Concerned Chippewa Citizen

Frac Sand’s Impacts on Wisconsin

hankboschen — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:43:55 +0000

5/22/2013 12:20:00 PM
Sand continues to have impact

The Rice Lake Chronotype

Spring is here and there’s a flurry of activity on the frac sand front at both the state and local levels.
A new railroad loading facility on the east edge of Weyerhaeuser is moving forward. That will be used by Canadian Sand & Proppant. That company originally planned to haul sand from its Barron County mine near Hwy. 8 to Ladysmith, but then the Canadian National railroad resurrected the tracks from Ladysmith to Almena, meaning Canadian Sand can make a railroad connection much closer to the mine and significantly cut its trucking costs. Reducing trucking miles also helps the environment by reducing heavy truck traffic and the associated problems with noise and diesel emissions.
In the southern part of the county, the Town of Sioux Creek has reached a deal with Superior Silica Sand for a proposed mine there. Two mines are proposed in Sioux Creek, a 580-acre mine owned by Superior Silica and a 900-acre mine owned by Sioux Creek Sand. The township reached a deal with Sioux Creek Sand earlier.
Mines are also operating in nearby Dovre, with three processing plants operating along Hwy. SS in Barron County. There’s also a large processing plant operating on Hwy. 8 about 4 miles west of Barron in the Town of Clinton.
The Town of Arland was an early hot spot for mining, with another mine expected to start there on 7 1/2 St. The ownership of that mine is apparently changing from 10K International to Superior Silica Sand, which is also the owner of the Clinton processing plant.
Closer to Rice Lake, property transfers bordering Cameron’s south side near the railroad track indicate there may be a frac sand rail loading site there in the future.
On the political front, the spring elections brought anti-mining candidates in several Barron County townships, but the local elections turned out to be a mixed bag with neither faction showing a decisive win.
In the meantime, a study was released last week showing that mining usually results in boom and bust cycles while having a negative impact on the environment. That study was commissioned by the Wisconsin Towns Association, Wisconsin Farmers Union and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. It was written by Thomas Power, a professor emeritus in the Economics Department of the University of Montana. The study states that frac sand mining will likely have the same boom and bust cycle here as mining has had elsewhere. “Mining, processing, and transporting the sand promises economic benefits for some parts of the population while imposing business, environmental, and social costs on other parts of the population,” states the report.
At the state level, Gov. Scott Walker’s 2013-2015 budget proposes two Department of Natural Resources positions devoted to monitoring sand activity; the DNR had requested 10 positions.
A briefing paper written by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau as part of that discussion states that in August the DNR estimated there were 54 active mines or processing plants involved in sand statewide, but by April that number had risen to 105 industrial sand mines and 65 sand processing plants.
Embedded in the swirl of activity are ongoing questions about the costs and benefits of sand mining. While those answers are being sorted out, the industry continues to grow.

[The editorials that appear weekly in this space are the views of the newspaper as determined by The Chronotype's editorial board. All editorials are written by one or more members of the board, which consists of Warren Dorrance, Sam Finazzo, Gene Prigge and Eileen Nimm.]
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Vinehout-Sand Mining News Alert

hankboschen — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:13:40 +0000

May 20, 2013

Frac Sand Mining News Alert

Dear Friends,

To those following sand mines in western Wisconsin:

TONIGHT Monday May 20, 2013 at 7:00 pm in the Trempealeau County Board Room of the Trempealeau County Courthouse in Whitehall, at their regular meeting, the full county board will consider a resolution for a one-year moratorium for issuing frac sand mining permits. Trempealeau County is the epicenter for frac sand mining in the state. Of the over 100 permitted frac sand mines, 27 of them are located in Trempealeau County.

TOMORROW Tuesday May 21, 2013 at 10 am in the Joint Committee on Finance Hearing Room, 412 East, of the State Capitol in Madison, the state’s budget writing committee will take up frac sand mine monitoring. Senator Jennifer Shilling is expected to offer a budget motion to fully fund the monitoring of the estimated 54 active sand mines and processing plants. The Department of Natural Resources estimates they need at least ten additional FTE positions to conduct this monitoring. The Governor’s budget funds only two of these positions. Senator Shilling’s motion will likely fund all ten positions.
Additional background information can be found in this budget paper. http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/publications/budget/2013-15%20Budget/Documents/Budget%20Papers/478.pdf

Sincerely,
Kathleen

STHA Plans for Wisconsin State Fair

hankboschen — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:18:28 +0000

Save The Hills Alliance and Concerned Chippewa Citizens plan to rent an exhibit space again this year during the Northern Wisconsin State Fair in Chippewa Falls which runs from July 10th through July 14th.

