Gas drilling and the fracking of a marriage
By: Stephanie C. Hamel
Publisher: Coffeetown Press
Published: 2012
Place of publication: Seattle, WA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 227
ISBN-13: 9781603811149; 9781603811156
Subjects: Gas well drilling
Description: After receiving an offer to lease the farmland of her idyllic childhood summers for natural gas exploration, Stephanie Hamel saw her strong convictions rattled by dreams of royalties and signing bonuses. With a Ph. D in environmental health sciences, she could not ignore the possible ill effects of gas drilling and fracturing ("fracking") of the shale beneath the surface. Her decision was complicated further by Pennsylvania's Law of Capture, which would allow energy companies to collect gas from her property via the neighbor's well without paying her a dime. Stephanie's search for answers turned into an in-depth examination of her responsibility to the earth, her spouse, her neighbors and her children. As she consulted friends, colleagues, officials, and online sources and recalled stories from childhood vacations, she faced hard truths about the inconsistencies of her beliefs. She also tested the patience of her husband, who had no qualms about signing the lease.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (page 227).
Table of contents: title: Notes and disclaimers; title: Gas-lease dilemma; title: Developing a love of the land; title: To the farm; title: Opening the house; title: Quiet stillness and noisy motion; title: Stream of projects; title: What dream, next?; title: Derrick; title: The offer; title: Leaving; title: Wet, weary weekend; title: Origins of distrust; title: Gut feelings; title: Royalties; title: Connection; title: Money confounds the issue; title: Geological advice; title: Existential moment; title: Land value; title: Turtle trouble; title: Garbage in my backyard; title: Back to writing?; title: Take the money, Bunny; title: Man power; title: Working; title: Questionable valor; title: Gray area; title: Acute or chronic issue?; title: Luxuries money can buy; title: Arrowhead; title: Economic plunge, 2008; title: Peeking at peak oil; title: Luxury loving; title: Who's supporting this?; title: Practicalities and impracticalities; title: Rights and wrongs; title: Half-baked; title: Moral dilemma of all dilemmas; title: Special interests; title: Halloween nightmares; title: Calls; title: Closed for the winter; title: Odds and ends; title: Christmas film festival; title: Unequal vision; title: Dr. Hamel, I presume; title: Fragrant spring; title: Compromises; title: Tying up the leases; title: Two years later : concerns; title: Epilogue; title: References.