RRC Tackling Eagle Ford Issues

The Texas RRC is taking great measures to assure landowners and stakeholders are well informed across South Texas. For a resource the size of the Eagle Ford Shale, it is important that people understand the impact of the play. The RRC developed an Eagle Ford Task Force to help avoid the issues faced in the North Texas Barnett Shale where landowners and citizens weren't prepared for full scale development. With production on the rise and the rig count climbing, you can bet each day the Eagle Ford impacts more people.

Commissioner David Porter has created an Eagle Ford Task Force to head off the kind of public backlash that has troubled the Barnett Shale area in North Texas.

Porter is on target with his diagnosis of what went wrong in North Texas: too little information about the development process, which has been near populated areas, and a perception that the energy companies doing the work were calling the shots while the Railroad Commission was largely AWOL or doing the minimum to direct the process to ensure that public and environmental interests were protected.

To his credit, Porter is trying to avoid a repeat of that situation in South Texas and the public backlash that could hinder development of the region's immense resources. He has assembled a group of 22 stakeholders that includes representatives of drilling, pipeline and trucking companies, green energy experts and environmentalists, county and economic development officials, landowners and those who represent landowners, according a report by Vicki Vaughan of the San Antonio Express-News that ran in last Thursday's Chronicle.

Read the full news release at Chron.com

Eagle Ford Shale Fracking on Task Force Agenda

The Eagle Ford Shale Task Force was announced and met for the first time this past week. High on the list of priorities will be setting best practices for Hydraulic Fracturing across the play. Drilling problems in other states have created a stir around the topic of fracking, which means the task force will help inform the public around the subject and alleviate any misinformation that is reported.

"For Texas, the consequences of fracking are big and getting bigger. Development of the Barnett Shale in North Texas and the Eagle Ford Shale, which covers a large swath of South Texas, has created an economic boom."

"The Center for Community and Business Research at the University of Texas at San Antonio looked at the economic impact of the Eagle Ford deposit. In a study released in February, the center estimated that by 2020 the Eagle Ford would account for close to $11.6 billion in gross state product, $21.6 billion in total economic output and support close to 68,000 full-time jobs."

Railroad Commissioner David Porter deserves praise for recognizing the promise and the peril of fracking. Having learned from problems in the Barnett Shale, Porter created a 22-member Eagle Ford Task Force of stakeholders — including environmentalists — to communicate with the public, address thorny issues such as water and develop a system of best practices.

Fracking presents Texas and the nation with a tremendous opportunity to develop domestic sources of natural gas, a relatively clean form of energy. The Eagle Ford Task Force can play a big part in turning that opportunity into a reality.

Read the full news release at MySanAntonio.com

Railroad Commission Announces Eagle Ford Shale Task Force

Railroad Commissioner David Porter announced the members of the Eagle Ford Shale task force and its mission. The group will meet monthly to help promote economic activity and establish best practices across the play. The Eagle Ford Shale will likely become one of the largest economic boosts to the economy that we've seen in history. The task force includes members from a wide variety of backgrounds, including representatives from the oil & gas industry. 

“Commissioner Porter has created a Task Force to establish a forum that will bring the community together and foster a dialogue. The mission of the task force is three-fold:

• Open the lines of communication between all parties
• Establish best practices for developing the Eagle Ford Shale
• Promote economic benefits locally and statewide

'We received an overwhelming amount of feedback from talented and credible applicants, so the selection process was not an easy one,' said Commissioner Porter. 'However, I am confident we have chosen the right group to lead us through the development of the Eagle Ford Shale. We have done our best to ensure each stakeholder group is represented and all voices are heard.' ”

"The Task Force is comprised of local community leaders, local elected officials, water representatives, environmental groups, oil and gas producers, pipeline companies, oil services companies (including a hydraulic fracturing company, a trucking company and a water resources management company), landowners, mineral owners and royalty owners."

