Canonsburg Rope-a-Dope

     
I received one of their "everything is great" e-mails yesterday, and as anticipated, the Marcellus Shale Coalition continued to avoid addressing the recent Chesapeake gas well blowout in Bradford County, PA. 

It doesn't surprise me at all. Been there, done that...and I've been mentored by the best.

Knowing their game plan from the inside out, I believe that in the weeks and months ahead, the "rope-a-dope" strategy will prove to be the MSC's Achilles' heel. 
 
Stay tuned.
 

   

Philadelphia Law Firm joins Marcellus Shale Coalition

     

According to their website, the law firm of Blank Rome LLP has joined the Marcellus Shale Coalition as an Associate Member, although their name is not yet listed on the MSC's roster. I also noticed several other law firms listed as Associate Members.

Hats off to B-R's Marketing Team. They obviously worked very hard putting together that very impressive presentation. Between the team Tom Corbett is assembling in Harrisburg and the growing membership of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, how does a private citizen stand a chance against this jurist juggernaut?

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead

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BIG OIL Circles the Wagons

As with many things, there's safety in numbers.

In late 2009, we heard about the renamed Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC) and their new Executive Director, Kathryn Z. Klaber. A few days ago, another group - PIOGA ( the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association ) was formed by the merger of the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Association (POGAM) and the Independent Oil and Gas Association of Pennsylvania (IOGA). Read more about it here.

By the way...is it Pie-o-guh, Pee-o-guh, or just plain Pig-guh? Hey...I just want to get it right.

Anyway, PA Governor Ed Rendell and the MSC have been trading barbs in the last day or so over a meeting called by the Guv that - according to him - only one BIG OIL Executive agreed to attend. The MSC issued a statement of clarification in response. 

 The MSC's statement ends with the following quote:

"All of this positive economic activity for Pennsylvanians is taking place at a time when producers will not recover these significant investments for several more years. This is just the beginning and we must work together to maximize the opportunity for the betterment of all Pennsylvanians."

Juvenile activities aside, I have a question for Kathryn Z. Klaber: I live in southeastern PA - well outside the MSZ. How - exactly and in detail - will my family benefit from the opportunity presented by the extraction of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation?  

Any response will be published unedited and in its entirety.

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