analysis. While Texas produces more refined fuels than any other state -– with 27 refineries that process nearly 5 million barrels of crude a day -– the ... READ MORE »

By Jeannie Kever, FuelFix.com, October 9, 2012

Report: Shale gas boom could echo across economy

The shale gas boom could significantly cut costs for the chemical industry and ultimately benefit the apparel, electronics, machinery and other industries, according to a report released Tuesday. The report released by PwC US suggests cheap natural gas liquids could prompt some companies to return production to the United States. “As the ... READ MORE »

By Elizabeth Souder, Dallas Morning News, October 9, 2012

Report: Texas could save significant water by switching from coal for power generation to natural gas

Texas can save water by switching from coal as a power generation fuel to natural gas. That’s the conclusion of a new report published by the Webber Group, lead by University of Texas professor Michael Webber. I know what the anti-fracking readers are thinking: But what about the gagillions of gallons of ... READ MORE »

By Jim Fuquay, Star-Telegram, October 5, 2012

More air monitors coming to Tarrant County this month

Additional air monitors designed to keep tabs on emissions from natural gas activities in the Barnett Shale are close to being deployed, with two units planned to go into operation this month, another by year's end and a fourth early next year. That's in addition to a monitor installed in southwest ... READ MORE »

By Tim Mullaney, USA Today, October 5, 2012

Want a job? Look to the energy field

In 2009, Andrea Conaway was an X-ray technician whose career plan was showing a few fractures. Hospitals were consolidating around Pittsburgh, so she went searching for oil, in a sense. She went back to school, got an associate's degree in computer electronics, and in August, began a job as an associate ... READ MORE »

By Jay F. Marks, The Oklahoman, October 1, 2012

Energy Independence: It is Possible for North America, Experts Say

Independence is prized in the United States like nowhere else on earth. Americans have celebrated their independence every July 4 since breaking free of England's yoke in the Revolutionary War. But the U.S., one of the most resource-rich countries in the world, has not been able to meet its own energy needs ... READ MORE »

By Steve Sexton, Freaknomics.com, September 28, 2012

How Shale Gas Can Benefit Us and the Environment

It took less than an hour for Apple to sell out the initial supply of its new iPhone 5. It’s thinner, lighter, faster, brighter, taller than its predecessors, and yet it costs the same. That’s called progress. Elsewhere, progress is met by protest rather than praise. A suite of technologies has brought ... READ MORE »

Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, September 18, 2012

Air in the Barnett Shale is the most monitored air in the country

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) operates seven continuous air monitors in the Barnett Shale area in North Texas. TCEQ Chairman Bryan Shaw, Ph.D., has said in the past that the number of continuous air monitors, or automatic gas chromatographs, makes the Barnett Shale air the most monitored air ... READ MORE »

By Mark J. Perry, AEI-Ideas.org, September 19, 2012

Energy prosperity: Oil production in lower 48 reaches a 23-year high in July, while oil/gas jobs reach a 24-year high

Buried in this week’s 213-page August Monthly Energy Review from the EIA (full report here) is the fact that U.S. crude oil production for the lower 48 states is estimated to have reached a 23-year high in July of 5.865 million barrels per day.  If so, that would be the ... READ MORE »

By Kim Morgan, Houston Chronicle, September 13, 2012

Texas shale plays create significant job opportunities

Thanks to modern technology, it's feasible and economical to retrieve natural gas from shale formations, which means many oil/gas companies have staked their claims in Texas, and in the process, generated employment far from offshore and closer to home. According to the Energy Information Administration, the United States is a hotbed ... READ MORE »

By Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post, September 5, 2012

Reason for Optimism in Natural Gas Sector: Report

Some short-term price relief could be on the horizon for North American natural gas producers due to tightening inventories, rising demand from power generation, and less gas-directed drilling, Peters & Co. says in a new report. While the shift toward shale gas development has resulted in a huge supply glut in ... READ MORE »

Editorial, Houston Chronicle, September 4, 2012

Natural Gas Should Fuel Political Common Ground

Energy is rising to the top of the political agenda in this presidential election season. As well it should. The topic had a marquee position in Mitt Romney's acceptance speech at last week's Republican convention, when the nominee listed energy independence by 2020 as his administration's top goal. We believe it deserves ... READ MORE »

By Myra P. Saefong, MarketWatch.com, August 31, 2012

Hurricanes don’t scare natural gas anymore

Even with much of the Gulf of Mexico’s energy production shut down as Hurricane Isaac approached the region earlier this week, the natural-gas market barely blinked — and that’s exactly what analysts said would happen. “Natural gas did not react like it has in previous storms because, with the rapid development ... READ MORE »

