Natural gas

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Below is a collection of natural gas resources that we have put together to assist anti-gas activists and journalists in doing research.

If you have other information you think should be on here, please notify us about them.

Contents

Geopolitics of Natural Gas

Natural Gas is one of the three major fuel sources for the US. Natural gas is an increasingly scarce resource; around the world there are political battles over control of this fossil fuel. The Geopolitics of Natural Gas by Michael T. Klare for The Nation, January 23, 2006. Michael T. Klare is a professor of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College.

Natural Gas Production Around the World

Natural Gas is produced along with oil and coal, which broadens the scope of natural gas production to include much of the planet except for deep ocean. Throughout Africa, people living in oil and gas rich communities are suffering.

Natural Gas Supplies

Natural gas is formed from decaying organic matter, it is found often in areas where there was once great forests, lakes, or inland seas, but also is found in manure pits and compost heaps. It is often found with oil or coal, or by itself.

where are the biggest gas fields, etc. ...

<IMG-EIA-consumption-unconventional> Conventional supplies of natural gas have peaked -- which means that the supply of conventional natural gas sources has begun to decline despite expanded exploration. This decline in the supply increased the price of natural gas during the 1990s, supplying the oil and gas industry with the funds to tap into the more expensive unconventional sources of natural gas. Conventional sources are pockets of natural gas that can be tapped like an aquifer, hence the low cost. These once abundant natural gas pockets are now becoming scarce and industry has begun to use expensive technologies to extract gas from rocks and coal beds, both unconventional sources of natural gas. To extract gas from a rock is expensive, and the technology has not been utilized on a broad scale until the 1990s when the price of natural gas skyrocketed threefold due to scarcity. To meet the insatiable hunger of the industrialized markets and military, more than 33 states in the US are having their soil, water, and air contaminated with radioactive heavy metals and carcinogenic chemicals. See the Oil Drum for an in depth article covering the various unconventional sources of natural gas.

Warning: Oil Supplies are Running Out Fast by Steve Connor - The Independent August 3, 2009

Gas Corporations & Their Investors

Chesapeake Corporation

- Chesapeake Corp's subsidiariesSEC filing effective as of 12/31/08 - 10-Q Chesapeake Energy Corp MarketWatch.com 11/09/2009

Chevron

Two construction workers were shot and killed by armed military guards in January 2010 at Chevron's Escravos gas-to-liquid plant in Nigeria's Delta State; the plant is being constructed by [#Sasol] and is projected to be 2 years behind schedule. Less than a week after the the two workers were murdered, Chevron's oil pipeline south of the plant was attacked by gunmen. [ref: http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1151454&lang=eng_news Nigeria: Chevron pipeline attacked in Niger Delta Associated Press 2010-01-09]


Sasol

Sasol, a South African company, is currently the worlds largest producer of liquids from gas.

Schlumberger

DEP fines Chesapeake Appalachia, Schlumberger for acid spill in Asylum Twp. BY JAMES LOEWENSTEIN December 8, 2009 - [http://ethisphere.com/schlumberger-subsidiary-fined-196-million-for-visa-fraud/

Other/unsorted

Natural Gas Investmentsby Keith Kohl; November 2, 2009. Energy and Capital

Economic Effects

- Boom and Bust - Taxpayer Burden Tax Advantages of Oil and Gas Drilling Congressional Incentives Encourage Domestic Petroleum Development - Selling of Public Land: Forests, Public Schools, etc - Recreational Uses of Public land >Seismic rumbles in the forests - Renovo, PA - 11/22/2009

Legal Issues

Regulations

If an activity is *not* illegal, then its legally considered legal.

Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Ohio Oil and Gas

Eminent Domain (U.S.)

In Clearville, PA Eminent Domain for storage field filed by Spectra Energy, Steckman Ridge

Leases (U.S.)

If the landholder has mineral rights, the landholder is generally paid a low amount to lease those mineral rights, those mineral rights are then sold for higher and higher profit. Right now in in the Barnett Shale region of Texas, an acre of natural gas mining rights goes for $25,000, while in New York State the highest natural gas mineral rights leases are selling for $5,000 per acre. -folks looking to make a consistent income off the royalties of their pumps may want to check out how the market for natural gas has been looking recently, and if you don't understand what these stock analysts are saying, you might want to consider *not* betting your family's health and well being -- a couple hundred dollars a month won't cover the water filtration system you'll have to install, nor the increased health insurance rates.

