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Permalink Reply by Hopeful About Natural Gas on June 22, 2012 at 21:51

Here is a good link on all the ways that govt support has already helped the natural gas industry and the development of fracking.

http://thebreakthrough.org/blog/2012/03/shale_gas_fracking_history_...

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Permalink Reply by GoshDarn on June 23, 2012 at 19:51

A very good read, Hopeful.

I really liked this quote:

"'I'm conservative as hell," Dan Steward, the former Mitchell Energy geologist whose company pio.... ["whose company pioneered shale gas in Texas, told us"] But when asked about the role of government, Steward told us, "They did a hell of a lot of work, and I can't give them enough credit for that. [The Department of Energy] started it, and other people took the ball and ran with it. You cannot diminish DOE's involvement.'"

So, good stuff. HANG. 

Then the article goes on to state:

"Steward said the government directly or indirectly supported Mitchell energy every step of the way. '[The government] helped us to evaluate how much gas was there and evaluate its critical properties,' he explained. 'They helped us with our first horizontal well. They helped us with pressure build-ups. And we worked with them on crack mapping.'"

Ergo, much appreciated, HANG.  I think it's very possible that a number of GHS members might truly be clueless about such truth, i.e., about such insider info.

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Permalink Reply by P.G. on June 23, 2012 at 5:56

The only reason NG is not being used in 50% of autos is there's no reasonable access to it...

How can there be a natural demand for something that doesn't exist?

Supply and demand can not work if there is no supply.....

Think where 911 (emergency number) would be without a little gov intervention?

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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on June 23, 2012 at 7:49

PG, natural gas as a transportation fuel is likely accessible to well over 50% of the population.  It has not penetrated more of the market due to lack of acceptance of alternative fuels by the general public.  You cannot force the public to switch - it will only happen at the rate the market demands.

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Permalink Reply by Keith on June 23, 2012 at 10:01

I think that if the price of natural gas stays low enough long enough you will see vehicles with a triple or dual fuel option. We have a generator with a triple fuel option, it's great, it's cheap and it's easy.

Think about how easy it would be just to have optional fuel. You pick which one you want to go with, press the button and go. As far as fuel tanks you could have the standard fuel tank and have the option of adding a temporary CNG or LNG bottle in the trunk or the back of the pick-up.

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Permalink Reply by P.G. on June 23, 2012 at 18:38

Who is forcing the public to switch...give them the same access as they do to gasoline and they would choose a lower cost alternative to gasoline or diesel...

Maybe the petroleum producing companies don't want folks to have a choice...

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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on June 23, 2012 at 19:22

PG, this is no conspiracy of the petroleum companies as most make significantly more profits from natural gas than gasoline.

 

Even where the public has access there are not large numbers switching to natural gas.  Most people are not yet willing to consider an NGV for their private vehicle.  I am beginning to see a few more plug-in electrics on the road but still a very slow growth rate.

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Permalink Reply by P.G. on June 24, 2012 at 4:25

What choice do people have in CNG fueled vehicles?...

How many public cng access points are there in just Shreveport?

I don't see how you can call it a supply and demand situation when access to supply is so limited..

CNG is still just a novelty fuel at best...

There needs to be a more serious approach to access...no private company is going to be able to pull this off.....

I'm not a fan of bigger government but I also don't believe there should be NO government....

If consumers had a real choice at the pump in the US..the whole energy sector would be more stable price wise...

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Permalink Reply by Krkyoldhag on June 24, 2012 at 4:34

Wish I had listened to my dad closer when I was a child.  He talked about how fast we lost the streetcars in all our towns.  Almost over night they were discontinued and gasoline busses on tires were running. 

Also there was the old Interurburn rail that ran from Dallas to Denton or McKinney. 

But I cannot remember how it all came about so fast..

I suspect that the argument for busses was that the street cars were confined to the track routes..but they were energy efficient.

The only ones left are the Museum routes in New Orleans and San Francisco.  There is a play like one in the McKinney area of Dallas.

Was this change over paid for by the government?

Same with the switch over from gas lighting in homes to electric bulbs.  Was it a paid for by govt thing?

Whatever it takes I would like to see refueling stations easily available.

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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on June 24, 2012 at 17:37

PG, NGV's are available today.

 

Refuelling of the vehicles can occur at home so that is not a problem for people with access to natural gas distribution systems.  CNG refuelling stations can easily be added to match growing demand.

 

There are plenty of private companies that have the capability and financial strength to build the public re-fueling stations and other infrastructure.

 

Government involvement is only required for the development of regulations that address the safety and environmental impacts.

 

The early development of gasoline as a transportation fuel was driven by private business - not government mandated consumption of the commodity.

 

Consumers are the ones that must drive the process thru their own personal choices. 

 

  

 

  

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Permalink Reply by P.G. on June 25, 2012 at 2:21

Yes...CNG is still in the novelty stage..I agree that those who insist..and can afford... can have  a NGV ...but for the mainstream public..as it is now..they are really being forced to use gasoline or diesel as they don't  have a reasonable choice ...finding a refuelling source when travelling would also be problematic.

Having only a couple or so of public filling stations in an area the size of Shreveport or having to spend thousands for home filling equipment isn't a reasonable choice for the average joe..

Are there any ready made NGV's besides a Honda?

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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on June 25, 2012 at 2:58

PG, no one is "forcing" the mainstream public in their fuel choice - in the same way no one is forcing the choice between high MPG and low MPG vehicles.

 

Are you advocating to give billions of taxpayer dollars to a couple of car manufacturers and select private companies?  This would likely still not make a major change in consumption patterns.  There are areas of the US where NG fueling stations are widely available and the utilization rates are very low.

 

Personally, I prefer to see those $$$ spent on mass transit which would generate much higher benefits in more areas.

 

By the way, electric vehicles appear to be the most acceptable alternative fuel vehicle to the general public and will indirectly generate increased consumption of natural gas. 

 

 

    

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