The U.S. Energy Information Administration in January estimated that the nation's energy companies stand to reap an extra $14 billion to $43 billion in annual revenues if natural gas exports are allowed to rise. The broad variance between those numbers reflects the uncertainty of gas prices, demand for the fuel and competition from abroad, according to the EIA report.
But first, drillers must find a way to get their gas to market.
They have some access to export points such as the Gulf Coast, via existing pipelines and other infrastructure, according to the EIA. Also, Houston-based Cheniere Energy Inc. plans to build a $10 billion liquefied natural gas facility in Louisiana, with a goal of breaking ground this spring if it receives the expected federal approvals. Cheniere estimates the facility would export as much as 1 billion cubic feet of gas per day initially, with room to double in size if conditions warrant expansion.
The likely buyers of that gas will be nations in Asia, including China, the EIA and others predict. They may own the gas even before it gets to the LNG terminal; the CEO of Chesapeake Energy, the largest driller in Ohio, reportedly has been trying to sell billions of dollars of U.S. energy reserves to Asian investors. The company already has sold some of its holdings to foreign investors, and Chesapeake CEO Aubrey McClendon has pledged to sell $17 billion of such assets by the end of 2013.
A Chesapeake spokesman declined to be interviewed for this story. The Bloomberg news service, however, reported that Mr. McClendon is focused on increasing the price of natural gas in the United States, and so are his investors.
“We are presently owned by a group of investors who don't think gas prices will ever go above $4 (per MCF),” Mr. McClendon was quoted as saying in a March 12 story. “I want to be owned by investors who live in a part of the world that believes gas prices will never go below $10.”
By DAN SHINGLER
9:12 am, April 17, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Driller foots bill to digitize county data
Neighbors:
Last night at the Windsor Town Hall meeting we heard an informative title attorney discuss the deplorable state of recorders offices in our OH and PA. This was relevant because as he stated, "running titles before drilling is typical and with all the acreage leased, there are not enough abstracters to do that work".
The article below was published this morning and this development is a step taken to answer the issue stated above. This is good and bad. For good; those who are interested in actually getting any checks for their leases, are in a better position. For bad; things are moving forward faster.
As always, I want to help provide factual, informative information to all who are stakeholders in this.
Robin L Brower
AquaData Water Testing
Trumbull Township BZA
Harrison County Recorder Tracy Boyer never expected a private company one day would foot the bill to digitize all the land records in her office.
“Never, ever, ever,” she said.
That, however, was before representatives of oil and gas companies started to overrun her office.
One of those companies, Chesapeake Energy Corp., has agreed to digitize land records in at least five eastern Ohio counties, Harrison included, and has made a similar offer to Mahoning County, according to various county recorders. Their estimates as to how much the Oklahoma City-based oil and gas company would pay range from $100,000 to $300,000 per county.
So, why would a private company spend money on projects that normally would be paid for by the public?
Because Chesapeake wants easy, fast access to the records. The company has spent $2.3 billion to secure rights to natural gas and other valuable hydrocarbons trapped beneath the Utica shale, a rock formation located deep below most of eastern Ohio. Almost all of that money was spent on leases in Ohio.
Before Chesapeake can do deals, however, the company must study county land records. Thus, employees from Chesapeake and its competitors have been packing recorders' offices throughout eastern Ohio, combing through thousands of documents. Many documents are available only in paper form, and some are more than 100 years old.
Demand for records in Harrison County has skyrocketed over the past two years or so, Ms. Boyer said. It isn't uncommon for 45 or 50 people to be checking records in the office each day, she said.
Ms. Boyer said the availability of digital records will help get them out the door faster and lessen the burden on her staff, which consists of herself, two full-time employees and four part-time employees brought on to handle all the new business. Part-time employees could be laid off as demand falls, she noted.
The deal with Chesapeake also will help the county preserve its paper records, which have taken a beating lately.
“They're falling apart,” she said. “Now these records are fully secure. We could never afford to do that.”
Not on the "net yet
Harrison County expects that, by early fall, people should be able to access digital records from the recorder's office but not via the Internet. The county aims to put its documents online eventually, but it first will need to remove Social Security numbers and find money to cover fees its vendor would charge to host the images online, Ms. Boyer said. Other county recorders made similar comments.
“That will be a big process,” Ms. Boyer said.
That vendor, ACS Corp. of Dallas, negotiated a deal whereby Chesapeake paid the company to digitize land records in four counties: Harrison, Tuscarawas, Belmont and Carroll.