Labor Issues

US Chemical Safety Board An independent federal agency investigating chemical accidents to protect workers, the public, and the environment.


Anatomy of a Disaster A massive explosion kills 15 and injures 180 at the BP Texas City refinery Investigation Details: BP America Refinery Explosion

Toxic gas leak at a Glasscock County oil field killed 1 and injured 3. Death and injuries of workers a result of a hydrogen sulfide leak at the Enbridge Pipelines gas processing plant near Bryan’s Mill, Texas (January 11, 2010).

[1] Potential for Natural Gas and Coal Dust Explosions in Electrical Power Generating Facilities] Michigan power plant explosion in 1999 resulted in 6 fatalities and 14 serious injuries. The primary explosion resulted from an unintentional natural gas buildup in the furnace of an idle power boiler and was followed by a secondary explosion of disturbed coal dust. MIOSHA found coal dust accumulations throughout the powerhouse on ledges, structures, and equipment. This boiler was fired with natural gas, coal, and blast furnace gas to produce steam to power the turbines.

[2]

Gas industry technologies

Horizontal Hydrofracking

Horizontal hydrofracking is the new technology used to release gas from unconventional sources such as coal bed methane and shale rock. It is a combination of older methods and new chemicals. - 2 main batches of fluids going in - used for drilling of wells and for pipelines - 2 batches of waste coming out (natural hazardous waste and chemical waste)


Process

1) Drilling the well, vertical and horizontally: toxic drilling fluids "lubricate" the drill bit and push the tailings out of the ground. Tailings are disposed into an open air pit on site. These tailings include high levels of radioactive lead, mercury, radium, and uranium. 2) Casing the well: concrete is poured into the well, let dry, and then the center is drilled out and a production pipe is inserted.

[http://www.ogj.com/index/article-display/340624/articles/oil-gas-journal/volume-106/issue-36/supplement-to-oil-gas-journal/production-stimulation/non-frac-stimulation-technologies-mark-progress-too.html Non-frac stimulation technologies mark progress too ] Oil and Gas Journal, Sep 22, 2008. 

  "As of early 2008, operators drilling horizontal Woodford shale wells had cemented 116 horizontal production casing strings with conventional cement slurries and 229 horizontal production casing strings using a cement slurry converted to a stable foam cement slurry by adding nitrogen gas, according to Ringhisen and Crook. Of the 105 wells on which production data are available, wells cemented with foamed cement averaged 28.1% more peak 30-day gas production than conventionally cemented wells did.
  Using the ductile, foamed cement increased fracture initiation and successful job placement to more than 96.4% of stage stimulation designs, they wrote. Frac operations in conventionally cemented Woodford wells had been considered successful in 79.9% of the stage stimulation designs."

3) Hydrofracturing: chemicals, sand, and water are forced into the well at high pressures sustained by numerous fossil fuel compressor engines, creating cracks in the rock The gases leak from the cracks and ideally into the

====Environmental Problems====: Pa. residents sue gas driller over polluted wells - Dimock, PA - 11/20/2009

[http://www.damascuscitizens.org/aquifer-contaminated.html Gas Company Slapped with Environmental Violations for Contaminating Private Drinking Water: A Nine Square-mile Aquifer has been contaminated]

Industrial Infrastructure

Pipelines

Natural Gas Pipeline Rupture and Fire Near Carlsbad, New Mexico August 19, 2000]

[http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/maryland-environmental-lawsuit-over-exxon-gas-spill-3118/ Maryland Environmental Lawsuit Verdict of $150M Over Exxon Gas Spill ] March 13th, 2009: "A Baltimore County jury returned verdicts totaling about $150 million in a Maryland environmental tort lawsuit filed against Exxon over a 2006 gas spill that leaked more than 25,000 gallons of fuel into the well water of the surrounding homes... In January 2006, a pipe was punctured at an Exxon gas station, causing unleaded gasoline to leak into the surrounding soil for over a month. The jurors returned 88 separate verdicts for the owners of 90 different properties, awarding damages for diminution of property value, medical monitoring and non-economic damages."

