Don’t frack my beer!

Fracking could ruin German beer industry, brewers tell Angela Merkel
German brewers have warned Chancellor Angela Merkel that any law allowing the controversial drilling technique known as fracking could damage the country’s cherished beer industry.

“The water has to be pure and more than half Germany’s brewers have their own wells which are situated outside areas that could be protected under the government’s current planned legislation on fracking,” said a Brauer-Bund spokesman.

“You cannot be sure that the water won’t be polluted by chemicals so we have urged the government to carry out more research before it goes ahead with a fracking law,” he added.

Shiner Bock is brewed in Shiner, Texas< which is in the Eagle Ford Shale. If you look near Shiner on Google Satellite, you will see quite a few well sites and evidence of dead land from buried pits.

Judge One – Paul Ponzonsky

Paul Ponzonsky handled criminal cases not toxic torte cases so how did the Hallowich case end up in his court? Who makes the decision to assign certain cases to certain judges?

Ponzonsky now faces theft and drug charges . He is accused of tampering with evidence–some evidence seals on bags of cocaine were broken and they now contain baking soda and Ponzonsky’s DNA.  He ordered evidence destroyed in some of his criminal cases. “He is also charged with felony conflict of interest, a violation of state ethics law.”

Ponzonsky ordered Exhibit B to the Hallowich case to be filed under seal along with other documents from that case. Another judge ruled to unseal the documents to that case but Exhibit B, which was in Ponzonsky’s office (same office were the cocaine turned baking soda resided) is missing.  

Judge Two – Trey Loftin

Judge Don Chrestman was a long-time District Court judge in Parker County. He suddenly resigned in December 2010.

Early that same month, the EPA Issued an Imminent and Substantial Endangerment Order to Protect Drinking Water in Southern Parker County.

Judge Trey Loftin was appointed by Rick Perry to fill Chrestman’s unexpired term and hear this case that received national attention.

Loftin consistently ruled in Ranges favor. He lost the election and had to recuse himself from the case.

Judge Trey Loftin’s 43rd District Court was officially asked Wednesday to disqualify or recuse the judge from the high profile lawsuit involving Range Resources after Loftin campaigned on claims his rulings caused the EPA to change course.

Judge asked to recuse himself from case
Christin Coyne

Bloomberg reported that Loftin may have violated the Texas Code of Judicial Ethics.

The code prohibits judges from commenting on pending or possible cases “in a manner which suggests to a reasonable person the judge’s probable decision.”

The Court of Appeals sent some of Loftin’s rulings back for abatement.

Is this a surprise to anyone? Range Resources never disappoints.

Fugitive Methane Shareholder Proposals Receive Strong Support from Investors

Spectra Energy, Oneok, and Range Resources shareholders call for greater transparency into the environmental profile of natural gas; Range responds with an aggressive attack on shareholder rights.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 23, 2013:

A series of strong shareholder votes have sent a clear message that natural gas companies must do much more to address fugitive methane leakage and management. Shareholder proposals asking Houston-based Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE), Tulsa-based Oneok (NYSE: OKE), and Fort Worth-based Range Resources (NYSE: RRC) to issue reports on how they are managing high-climate-change-impact methane emissions have received favorable votes from company shareholders: 35.4%, 38.2%, and 21.7% respectively. These are the first proposals directly addressing how leaking methane affects the environmental profile of natural gas, calling on companies to disclose leakage rates and mitigation strategies.

But in the face of mounting investor concern, Range Resources management has decided to lash out at its own shareholders and their legitimate questions. In an inflammatory SEC filing, Range directly attacks shareholder rights, falsely claiming misalignment between Trillium and the company’s “real stockholders,” despite Trillium’s sizable holdings in the company. In response to the proposal, Range seems more interested in casting aspersions on its shareholders and avoiding hard questions than applying itself to find solutions to an operational inefficiency with potentially significant financial and environmental consequences. This is in sharp contrast to some peers that appear ready to address the problem.

“Shareholders are concerned about the environmental, regulatory, and business risk natural gas companies face. Leaking gas is not only bad for business, but it squarely places the carbon footprint of natural gas into question. Without adequate disclosure from companies about how much methane is leaking, investors are in the dark,” said Natasha Lamb, Vice President at Trillium Asset Management, who filed the proposals on behalf of clients including the Sierra Club and the Christopher Reynolds Foundation. Co-filers include Zevin Asset Management, The Benedictine Sisters of Virginia, and Friends Fiduciary Corporation.

The oil and gas sector represents one of the largest and most rapidly growing sources of human generated methane emissions. Methane is the primary component of natural gas and is emitted from the time gas is drilled to the time it’s delivered. It is a potent contributor to accelerating climate change with 72x the impact of CO2 on global temperatures over a 20 year period. And a leakage rate above 3.2% makes natural gas worse than coal in driving global warming according to Princeton and the Environmental Defense Fund. Recent academic studies have identified leakage rates up to 9%, 3 times EPA estimates and 5 times industry estimates.

