Explores, in poetry and photographs, the effects of the natural gas boom and fracking in the small towns, fields, and forests of Appalachian Pennsylvania.
Natural gas and crude oil production from hydrocarbon rich deep shale formations is one of the most quickly expanding trends in domestic oil and gas exploration. Vast new natural gas and oil resources are being discovered every year across North America and one of those new resources comes from the development of deep shale formations, typically located many thousands of feet below the surface of the Earth in tight, low permeability formations. Deep Shale Oil and Gas provides an introduction to shale gas resources as well as offer a basic understanding of the geomechanical properties of shale, the need for hydraulic fracturing, and an indication of shale gas processing. The book also examines the issues regarding the nature of shale gas development, the potential environmental impacts, and the ability of the current regulatory structure to deal with these issues. Deep Shale Oil and Gas delivers a useful reference that today's petroleum and natural gas engineer can use to make informed decisions about meeting and managing the challenges they may face in the development of these resources. - Clarifies all the basic information needed to quickly understand today's deeper shale oil and gas industry, horizontal drilling, fracture fluids chemicals needed, and completions - Addresses critical coverage on water treatment in shale, and important and evolving technology - Practical handbook with real-world case shale plays discussed, especially the up-and-coming deeper areas of shale development
A riveting portrait of a rural Pennsylvania town at the center of the fracking controversy Shale gas extraction—commonly known as fracking—is often portrayed as an energy revolution that will transform the American economy and geopolitics. But in greater Williamsport, Pennsylvania, fracking is personal. Up to Heaven and Down to Hell is a vivid and sometimes heartbreaking account of what happens when one of the most momentous decisions about the well-being of our communities and our planet—whether or not to extract shale gas and oil from the very land beneath our feet—is largely a private choice that millions of ordinary people make without the public's consent. The United States is the only country in the world where property rights commonly extend "up to heaven and down to hell," which means that landowners have the exclusive right to lease their subsurface mineral estates to petroleum companies. Colin Jerolmack spent eight months living with rural communities outside of Williamsport as they confronted the tension between property rights and the commonwealth. In this deeply intimate book, he reveals how the decision to lease brings financial rewards but can also cause irreparable harm to neighbors, to communal resources like air and water, and even to oneself. Up to Heaven and Down to Hell casts America’s ideas about freedom and property rights in a troubling new light, revealing how your personal choices can undermine your neighbors’ liberty, and how the exercise of individual rights can bring unintended environmental consequences for us all.
"Known as a world-class source rock for years, the Eagle Ford Shale became a world-class oil reservoir early in the second decade of the 21st century. Oil production from the Eagle Ford grew from 352 barrels of oil per day (BOPD) in 2008 to over 1.7 million BOPD in March 2015. Since then, the play has been a victim of its own success. Production from shale oil in the United States has helped contribute to a glut in world oil supply that led to a precipitous drop in oil prices beginning in the summer of 2014. As prices fell from over $100 per barrel in July 2014, to less than $30 per barrel in January 2016, production from the Eagle Ford declined over 500,000 BOPD. Anyone interested in the geology behind this remarkable play and the new ideas that reshaped the global energy supply should read this book. The hardcover book contains extended abstracts of the articles. Full articles are on the included DVD"--Publisher's website.
Unconventional Petroleum Geology, Second Edition presents the latest research results of global conventional and unconventional petroleum exploration and production. The first part covers the basics of unconventional petroleum geology, its introduction, concept of unconventional petroleum geology, unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, and the origin and distribution of unconventional oil and gas. The second part is focused on unconventional petroleum development technologies, including a series of technologies on resource assessment, lab analysis, geophysical interpretation, and drilling and completion. The third and final section features case studies of unconventional hydrocarbon resources, including tight oil and gas, shale oil and gas, coal bed methane, heavy oil, gas hydrates, and oil and gas in volcanic and metamorphic rocks. - Provides an up-to-date, systematic, and comprehensive overview of all unconventional hydrocarbons - Reorganizes and updates more than half of the first edition content, including four new chapters - Includes a glossary on unconventional petroleum types, including tight-sandstone oil and gas, coal-bed gas, shale gas, oil and gas in fissure-cave-type carbonate rocks, in volcanic reservoirs, and in metamorphic rocks, heavy crude oil and natural bitumen, and gas hydrates - Presents new theories, new methods, new technologies, and new management methods, helping to meet the demands of technology development and production requirements in unconventional plays
Playing with Fire chronicles the ongoing struggle facing Louisiana families trying to live and work against the backdrop of corrupt politicians and corporate greed. However, the story presented here is relevant wherever low-income, disenfranchised people are not included in decisions about their health and environment. This book examines the tale of Marine Shale Processors, the world’s largest hazardous waste company, and the women who fought to protect their community and their children. The lesson here is that a dedicated group of people fighting for what is right can win and it serves as an example for any community that wants to determine what their own environmental future. Playing with Fire is a well-documented account that provides lessons for communities, government agencies, and corporations. It dispels the narrative that low-income communities must settle for jobs at the expense of clean air and water and politicians and demonstrates that corporations that further trample on the rights of people will ultimately pay the price.