CNG compressors stations

refrigeration stations

LNG terminals

Gas-to-Liquids plant

Gas-to-liquids plants take natural gas and convert it into diesel liquids. The GTK diesel is slightly different than diesel from oil, but is used as diesel feul. GTK diesel is only competitive with conventional oil produced diesel when the natural gas has very low price and is not quickly being transported to markets. <ref: http://www.chemlink.com.au/gtl.htm

Sasol, a South African company, is currently the worlds largest producer of liquids from gas. <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201001070050.html">Two construction workers were shot</a> at Chevron's GTL plant by military guards in January 2010.

metering stations

drilling pads

roads

Environmental & Health Effects

As industrialism has taken our environment by force, the number of deaths from cancer has risen from 1 out of 100 in 1900 to 1out of 5 deaths in 1992 to 1 out 4 deaths today. The cancer rates of infants, childhood, and young adults have risen dramatically. Widespread testing of umbellical cords from samples across America have shown that nearly all infants in the US receive industrial chemicals through the blood of their mothers. Cancer rates are shown to be significantly increased in heavy industrial areas, which include industrial agriculture regions. Gas drilling is polluting the most untainted soils and water systems in our country, turning fertile countrysides and wildlands into an industrial landscape of toxic releases. The negative health effects associated with natural gas production are widespread throughout the production process:

Toxins and your Health

- radioactive NORMS - heavy metals - petrochemicals - industrial chemicals - noise

Gas Production and Toxins

- tailings - drilling fluids hydrofracking fluids ChemPortal The Global Portal to Information on Chemical Substances - waste liquids - pipeline leaking - compressor stations - metering stations - refrigeration stations - LNG terminals - diesel exhaust - condensate leaking - flaring

[ EnviChem] Data bank of Environmental Properties of Chemicals

Noise

Gas Compressor Stations are notorious for being loud, upwards of 95 dBA inside one families home in eastern Ohio. Noise is not just a nuisance, it can be disasterous to the health of children and adults when the noise is chronic.

EARTHWORKS, a project of the Oil and Gas Accountability Project, has put together a page on noise related to oil and gas production and the associated health effects.

Lawsuits for noise violations can result in a victory, as it did in Texas, but it took 11 years for the residents next to a compressor station to win $1.2 million. Compressor Station Looses in Court

Activist Groups NoiseOff A coalition of citizens, elected representatives, law enforcement professionals, educators, researchers, students and activists from the United States and abroad dedicated to combating this blight that is ruining communities everywhere. Includes discussions of current noise pollution issues in various places and news articles related to addressing various sources of noise pollution.

Noise Free

How loud is Too Loud A website created by Nina Pierpont regarding noise from wind turbines, all information relevant to the low frequency noises emitted from drilling and compressor station operations.

Noise Control Engineering Journal A great source for finding persons who are researching the effects of noise and engineering, although you must have a membership with the Institute of Noise Control Engineering U.S.A. to download the articles, the authors' work can be found elsewhere through simple internet searches.

What do Urban Sounds do to Your Brain by Jennifer Barone Discover Magazine; July-August special issue

Stop the noise! When noise pollution is not making us sick and anxious, it is literally killing us. How do we turn it off? By Katharine Mieszkowski Salon.com Jun 25, 2008


Quiet Please Noise pollution causes sleep disturbance, raises blood pressure and can lead to heart disease. Rebecca Hardy on how to survive in an increasingly noisy Britain. The Guardian, Tuesday 23 September 2008


A Call to The Legal Profession To Defend Citizens Against Noise Pollution By Arline L. Bronzaft, PhD

Noise : Combating a ubiquitous and hazardous pollutant by Arline L Bronzaft Council on the Environment, New York, USA Noise and Health Journal, 2000, Volume 2, Issue 6, Page 1-8 "With a growing body of data suggesting a link between noise and adverse mental and physical health and with noise pollution becoming even more pervasive, especially from the rapid increase in air travel and highway traffic, individuals worldwide are forging alliances to combat this hazardous pollutant. Especially active are the anti-aircraft noise groups. In the United States, the federal government has limited its responsibilities with respect to noise control after an initial interest in the 1970s when legislation was passed promising to protect the American people against the harmful effects of noise. These past years anti-noise activists in the United States have been working arduously to urge the federal government to once again take an active role in abating and controlling noise. They have also been enlisting more citizens to their cause as they educate them to the hazards of noise."

