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Got Questions About Marcellus Shale Drilling?

The recently announced Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research was formed to work with state agencies, communities, landowners, industry and environmental groups to protect the Commonwealth's water resources and land resources. As Penn State President Graham Spanier noted, "Much more research and education is needed on the Marcellus."

As previously reported on this Web site, development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas deposits boost Pennsylvania's economy and the energy reserves of the state and nation. At the same time, there are potential environmental and social impacts that must be researched and considered, he added.

You can tap into that Web site already by control/clicking on: Penn State's Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research . The center is directed by Michael Arthur, professor of geosciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, and Tom Murphy, extension educator, Penn State Cooperative Extension.

Because water availability and protection are key issues, MCOR has hired a hydrogeologist to lead these related outreach and research efforts. This position will complement ongoing research into water supply and quality issues funded by state and federal agencies.

For the past five years, Penn State Extension staff has provided Marcellus-focused programming to landowners, local governments and state legislators, reaching more than 50,000 people in Pennsylvania and surrounding states. Cooperative Extension staff also has collaborated with environmental and business organizations as well as state agencies on issues from gas rights to water impacts.

"This center enables Penn State to further our outreach efforts to counter misinformation and provide reliable knowledge to the residents of Pennsylvania and surrounding states about the opportunities and challenges of natural gas development," Murphy says.

Penn State researchers are already investigating more efficient methods for "fracking" the formation to enhance natural gas recovery and minimize the number of wells to be drilled. Fracking is short for hydraulic fracturing, a process that fractures rock formations to extract the gas below. These projects are being funded by the Department of Energy and industry affiliate groups.

"Other key research examines impacts of increased truck traffic on Pennsylvania's extensive dirt and gravel road network, the effects of well siting and pipeline construction on forest ecology and the spread of invasive species," says Arthur.

Penn State researchers also are examining the economic and social consequences of rapid development of the communities with significant Marcellus Shale drilling.

Penn State has committed major resources to establish and staff the Marcellus Center with support from the colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Earth and Mineral Sciences, the Penn State Institutes for Energy and the Environment (PSIEE) and Penn State Outreach.