Advances in theories, methods and applications for shale resource use Shale is the dominant rock in the sedimentary record. It is also the subject of increased interest because of the growing contribution of shale oil and gas to energy supplies, as well as the potential use of shale formations for carbon dioxide sequestration and nuclear waste storage. Shale: Subsurface Science and Engineering brings together geoscience and engineering to present the latest models, methods and applications for understanding and exploiting shale formations. Volume highlights include: Review of current knowledge on shale geology Latest shale engineering methods such as horizontal drilling Reservoir management practices for optimized oil and gas field development Examples of economically and environmentally viable methods of hydrocarbon extraction from shale Discussion of issues relating to hydraulic fracking, carbon sequestration, and nuclear waste storage Book Review: I. D. Sasowsky, University of Akron, Ohio, September 2020 issue of CHOICE, CHOICE connect, A publication of the Association of College and Research Libraries, A division of the American Library Association, Connecticut, USA Shale has a long history of use as construction fill and a ceramic precursor. In recent years, its potential as a petroleum reservoir has generated renewed interest and intense scientific investigation. Such work has been significantly aided by the development of instrumentation capable of examining and imaging these very fine-grained materials. This timely multliauthor volume brings together 15 studies covering many facets of the related science. The book is presented in two sections: an overview and a second section emphasizing unconventional oil and gas. Topics covered include shale chemistry, metals content, rock mechanics, borehole stability, modeling, and fluid flow, to name only a few. The introductory chapter (24 pages) is useful and extensively referenced. The lead chapter to the second half of the book, "Characterization of Unconventional Resource Shales," provides a notably detailed analysis supporting a comprehensive production workflow. The book is richly illustrated in full color, featuring high-quality images, graphs, and charts. The extensive index provides depth of access to the volume. This work will be of special interest to a diverse group of investigators moving forward with understanding this fascinating group of rocks. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals.
Gary Sernovitz leads a double life. A typical New York liberal, he is also an oilman - a fact his left-leaning friends let slide until the word "fracking" entered popular parlance. "How can you frack?" they suddenly demanded, aghast. But for Sernovitz, the real question is, "What happens if we don't?" Fracking has become a four-letter word to environmentalists. But most people don't know what it means. In his fast-paced, funny, and lively book, Sernovitz explains the reality of fracking: what it is, how it can be made safer, and how the oil business works. He also tells the bigger story. Fracking was just one part of a shale revolution that shocked our assumptions about fueling America's future. The revolution has transformed the world with consequences for the oil industry, investors, environmentalists, political leaders, and anyone who lives in areas shaped by the shales, uses fossil fuels, or cares about the climate - in short, everyone. Thanks to American engineers' oilfield innovations, the United States is leading the world in reducing carbon emissions, has sparked a potential manufacturing renaissance, and may soon eliminate its dependence on foreign energy. Once again the largest oil and gas producer in the world, America has altered its balance of power with Russia and the Middle East. Yet the shale revolution has also caused local disruptions and pollution. It has prolonged the world's use of fossil fuels. Is there any way to reconcile the costs with the benefits of fracking? To do so, we must start by understanding fracking and the shale revolution in their totality. The Green and the Black bridges the gap in America's energy education. With an insider's firsthand knowledge and unprecedented clarity, Sernovitz introduces readers to the shales - a history-upturning "Internet of oil" - tells the stories of the shale revolution's essential characters, and addresses all the central controversies. To capture the economic, political, and environmental prizes, we need to adopt a balanced, informed perspective. We need to take the green with the black. Where we go from there is up to us.