Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by LP on April 16, 2011 at 0:07

Good segment, Sarah. I guess in the Marcellus Shale the vertical depth (1 1/2 miles) is much less than in the Haynesville which is some 3 miles deep. I do wish there could be an honest media discussion on the facts about drilling for natural gas and compare its environmental impact to that of oil and coal. This video mentions a negative to "the landscape". Just this idea alone is a misunderstanding by the general public. Apparently, they think that all of the drilling equipment stays at the drilling site. That is because the only pictures they see is that big mess of equipment while the drilling is in progress. What they need to see is the finished site which is clean, quiet and unobtrusive. Compare that to acres and acres (miles) of strip mining. Now THAT is a horror to the landscape, not to mention the damage to the environment.  And what is more unattractive to the landscape than arrays of wind turbines and solar panels. I'm not against them but they most certainly are not pleasant to look at.

Put the pictures of a completed natural gas well next to a coal strip mine or wind turbines across the fields of amber grain or solar panel arrays along sandy white beaches and I think the natural gas site will win the battle of landscape issue.

The coal and oil industry are behind the attempts to mislead the public and media. Every time there is a positive article about natural gas, there are the usual and predictable "comments" below the article which attempt to perpetuate the myths about natural gas drilling. "Your water is going to catch on fire!!" Many of these "comments" are planted by the "competition" to natural gas. And then those are followed by well meaning but uninformed environmental advocates. If those advocates understood the facts, they would realize the environmental advantage of natural gas.

Another group of "aginners" are those who don't have a direct financial interest in natural gas production and are...in general, jealous of those who do stand to gain by its production. What they fail to realize is that they actually do gain a great deal. Just ask the teachers in DeSoto Parish. But everyone in the United States stands to gain in every aspect of their life. The entire US economy stands to gain.

More education is needed to bring the facts to the public.

 

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Permalink Reply by little ole 1st grade teacher on April 16, 2011 at 18:50

What does the improvements in district performance scores have to do with a gain financially by the teachers?  Do you think that a teacher will be less effective just because they have a gain financially?   Are you saying that money equates to students becoming smart?   If that is the case, I would have lost out a long time ago.  I disagree that just because money is floating around, test scores should improve.  Having experienced education first hand, as a student and as a teacher (which by the way, in today's terms, I would have been considered economically disadvantaged back when I was actually going to school as a student and at the time that I was starting my teaching career).   The will to learn by the students and the will of the parents to help in the education process is really what makes the difference in a child's education.   Teachers are there to impart information and to teach the students.  Whether the students succeed and learn is not only up to how teachers teach but how well the students are willing to learn.  Learning is a process that everyone has to give a 100% effort 100% all the time. 

This is spoken from a teacher of 29 years experience in teaching.  15 years of those 29 years were in one of the largest school districts in the State of Texas.   

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Permalink Reply by LP on April 17, 2011 at 5:07

Seaport,

With all due respect, I did not reply to your questions for several reasons. Having been on GHS since it's beginning, I have seen your position of ng issues which are predictable. Also, if you want an accounting of the benefits that DeSoto Parish has derived from ng production, then you can research the topic. Simply because you challenge someone's comments does not require them to respond and I chose not to.

Best wishes,

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Permalink Reply by LP on April 17, 2011 at 14:59

Seaport,

While you are renouncing unsubstantiated claims, I suggest that you check your own claim. I made no statement, claim or even mention of the quality of education in DeSoto Parish or any other location. My comment was regarding the financial "gain" that is a benefit to the teachers in DeSoto Parish. My "attitude" toward your comments is to ignore them.

