Any one sufferign from the gas boom in the mid atlantic

Here in pa and in our neighboring states we are experencing a major gas boom, hundreds of of new jobs are pumping up the local economy, I bet if you go into my town Beechcreek pa, 1 in 10 people are now employed by the gas rigs, Im happy for this but not happy about the risk and short term damage, The risk of damaging wells (drinking wells that is) and the major loss of forested area around here, i went out to do some scouting and discovered that about 60% of the land i fished and hunted since i was old enough to go with my grandfather before he passed was being cleared and gas rigs were moving in.

Is there anyone else that is feelign the effects both good and bad of the gass boom?

Kansas City used to have two refineries in the area(phillips & standard) they have both long since closed, most of the oil wells that were once abundant are long ago removed or barely pumping. Although the real value of oil has been trying to drop, inflation has kept the price up. Nothing new here.

Sounds like a real gas

they are working to hit that same shale vien in this area, but as of yet they havent started, i hope they do, this area could use a boost.

Dang fools. Eventually they're gonna hit the mother lode and all that gas is gonna come out and make that spill under the ocean look like a leak in a garden hose. Then the planet is gonna start to deflate and it's gonna get flat and you know what's gonna happen then.

The flat earth people will finally be right?

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Dang fools. Eventually they're gonna hit the mother lode and all that gas is gonna come out and make that spill under the ocean look like a leak in a garden hose. Then the planet is gonna start to deflate and it's gonna get flat and you know what's gonna happen then.

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The amount of untapped natural gas in North America is pretty staggering. Unfortunately, the danger to aquifers and wells is also pretty staggering, too. I'd really like to see the drilling companies give a sh!+ about the people and environment around their wells. Hopefully the government's not been totally bought by the energy companies and some sensible regulation will get put into place.

I had a friend who was a machinist who was helping design the high pressure valves needed for fracking. This was over a decade ago, so I guess he was in there when the technology was pretty new. He passed away (heart trouble) about 8 years ago. He probably would have made some serious money as he was one of the few machinists able to build these valves.

well a frind of mine when yo work as a drill hand and he mapkes 3500 a week after taxes.so there is mony to be made but at what cost ot the enviorment nad the locals

Some news related to Fracking;

EPA Finds Compound Used in Fracking in Wyoming Aquifer - ProPublica

I'm from Fort Worth, home of the Barnett Shale play, and nothing much out of the ordinary here other than some locals who have water wells, now have dual purpose water taps that also can serve as cigar lighters.....

The only thing I know about Fracking is what I learned on Balltlestar Galactica. Can someone illuminate me because I'm fracking clueless.

Also, I keep hearing that we have enough natural gas under the good 'ol USA to tell every middle eastern and crazy communist south american country to go frak themselves... is this true? Would it mean making the countryside an asphalt parking lot?

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Originally Posted by mannye

Also, I keep hearing that we have enough natural gas under the good 'ol USA to tell every middle eastern and crazy communist south american country to go frak themselves... is this true? Would it mean making the countryside an asphalt parking lot?

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We got LOTS of natural gas trapped in shale, and as far as natural gas needs go, yeah, we could tell most of the world to go frak themselves.

The way it works is by drilling a well down to a seam of shale and then drill horizontally through the seam. The well is filled with a compound and then put under enough pressure (I think with explosives) to crack the surrounding shale. This allows the natural gas in the wells to escape.

There are a lot of serious environmental concerns about it, though. It has the potential to poison a lot of groundwater. Farmers and ranchers depend on groundwater, and I depend on farmers and ranchers to get me my damned food, so I'm concerned.

Thanks for the info. Double edged sword it seems. But I always figure that no matter what someone is going to F it up. Like hybrid cars.... they make me laugh.

We have had locomotives that run relatively small diesel engines to power electric motors for decades, but we refuse to make a car like that. It would probably get 150 MPG by now if we really put our minds to it...

Same with all other energy... the only thing we can count on is that someone will screw it all up.

Looks like NG has issues like any other resource that needs to be mined. It's a tough call either way.

Frankly, the fact that not one single person has made a fart joke on this thread is truly astonishing. I mean really, "gas boom"? It's just asking for trouble!

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Originally Posted by joesixpack

Frankly, the fact that not one single person has made a fart joke on this thread is truly astonishing. I mean really, "gas boom"? It's just asking for trouble!

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Well, thanks for making one my last days at the BBC fun! I got a true chuckle out of that one.