Rouge Fractures
April 30, 2012 | Durham University
“The chances of rogue fractures due to shale gas fracking operations extending beyond 0.6 kilometres from the injection source is a fraction of one percent, according to new research led by Durham University. The analysis is based on data from thousands of fracking operations in the USA and natural rock fractures in Europe and Africa.” Quoted from the Durham University press release. |
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Objections to Natural Gas Flaring
April 10, 2012 | FuelFix.com
Drilling for oil in the shale formations of Texas and North Dakota often results in the flaring of natural gas – as some of these areas are not served by natural gas pipelines. Although this practice is somewhat of an industry tradition it is drawing increasing criticism because it wastes a non-renewable energy resource, is an economic loss, produces air pollution and contributes to climate change. |
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Hydraulic Fracturing Isn’t the Problem
February 21, 2012 | University of Texas at Austin
“Hydraulic fracturing of shale formations to extract natural gas has no direct connection to reports of groundwater contamination [...] many problems ascribed to hydraulic fracturing are related to processes common to all oil and gas drilling operations, such as casing failures or poor cement jobs.” Quoted from the University of Texas at Austin press release. |
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Another Big Chinese Purchase of US Shale Plays
January 4, 2012 | Business Week
Sinopec, a major Chinese oil and gas company also known as China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation Limited, will purchase a 1/3 share of Devon Energy’s holdings in five shale plays in the United States for $900 million in cash and contribute $1.6 billion towards future drilling expenses. Properties in the Utica Shale, Tuscaloosa Marine Shale, Niobrara Shale are included. |
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Declining Royalty Payments from Natural Gas Wells
January 3, 2012 | Geology.com
Many property owners are very surprised when the royalties that they receive from a natural gas well on their property decline sharply. They are learning about production decline curves. |
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Learning about Oil and Gas Leases
December 5, 2011 | New York Times
An article in the New York Times reviews some potential rewards and problems that occur when a landowner decides to lease his property for oil and and gas development.
Related: Mineral Rights |
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Supersized Topographic Maps
December 4, 2011 | MyTopo.com
The folks at MyTopo.com are now printing supersized topo maps – large enough make a huge 5′ x 8′ (or 8′ x 5′) map that will look fantastic on the wall of your office, conference room, lobby, cabin or den. These maps are custom-centered on any location that you pick using their online map-making tool. Lots of smaller sizes are also available.
We are affiliates of MyTopo.com and receive a commission on sales. |
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Anadarko Oil Estimate for the Niobrara Formation
November 16, 2011 | Anadarko
Anadarko Petroleum estimates that the Niobrara Formation in the Wattenberg Field contains the equivalent of 500 million to 1.5 billion barrels of oil that can be tapped by horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. (See slides 11-15 in the .pdf document) |
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Hiring Boom in North Dakota
October 28, 2011 | MSNBC
Thousands of high-paying new jobs are unfilled in North Dakota where natural gas and oil are being produced from the Bakken Formation, the Niobrara Shale and other rock units. |
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Oh No! Who Really Owns the Natural Gas in Shale?
September 23, 2011 | Business Week
Is natural gas part of the shale or is it a fugitive commodity that is not an integral part of any specific rock unit? Will a refined legal definition of natural gas in Pennsylvania overturn thousands of historic leases? |
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Seismic Surveys of the Niobrara Shale
September 20, 2011 | Casper Star-Tribune
An article in the Casper Star-Tribune reports that companies interested in the Niobrara Shale of Wyoming and Colorado are using seismic surveys to understand the stratigraphy. |
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Wells in the Niobrara Shale are not Sure Bets
August 16, 2011 | Trib.com
In most of the shale plays a newly-drilled well has a reasonable probability of producing the same mix of natural gas, oil and natural gas liquids produced by existing wells that region. However, wells drilled into the Niobrara of southeastern Wyoming are often dry – a problem that has drillers learning more about the geology or moving their activity to more predictable locations. |
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Natural Gas Has Become the “Incidental Product”?
August 12, 2011 | Investing Daily
Natural gas was the initial target of horizontal drilling in the shale plays, however, natural gas liquids, condensates and oil are now attracting most of the attention. An article in Investing Daily calls natural gas the “incidental” product. |
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Shale Gas and U.S. National Security
July 22, 2011 | Baker Institute for Public Policy
The Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University has published a report titled: “Shale Gas and U.S. National Security”. “This study assesses the impact of U.S. domestic shale gas development on energy security and U.S. national security, with emphasis on the geopolitical consequences of rising supplies of U.S. natural gas from shale and the implications for U.S. foreign policy.” Quoted from the report summary. |
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Low Production Rates for Niobrara Shale Wells
June 6, 2011 | Denver Post
Drillers hope that wells in the Niobrara Shale will yield similar quantities of oil and natural gas as wells in the nearby Bakken Formation. However, early results show Niobrara wells yielding at less than half the rate of Bakken wells. |
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Niobrara Shale: Higher Risk Than Expected?
April 13, 2011 | Gulf News
Some companies are starting to doubt the initially optimistic opinions about the Niobrara Shale that has produced oil and natural gas in the Colorado, Western Nebraska and Wyoming area. Some recent wells have not been commercially viable and that has generated uncertainty. |
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Manufacturing Oil and Gas Reservoirs in the Niobrara Shale
April 12, 2011 | Billings Gazette
Mark Northam, director of the School of Energy Resources at the University of Wyoming says that horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing allow drillers to “manufacture a reservoir” in the Niobrara Shale. |
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New Drilling Technology Opens the Niobrara Shale
April 7, 2011 | Billings Gazette
An article in the Billings Gazette explains how horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing are opening a bonanza of oil and natural gas from the Niobrara Shale in Colorado, Kansas and Wyoming. |
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Foreign Ownership of United States Gas Shales
March 30, 2011 | The Ithaca Journal
A letter published in The Ithaca Journal complains about the many foreign companies who have purchased major stakes in United States gas shale companies. |
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Expanding the Niobrara Oil Play
March 1, 2011 | Oil and Gas Journal
The Oil and Gas Journal reports that a large number of companies have permits to drill in previously unproductive areas in an attempt to expand the Niobrara Shale Oil play in Wyoming. |
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China’s CNOOC Ltd. Buys 1/3 of Chesapeake’s Niobrara
January 31, 2011 | Bloomberg.com
An unusual entry into the Niobrara Shale is CNOOC Ltd., China’s largest offshore energy company. They are buying 1/3 of Chesapeake Energy’s Niobrara Shale assets for $570 million cash. |
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Mineral Rights
January 13, 2011 | Geology.com
“If we go back in time to the days before drilling and mining, real estate transactions were fee simple transfers. However, once commercial mineral production became possible, the ways in which people own property became much more complex. Today, the leases, sales, gifts and bequests of the past have produced a landscape where multiple people or companies have a partial ownership of or rights to many real estate parcels.” |
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