Through this blog you join me on a trip across the Marcellus and Utica shale regions organized by the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources to explore the promise and peril of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. IJNR advances public understanding of and engagement in environmental issues and responsible economic development through better journalism. Learn more about IJNR at ijnr.org and its Shale Country Institute at http://blog.ijnr.org/2014/06/10/2014-shale-country-institute-preview/
Thursday, June 26, 2014
A look at the stuff that gets it done - part 2
Here's the piece that does the cutting - the drill bit. Outfitted with industrial cutting diamonds, a piece like this, about the size of a cantaloupe, can sell for as much as $35,000. Rather than buying these pieces, Seneca Resources leases them for use at sites like this well near Smethport, Pa.