At this time, we are seeking volunteers to assist in the booth space during those days. The exhibitor building is open from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday, and from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday.

We are also extending an invitation to other groups in the area to assist us or join us at the booth during those days with their own displays and information to help promote the impacts of the non-metallic mining industry in our local communities.

Please consider volunteering and/or financially contributing to our organization to help defray the exhibit costs. The booth fees start at $325.00, and we could not operate without the commitment of volunteers and critical financial support.

Our members and board of directors include members from Concerned Chippewa Citizens, Concerned Citizens of Bridge Creek, Citizens for Responsible Land Use, Citizens for Environmental Stewardship, and others within Dunn, Chippewa, Eau Claire, Barron, and Trempeleau Counties. A few of the events our members have participated in and/or held presentations at recently are the Wisconsin Progressive Grassroots Festival in Mazomanie in February; the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice Spring Meeting in March; the Price of Sand screening at the Heyde Center in April; the Frac Sand Film Festival in Whitehall in May; and the upcoming Standing Against the Sand Storm event in Black River Falls on June 1st.

Contributions help us continue to provide services, resources, and educational activities in local communities impacted by the environmental problems and concerns of the non-metallic mining industry. Please forward any financial contributions, payable to Save The Hills Alliance, to Ken Lestrud, Treasurer, N7225 690th Street, Menomonie, WI 54751.

If you would like to volunteer at the exhibit booth at the upcoming Northern Wisconsin State Fair, individually or as a group, please contact me or any board member for further information, and feel free to pass this along to others who may be interested.

Thank you.

Cheryl Miller, President
Save The Hills Alliance, Inc.
(877) 353-4976

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Brockovich on San Plant Pollution

hankboschen — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:44:37 +0000

California-based environmental activist Erin Brockovich told Wedron residents Sunday afternoon her staff’s forensic testing of private wells has pinpointed toxic groundwater pollution to the town’s only industry — Fairmount Minerals, formerly known as Wedron Silica.

“We can prove by our lab tests that the toxic chemicals found at alarming high levels under Wedron originated from the town’s sand mine operations,” Brockovich told more than 200 people in the Serena High School gymnasium. “We are confident of our facts, which now point directly at the sand company.”

Brockovich and her chief environmental scientist, Robert Bowcock, told the crowd, besides “sky-high levels of benzene,” certain other solvent pollutants found from their testing of private well water match chemicals used at the silica processing plant.

Brockovich said it was the testing that brought her and her colleagues to La Salle County following multiple requests from Wedron citizens.

“We now know from those results, the pollution is not from a rail car spill or a gas station tank or some corn silo guy — it is definitely from an industrial source,” she said.

Last Wednesday, Bowcock told The Times, his lab’s results showed benzene gas levels in the groundwater to be 520,000 times the maximum federal limit and liquid out of some residential taps probably could run a lawn mower engine.”

Daily Times (Illinois), March 6, 2013: Contacted by phone Wednesday, [environmental scientist Robert] Bowcock expressed shock and alarm from lab results recently processed from Wedron [Illinois] groundwater samples [...] “The federal government allows five parts per billion of benzene as its maximum level,” said Bowcock. “The samples I collected and had tested were at 2,600,000 per billion. That is 520,000 times the legal limit. That is the highest we’ve ever had from a residential well water supply. The lab even had to dilute the samples before proper testing could be performed.” Bowcock said, “You could probably run a lawn mower with this foul, toxic water coming out of certain taps in Wedron. The lab and I have never seen such high levels (of benzene and other toxic solvents). It’s real gas.”