Chesapeake media relations manager Pete Kenworthy confirmed the company also is paying to digitize land records for Columbiana County, which is located just south of Mahoning County. The digital records will “help alleviate some of the current crowding problems at the courthouse as the review of records could be done remotely,” said Mr. Kenworthy, who described the cost incurred as “significant.”
Mr. Kenworthy said Chesapeake is considering similar deals “in other Ohio counties where we are, or plan to be, active,” but would not comment further. Xerox Corp., which owns ACS, would not comment for this story.
Chesapeake last December offered to pay ACS to digitize Mahoning County's land records, said Mahoning County Recorder Noralynn Palermo. The county's land records that predate 1985 are available only in paper form, she said.
Ms. Palermo said she passed the digitizing contract along to the county prosecutor's office, which has yet to give her legal approval to go ahead with the contract. If she wins that approval, Ms. Palermo said, she's inclined to let Chesapeake and ACS digitize the records.
Long-term benefit
It's unclear whether any other oil and gas companies have offered other counties similar deals.
However, a group of land owners is paying $254,000 to digitize land records in Trumbull County. The Associated Landowners of the Ohio Valley chose to digitize the records because its members own a lot of land in the county, said Bob Rea, director of the group. The organization is planning to lease 85,000 acres in Trumbull County to oil giant BP p.l.c. of London, which has agreed to pay members $3,900 per acre, or $331.5 million in total, plus royalties.
Digitizing the records will allow the group to speed up the process of transferring titles and getting their money, Mr. Rea said. And there will be side benefits for anyone who wants to access the records in the future, he said.
“The people of Trumbull County are going to be benefiting for a long time,” he said.
Last night at the Windsor Town Hall meeting we heard an informative title attorney discuss the deplorable state of recorders offices in our OH and PA. This was relevant because as he stated, "running titles before drilling is typical and with all the acreage leased, there are not enough abstracters to do that work".
The article below was published this morning and this development is a step taken to answer the issue stated above. This is good and bad. For good; those who are interested in actually getting any checks for their leases, are in a better position. For bad; things are moving forward faster.
As always, I want to help provide factual, informative information to all who are stakeholders in this.
Robin L Brower
AquaData Water Testing
Trumbull Township BZA
Electronic land info eases deal process
Harrison County Recorder Tracy Boyer never expected a private company one day would foot the bill to digitize all the land records in her office.
That, however, was before representatives of oil and gas companies started to overrun her office.
One of those companies, Chesapeake Energy Corp., has agreed to digitize land records in at least five eastern Ohio counties, Harrison included, and has made a similar offer to Mahoning County, according to various county recorders. Their estimates as to how much the Oklahoma City-based oil and gas company would pay range from $100,000 to $300,000 per county.
So, why would a private company spend money on projects that normally would be paid for by the public?
Because Chesapeake wants easy, fast access to the records. The company has spent $2.3 billion to secure rights to natural gas and other valuable hydrocarbons trapped beneath the Utica shale, a rock formation located deep below most of eastern Ohio. Almost all of that money was spent on leases in Ohio.
Before Chesapeake can do deals, however, the company must study county land records. Thus, employees from Chesapeake and its competitors have been packing recorders' offices throughout eastern Ohio, combing through thousands of documents. Many documents are available only in paper form, and some are more than 100 years old.
Demand for records in Harrison County has skyrocketed over the past two years or so, Ms. Boyer said. It isn't uncommon for 45 or 50 people to be checking records in the office each day, she said.
Ms. Boyer said the availability of digital records will help get them out the door faster and lessen the burden on her staff, which consists of herself, two full-time employees and four part-time employees brought on to handle all the new business. Part-time employees could be laid off as demand falls, she noted.
The deal with Chesapeake also will help the county preserve its paper records, which have taken a beating lately.
“They're falling apart,” she said. “Now these records are fully secure. We could never afford to do that.”
Not on the "net yet
Harrison County expects that, by early fall, people should be able to access digital records from the recorder's office but not via the Internet. The county aims to put its documents online eventually, but it first will need to remove Social Security numbers and find money to cover fees its vendor would charge to host the images online, Ms. Boyer said. Other county recorders made similar comments.
“That will be a big process,” Ms. Boyer said.
That vendor, ACS Corp. of Dallas, negotiated a deal whereby Chesapeake paid the company to digitize land records in four counties: Harrison, Tuscarawas, Belmont and Carroll.
