WorldWide Drilling Resource

35 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® APRIL 2015 Pennsylvania’s Oil and Gas Fees Make a Real Impact Adapted from Information by the Pennsylvania Office of the Governor and the Office of Senator Gene yaw Pennsylvania has decided to use some of the impact fees collected from natural gas production to provide affordable housing. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) re- cently approved $9.3 million for 45 hous- ing programs and projects to improve the availability and affordability of housing in 29 counties. “By partnering with local groups, we are implementing local solutions to address housing challenges,” said former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett. “This is part of a comprehensive approach critical to addressing local housing needs.” The projects are supported by the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund, which is administered by PHFA and funded by Act 13’s impact fee on natural gas producers. In 2012, Pennsylvania became the first state in the country to impose an impact fee on natural gas producers through the signing of Act 13. To date, this fee has generated over $630 mil- lion in new revenue for the state. “We expect these projects to have a s i gn i f i can t , positive impact helping counties address housing and community needs resulting from the devel- opment of gas dr i l l ing in the Marcellus Shale region,” stated Brian A. Hudson Sr., PHFA executive director and CEO. State Senator Gene Yaw applauded the decision. His district will receive fund- ing for 11 projects. “PHARE is a crucial part of our overall effort to improve our economy and provide affordable hous- ing to state residents, especially in the Northern Tier and across the Senate District I am proud to represent.” The selected projects will provide funding for repairs and housing, as well as rent and utility assistance for seniors, those with disabilities, the homeless, and low-income individuals. Photo of Brian Hudson courtesy of phfa.org Reader’s Response WWDR welcomes comments... This is in reference to the January 2015 E-News Flash article on appren- tices. I have seen things from several sides during my career. My father was a drilling contractor out of business college (Syracuse class of 1923). He had never drilled anything, but immediately picked up oilfield class equipment, and jumped intomunicipal water wells with rotary equipment in 1941. I, on the other hand, learned from the back of the pickup making guns with fittings. At five, I snuck out to the site under a tarp in the back of the truck. I learned not to drink the Clorox bleach. I helped load most mornings and often went on field trips to see customers. We fixed pumps and stopped at places where we could fish, shoot, or quite often "prospect" new work going up. Nine times out of ten, if you say hello and offer a card, and simply answer a question or two polite- ly, the "prospect" will give you a call. This is the apprenticeship I learned from age 5 to 18, when I was drafted into the U.S. military. After my discharge (honorable), I came home to run the com- pany because Dad was now retired. I started learning by doing because I must have been asleep during the early years. Everything that was easy then, was now way costly, time-consuming, and expen- sive, starting in 1970. This was my sec- ond apprenticeship. I have to stay in the black. I have a family. After about ten years, I decided I could only learn by working with others in the industry and learning what they knew. Many times, I learned new ways to do things; like after some 30 years, I finally learned I knew very little about mud drilling, or rock drilling. As of ten years ago, I have only been direct push “geeohprobin” wells and exploration. Evergreen Geotech and Drilling, Inc. is our name, and as a new startup inaugu- rated in 2012, we specialize in new ways to complete difficult projects better, easier, more efficiently, with my only real concern being no one gets hurt. So slow down. Check everything - twice or more. Try not to break tools. Go home early and spend these golden years watching the sunset once in a while. This period has been a third appren- ticeship where I am learning firsthand how a business is run properly, because when I was 21 and all green, I knew little about the business. Now for my other view. I am called a “Master” licensed drilling professional. I worked for Dad for about five years without pay. I was a journeyman for 20 years, and have now been Master for 26 years, but I have to give it up. The subjects of master, journeyman, and apprentice derives their origins to the widely used network of fraternal organizations which effectively controlled the vast majority of political money dur- ing the Industrial Revolution. My recent research into a particular industry brought much new insight about history, places, and the people in those places, at that time, and I can picture myself being back there then. The origins of fraternal organizations have their beginning in a period where practices of certain types were socially acceptable and often demanded, but these practices are now known to have been biased, racist, and discriminatory. They are frowned upon today, and usually illegal. The titles "Master", "Journeyman", and "Apprentice" for this reason are no longer appropriate for our daily jargon. They are now politically incorrect for any public position, but may have their place perhaps, in groups wishing to use the nomenclature. Most fraternal organiza- tions got with the program long ago, but in the public workplace, these exclusive titles have a true dark side. I will have to lose my title, just like everyone else. What will the new one be called? It's coming soon. David Travis New Jersey 3"- 0)'! +#0* /'! /,,). '+ ./,!( '4#. 6 /, 6 +(. ,1* + 13 -"#+ ))#3 5 2 - 0!&*$% !,* 5 - 0!&*$% $-,+/'#-+#/ !,* ,"#) '4#. /#+/ + " #+"'+%