Leodoro Martinez – Middle Rio Grande Development Council, Executive Director, Cotulla

Kirk Spilman – Marathon Oil, Asset Manager Eagle Ford, San Antonio

The Honorable Jaime Canales – Webb County Commissioner, Precinct 4, Laredo

Teresa Carrillo – Sierra Club, Executive Committee Member – Lone Star Chapter, Treasurer – Coastal Bend Sierra, Corpus Christi

James E. Craddock – Rosetta Resources, Senior Vice President, Drilling and Production Operations, Houston

Erasmo Yarrito – Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Rio Grande Valley Water Master, Harlingen

Steve Ellis – EOG Resources, Senior Division Counsel, Corpus Christi

The Honorable Daryl Fowler – Dewitt County Judge, Cuero

Brian Frederick – DCP Midstream, Southern Unit Vice President for the East Division, Houston

Anna Galo – Vice President, ANB Cattle Company, Laredo

The Honorable Jim Huff – Live Oak County Judge, George West

Stephen Ingram – Halliburton, Technology Manager, Houston Business Development & Onshore South Texas, Houston

Mike Mahoney – Evergreen Underground Water Conservation District, General Manager, Pleasanton

James Max Moudy – MWH Global, Inc., Senior Client Service Manager, Houston

Trey Scott – Trinity Minerals Management, LTD, Founder, San Antonio

Mary Beth Simmons – Shell Exploration and Production Company, Senior Staff Reservoir Engineer, Houston

Terry Retzloff – TR Measurement Witnessing, LLC, Founder, Campbellton

Greg Brazaitis – Energy Transfer, Vice President, Government Affairs, Houston

Glynis Strause – Coastal Bend College, Dean of Institutional Advancement, Beeville

Susan Spratlen – Pioneer Natural Resources, Senior Director, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, Dallas

Chris Winland – Good Company Associates; University of Texas at San Antonio, Interim Director, San Antonio Clean Energy Incubator, Austin/San Antonio

Paul Woodard – J&M Premier Services, President, Palestine

Read the full news release at rrc.state.tx.us

South Texas Economic Development Booms - Eagle Ford Shale

The Texas Railroad Commission along with many in the oil & gas industry expect that development of the Eagle Ford Shale could be the largest economic boom in our state's history. With over 200 rigs working and more job openings that can be filled, expect the tax rolls to expand and new buildings throughout the region. Eagle Ford Shale boom is creating lots of opportunity in South Texas and that might be an understatement.

"Texas Railroad Commissioner David Porter said the Eagle Ford Shale could provide 'the single most economic development in our state’s history,' last week.""Porter made the comments Thursday at a luncheon hosted by the Texas Alliance of Drilling Producers, which focused on increasing communication between industry groups and highlighting issues affecting one of the hottest oil and gas plays in the world."

"The day-long event was meant to build networks of communication, but also highlighted the impact of the Eagle Ford Shale, and the technology that continues to drive one of the world’s most high-tech industries."

“Texas continues to set the tone for the nation on oil and gas policy,' Porter said. 'I am pleased to stand up here and say something everyone in this room already knows… that things are looking good here in South Texas.' ”

Read the full news release at GonzalesInquirer.com

RRC and Haliburton Fracking Water Use is a Concern

Haliburton and the Texas RRC both expressed concerns over the amount of water being used in hydraulic fracturing operations at a Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center meeting in San Angelo, TX. The amount of water used in fracking oil and gas wells has sky rocketed over the past few years.  The completion method was first used in shale gas formations, but has since expanded into liquids-rich formations such as the Eagle Ford.

"Stephen Ingram, technology manager for Halliburton, the oil and gas company that invented the well stimulation technique in the late 1940s, said the industry needs to find ways 'to limit the procurement of water' used for 'fracking.' "" 'We're using a lot of water. We need to figure out a way to utilize less of it,' Ingram said during a presentation at a conference held at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center in San Angelo."

"Leslie Savage, chief geologist for the Texas Railroad Commission, the oil and gas industry's main governmental overseer, said during her presentation that the concerns being raised in northeastern states about fracking and groundwater contamination do not translate to Texas."

" 'Frankly, in my opinion, it is not the well casing, it is not the hydraulic fracturing chemicals that are a problem in hydraulic fracturing,' Savage said. ' It is the use of water, particularly in drought.'