Chesapeake media relations manager Pete Kenworthy confirmed the company also is paying to digitize land records for Columbiana County, which is located just south of Mahoning County. The digital records will “help alleviate some of the current crowding problems at the courthouse as the review of records could be done remotely,” said Mr. Kenworthy, who described the cost incurred as “significant.”
Mr. Kenworthy said Chesapeake is considering similar deals “in other Ohio counties where we are, or plan to be, active,” but would not comment further. Xerox Corp., which owns ACS, would not comment for this story.
Chesapeake last December offered to pay ACS to digitize Mahoning County's land records, said Mahoning County Recorder Noralynn Palermo. The county's land records that predate 1985 are available only in paper form, she said.
Ms. Palermo said she passed the digitizing contract along to the county prosecutor's office, which has yet to give her legal approval to go ahead with the contract. If she wins that approval, Ms. Palermo said, she's inclined to let Chesapeake and ACS digitize the records.
Long-term benefit
It's unclear whether any other oil and gas companies have offered other counties similar deals.
However, a group of land owners is paying $254,000 to digitize land records in Trumbull County. The Associated Landowners of the Ohio Valley chose to digitize the records because its members own a lot of land in the county, said Bob Rea, director of the group. The organization is planning to lease 85,000 acres in Trumbull County to oil giant BP p.l.c. of London, which has agreed to pay members $3,900 per acre, or $331.5 million in total, plus royalties.
Digitizing the records will allow the group to speed up the process of transferring titles and getting their money, Mr. Rea said. And there will be side benefits for anyone who wants to access the records in the future, he said.
“The people of Trumbull County are going to be benefiting for a long time,” he said.
Last Nights Meeting in Windsor -
Good morning, neighbors,
Summit Water Testing presented information about the baseline testing that is recommended for your water should you have a gas drilling well in your backyard. I do have copies of a couple of handouts if you would like those mailed to you, please let me know. Our very own Trumbull Township neighbor, Robin Brower, can help you get started with this process.
Mike Grove, a title attorney, shared some interesting information about older leases that exist on our properties. He is very knowledgeable and very willing to work with you if you want your lease reviewed before you sign and/or if you have any questions about leases that already exist for your property. His office is in Warren, Ohio.
Take Care,
Gail Larson
Trumbull Township
Summit Water Testing presented information about the baseline testing that is recommended for your water should you have a gas drilling well in your backyard. I do have copies of a couple of handouts if you would like those mailed to you, please let me know. Our very own Trumbull Township neighbor, Robin Brower, can help you get started with this process.
Mike Grove, a title attorney, shared some interesting information about older leases that exist on our properties. He is very knowledgeable and very willing to work with you if you want your lease reviewed before you sign and/or if you have any questions about leases that already exist for your property. His office is in Warren, Ohio.
Take Care,
Gail Larson
Trumbull Township
Saturday, April 21, 2012
"Why I'm afraid of Fracking" By Steve Corso
Click the power point screen above, to access this interesting and informative PowerPoint as part of the lecture given to residents of Geauga and Ashtabula Counties in attendance at the Thompson Ledges Building.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Thank you Steve.
Dear Neighbors:
The Thompson Lodge was filled to standing room only last night. Steve Corso has done a lot of research on the issues that are starting to emerge about Fracking in communities in Pennsylvania and New York and out West. He presented a lot of data on the Air and Water Pollution issues and how the Fracking brings with it Heavy industrial activties, including huge increases in truck traffic and Noise pollution.
If you are interested, please let me know your mailing address and I can snail mail you a copy of Steve's handout entitled "10 Reasons To Be Concerned". Email me with your address at gaillee49@yahoo.com
Thank you for your continued interest in obtaining as much information as you can get about the gas and oil drilling process called Hydrofracking.
Gail Larson
Trumbull Township
The Thompson Lodge was filled to standing room only last night. Steve Corso has done a lot of research on the issues that are starting to emerge about Fracking in communities in Pennsylvania and New York and out West. He presented a lot of data on the Air and Water Pollution issues and how the Fracking brings with it Heavy industrial activties, including huge increases in truck traffic and Noise pollution.
If you are interested, please let me know your mailing address and I can snail mail you a copy of Steve's handout entitled "10 Reasons To Be Concerned". Email me with your address at gaillee49@yahoo.com
Thank you for your continued interest in obtaining as much information as you can get about the gas and oil drilling process called Hydrofracking.
Gail Larson
Trumbull Township
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Important Informational Meeting in Windsor 4-23
Dear Neighbors,
Please try to attend the April 23rd meeting in Windsor. It will give us some information about baseline water testing when the drilling rigs arrive in our neighborhoods and discussion about old mineral leases that were signed by previous landowners.
