View presentations from the 2021 Shale Network Workshop
Registration for the ninth annual Shale Network Workshop is now open. The theme of the 2021 workshop is “Shale Gas: Future and Developing Issues” and includes presentations on the health effects related to shale gas development by Donna Vorhees, director of energy research at the Health Effects Institute, and Joan Casey, assistant professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University. The workshop will be held virtually on May 13-14.
The workshop provides an opportunity for citizen scientists, researchers, government officials, energy company representatives, and environmental professionals to compare lessons learned about water and environmental issues within areas where shale energy development is occurring.
The 2021 workshop features two virtual field trips - one to a shale gas development site and the other to a solar farm. Workshop participants may attend both field trips; advanced registration is required.
This year's virtual talks will not be recorded, but if speakers wish to share their slides, Shale Network will make the presentations available after the workshop.
Shale Network is a collaborative effort between Penn State, Syracuse University, and the University of Pittsburgh to collect and analyze data on water quality in the Marcellus Shale drilling region. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection participates in organizing parts of the workshop.
Zoom Instructions for Participants
Zoom Instructions for Panelists and Speakers
2021 Shale Network Workshop Agenda
2021 Shale Network Workshop Agenda PDF
Workshop Organized and/or Sponsored By: National Science Foundation, Penn State (Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research, Institutes for Energy and the Environment), University of Pittsburgh, Syracuse University, Evergreen Conservancy, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP), Pennsylvania Department of Health
View the 2021 Shale Network Workshop Abstracts
Join the 2021 Shale Network Workshop
| Thursday, May 13, 2021 | ||
| 12:00 p.m. | Introduction to the Workshop: Using Data to Promote Better Dialogue about Future and Developing Issues around Shale Gas Development
Susan L. Brantley and Jennifer Baka (Penn State) |
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| 12:20 p.m. | Panel Discussion: Energy Transitions and Their Environmental Impacts
Moderators: Jennifer Baka, David Yoxtheimer (Penn State) Warren Wilczewski (U.S. Energy Information Administration [EIA]), Kris Perritt (Repsol), Jason Grottini (Envinity), Matt Mehalik (Breathe Project), Allen Landis (Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative [RGGI]) |
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| 1:40 p.m. | Break | |
| Moderators: Jenn Baka, Cindy Rogers (Evergreen Conservancy) | ||
| 1:55 p.m. | Unconventional natural gas development in the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale: The Current Public Health Perspective Joan Casey (Columbia University) |
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| 2:15 p.m. | Challenges in Health-Based Research Near Oil & Gas Development Jim Fabisiak (University of Pittsburgh) |
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| 2:35 p.m. | Health-Based Evaluation of Ambient Air Measurements Near a Marcellus Shale Unconventional Natural Gas Well Pad Site and a School Campus Christopher Long (Gradient Corporation) |
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| 2:55 p.m. | Enhancing the Utility of Epidemiology in Assessing Potential Health Risks from Shale Gas Development Uni Blake (American Petroleum Institute [API]) |
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| 3:15 p.m. | Conducting Research to Inform Environmental Heath Policies Around Potential Health Risk from Unconventional Oil and Gas Development Anna Rosofsky (Health Effects Institute) |
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| 3:35 p.m. | Break | |
| 3:45 p.m. | Panel Discussion: Sorting Out Real and Unreal Health Effects Related to Unconventional Resource Development: How Do Different People Look at the Same Data and Come to Different Conclusions (and What Does It All Mean)?
Moderator: Seth Shonkoff (PSE Healthy Energy) Brian Schwartz (Johns Hopkins School of Public Health), Donna Vorhees (Health Effects Institute), Uni Blake (API), Evelyn Talbot (University of Pittsburgh), Heaven Sensky (Center for Coalfield Justice) |
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| 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. | Shale Gas Development Virtual Field Trip – Preregistration is Required Facilitators: Dave Yoxtheimer, Tom Murphy (Penn State University), Amanda Veazey (Seneca Resources Company, LLC) |
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| Friday, May 14, 2021 | ||
| 8:00 a.m. | Solar Farm Virtual Field Trip – Preregistration is Required Facilitators: Dave Yoxtheimer, Tom Murphy (Penn State) |
Pre-recorded Talk Q and A Session Moderators: Jenn Baka, Owen Harrington (Penn State) |
| Moderators: Susan Brantley, Seth Pelepko (PA Dept of Environmental Protection) | ||
| 9:00 a.m. | Pipeline Development from the Regulatory Perspective Domenic Rocco, Andrew Foley (Regional Permit Coordination Office, PA DEP) |
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| 9:20 a.m. | Community Perspectives and Responses to Pipeline Development and Public Health Risks Kirk Jalbert (Arizona State University) |
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| 9:40 a.m. | Summarizing USGS Studies of the Effects of Unconventional Oil and Gas Activities on Groundwater Quality in 5 U.S. Shale Basins Bruce Lindsey (U.S. Geological Survey) |
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| 10:00 a.m. | Managing Produced Water in a New Decade Loren Anderson (Marcellus Shale Coalition), Jon Dufalla (Range Resources-Appalachia, LLC) |
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| 10:20 a.m. | An EPA Regulatory Update: Oil and Gas Clean Air Act Section 111 & Produced Water Policies Taimur Shaikh (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) |
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| 10:40 a.m. | Discussion: Pipelines to Water Susan Brantley, Seth Pelepko |
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| Moderators: Radisav Vidic (University of Pittsburgh), Jenn Baka | ||
| 11:00 a.m. | Overview of Air Quality Monitoring Program for Shell’s Petrochemical Facility in Monaca, PA Jim Sewell, Kimberly Kaal (Shell Chemical Company) |
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| 11:20 a.m. | Community Challenges and Choices Amidst Petrochemical Development Matt Mehalik (Breathe Project) |
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| 11:40 a.m. | Discussion: Petrochemical Development in SW Pennsylvania Radisav Vidic, Jenn Baka |
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| 12:00 p.m. | Break (survey link will be provided for feedback) | |
| Moderators: Tao Wen, Dave Yoxtheimer | ||
| 12:30 p.m. | Remediation of Orphaned Wells – Challenges and Opportunities Gani Sagingaliyev (Affirmed Resources) |
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| 12:50 p.m. | Environmental Hazards and Local Investment: A Half-Century of Evidence from Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells Max Harleman (University of Pittsburgh) |
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| 1:10 p.m. | Federal Orphan Well Plugging Stimulus Legislation: Opportunities for Pennsylvania Adam Peltz (Environmental Defense Fund) |
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| 1:30 p.m. | Discussion: Abandoned Wells led by Wen and Yoxtheimer Tao Wen, Dave Yoxtheimer |
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| 1:45 p.m. | Wrap Up Plenary Discussion: What Do We Need to Do Next? Radisav Vidic, Jennifer Baka, Cindy Rogers |
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| 2:00 p.m. | Adjourn | |
Register here
Continuing professional education
Attendees can receive:
- Professional Development Hours for professional engineers, land surveyors, and geologists.
Get involved
- Become a Shale Network member