# Natural Gas Spends Big Dollars to Convince People of the Benefits of Fracking

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/09/natural-gas-spends-big-dollars-to-convince-people-of-the-benefits-of-fracking/
- Published: 2011-09-23T16:32:58-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

_**By NaturalGasWatch.org**_

The **natural gas** industry is laying out big money to convince people that hydraulic
fracturing and shale gas are beneficial products, including $3.5 million in lobbying
payouts in Pennsylvania and a national, public relations campaign.

A July 3, 2011, story in the Scranton _Times-Tribune_ detailed approximately $3.5
million in spending by a variety of shale gas interests, including the [Marcellus Shale Coalition](https://marcelluscoalition.org/),
the [Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association](https://pioga.org/), and 
20 other entities. The money paid for a vigorous lobbying campaign targeting members
of the [Pennsylvania state Legislature](https://www.legis.state.pa.us/) and other
state officials on behalf of the natural gas industry.

Some of the expenditures, from the _Times Tribune_ story:

 * Marcellus Shale Coalition: $1.1 million
 * Range Resources Appalachia: $392,000
 * Chesapeake Energy: $382,000
 * Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association: $247,000
 * East Resources Management: $225,000
 * Chief Oil and Gas: $186,000
 * Alpha Natural Resources: $160,000
 * Dominion Transmission: $146,000
 * Exco Resources: $130,000
 * BG North America: $124,000
 * EQT Corp.: $105,000
 * Talisman Energy: $85,000
 * Equitable Gas Co.: $78,000
 * Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania: $75,000
 * Consol Energy: $75,000
 * CNX Gas Corp.: $59,000
 * [Exxon Mobil](https://greenlivingguy.com/2021/12/thermalito-union-elementary-school-district-buys-six-all-electric-school-buses-from-greenpower-motor/):
   $55,000
 * Cabot Oil and Gas: $50,000
 * Pennsylvania General Energy: $48,000
 * XTO Energy: $41,000
 * National Fuel Gas: $36,000
 * NiSource: $36,000

At the same time, ExxonMobil has launched a new [website](https://corporate.exxonmobil.com)
touting the benefits of natural gas and **hydraulic fracturing**, or **fracking**,
as it has come to be known in the parlance of our times.

From The Hill:

The site is a mix of text, animation and slide presentations touting U.S. development
and defending the safety of hydraulic fracturing, which is commonly called “fracking.”

It involves high-pressure injections of water, chemicals and sand into shale rock
formations, which opens cracks that enable gas to flow. Developing these so-called
unconventional reserves is prompting a gas boom in a number of states.

“Water supplies are protected by proper well design and rigorous processes to ensure
safe and environmentally sound operations,” states the website.

Exxon has bet big on natural gas. Last year it completed a $41 billion acquisition
of XTO Energy Inc., a company that specializes in producing natural gas from shale
formations.

The new website arrives at a time when environmentalists and some Democrats are 
pushing for new federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing.

![author avatar](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df91669667126e1290c21ee0342c386e2da19d588d4d9ca6560bd82ed59a9641?
s=300&d=monsterid&r=g)

 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green
Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

 [See Full Bio](https://greenlivingguy.com/author/greenlivingguy/) [  ](https://greenlivingguy.com/author/greenlivingguy/)