IN THIS ISSUE:

• US Dept of Energy "Shale Primer"
• PA Senators take a tour
• Operations Update
• Tapping Marcellus Shale Job Opportunities

US Dept of Energy releases "Shale Primer" report

Earlier this month, the US Department of Energy released a report "Modern Shale Gas Development in the US: A Primer". The report addresses many of the environmental concerns and rebuts the myths about development in the Marcellus Shale and other shale gas plays throughout the country.

The report includes information about the amount of water used for shale development (calculations indicate that water  used for shale development will range from less than 0.1% to 0.8% of total water use by basin) and information about how ground water is protected from contamination during hydraulic fracturing. Ground water is protected during the fracturing process by a combination of casing and cement that is installed in the wellbore between the fracture zone and any fresh water aquifer.  

To view the full report online, click here.

PA Senators take a tour

Operations Update

The activity level in the Northeast continues.  Chief is running three rigs in Appalachia.  Two rigs are drilling in Pennsylvania in Fayette and Lycoming Counties and the third rig is in Marshall County, West Virginia.  We are expecting the arrival of our second brand new rig designed to drill in the Marcellus Shale.  The rig, Patterson-UTI 251, is being transported from Texas to Clearfield County, PA, to drill the Hutton Unit #1H in Chest Township. "Our operations team is excited about working with this new, state-of-the-art rig", said Bill Buckler, SVP of Operations for Chief Oil & Gas.

Tapping Marcellus Shale Job Opportunities

As development of the Marcellus Shale increases, the industry has a growing need for qualified employees.  Chief and other companies are taking steps to ensure an adequate workforce is available for the future development of the Marcellus Shale. Current initiatives highlighted below include participation in local career fairs and the launch of the PaMarcellus Workforce website, to educate about the careers in the oil and gas industry. 

St. John Neumann Career Day

Recently, Chief participated in the St. John Neumann Career Day.  Chief representatives discussed with students the varying career opportunities in the natural gas industry.  The students gained valuable information about the job responsibilities and requirements of oil and gas industry occupations which will help them to make informed decisions about their career paths. Many job opportunities in the oil and gas industry await high school graduates.  

PaMarcellus Workforce Website

Chief and other industry leaders have partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and PA CareerLink to develop an educational website to inform Pennsylvanians about the opportunities currently available in the oil and gas industry.  The site features testimonials from oil and gas industry workers and descriptions of available jobs including required experience and training. To visit the site, click here. (www.PaMarcellus.com/workforce/)