‘Shale’ Natural GasA Global Warming Solution

Jeffrey McManusChesapeake Climate Action Network

Jeffrey McManusChesapeake Climate Action Network

ThreatThreat

Natural gas can be extracted responsibly

Responsible?

• 1600+ violations since January 2008– 2/3rd caused or could have caused environmental

harm

• Chief Oil & Gas – 198 violations at 83 wells

• Samson – 12 violations at 2 wells

Rapid Development

2008 – 195 new wells2009 – 768 new wells2010 – 1,400 new wells

Natural gas can be extracted safely

Safe?

Moundsville, WV7 injured

Safe?

Independence Township, PA3 workers injured

Natural gas“Twice as clean as coal”

Half as dirty

Half as dirty

It is still a fossil fuel

Misleading Comparison

• Combustion is the last stage

• Natural gas life cycle– Exploration, Production, Processing, Transport,

Storage, Distribution, Combustion

• Direct, Indirect, & Fugitive Emissions

Problem: Unburned natural gas

• Methane– Potent greenhouse gas– Gas drilling = 1/5th global emissions (human-caused)

• 100 years– 25 times worse than CO2

• 20 years– 72 times worse than CO2

• Why 20 years?

Fugitive Emissions

• Even small leakages into atmosphere have very large global warming consequences

• Sources of fugitive emissions– Leaks– Intentional venting

• U.N. Environment Program– CO2 reductions over 20-30 years – no impact on 2

degree change by 2050– Methane & “Black Carbon” reductions

immediately felt. Delay until 2070

EPA Report ( November 10, 2010)

EPA Report ( November 10, 2010)

9,000 timesFracking

EPA Report ( November 10, 2010)

Life Cycle EmissionsShale gas, Conventional gas,

Coal, Oil*Cornell study under peer-review

‘Shale’ Natural GasTwice as clean as coal

Just as bad

‘Shale’ Natural GasTwice as clean as coal

DIRTY

Natural gas can serve as a ‘bridge fuel’ as we transition to

renewable sources.

America’s Blind Jump

• Lobbying for subsidies and guarantees to make gas an indispensible energy source

• Creating a market for the supply– Generation: new power plants built to run on gas• $2 million and three years

– Transportation: natural gas vehicles– Aviation: natural gas planes

• Industry’s ‘infrastructure trap’– “Switching the needle”

Look before you leap• What’s at risk?– Environment, Public Health, Climate– $ Billions taxpayer and industry investment spent for

limited/no gain• Unanswered questions– Let’s pause before making major policy decisions– Decide based upon science, not industry rhetoric– EPA Fracking Life-Cycle Study

• No rush– The shale gas is not going anywhere soon– Wait for better technology

• Federal lands

Don’t Frack with Maryland

• HB 852 The Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Act of 2011

• Pause until July 2013• Puts onus on gas companies

A Truly Clean Alternative• Criterion wind farm

– 70 MW– 162 mostly local & union workers– $10 million shot into economy– $1.1 million in utility tax revenue (2nd largest)

• Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2011– 400-600 MW– 79% Eastern Shore homes– 2,000 manufacturing & construction jobs (5 years)– $1.9 Billion economic impact (5 years)– 8,200 job-years– $14 million in state tax revenues– 400 operations and maintenance jobs– Cost -- $1.44/month =replace two 60W bulbs w/ Compact

Flourescents