Thank you,

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Permalink Reply by little ole 1st grade teacher on April 17, 2011 at 13:24

Personally, if more educational dollars were available in the district that I teach in,  I  would want to see the students to teacher ratio be no more than 16 to 1.  Every student that is added after 16 students to 1 teacher, means less time for a teacher to work with each student.  This teacher to student ratio is needed because parents today do not have the time or the willingness to work with their children at home.  I see this everyday.  Unfortunately, both parents have to work in today's society in order to make ends meet.  Yes, some of these parents want the schools to raise their children; but there are some that would truly like to stay home with them.  You would not believe how many students get to school by 7:30 (...a fee is imposed for this....some would get there earlier if the district would let them...school starts at 8:10) and then our district offers (with a fee)  an after school program for those students who have no where to go after school because the parents can not get to school (because of work) to pick them up until 6:30 p.m.  This makes for a very LONG day for an elementary age student.  Fortunately, I grew up with a Mother who was a stay at home mom and I was able to stay at home until my children where in 4th and 6th grades....my own children will probably not be able to do this with my grandchildren....wish that I could make this possible for them.....however, at this time, I won't be able to do that unless there is a change in the natural gas/oil  production in my area.   

Very interesting, Mike Huckabee is discussing  the very question that you asked me.  I'm going to listen to see what he says.

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Permalink Reply by little ole 1st grade teacher on April 17, 2011 at 13:29

And, know this.......Texas does NOT have a Teacher's Union.

Also, I'm not sure why we feel that our students are so much below the students of other countries.  If that is true, why do we have so many people  coming over from other countries  to our schools and colleges to get degrees?

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Permalink Reply by Sarah on April 17, 2011 at 14:08

Thanks for your feedback LP.  I agree with all you said.  And it is grievous when you look at pictures of strip mining.  I didn't know they take away the equipment once drilling is done. Ok, at the risk of sounding really ignorant, doesn't the rig itself have to stay there?  I know, this has to be THE dumbest question ever asked on GHS but your post made me wonder.

Do you mind if I send your comments to someone at CBN or on their website?  I would love for them to hear your thoughts as I'm pretty sure they will do more pieces in the future on NG.

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Permalink Reply by LP on April 17, 2011 at 15:11

Sarah,

The drilling rig is removed from the site and when all is completed and the well is in production there is nothing left to see but a pipe, a couple of holding tanks and a solar powered well monitor. It has a name but I can't recall it right now.

Here is an example of a completed site. I copied this picture from among the many photos on GHS. This is one of Keith's photos.

 

Compare this to a strip mining site or to acres of solar panel arrays. I do hope this kind of information can reach the general public. They have no idea of the process. Thanks again for your post on this topic.

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Permalink Reply by dbob on April 17, 2011 at 15:18

Sarah, all

 

Lets be careful on the comparison to strip mining.....  You might want to search for photos of TXUs Martin Lake mine, or the Dolet Hills mine.  Gas sites, while they clean up nicely once the rig moves off, may stay active for 30-40 years.  In this part of the world, most strip mine sites are in reclamation by the 5th year, and are fully restored within 10-15 years.  You might also want to compare the number of wells drilled in either TX or LA in the last year, multiple that # by 2 acres to account for a "Typical" impact per site, and compare that to the strip mine acreage.  Add in pipeline and roads, and the comparison is even less favorable to drilling.  

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Sarah on April 19, 2011 at 14:23

dbob, thanks for the response.  This is what comes to mind when strip mining came up.

Array Chris Dorst

Mountaintop removal mining is destroying forests and polluting streams across the Appalachian coalfields, according to a new EPA report.

Federal government scientists say a "growing body of evidence" shows that mountaintop removal coal mining is destroying Appalachian forests and dangerously polluting vital headwater streams.

Drilling doesn't come close to this kind of damage.  This is just sad!

Thanks for posting Keith's pic here LP.  I didn't know the rig leaves the site.  That's great.

I should have realized that since the Barnett Shale is in metropolitan Ft. Worth.

Those holding tanks look much nicer then solar panels or wind mills.

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Permalink Reply by LP on April 19, 2011 at 14:44

Sarah,

Check this out. Just next door in Marshall, TX. Here are two photos. First one was 2005. Second one is the exact same location where strip mining for lignite is going on. Both photos are from Google Earth.

 

 

Not pretty.

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Permalink Reply by Sarah on April 21, 2011 at 10:32

LP, that is horrible!  I can't believe that's going on down there in East Texas. :(

 

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