Here & There Column 6-19-12

                              Staying Neutral On Gas Drilling

  As a journalist and columnist for some 50 plus years I can't recall a subject that has received more media attention then national gas drilling.

  Folks have continually asked me my opinion on the gas drilling controversy and my only comment is that there are always two sides to a coin and definitely two sides to this topic.  Everyone wants safe drilling regulations and clean drinking water and there certainly has been reports of pollution of wells etc. etc.

  A question I would ask is are all gas drilling companies the same and there are mixed reactions when this topic is brought up.

  The Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation promotes their theme that natural gas is the greener energy solution and we believe that to be true.

  Cabot notes that natural gas is one of America's most abundant domestic energy sources, that its clean burning, helps reduce smog, acid rain and greenhouse gas emissions.......guess one can't argue with that.

  They comment that Cabot is helping America meet growing energy demands by developing this resource and that they are doing so in ways that help protect the environment during all phases of their operations......certainly there are some that will say this is not true.

  Cabot has made strong statements that they select ideal well locations and make sure their wells are located a proper distance from water sources and designated environmental areas and that before starting drilling their drilling process they install a protective plastic liner as an environmentally safe base for their operations. 

  Well...... that all sounds fundamentally correct but someone with the professional background and knowledge of this process has to be the one to tell us if this is all true or false.

  We have read and heard many statements about the water recycling process used in this type of drilling and how it could or could not affect nearby drinking water but Cabot says their "closed loop" water system captures and contains 100% of the fluids used in their drilling, completion and production operations......again this gets a debate from some.

  And now comes the report that Governor Cuomo might be giving the green light to allow shale gas drilling technology on a limited basis in towns that want it in portions of Chenango, Steuben, Tioga and Broome counties where some towns have passed resolutions supporting drilling.

  The folks need correct professionally developed information on this topic because somewhere down the road this country will have to abandon its use of foreign fuels and take advantage of the greener energy solution of natural gas.