By Chrystia Freeland, Reuters.com, August 9, 2012

The Next Oil Revolution and its impact

Forget America's fiscal cliff, Europe's currency troubles or the emerging-markets slowdown. The most important story in the global economy today may well be some good news that isn't yet making as many headlines - the coming surge in oil production around the world. Until very recently, our collective assumption was that ... READ MORE »

By Robert Lenzner, Forbes, August 21, 2012

The Ten Reasons To Love Natural Gas

Here is the most promising development in the American economy. Period! The discovery of oceans of natural gas in North America means a vastly cheaper source of energy, the creation of hundreds of thousands of new jobs, a meaningful reduction in global warming, a much diminished balance of payments deficit, ... READ MORE »

By John Deutch, The Wall Street Journal, August 14, 2012

The U.S. Natural Gas Boom Will Transform the World

Two summers ago, natural gas cost $4.50 per thousand cubic feet, which was less than half what it had cost two summers earlier. Today the price is under $2.50, as unconventional natural gas production has increased to 20% of domestic supply from 5% in 2008, with 40% anticipated by 2020. Meanwhile, ... READ MORE »

By Kevin Begos, Star-Telegram, Augsut 16, 2012

AP Impact: CO2 Emissions in U.S. Drop to 20-Year Low

In a surprising turnaround, the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere in the U.S. has fallen dramatically to its lowest level in 20 years, and government officials say the biggest reason is that cheap and plentiful natural gas has led many power plant operators to switch from ... READ MORE »

By Asjylyn Loder, Bloomberg.com, August 12, 2012

America’s Energy Seen Adding 3.6 Million Jobs Along With 3% GDP

On the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, about an hour upstream from New Orleans, the outline of Nucor Corp. (NUE)’s new $750 million iron-processing plant is rising between fields of sugar cane and sweet gum trees. Surveying the facility from the road, Michael Eades, president of Ascension Economic Development Corp., ... READ MORE »

Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, July 24, 2012

Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Use in the Barnett Shale

Do you ever wonder how much water is used to drill and hydraulically fracture natural gas wells in the Barnett Shale? Well, the answer may surprise you because it is, in fact, very little. To answer the question, we asked the largest provider of water in the Barnett Shale area, ... READ MORE »

By Valerie Volcovici, Reuters.com, August 2, 2012

U.S. CO2 Emissions Fall to Lowest First Quarter Level in 20 Years: EIA

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy use in the first quarter of this year fell to their lowest level in the U.S. in 20 years, as demand shifted to natural gas-fired generation from coal-fired electricity due to record low gas prices, the energy department said. Energy-related carbon emissions fell 8 percent ... READ MORE »

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN, The New York Times, August 4, 2012

Get It Right on Gas

WE are in the midst of a natural gas revolution in America that is a potential game changer for the economy, environment and our national security — if we do it right. The enormous stores of natural gas that have been locked away in shale deposits across America that we’ve now ... READ MORE »

By Nicole Friedman, Wall Street Journal, July 30, 2012

Gas Futures Soar 6.6%

NEW YORK—Natural gas surged to fresh 2012 highs as investors focused on new forecasts for high temperatures over the next two weeks that will likely raise gas-fired electricity demand. Natural gas for September delivery rose 19.9 cents, or 6.6%, to settle at $3.214 a million British thermal units on the New ... READ MORE »

By Ed Ireland, Ph.D., Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, July 24, 2012

U.S. Carbon Emissions are Declining Thanks to Natural Gas and the Free Market

Emissions of carbon dioxide in the U.S. are now lower than they were in the year 2000, and they are expected to continue to decline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA) in their “Annual Energy Outlook 2012.” Furthermore, the EIA says that carbon dioxide emissions in the electricity-generating ... READ MORE »

By Bob Downing, Akron Beacon Journal Online, July 23, 2012

Debate is Often Long on Emotion, Short on Facts

From the Associated Press and reporter Kevin Begos: PITTSBURGH — In the debate over natural gas drilling, the companies are often the ones accused of twisting the facts. But scientists say opponents sometimes mislead the public, too. Critics of fracking often raise alarms about groundwater pollution, air pollution, and cancer risks, and ... READ MORE »