Photo: Steve Stout

Daily Times (Illinois), March 10, 2013: California-based environmental activist Erin Brockovich told Wedron residents Sunday afternoon her staff’s forensic testing of private wells has pinpointed toxic groundwater pollution to the town’s only industry — Fairmount Minerals [...] “We now know from those results, the pollution is not from a rail car spill or a gas station tank or some corn silo guy — it is definitely from an industrial source,” she said. [...] “Individually, you don’t have much of a voice, but together, the residents of Wedron will have power to recoup relocation and recovery from any potential medical bills. Without question, looking at the alarmingly high pollution levels, you all are facing real serious problems” [said attorney Thomas Girardi...]

2 days later…

Daily Times (Illinois), March 12, 2013: The Serena Fire District recently received a $2,500 donation from Fairmount Minerals Technisand in Wedron. Serena Fire Chief Rodney Reese, left, accepts the check from Fairmount plant superintendent Jack Showden. Serena Fire District recently received a $2,500 donation from Northern Border Pipeline, whose pipeline runs through the district. Receiving the check from Northern Border Field technician Tom Fehr, middle, is Serena Deputy Fire Chief Steve Kellogg, left, with Serena Fire Chief Rodney Reese.

Watch: Brockovich speaks to community in Wedron, IL

http://enenews.com/scientist-tap-water-could-probably-run-a-lawn-mower-its-real-gas-ive-never-seen-such-high-levels-brockovich-speaks-to-community-video

The Price of Sand at the State Capitol

hankboschen — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:31:15 +0000

Things are hot and heavy at the Minnesota State Capitol! And there is still a good chance we can get some common sense frac sand mining legislation to pass this session.

To help raise awareness among legislators, several Senators and Representatives are hosting a screening of the award-winning documentary film, “The Price of Sand,” in the Great Hall at the State Capitol this Wednesday.

WHAT: “THE PRICE OF SAND”
DATE: WEDNESDAY, MAY 8
TIME: 4:00 PM
WHERE: THE GREAT HALL, Minnesota State Capitol Building
Free and Open to the Public

EVENT FLYER

The public is welcome and encouraged to attend!

Join us for this 57-minute look at the impacts of frac sand mining in WI, IA and MN. An even better idea, call your legislators and invite them to meet you there! Look up your legislators’ contact information here; they really do like to hear from their constituents, like you!

Thanks for your ongoing support — it really matters!

Hope to see you there,
Tracy

P.S. We had nearly 300 people attend the screening in Minneapolis last week!!

Frac Sand Sentinel Special

hankboschen — Mon, 06 May 2013 03:43:34 +0000

Here are a few important pieces of information from others.

A note from STEVE HORN-Note the references to Wisconsin

Hi All:

Below is a collaborative investigation between myself at DeSmogBlog and Trish Marczak of Mint Press News.

We spent a few days in New Albin, IA and surrounding towns along the Mississippi River checking out what’s going on there for frac sand mining (which more closely resembles a new-aged mountaintop removal) and learning about the broader political-economical issues there and it’s a tragedy in the making, to put it bluntly.

Any help pushing this article out there would be greatly appreciated. Many photos included and more to come on it over at Mint Press, where Trish did a lot of audio and took her own photos. Cross-posts welcome, but please link back to DeSmogBlog/Mint Press when it goes up there. Excerpt below.

Thanks,

Steve

http://desmogblog.com/2013/04/30/sand-land-fracking-industry-mining-iowa-s-iconic-sand-bluffs-new-mountaintop-removal

In case you haven’t seen this great piece by Ellen Cantarow, author who visited our area last spring!

Fracking Ourselves to Death in Pennsylvania

http://ecowatch.com/2013/fracking-ourselves-to-death-in-pennsylvania/

Water: a cutting edge story-
http://ecowatch.com/2013/hydraulic-fracturing-competition-for-water-supplies/

GREAT NEWS FROM NELLY IN NEW YORK! It should give us some HOPE!

“We should have dancing in the streets. This is the best news we could hope for. Now need to keep the right local officials on our Town Boards to keep our bans in place.

Feel free to distribute widely and as I get more reports I’d be pleased to forward them to you.

Yea NY!! Nelly”

BREAKING!! – NY Appellate Div Upholds Drilling Bans

IF YOU”RE THRILLED TO HEAR THIS NEWS PLEASE GIVE THANKS TO

Helen & David Slottje www.cedclaw.org/donate

EarthJustice www.earthjustice.org

ALBANY — A mid-level appeals court on Thursday said local governments in New York can ban hydraulic fracturing and shale-gas drilling within their borders, delivering a major blow to the natural-gas industry and landowners who had sought to have the bans overturned.

