A story of gas frackers on the dole
A study on the frack gas potential in the Whitehorse Trough was released by the Yukon Geological Survey on July 4, 2012 that had been commissioned in September 2011.
The choice of firm is of interest.
Petrel & Robertson, Calgary, is a consulting firm known for a stake in oil derivative speculation, as well as lobbying for oil subsidies and media consulting. A peculiar choice from the point of view of a level of objectivity in scientific endeavour.
It suggests conventional field economics, which is what most people would imagine with regard to fossil energy or any other resource extraction, are only a part of the background. The other part is a shadowy world of street economics and financial illusions hiding behind industrial appearances.
Put that together with an industry context of natural gas price dumping to suck people into profiteering schemes and with the problem of shale gas and oil reserve estimates that have wildly fluctuated in recent years.
None of which is recognized in the study in as much as basic awareness. Definitions and geological characterizations that form assumptions on which such shale reserve estimates are based upon are less exact than the data that come from drilling for minerals or conventional oil and gas reservoirs. Shale gas is neither firmly anchored in rock, as are gold veins for example, nor does it flow freely as conventional oil and gas does from or within its reservoir cavities.
It is defined by complex conditions of a slow permeability that is unknown in its level of natural fracturedness containing gas or releasing gas until drilled, perfed, fracked and brittled foot by foot and inch by inch.
In deep, dark depths a perfect scenario appears for the expanding hedge fund, oil futures and subsidy lobby departments of Exxon Mobile, Shell Oil, Encana and Petrel & Robertson.
The Potential Gas Committee, a US industry association, evaluated the likely total recoverable US reserves of natural gas as sufficient for 25 years of US demand.
The same data set shows shale gas reserves are good for 6 - 7 years of current US demand levels, not centuries, and that is without taking expanded use and export scenarios into account.
In 2009 the US Geological Survey downgraded the Marcellus Shale (New England) gas potential to 20 % down from the type of generous frack gas estimates Petrel & Robertson are presenting.
Balanced assumptions would have been critical for the analysis of frack gas potential in the Whse Trough.
Among the referenced sources of the study is the American Association of Petroleum Geologists known for their support of climate denial.
Temple burners taking over professional associations? It sounds like a joke as long as we don’t take stock of how many of the academics of Energy Mines and Resources in Yukon have surrendered their bullshit detector to such UnCanadian culture warring.
Impartial veterans of the natural gas resource industry, like Dr. Ingraffea of Cornell University, are not found among the sources.
In those regards Petrel & Robertson present an unreconstructed impression of shale reserve analysis that is not updated with the best of caution regarding what realistically might be out there.
Their study in its suggestion of economic viability of frack gas production shows no intelligent risk assessment of the true data variance it deals with.
What kind of accuracy can one expect for the commercial possibilities when the methane leakage is overlooked that would cook the climate faster than anything and a destruction of water tables that is guaranteed?
Remember the role credit rating agencies like Moodies, Standard & Poor’s, Fitch Group have played and continue to play in assigning fictitious value to speculators and their papers? The Petrel & Robertsons are the Oil & Gas Moodies and Fitchs when it comes to creating gas reserve estimates by mixing geology with science fiction.
Net energy and affordable energy from fossil fuels continue to decline more and faster all the time. The more hand outs which go to the already overstuffed Petrel & Robertsons and Exxons of this world, the greater the energy problem is becoming.
It is entertainment we are offered that, even with a five year anti frack moratorium for the Whitehorse Trough in place, comes with a horrendous price tag. Gullibility of government is never excusable but a full spectrum gloss and glitz brain wash for natural gas sweeping all media can explain it.
Brad J.R. Hayes, who authored the study, and others at Petrel & Robertson find their path smoothed by even bigger fish in the propaganda business. In 2009 the media consulting firm Hill & Knowlton was funded with tens of milions of dollars by America's Natural Gas Alliance alone to carry forward the media arrangements on behalf of gas fracking. This particular PR firm appears to have been chosen by the oil industry because of their legendary success in delaying anti-tobacco measures and awareness for several decades. Who gets hired matters.
