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Tuesday, 19 April 2011 11:12

Marcellus Shale: Good, Bad or Ugly? – May 2011

Written by  M. Diane McCormick
Marcellus Shale: Good, Bad or Ugly? – May 2011
In the 1930s, oil drillers hit gas deep underground in Pennsylvania, but its inconsistent flow made extraction unprofitable. In the post–energy crisis 1970s, the U.S Department of Energy determined that, until prices rose and technology advanced, the gas would stay in the depths.

In the middle of the last decade, gas prices rose. Energy companies in Texas perfected a horizontal drilling technique to fracture shale and release trapped gas. Attention turned to the sleeping giant beneath Pennsylvania forests and farmlands — the vast natural-gas field called the Marcellus Shale.

Suddenly, lives changed. And while boosters and opponents tussle over benefits and harm, voices in the middle are asserting that drilling is here to stay. Perhaps Pennsylvania didn't prepare well, they say, but now's the time to get it right.

rlriClick here to access the entire article in PDF format.

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# Andrea Brown 2011-04-26 10:56
I'm deeply disappointed in this article. WITF does such a fine job of seeking objectivity and balance in its reporting on so many issues, in many formats. This article in no way reflects that high standard. Many, many people have serious, scientifically valid concerns about "fracking." Their point of view is totally absent from this story.
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# Ewing Walker 2011-05-02 00:49
50,000 jobs in PA created by Marcellus.
There is danger of water pollution, etc
but worth the risk.

'nuf said.
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# Larry Wolf 2011-05-03 15:51
I too was very disappointed with Dianne's article. There was a complete absence of any objectivity by ommiting all references to the well know hazards of gas fracking. Perhaps we should be tipped off when the Halliburton employee she interviewed was chaparoned by a company PR flack who stopped him from stating what he really believed. Sounds like a throwback to the days of the old USSR when journalists were followed by government minders--only this time the minders hired by the big corporations who want to control information.
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# Gail Huganir, Editor 2011-05-05 17:00
In response to Andrea's and Larry's thoughtful comments, the article in the magazine is the first of a series of multimedia features about Marcellus Shale, this month's topic for witf's Real Life | Real Issues project. The author was asked to give an introductory overview of Marcellus Shale in 1,000 words — no mean feat considering the amount of information and discussion underway. There is clearly a great deal more to report on, including concerns about fracking, and we look forward to covering this topic and PA energy in more depth across witf's media.
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