Accordingly, a 2012 joint investor statement representing $20 trillion in assets was published by the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), and their European and Australian counterparts, calling on companies to implement best practice methane control technologies and programs of disclosure. “While natural gas can play an important role in making the transition to a low-carbon energy future, it cannot be considered a part of the solution to climate change without serious action to curb fugitive methane emissions,” said Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres and director of the Investor Network on Climate Risk.

In a letter to shareholders, Trillium notes methane leakage has a direct economic impact on natural gas companies: “A strong methane management program would indicate both a reduction in risk, as well as efficient operations maximizing gas for sale and shareholder value.” Lamb points out, “The business case for strong oversight and methane reduction targets is clear. Leaking gas is a symptom of poor management systems that neglect shareholder value and amplify climate change.”

Lubber adds, “Considering that control technologies are not only available, but can be implemented profitably, investors are right to ask companies to explain how they are preventing this potential economic waste. Leaking methane is leaking revenue.”

Gas captured through control processes can be sold in the market, generating positive returns, with control technologies boasting payback periods of less than 3 years.. In fact, the National Resource Defense Council estimates control processes could generate $2 billion in annual revenues for the industry and reduce methane pollution by 80%.

“Given the rapid pace of natural gas development in the US, it is no surprise that operators appear to have prioritized growth over efficiency, and regulators have been slow to catch up,” said Lamb. The proposal highlights the potential for increased regulatory risk moving forward. Currently, the EPA is being sued by 7 states for violating the Clean Air act by failing to regulate methane, while the EPA’s own auditor has concluded current data is of questionable quality and insufficient to make policy decisions.

ISS Proxy Advisory Services, a leading advisory firm, issued “FOR” recommendations to its clients in support of the proposals, stating:

“A vote FOR this proposal is warranted, as shareholders would benefit from additional information on how the company is managing its methane emissions. Such information, including quantitative emissions goals, would allow shareholders to assess relevant company performance.”

Best practices and environmental concernes.

Tomorrow at 10:00 am. I’ll be sending out some tweets or live blogging.

You can’t have a cooperative relationship with state agencies that are held captive by a mafia.

States are failing to enforce oil & gas rules and that was proved using their own data. People are being harmed.

EPA looks to build bridges at state regulators’ gathering
Ellen M. Gilmer, E&E reporter
EnergyWire: Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Bob Sussman wants to create goodwill between the EPA and the states but the only way that will happen is if the EPA lets the states continue to be compromised.

“We know through all of our experience that if we are not very careful, very thoughtful with how we do this study, we’re going to get attacked,” he told EnergyWire after his speech. “Above all, we want this to be a credible study, so we’re working very hard on that.”

Cowboy up! Use the best science and tell the truth. Then it will be a credible study. What the states do should not influence the study.

National Stop the Frack Attack network to host People’s Forum in Washington, DC

WASHINGTON, DC – As the Department of Interior takes public comment on its industry-influenced fracking proposal and the U.S. Senate holds a series of hearings on the natural gas industry, people from across the country who are directly affected by irresponsible fracking and drilling will have an opportunity to share their stories as part of the Stop the Frack Attack People’s Forum, organized by Earthjustice, Earthworks and Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy.

Policymakers and members of the media are invited to hear firsthand accounts of lives disrupted by a deregulated industry in the midst of a fracking-enabled oil and gas drilling rush.

Stop the Frack Attack is a national network of people, communities and organizations fighting against dirty and unsafe fracking.

WHAT:

People impacted by fracking and drilling will travel to Washington, DC to share their stories with policymakers and members of the media

WHO:

Residents from around the country impacted by the fracking-enabled oil and gas drilling rush and associated industrial activities. (Full list of participants and bios available upon request)

WHEN: Wednesday May 22, 12:00 pm EDT

WHERE: United Methodist Building, Conference Room 1

100 Maryland Ave NE, Washington, DC

Livestream: http://bit.ly/livestream-STFA-PeoplesForum

Website: http://bit.ly/StopTheFrackAttack-PeoplesForum (check for updates, including video and bios)

 

This is a picture of a flare sent by a reader who lives in the Eagle Ford Shale.

Gardendale dirty flare west of IH 35. May 21, 2013 about 3:30 pm. Reported to TCEQ Regional office, Laredo, TX about 4:45 pm

Dory has a video of her latest presentation. It’s a must watch.

The Natural Gas Message

Get outta the way–we’re fracking here!

Groningen gas fields – the Dutch earthquake zone
By Anna Holligan
BBC News, May 18, 2013

There exists a consensus among all parties – including the gas companies – that the process of extracting the gas is causing earthquakes, but the country is thriving on the proceeds.