The clinical stages of vibroacoustic disease by Castelo Branco NA. Occupational Medicine Research Center, Lisbon, Portugal. Aviation Space Environal Medicine 1999 Mar;70(3 Pt 2):A32-9.

BACKGROUND: Vibroacoustic disease (VAD) is an occupational disease occurring in susceptible workers who have had long-term exposure (> or = 10 yr) to large pressure amplitude (> or =90 dB SPL) and low frequency noise (< or = 500 Hz). The clinical progression is insidious, and lesions are found in many systems throughout the body. Some of the findings, such as extracellular matrix changes, appear to be specific to this disease. Others, such as cognitive impairment, seem to be common in different types of stress-induced pathology. In 1956, Professor Eugenia Andreeva-Galanina developed a classification of hand-arm vibration-induced pathology. This has been further refined and has become an important tool in occupational medicine. Thus, it is also important now to define the clinical stages of VAD in accordance with the appearance of the most common signs and symptoms. METHODS: We analyzed the files of 140 patients with VAD, paying close attention to the chronology of the clinical findings, the registry of eventual and on-the-job accidents, and the evaluation of disabilities. RESULTS: We have classified VAD in function of the time it took for 50% of the population to acquire the relevant sign or symptom. Stage I, mild signs (behavioral and mood associated with repeated infections of the respiratory tract, e.g., bronchitis); Stage II, moderate signs (depression and aggressiveness, pericardial thickening and other extracellular matrix changes, light to moderate hearing impairment, and discrete neurovascular disorders); Stage III, severe signs (myocardial infarction, stroke, malignancy, epilepsy, and suicide). CONCLUSION: This classification should be capable of assessing work fitness, and is a primary approach to a complex and multidisciplinary problem with implications in diagnosis, prevention and disability compensation within VAD.

Vibroacoustic disease

Branco NA, Alves-Pereira M. Center for Human Performance, Alverca, Portugal. mariana.pereira@oninet.pt Noise and Health Journal. 2004 Apr-Jun;6(23):3-20. Vibroacoustic disease (VAD) is a whole-body, systemic pathology, characterized by the abnormal proliferation of extra-cellular matrices, and caused by excessive exposure to low frequency noise (LFN). VAD has been observed in LFN-exposed professionals, such as, aircraft technicians, commercial and military pilots and cabin crewmembers, ship machinists, restaurant workers, and disk-jockeys. VAD has also been observed in several populations exposed to environmental LFN. This report summarizes what is known to date on VAD, LFN-induced pathology, and related issues. In 1987, the first autopsy of a deceased VAD patient was performed. The extent of LFN induced damage was overwhelming, and the information obtained is, still today, guiding many of the associated and ongoing research projects. In 1992, LFN-exposed animal models began to be studied in order to gain a deeper knowledge of how tissues respond to this acoustic stressor. In both human and animal models, LFN exposure causes thickening of cardiovascular structures. Indeed, pericardial thickening with no inflammatory process, and in the absence of diastolic dysfunction, is the hallmark of VAD. Depressions, increased irritability and aggressiveness, a tendency for isolation, and decreased cognitive skills are all part of the clinical picture of VAD. LFN is a demonstrated genotoxic agent, inducing an increased frequency of sister chromatid exchanges in both human and animal models. The occurrence of malignancies among LFN-exposed humans, and of metaplastic and displastic appearances in LFN-exposed animals, clearly corroborates the mutagenic outcome of LFN exposure. The inadequacy of currently established legislation regarding noise assessments is a powerful hindrance to scientific advancement. VAD can never be fully recognized as an occupational and environmental pathology unless the agent of disease--LFN--is acknowledged and properly evaluated. The worldwide suffering of LFN-exposed individuals is staggering and it is unethical to maintain this status quo.


