Does Ohio Have Proper Regulations in Place for the Energy Boom?

By -
As the Utica and Marcellus Shale have been targeted for drilling across several states, many have experienced tremendous conflicts over how to best regulate the activity.  How about in Ohio?

Leaders feel that the regulations they have in place put Ohio ahead of other states that have opened up their borders to drilling companies.  While not everyone agrees, the arguments that are made by various government agencies and state representatives give reason for confidence in the state's ability to regulate the drilling.  More after the jump...

An article in the Parkersburg News and Sentinel outlines some of the steps Ohio has already taken to be prepared for the shale boom.  While Ohio residents may have split viewpoints of the state's readiness, representatives from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and from the Ohio Senate clearly trust the state to oversee the drilling responsibly.

From the article:

Passed in 2010, Ohio's Senate Bill 165 lays out guidelines for the locations of wells, tank batteries and other surface facilities; the application process for drilling a well; various fees associated with drilling production wells and injection disposal wells; and more.
Under regulations established that year, companies drilling in Ohio are required to notify ODNR's Division of Mineral Resources Management at three points in the process: well construction, to ensure the casing is properly placed according to the permit; well control, the testing of blow-out prevention devices; and fluid control, to monitor the company's handling of the fluid. According to the ODNR website, "division inspectors place a high priority on witnessing these critical phases.
Leaders have also been open to reviewing their rules and regulations side-by-side with those of other states to make sure that there is no need to strengthen them.  At the same time, they recognize the need to be careful about making too many changes, which could discourage development.  "It's hard to hit a moving target," State Rep. Andy Thompson, R-Marietta, says.

Will the Division of Mineral Resource Management be able to keep up as drilling activity continues to take off?  Funding and staffing is tied to the production of the oil and gas industry, so as the activity increases the workforce will increase as well.  Carlo LoParo, spokesman for the DNR, says "We're going to triple the number of regulators that we have in the field this year."

Check out the article for further details on how Ohio will regulate the oil and gas industry.  Are you confident that the regulations in place are adequate, or does the state need to tighten things up?  Share your opinions here or on the message boards.

Visit our Forum!

Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter!

Popular posts from this blog

Fracktivist in Dimock Releases Carefully Edited Video, Refuses to Release the Rest

By -
Image
From Energy in Depth: There is something very strange going on along Carter Road, in Dimock, Pennsylvania, and I’m not speaking of natural gas, methane migration, contamination, litigation or even the extensive water testing there by the EPA and others.  No, I’m talking about a new “Watergate” conspiracy, complete with 18 minutes of missing tape (well, video, actually). It seems the ever-present Green Party member and  naturist   Vera Scroggins  (a/k/a  Vera Duerga ) has posted a video of Craig Sautner meeting with the EPA.  Mysteriously, the video is but 14 seconds in length, cutting off conversation in what is obviously mid-stream.  It raises a question Craig Sautner, like  Ronald Reagan in Kings Row , might have asked, “Where’s the rest of me?’  Carter Road, isn’t Kings Row, of course, (at least not until you arrive at  the mansion Scott Ely, one of the Dimock litigants, is building with his royalty money ), but there appears to be...
Read more

The Second Largest Oil and Gas Merger - Cabot and Cimarex

By -
Image
       Due to investor pressure, the U.S shale drillers are being pushed to improve financial and operational performance after a few years of poor returns. Even though the industry has improved its numbers, when compared to last year, investors still want more to be done for them to earn more money.      That's why two mid-tier shale drillers, Cabot and Climarex, have decided to merge in order to eliminate $100 million in annual costs, which means more money for the investors. This all-stock transaction is valued at about $7.4 billion, which is relatively high for the oil and gas sector.      The new entity will be renamed and the headquarters located in Houston, Texas. Cabot shareholders will own 49.5 percent of the new entity, and Climarex the rest.       The Cimarex-Cabot merger will address the investor's demand for a higher amount of returning cash. The initial plan is to pay a 50-cent-per-share special dividen...
Read more

Do You Know The History of Fracking?

By -
Image
  In 2018, 59% of total oil production in the U.S came from hydraulic fracking, which means it accounted for more than two-thirds of domestically manufactured gas. By 2024, fracking will reach an astounding $68 billion market value! Of course, fracking is not a new drilling method as you can trace it back hundreds of years. That's why we want to consider the history of hydraulic fracturing (fracking). We will be stating historical facts about it and focusing on the major historical occurrences that have influenced modern-day fracking. Pre-Fracking Days The idea of fracking started back in 1862 when Edward A.L. Roberts (Civil War veteran) witnessed Confederate soldiers exploding artillery rounds into a canal that obstructed a battlefield. At the time, Edward A.L. Roberts called it superincumbent fluid tamping. On April 26th, 1865, Edward A.L. Roberts began experimenting with exploding torpedoes, which consisted of lowering a torpedo containing an amount of powder from fifteen to tw...
Read more