Colorado Energy Water Consortium

New Panel to Review EPA’s Hydraulic Fracturing Research Study

Ashwin Dhanasekar — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:36:00 +0000

EPA’s Science Advisory Board will form an independent panel to provide transparent feedback on its 2014 draft report on hydraulic fracturing and its impact on drinking water resources.

Foreign investment in U.S. shale on the rise

Ashwin Dhanasekar — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:51:00 +0000

During the past five years, foreign companies have invested more than $26 billion in U.S. tight oil and shale gas plays, according to information released on Monday from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Overall, investment in domestic shale totaled $133.7 billion from 73 deals. Joint ventures that included foreign companies accounted for 20 percent of this investment.

Horizontal well drilling and hydraulic fracturing are not an issue in Oklahoma

Ashwin Dhanasekar — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 17:45:00 +0000

The origin of Ohio’s hoped-for shale gas and oil bonanza starts here, more than a thousand miles southwest of the Buckeye State.

This city is home to Chesapeake Energy Corp., along with other large, independent oil and natural gas producers who have pioneered shale gas development over the last decade in other states and now in Ohio.

Unconventional Oil, Natural Gas is the ‘Sweet Spot’ for US

Ashwin Dhanasekar — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 21:03:00 +0000

Unconventional oil and gas activity is already revolutionizing America’s energy future and bringing enormous benefits to its economy, Director of Consulting Energy and Natural Resources at IHS Jerry Eumont said. Net petroleum imports have fallen from 60 percent of total consumption in 2005 to 42 percent in October 2012.

The recent surge in unconventional oil and gas and its effect in the United States was the topic of discussion at the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) Houston Chapter luncheon Tuesday.

State considers pushing oil wells farther away from homes, schools

Ashwin Dhanasekar — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:29:00 +0000

If an energy company wants to drill an oil and gas well today, it has to drill that well 350 feet away from any home or school.

In rural areas, it’s 150 feet.

That space between buildings and oil and gas wells — a distance known as a “setback” — could soon expand to 500 feet under proposed new rules the state could finalize next week.

Race Is On to Clean Up Hydraulic Fracturing

Ashwin Dhanasekar — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 08:04:00 +0000

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has raised fears around the world that the procedure needed to coax shale oil and gas out of tightly packed rock could cause pollution damaging to human health.

Technology transforming drilling in Wattenberg

Ashwin Dhanasekar — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 22:49:00 +0000

Horizontal drilling has taken off in the three years since a well named “Jake” hit big in December 2009 in northern Weld County. Since then, as technology has improved production capabilities, and made drilling more affordable, the number of wells has increased rapidly. Horizontal wells have grown to 29.3 percent of all wells permitted this year. In 2009, horizontal wells represented 2.8 percent of the state’s total number of wells permitted.

Rise in U.S. oil output could help rebuild roads

Ashwin Dhanasekar — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 07:10:00 +0000

With the region’s post-Sandy gasoline pangs finally in the rearview mirror, there’s good news about the nation’s energy future — and an opportunity that should be seized.

The United States is projected to become the world’s largest oil producer by 2020, temporarily surpassing Saudi Arabia, thanks to technologies unlocking light oil and shale gas resources. That’s according to the International Energy Agency, an autonomous agency created after the 1973 oil crisis to promote energy security for its 28 member nations, including the United States.

Don’t be fooled: The Badlands and TR National Park will not be spared

Ashwin Dhanasekar — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 21:28:00 +0000

We North Dakotans are so fortunate to be the home of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Just for a moment, imagine North Dakota without it.

My purpose, in this column, is to address two myths about the North Dakota oil boom. First, that the Badlands are going to be spared, or that the oil development in the Badlands is going to be less emphatic than on private lands. Second, that — whatever else is true — Theodore Roosevelt National park is going to be just fine since no oil development is permitted within the boundaries of the park.

China’s “Ultimate Goal Is a Huge Fracking Industry”

Ashwin Dhanasekar — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 07:06:00 +0000

China is ratcheting up its fracking ambitions with virtually no regard for groundwater protection or other environmental safety measures, according to a new investigation by the independent publication Caixin. The report points to an October 24 white paper on energy development released by China’s top cabinet which “calls for ramping up the industry and pumping 6.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas from underground shale formations by 2015.”