By Jake Rudnitsky, Bloomberg.com, July 12, 2012

U.S., Canada to Drive 2013 Non-OPEC Oil Supply Gains, IEA Says

Oil supplies from outside of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries may increase 1.3 percent next year as the U.S. and Canada increase production of unconventional oil, the International Energy Agency said. Non-OPEC supply may increase by 700,000 barrels a day from 53.2 million this year as output grows from tight ... READ MORE »

By Mark Passwaters, SNL.com, July 13, 2012

Study: $163 Currently Invested in U.S. Oil, Gas Projects

More than $163 billion is currently invested in more than 1,400 active oil and gas projects in the U.S. upstream and midstream segments, Sugar Land, Texas-based Industrial Info Resources said in a report released July 12. In its report, Industrial Info said about $162 billion of the $163 billion is invested ... READ MORE »

By Tim Mullaney, USA TODAY, July 12, 2012

Domestic Energy Supplies Boost U.S. Economy

The economic benefits of far-reaching new finds of domestic oil and natural gas are fast approaching $1 billion a day and may be keeping the U.S. out of another recession, according to a new study by Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The biggest part of the benefit is lower utility costs ... READ MORE »

Energy In Depth, July 5, 2012

U.S. Takes the Gold in CO2 Reductions, Thanks to Shale

As the U.S. Olympic team gets set to compete against the best athletes from around the world in London later this month, there’s at least one event for which the U.S.A. appears to have already won the gold. According to a new report from the Paris-based International Energy Agency, the ... READ MORE »

By Angel Gonzalez, The Wall Street Journal, July 27, 2012

Expanded Oil Drilling Helps U.S. Wean Itself From Mideast

America will halve its reliance on Middle East oil by the end of this decade and could end it completely by 2035 due to declining demand and the rapid growth of new petroleum sources in the Western Hemisphere, energy analysts now anticipate.   The shift, a result of technological advances that are ... READ MORE »

by Rich Miller, Asjylyn Loder and Jim Polson, Bloomberg.com, February 6, 2012

Americans Gaining Energy Independence with U.S. as Top Producer

The U.S. is the closest it has been in almost 20 years to achieving energy self-sufficiency, a goal the nation has been pursuing since the 1973 Arab oil embargo triggered a recession and led to lines at gasoline stations. Domestic oil output is the highest in eight years. The U.S. is ... READ MORE »

By Jim Fuquay, Star-Telegram.com, June 22, 2012

Northwest Barnett Shale is Undergoing Oil Miniboom

Back in 2008, near the height of the natural gas drilling boom in the Barnett Shale, more than 200 drilling rigs operated in the big North Texas field. With the collapse in natural gas prices this year, that number is down nearly 80 percent from its peak. But not in the ... READ MORE »

By Christopher Helman, Forbes, June 22, 2012

The Arithmetic Of Shale Gas

There are a few societal costs to the development of shale gas, such as the potential contamination of groundwater, complications in treating and recycling water used in fracking. Then there’s air pollution from leaking methane (a potent greenhouse gas) and from the diesel-powered rigs and trucks involved in drilling. If ... READ MORE »

By Martin Neil Baily and Philip K. Verleger Jr, CNN.com, June 27, 2012

Could Cheap Gas Save the Economy?

Something is badly needed to get the economy moving again and avoid another slowdown. The good news is that cheaper gas could be the answer. America has hit the energy jackpot with new techniques to extract oil and gas from shale. The recent widespread use of a technique called hydraulic fracturing, or ... READ MORE »

America's Natural Gas Alliance, June 4, 2012

Methane Emissions From Hydraulic Fracturing of Unconventional Natural Gas Wells Are Half What EPA Estimated

Greenhouse gas emissions from certain natural gas production activities are up to 86 percent lower than estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to a study released today from URS Corp. and The LEVON Group.  The study, sponsored by America's Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) and the American Petroleum Institute ... READ MORE »

Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, April 16, 2012

Water Use in Barnett Shale Gas Wells

All forms of energy require water, and natural gas is the most efficient option, using only 1 to 3 gallons of water per MMBTU (million British thermal units). This includes all forms of natural gas production from conventional onshore wells, offshore wells, and natural gas from shales, including the Barnett ... READ MORE »

By Ed Ireland, Ph.D., Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, February 7, 2012

Recent Talk About Disclosure of Hydraulic Fracturing Chemicals

You may have read that February 1, 2012, marked the first day that oil and gas companies operating in Texas are required to publically post the contents of the fluid used in hydraulic fracturing. What you may not know is that many companies have been making voluntary disclosures for months, ... READ MORE »