Impacts of chronic anthropogenic noise from energy-sector activity on abundance of songbirds in the boreal forest "The effects of human activities in forests are often examined in the context of habitat conversion. Changes in habitat structure and composition are also associated with increases in the activity of people with vehicles and equipment, which results in increases in anthropogenic noise. Anthropogenic noise may reduce habitat quality for many species, particularly those that rely on acoustic signals for communication. We compared the density and occupancy rate of forest passerines close to versus far from noise-generating compressor stations and noiseless well pads in the boreal forest of Alberta, Canada. Using distance-based sampling, we found that areas near noiseless energy facilities had a total passerine density 1.5 times higher than areas near noise-producing energy sites. The White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata), and Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) were less dense in noisy areas. We used repeat sampling to estimate occupancy rate for 23 additional species. Seven had lower conditional or unconditional occupancy rates near noise-generating facilities. One-third of the species examined showed patterns that supported the hypothesis that abundance is influenced by anthropogenic noise. An additional 4 species responded negatively to edge effects. To mitigate existing noise impacts on birds would require approximately $175 million. The merits of such an effort relative to other reclamation actions are discussed. Nevertheless, given the $100 billion energy-sector investment planned for the boreal forest in the next 10 years, including noise suppression technology at the outset of construction, makes noise mitigation a cost-effective best-management practice that might help conserve high-quality habitat for boreal birds." by Erin M Bayne; Lucas Habib; Stan Boutin 2008-06-20

Behavioural Ecology: Noise Annoys at Community Level by Hans Slabbekoorn and Wouter Halfwerk Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), Leiden University, Sylvius Laboratory, Wassenaarseweg 72, Leiden, the Netherlands Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology Volume: 22 2008 Oct A new study on the impact of anthropogenic noise on birds takes a behavioural discipline to the level of community ecology: noise can not only harm individual species but also alter species relationships.

Relating wildlife behavioral responses to noise to ecological consequences By Jesse R. Barber and Kurt M. Fristrup

With a growing body of data suggesting a link between noise and adverse mental and physical health and with noise pollution becoming even more pervasive, especially from the rapid increase in air travel and highway traffic, individuals worldwide are forging alliances to combat this hazardous pollutant. Especially active are the anti-aircraft noise groups. In the United States, the federal government has limited its responsibilities with respect to noise control after an initial interest in the 1970s when legislation was passed promising to protect the American people against the harmful effects of noise. These past years anti-noise activists in the United States have been working arduously to urge the federal government to once again take an active role in abating and controlling noise. They have also been enlisting more citizens to their cause as they educate them to the hazards of noise.

Water Pollution

Over 5 million gallons of toxic waste water is produced during each hydrofracturing operation on the well (called "frack jobs") up to 12 frack jobs can be done per well. Adding up to over 500 million gallons of water per well, and averaging 40 wells per square mile. creates a public problem when the waste treatment plants are not adequately constructed to handle the radioactive heavy metals and salt that is found in fracking waste water. Considering the billions of gallons of toxic waste water flushed into rivers and streams, even gas industry folks are being forced to admit "dilution is not the solution to pollution"

Drinking Water

Cities at risk include the City of Cumberland, Maryland and Harrisburg, PA. Evitts Creek Source Water Assessment Public Summary by Evitts Creek Water Company for the City of Cumberland Maryland

Bedford Borough Water Authority Raystown Branch of the Juniata River PA DEP Report February 2003

Wetlands

Air Pollution

Soil Toxification

Crops and Livestock

  • Wayne and Angel Smith, Clearville, PA 4 cows died, one horse died, all hens died.

Ecosystems

  • streams -- dunkard creek
  • wildlife -- bird migration, bats, bio-acoustic animals

Elk concerns halt gas drilling in northeast Wyoming Environmentalist concerns about elk have prompted the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to suspend coal-bed methane drilling in part of the gas-rich Powder River Basin in northeast Wyoming. by Mead Gruver, AP.

