Fracturing

In the first test of new statewide oil and natural gas drilling chemical disclosure rules established last year, the Colorado Oil/Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) will flex its regulatory muscles soon in pending enforcement activity (Rule 205A) involving 11 operators.

Although the storms are gone, the troubles from historic flooding along the Front Range in Colorado continued to pop up Thursday in the Niobrara Formation portion of the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin. Anadarko Petroleum Corp. wrestled with oil spills from two of its tank batteries damaged by the still-raging flood waters.

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) best practices need to be improved, but the drilling practice can be done safely, according to Stanford University’s Steven Chu, who served as Energy Secretary during the first Obama administration.

In a memo sent to Republicans lawmakers Friday, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) said the House will take up a bill, theProtecting States’ Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act, in the coming weeks that would restrict the Obama administration’s ability to impose duplicative regulations on fracking on federal and tribal lands.

In a memo sent to Republicans lawmakers Friday, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) said the House will take up a bill, theProtecting States’ Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act, in the coming weeks that would restrict the Obama administration’s ability to impose duplicative regulations on fracking on federal and tribal lands.

With the soon-to-adjourn state legislature looking to pass stringent rules for hydraulic fracturing (fracking), the city of Los Angeles is now proposing to impose a ban on the practice. Meanwhile, an ongoing state administrative process is expected to result in new fracking rules this fall.

University of Michigan (U-M) researchers on Thursday issued seven technical reports that together form what they said is the most comprehensive state-focused resource on drilling, and in particular, unconventional drilling using hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce on Monday launched a campaign to educate voters about the state’s oil and natural gas business in an attempt to prevent any municipal or legislative bans on unconventional drilling.

As further indication that the anti-hydraulic fracturing (fracking) fever is spreading in Colorado, a coalition of more than 40 organizations has called for Gov. John Hickenlooper to ask for a top state energy official’s resignation, and a U.S. congressman from the state has picked up the opposition fervor from his constituents and environmental groups.