The state Appellate Division ruled unanimously in favor of the Tompkins County town of Dryden and the Otsego County town of Middlefield, both of which passed zoning laws that prohibit natural-gas drilling. The rulings upheld decisions last year from a lower court.

The so-called “home rule” issue has been a topic of contention among the gas industry and critics of fracking, a technique where water, sand and chemicals are injected deep underground to fracture shale and release natural gas.

Proponents of fracking contended New York law prohibits local bans because it defers all regulatory oversight of drilling to the state; Dryden and Middlefield argued the clause in state law doesn’t impede on their ability to use zoning laws as they see fit.

Since the appeals court ruled unanimously, Norse Energy and Middlefield farmer Jennifer Huntington — the plaintiffs in the two cases — would have to receive permission from the state Court of Appeals for the case to be appealed.

JCAMPBELL1@gannett.com

Trempealeau Film Festival on Saturday, May 4, 2013-Whitehall, WI
Standing Against the Sand Storm-Regional! All invited. Saturday, June 1-Black River Falls, WI-Lunda Center.

Thank you to all of you who keep us well informed of new developments!!!

Pat Popple
715-723-6398
Check out our website : www.ccc-wis.com New items are being added daily! Best reference around. Hank is working like crazy keeping up and he just had a birthday! Happy birthday, Hank! You can blog, send him a note with information to post, stories you have written, and comments or even a birthday card! Sign up for alerts for the newest posts!

Vinehout Touts New Mining Bills

hankboschen — Thu, 02 May 2013 04:04:09 +0000

May 1, 2013

Frac Sand Mining Update

Dear Friends,

I am writing again to provide an update on sand mining. Since I last wrote, there have been many developments at both the state and local level. People continue to contact me on this issue more than any other. Often they call to share their story of how frac sand mining is affecting their community. Other times it is to ask for help with a particular problem. After hearing from so many people, I wanted to share with you a package of bills I wrote to help with the problems people most often encounter.

Right to Know: Public Notice, Senate Bill 138
Frac sand mining is rapidly proliferating in western Wisconsin and the impacts are taking many residents by surprise. Property owners are often unaware of mines being sited near their property. Sometimes they learned of a new mine by talking with neighbors or reading news stories after the mine application had been approved.

Senate Bill 138 will ensure local people are adequately informed when a frac sand mine is proposed. This bill requires the governing body that considers frac sand mine applications to publish at least two separate newspaper notices (a class 2 notice) at least 30 days prior to taking action on an application. The bill also requires a written notice be sent, via first class mail, to property owners or occupants situated within one mile of the proposed mine.

This bill is in the best interests of all parties affected by frac sand mines. Adjacent property owners will have advanced notice so they can carefully consider the impact of a nearby mine on their livelihood and can meaningfully participate in the public process. Mine owners would protect themselves in the long run by having more opportunity to interact with the community and address concerns from neighbors. Local government would benefit by having a more transparent public process where the interests of all stakeholders is considered.

Right to Know What You’re Buying: Property Disclosure, Senate Bill 139
Sand mining interests have purchased an increasing number of contracts to mine sand on properties throughout western Wisconsin. Individuals seeking to buy a rural house or lot are often unaware of these contracts on neighboring property. Close proximity to a sand mine is a major factor in considering the purchase of a piece of property.

Under current law, owners selling residential property or vacant land must give prospective buyers a form- known as a real estate condition report (residential) and a vacant land disclosure report (vacant land) – on which the owner discloses information about the property. Senate Bill 139 requires an owner to disclose on the applicable report whether the owner has notice or knowledge of a contract, or an option to contract, that allows a person to mine frac sand on a neighboring property.

Right to Know of Future Plans: Prospector/Exploration Registration, Senate Bill 140
Companies conducting exploration for metallic mining are required to obtain a license, post a bond to cover potential damage and adequately fill exploratory drill holes. Non-metallic mines do not have similar requirements. Senate Bill 140 authorizes counties to issue licenses for frac sand exploration. Exploration consists of drilling holes for the purpose of searching for frac sand or establishing the nature and extent of a frac sand deposit.

