WorldWide Drilling Resource®

37 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® AUGUST 2020 In Memoriam Linda McFadden (March 15, 1934 ~ June 9, 2020) Behind every good man is a great woman, and Linda certainly was that. She was the sunshine behind the love of her life, Rex McFadden. Who would have ever thought a blind date would have such a great his- tory for them both resulting in 60 years of marriage together. Linda was a hospitalian to the nth degree, making everyone who entered her home, feel like family. She and her daughter Dawn worked at Diana’s Dollhouse, where they were head of shoe purchasing, which fit right in with her love of shoes. After working there, she continued later in life to accompany Rex at their equipment company, Rex McFadden Company in Lubbock, Texas. Everyone who knew Linda dearly appreciated her love of family. She is survived by daughter Dawn Nivens, sister Bobbye Richardson (Jerry); many nieces and nephews; four grandchildren, Lacee Nivens, Candice McFadden, Nicole Johnson (Daniel), Eric McFadden (Kim), along with six great grandchildren and not to be forgotten, her fur baby Pepper. The legacy of Rex McFadden Company continues through the endearing efforts of Dawn and Lacee. The management and staff of WWDR extend their condolences to Linda’s family, friends, and former colleagues. Lest we forget... Pennsylvania Counties Benefit from Impact Tax Adapted from Information by the Marcellus Shale Coalition In Pennsylvania, horizontal directional drilling (HDD) in the Marcellus Shale Formation has un- locked large quantities of natural gas, while disturbing a significantly smaller area on the surface. Operators use vertical and horizontal unconventional shale wells to produce marketable quantities of natural gas. The drilling process focuses first on reaching and protecting water-bearing zones beneath the ground. The entire length of the well, from the surface to the groundwater strata, is cased and ce- mented tightly with a series of steel pipes and concrete to form a barrier between the wellbore and the earth. As drilling continues to push deeper, a series of long drilling pipes follow it to establish the well. After drilling vertically to a depth slightly above the targeted unconventional shale forma- tion, the drill bit turns to push its way horizontally into the shale formation, sometimes as much as 10,000 to 15,000 feet! Using a single wellhead, operators are able to access larger quantities of natural gas through different horizontal bores. Eight years ago, the state enacted a unique tax on natural gas extraction. The state’s local governments, communities, and environmental conservation programs are the clear winners. The additional tax on unconventional natural gas production is used for county and municipality projects ranging from community and economic development programs, to environmental conservation efforts. Nearly $2 billion has been generated in new revenue, with each of the state’s 67 counties receiving annual revenues, with the tax generating on average $200 million each year, a number which is expected to increase over coming years. With the impact tax on the books for eight years, here’s a look at local projects made possible by the state’s tax on natural gas development: . Multiple bridge replacement projects in Luzerne County, in Butler and Sugarloaf townships. . Hydetown also received funds to repair two bridges in Oil Creek Township. . Adams County used $50,000 to provide two $25,000 grants for parks and recreation projects. . The Washington County Courthouse dome renovation including resurfacing and sealing the dome, which those visiting the interior of the courthouse see as ornate stained glass, used funds from the state’s additional natural gas tax. . $2.9 million was spent on flood mitigation, abandoned mine treatment, park development, and watershed protection in Westmoreland and Allegheny Counties. . Although Chester and Montgomery counties do not have natural gas drilling projects, both counties received funding through the Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund. . Elk County has used its funding as a source of revenue used discretionally to benefit taxpayers, including projects rang- ing from equipping St. Mary’s Police with body armor, to expanding local drug and alcohol treatment services. Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation which imposes an impact fee on unconventional natural gas operators. This fee is in addition to Pennsylvania’s business taxes and royalties. DIR