And here’s what happens when you have contracts to export gas.

There is another reason the economics ministry has rejected some scientific recommendations to cut the scale of explorations immediately: contracts.

“We have long-term contracts with other countries,” Mr Kamp admits. “And that’s also an important point for us.”

The government was unable to give an exact value. The economics minister told us they were trying to establish if financial penalties would be incurred by reducing the supply to foreign buyers.

Oh damn! So do we. I wonder who would pay those penalties. Certainly not the Fracking Mafia.

“Until now we always knew that earthquakes could occur, now we don’t know what the new maximum could be,” says Chiel Seinen, who represents the NAM oil company collective incorporating Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Exxon Mobil Corp.

The photos below were sent by a reader. There was a power outage on May 11.

ConocoPhillips refinery and chemical plant, Sweeney, Texas. Did not make local or Houston news. They won’t even get a fine. Texas New Mexico is their power provider, and they cut off power. Seems they would have been better served to buy a power generating plant than an LNG import facility that they converted to an export facility. Phillips owns the Sea Way pipeline from Cushing Oklahoma here. They are adding a new 36″ line. It is under construction now. I read about approval from the city of Angelton for the new line. The Sea Way line has been in existence since 79 or 80. There are 2 42 or 46″ lines. I can’t remember which.

We know what happens when there are power outages in the fracking zone:  The pipelines shut down but the wells keep producing so the pressure valve blows and the gas vents into the air, it makes a deafening noise and people get sick and sometimes have to evacuate.

We can expect more events like these because “Feds predict Texas will get hot, Texans will run ACs” and there will be power outages.

But we have moronic leaders in Texas like the ones on the Argyle Town Council who voted against Runner Susan’s solar panels, which would help relieve some of the strain, because they aren’t sure the panels are pretty. Not kidding.

UPDATE: Dear Argyle Town Council members who voted against RS’s solar panels, PLEASE READ THIS:

Oh guess what?

Contaminating and disrupting our water

The state’s case-based tally suggests the rate of drilling-related contamination incidents increased with the start of the Marcellus boom: Drilling damaged water supplies at a rate of more than 16 cases per year during the past five years, according to the state’s accounting. For the 20 years prior to 2008, the incidence rate was fewer than three cases per year.

The state agency has some serious transparency issues so it’s hard to tell just how much water has been contaminated. But, it’s more than we know in Texas where no one it testing water.

Sunday Times review of DEP drilling records reveals water damage, murky testing methods
BY LAURA LEGERE (STAFF WRITER)Published: May 19, 2013
Interactive map at link.

At “You’ve Been Fracked !” you can read quite a few letters to landowners informing them that drilling has contaminated their water.

We get the impacts, Japan gets the gas

Japan buys into US shale gas boom
By Jonathan Soble in Tokyo and Guy Chazan

This explains why so many Japanese news stations have been in the Eagle Ford Shale recently. Most of the stations did not want to learn about impacts or talk to people who are suffering. They wanted happy stories for happy Japanese people who will happily cook their noodles and warm their buns using Texas gas. Only one group is interested in the impacts.

On Friday, while Texans were too busy being happy about the weekend, Obama approved another permit to export our domestic fracked gas.

Energy Department Authorizes Second Proposed Facility to Export Liquefied Natural Gas

The reason for exporting is to relieve the current gas glut, drive prices back up and increase profits of the frackers.

US eases natural gas glut with second export terminal (+video)

This contract is for 20 years to export up to 1.4 billion cubic feet per day. Two of Japan’s largest utilities have contracts to buy LNG from the Texas facility for 20 years.

A massive infrastructure buildout and, with the rapid decline rates of fracked shale gas wells,  lots more drilling will be required to meet the demands of this contract.

Texans get the impacts to air, water and land, Japan gets the gas, the Fracking Mafia gets the profit.

What is wrong with you my fellow Texans? What happened to “Don’t Mess With Texas?”

UPDATE: I just want to remind you about this:

When Tim and Christine Ruggiero learned that drilling was imminent several hundred feet from their water well on their Wise County property, they called me and I advised them to immediately get a baseline water test.  On September 24, 2009, they received the results that their water was clean and safe. Hydraulic fracturing began on the Ruggiero property on November 30, 2009. A post fracking water sample was taken in March 2010, and on March 26, they were notified that their water was contaminated with very high levels of MTBE.  MTBE is an additive in diesel fuel. A Congressional investigation found that between 2005 and 2009, 32 million gallons of diesel was used in hydraulic fracturing fluids in 19 states. Half of that–16 million gallons–was used in Texas.

Another UPDATE: The Dutch are having a lot of earthquakes but they have to keep drilling because they have contracts to export their gas for 20 years. Isn’t that too bad?