Under the bill, a person who applies to a county for a frac sand exploration license must submit a bond to ensure that drill holes will be properly filled and proof that the person has liability insurance covering personal injury and property damage. The bill requires a licensee to notify the county before beginning drilling and before filling a drill hole. The bill also requires the Department of Natural Resources to provide technical assistance related to frac sand exploration to a county upon request.

The Right to Have a Voice in the Process: Public Meetings and Zoning, Senate Bill 141
Local government officials often feel they have little power to protect their communities when negotiating with a frac sand mining company. When considering frac sand mine applications, some zoning ordinances give local officials little power to negotiate with mining companies on topics such as hours of operation, blasting policy, damage to local roads, groundwater usage and air pollution.

In areas without more protective measures, such as a well-planned ordinance, Senate Bill 141 requires frac sand mining to be listed as a conditional use in areas zoned for agricultural use. Requiring a conditional use permit would give local officials an opportunity to negotiate conditions on the operation of a frac sand mine. Requiring a conditional use permit retains the benefits of local control and brings to public hearing the issues related to sand mine siting. This bill also makes frac sand mining a prohibited use in residentially zoned areas. Industrial sand mining is simply incompatible with residences. This proposal would not affect existing mines but would prohibit future mines from locating in areas zoned as residential.

Right To Protected Property: Setbacks and Buffer Space, Senate Bill 142
Industrial sand mines impact the surrounding area in a number of ways. Noise, dust, blasting and heavy truck traffic are just some of ways sand mines impact the area. Creating a meaningful buffer zone will help to mitigate the impacts of a sand mine on neighbors.

Senate Bill 142 prohibits a frac sand mine, a frac sand processing facility, or a frac sand loading facility from being located within 2,500 feet of a single−family or two−family residence or within 2,500 feet of a single−family or two−family residential zoning district.

To Become Law
These bills need a public hearing before the Senate Committee on Workforce Development, Forestry, Mining and Revenue to become law. Senator Thomas Tiffany is Chairman of this committee and he decides whether or not to schedule a public hearing. Let Senator Tiffany know how important these bills are to you and encourage him to schedule a public hearing by contacting him at (608) 266-2509 or sen.tiffany@legis.wisconsin.gov.

Annexation
Recently many people have contacted me with concerns about annexation. There are a number of proposed mines that are seeking to be annexed into a neighboring municipality solely to avoid county ordinances on frac sand mining. I am working with concerned parties, attorneys at Legislative Council, and local government groups to determine the best approach to protect local land owners. Annexation statutes and case law are very complex and require a finely crafted solution. I am practicing due diligence to solve this problem in a way that will meet scrutiny by the courts. If you have ideas or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or write.

Proposed Budget
The proposed FY 13-15 Budget converts two positions from “insufficient” federal funding to state funding “for the Bureau of Air Management to perform permitting, monitoring, and compliance related to rapidly expanding industrial sand mining and processing operations.” I will be working with my colleagues on the Joint Finance Committee to amend the budget so there is adequate monitoring not only of air quality standards, but also ground and surface water standards.

Your Right to be Involved
Interested in learning more? Would you like to serve on Senator Vinehout’s Sand Mine Advisory Task Force? Give me a call! 877-763-6636 (toll free) or email me at sen.vinehout@legis.wisconsin.gov.

Sincerely,

Kathleen

If you wish to unsubscribe from this newsletter, reply with “Unsubscribe” in the subject line

Sen.Vinehout@legis.wisconsin.gov

State Capitol Room 3 South – P.O. Box 7882, Madison, WI 53707-7882

Toll Free: (877) 763-6636 or (608) 267-2871

Sheriff Monitoring Rail Crossings Wed

hankboschen — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:43:00 +0000

Sheriff’s department monitoring rail crossings Wednesday

Print Email

1 hour ago • By THE HERALD

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The Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department will be monitoring railroad crossings Wednesday.

The enforcement effort is being coordinated with the Union Pacific and Canadian National Railroad.

The sheriff’s department will make sure vehicles stop at rail crossings.

The department said increased rail traffic in Chippewa County has led to an increase of vehicle-train crashes.