I hope to see you there.
Gail Larson
Trumbull Township
Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake Counties Farmers Union ispresenting a meeting on well water testing Monday, April 23, at 6:30pm, in theWindsor Community Center. The presence of waste water injection wells in Windsor (Ashtabula County) and the granting of permits for horizontal hydrofracking for natural gas extraction innearby townships have raised concerns about the quality of the water in ourwells. Representatives from Summit Environmental Technologies will explain what should be tested for in our water wells to get good baseline data. An attorney will also be present for a brief discussion on the old mineral leases thatcover much of northeast Ohio. Many newer landowners do not realize that leasessigned by previous landowners may still be active.
Concerns aboutthe consequences of fracking were raised by members at the annual convention of the Ohio Farmers Union in January of this year. As a result, OFU adopted thefollowing policies, and has called on the Governor, Ohio General Assembly andthe Ohio Department of Natural Resources to adopt them. This practice of horizontal hydrofracking must be regulated to protect the health of Ohiocitizens, protect the quantity and quality of ground and surface water, protectsoils from contamination, protect air quality, protect the public investmentsmade by local governments in critical infrastructure such as roads and watertreatment systems, protect the unique aesthetics of rural life and Ohio’snatural beauty, maximize the economic opportunities for Ohio’s workers overworkers from other states, and provide for reasonable and responsible localgovernment oversight regarding health, safety and public infrastructure.
The Ohio Farmers Union has called for a moratorium on the issuance of new permits for horizontal stimulation of a well (fracking) by ODNR until the issuance by the U.S. EPA of its “first report” of the Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources, which is due out later this year.
Monday, April 23, 6:30 PM at Windsor CommunityCenter
5430 Mayfield Road, Windsor, Ohio 44099
Forfurther information call 440-272-5154or 440-272-5174
Please try to attend the April 23rd meeting in Windsor. It will give us some information about baseline water testing when the drilling rigs arrive in our neighborhoods and discussion about old mineral leases that were signed by previous landowners.
I hope to see you there.
Gail Larson
Trumbull Township
Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake Counties Farmers Union ispresenting a meeting on well water testing Monday, April 23, at 6:30pm, in theWindsor Community Center. The presence of waste water injection wells in Windsor (Ashtabula County) and the granting of permits for horizontal hydrofracking for natural gas extraction innearby townships have raised concerns about the quality of the water in ourwells. Representatives from Summit Environmental Technologies will explain what should be tested for in our water wells to get good baseline data. An attorney will also be present for a brief discussion on the old mineral leases thatcover much of northeast Ohio. Many newer landowners do not realize that leasessigned by previous landowners may still be active.
Concerns aboutthe consequences of fracking were raised by members at the annual convention of the Ohio Farmers Union in January of this year. As a result, OFU adopted thefollowing policies, and has called on the Governor, Ohio General Assembly andthe Ohio Department of Natural Resources to adopt them. This practice of horizontal hydrofracking must be regulated to protect the health of Ohiocitizens, protect the quantity and quality of ground and surface water, protectsoils from contamination, protect air quality, protect the public investmentsmade by local governments in critical infrastructure such as roads and watertreatment systems, protect the unique aesthetics of rural life and Ohio’snatural beauty, maximize the economic opportunities for Ohio’s workers overworkers from other states, and provide for reasonable and responsible localgovernment oversight regarding health, safety and public infrastructure.
The Ohio Farmers Union has called for a moratorium on the issuance of new permits for horizontal stimulation of a well (fracking) by ODNR until the issuance by the U.S. EPA of its “first report” of the Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources, which is due out later this year.
Monday, April 23, 6:30 PM at Windsor CommunityCenter
5430 Mayfield Road, Windsor, Ohio 44099
Forfurther information call 440-272-5154or 440-272-5174
Monday, April 16, 2012
Important informational meeting in Thompson, OH
Learn what impact Gas Fracking can have
on your community , your water , air roads and property values .
Ledge Park Building
on
Thompson Rd.
in Thompson , Ohio
by Steve Corso.
Please come and learn.
Gail Larson
on your community , your water , air roads and property values .
Information Meeting Presentation
Thursday , April 19 at 7PM
at theLedge Park Building
on
Thompson Rd.
in Thompson , Ohio
by Steve Corso.
Light Refreshments
Please come and learn.
Gail Larson
Monday, April 2, 2012
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