  • forests cut down for roads and pads (ANF-ADF)

Roadless no more by James Johnston, Forest Magazine: Winter 2009. Concerns natural gas pipeline being put through a virgin roadless area in Colorado.

Propaganda

PR firms and adverstising payments revealed through IRS documents LOBBYING: IRS disclosures show extent of oil and coal groups' outreach by Anne C. Mulkern, E&E reporter; Greenwire 11/18/2009.

Myths

Natural Gas is being pitched by oil tycoons such as Teeboon Pickens as a clean alternative to oil. Natural gas is a fossil fuel, and the process of drilling and producing natural gas is equally as polluting as producing oil.

Teeboon Pickens and many activists also beleive that natural gas is a neccessary 'transition fuel' -- for transitioning the nations energy economy from oil to renewable energy sources such as solar power. Oil is found in everyday products ranging from pesticides to plastics, without which our economy will collapse.

The Inflated Promise of Natural Gas by Stan Cox for CounterPunch November 4, 2009

[ A Dirty and Murderous Business] by John Stanton for CounterPunch, February 27, 2003; The Benefits of Fossil Fuels is taught in schools to k-8 by the American Petroleum Institute as part of the Energy and Society Education Program. "A whole generation of children will come to learn that it's necessary to drill on wildlife refuges and "voluntarily" submit to greenhouse reductions rather than comply with international accords or domestic regulations. They will also learn that, according to API, there's another 97 years before any climate change might take place, so why worry? Let's suck up as much as we can now and let other generations handle the impending disaster. According to API, "The severity of a future problem is unclear. Also, if serious climate problems develop, they may not occur until the end of the century or later. Finally, the costs of reducing emissions-and therefore the impacts on the economy and consumers-vary greatly depending on when and how green house gases reductions are made."

Industrial Propaganda sites: America's New Natural Gas website is complete with commercials.

Protecting Yourself:

- Check your sources of information - PR firms and corporate scientists - Lawsuits - Water testing: do it by a third party source. No the fire company will not come and test your well - Community Science Institute - Recording conversations with company and state officials -- laws, court cases - Spiking roads, sabatoge: terrorism charges, vandalism, surveillance, do not condone such acts, warn - Non-violent civil disobedience- Civil Resistance Info - Community solidarity - solidarity leads folks to sign leases for fear of ostracism, can work the other way too; [ Toxic Nation] - CELDF - Sell and leave before you loose your health and investments (HUD in Texas) - Digital Cameras, videoediting skills - Working with journalists/reporters - Everything is political - don't rely on scientists, use political power - Love Canal - Financial Security as a Farmer: Food to Schools program, Via Campesina mmt, land reform, Fair Trade - 0% loans, - Freedom of Information Act -- Pennsylvania DEP Right to Know Standard Form - January 1, 2009

PA Resources http://www.pacode.com/ Pennsylvania Commonwealth Code Online]

Recording Conversations with Government Officials and the Gas Company: (I am not a lawyer, please seek more information prior to recording conversations) Recording phone-calls and conversations generals laws for the United States.

National Lawyers Guild - defending civil rights issues, environmental activists Operation Backfire: A Survival Guide for Environmental and Animal Rights Activists a NLG publication

In Ohio you can record conversations as long as one party consents to the recording

News articles

Talk about how to use Google Advanced News Search

Resources

Organizations

  • Oil and Gas Accountability Project
  • Earthworks Action
  • TEDX
  • SourceWatch
  • un-naturalgas.org

Spore Collective Radio Interviews

Radio Show with Wilma Subra

..

Unsorted notes ...

  • The True Cost of Chevron -- The communities and their allies who bear the consequences of Chevron's operations, have prepared an alternative annual report of Chevron entitled "The True Cost of Chevron;" bringing together the information, stories, and struggles of communities from Angola, Burma, Canada, Chad, Cameroon, Ecuador, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the Philippines and across the United States directly impacted by, and in struggle against, Chevron's operations
  • Petroleum Resistance
  • CultureChange.org
  • Wiebo Ludwig
  • Gas wells' leftovers may wash into Ohio, Spencer Hunt, Columbus Dispatch, January 10, 2010

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