WIN up to $50 for Burma Shave msg

hankboschen — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:51:12 +0000

Subject:	Win $50, $40, or $30 in the Sand Storm Public Sign Competition and Campaign

Sand Storm Public Sign Competition and Campaign

The deadline for submissions is Monday, May 22, 2013

Win $30, $40 or $50 for clever “Burma Shave” messages before May 22. Offer to help with sign painting. Offer a prime roadside location, Location to make signs, or to help install the signs. Send donations to Heather Andersen.
6871 190th Ave. Bloomer, Wisconsin, 54724.
Sponsored by Wisconsin Grassroots Network.

www.ccc-wis.com

Ohio’s $500 Billion Oil Dream Fades

hankboschen — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:56:52 +0000

Ohio’s $500 Billion Oil Dream Fades as Drillers Misjudge: Energy

Published 9:30 am, Tuesday, April 16, 2013

April 16 (Bloomberg) — U.S. drillers that set up rigs amid the rolling farmland of eastern Ohio on projections underground shale held $500 billion of oil are packing up.

Four of the biggest stakeholders in untapped deposits known as the Utica Shale have put up all or part of their acreage for sale, as prices fall by a third in some cases. Chesapeake Energy Corp. of Oklahoma City, the biggest U.S. shale lease owner, last week offered up 94,200 acres (38,121 hectares).EnerVest Ltd. and Devon Energy Corp. are selling as early results show lower production than their predictions.

“The results were somewhat disappointing,” said Philip Weiss, an analyst with Argus Research in New York. Early data show “it’s not as good as we thought it was going to be.”

The flip-flop underscores the difficulties faced by even experienced drillers around the world in tapping the sedimentary rock. In California, Occidental Petroleum Corp. was stymied by the Monterey Shale’s fault-riddled terrain. In Poland, Exxon Mobil Corp. stopped drilling because shale output was minimal. China’s failures with shale gas drove producers Cnooc Ltd. and China Petrochemical Corp. to seek expertise in North America.

In Ohio’s Utica formation, which runs eastward as far as New York, drillers frequently found the rock too dense and underground pressures insufficient to produce oil.

The rush to buy acreage has reversed.

The Utica saw one deal valued at more than $50 million in the fourth quarter of 2012, compared with seven in North Dakota’s more productive Bakken Shale and six in Texas’ Eagle Ford Shale, according to the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Eagle Ford
By 2017, the Utica should produce a daily average of 200,000 barrels of oil, Wood Mackenzie Ltd. estimated. The Eagle Ford by then will be producing 1.15 million barrels a day, almost six times more.

“People started to realize that, you know what, maybe the oil window of the play is not all it’s cracked up to be,” said Jonathan Garrett, an analyst at Wood Mackenzie who has studied the Utica.

Utica acreage can fetch about $1,000 to $8,000 an acre, Garrett said. In the Eagle Ford, which produced about 374,000 barrels of oil a day in January, acreage can cost about $5,000 to more than $36,000 an acre, he said.

Gulfport Energy Corp. paid $10,000 apiece for 22,000 net acres in Utica in February, compared with $15,000 an acre Total SA spent on a joint venture with Chesapeake in January 2012.

The global exploration and production industry, which Cowen Group Inc. estimates will spend $645 billion this year, is learning how hard it is to transfer practices and expectations from one shale formation to another and replicate the success of the top fields, such as the Eagle Ford.
Shale Spotlight
The Utica grabbed the U.S. shale spotlight in 2011 when the Ohio Department of Natural Resources estimated it held 5.5 billion barrels of recoverable oil reserves — equivalent to more than twice Yemen’s proven resource and valued at about $488 billion at yesterday’s $88.71-a-barrel U.S. oil price.

Chesapeake had boasted Utica would outperform the Eagle Ford. EnerVest, the biggest gas producer in Ohio, had said the Utica would bring jobs and new industry to the state. EnerVest in the past year has tried to sell acreage there and no buyers have emerged.

EnerVest is selling out of the Utica because oil production doesn’t fit its low-cost business model, Mark Houser, chief executive officer of EV Energy Partners LP, said in an interview. EV Energy is a master-limited partnership controlled by Houston-based EnerVest.
Code Cracking
Going for natural gas is another story. Some areas of the Utica were found to be rich in gas liquids, though only a minority of companies are positioned to benefit. They include Gulfport of Oklahoma City and Denver-based PDC Energy Inc.