Fracking in SE Ohio?

[Peter from Sch'dy]

Last year we encountered Fracking machinery traffic in the Marietta area and I was hoping for some local knowledge about current activity.

Best,
Peter

[lorazepam]

Activity is down in regards to fracking. Cheap oil prices has put a dent in new drilling. Might see some activity at existing wells, but the drilling frenzy is not happening like two years ago.

[lucydad]

Cheese,

Could be exploration of the local shale/source rocks.  Ohio has a very rich petroleum system, and was a pretty big producing state at one time.  My second employer (Marathon Oil) was originally called The Ohio Oil Company, based in Findlay, Ohio. 

Overall the oil price crash below $50/bbl has severely reduced rig counts, however production is somewhat economically inelastic as companies struggle to keep cash flow up and not go out of business nor lose leases.  I believe this crash is deep and wide and will be similar to the great dive of 1986.  I expect to lose my job either late this year or early next.  Nothing is economic. 

No Guzzi content.

[Wayne Orwig]

IMHO ( I lived in the Cambridge area, north of Marietta, for 35 years )

There has been a LOT of job loss in that area over the decades. Strip mining and deep coal mining shutting down. Rust belt manufacturing and jobs moving south or off shore. So unemployment is high. The hope is that fracking would bring in jobs and money. It did, but..... There is always that but. It really isn't THAT many jobs. It isn't a long term job fix. A few of the locals are making big money, but most of the money leaves the area and goes to the big corporations and investors. In the end, the locals will likely suffer because of the road damage, surface and ground water changes, and still no jobs.

I was there in December and did some back road exploring. I was amazed at the amount of equipment blanketing the countryside, and the road damage and such it involved.

Glad, but disappointed in a way, that I got out of there when I did.

Great area for motorcycling IMHO.


 

[Peter from Sch'dy]

We've been going to this area for years as it's excellent riding and only 1 day from home. I have no animosity towards Fracking in general, but the road surface conditions are of interest. We especially like the Ohio river valley on both sides north of St. Marys. Thanks for the info and any specific roads to avoid due to condition is appreciated.

Best,
Peter

[Mark Dasher]

Last year we encountered Fracking machinery traffic in the Marietta area and I was hoping for some local knowledge about current activity.

Best,
Peter

I live in the local area (in Parkersburg, WV) and work in the oil/gas industry.  Yes, fracking and drilling has slowed way down with the drop in oil prices, but existing wells still need to be tended and as lucydad stated, the energy companies don't want to lose their leases and need to keep cash flow going.  There is still plenty of truck traffic particularly on OH Rt 7 and US50 in WV.

The company I work for purchases, transports and refines crude oil and natural gas liquid (NGL), also known as "drip gas".  Our work has slowed some but not entirely.

If you'd like some more info about our area, send me a PM and I'll be happy to help.  As Wayne said, this is an outstanding area for motorcycling - wonderful roads in any direction and little traffic!

Mark

[Mark Dasher]

We've been going to this area for years as it's excellent riding and only 1 day from home. I have no animosity towards Fracking in general, but the road surface conditions are of interest. We especially like the Ohio river valley on both sides north of St. Marys. Thanks for the info and any specific roads to avoid due to condition is appreciated.

Best,
Peter

Check out OH rt 676 from Marietta towards McConnellsville,  also the famous "triple nickel" OH rt 555. Take from Little Hocking, OH north towards Zanesville.  There are plenty more... 

[PeteS]

Last fall we rode US250 from Fairmont to Moundsville, WV. What use to be a fun sport bike road is now better traveled on dual sports with lots of suspension travel. Fortunately West Virginia still has plenty of fine roads to enjoy.

Pete

[Peter from Sch'dy]

Last fall we rode US250 from Fairmont to Moundsville, WV. What use to be a fun sport bike road is now better traveled on dual sports with lots of suspension travel. Fortunately West Virginia still has plenty of fine roads to enjoy.

Pete

Thanks for that. We traveled 250 from Moundsville east several years ago and found it to be quite busy with lots of trucks.

Best,
Peter

[lorazepam]

Yes, US 250 is pretty torn up from big trucks, and general wear and tear. Used to be a really fun road, but not so much now.

[Lannis]

A few of the locals are making big money, but most of the money leaves the area and goes to the big corporations and investors.

That's not true.   Most of these sort of company's operating expense goes to wages, salaries, and capital equipment expense.   Especially capital equipment.   The people making fences, pipe, asphalt paving materials and equipment, electric motors, etc are making a lot of money.   More wages and salaries.   And some of the companies are headquartered in Ohio, WVA and PA.   A lot of the folks there are secretaries and buyers and project planners - they're not all evil Corporate CEOs. 

Investors are jumping up and down in glee if they get a 12% return on their investment.   If the locals want that to go to them, they can invest a little bit in the company if they like ....

That being said, the "Boom-Bust" nature of the work, and the damage done to roads and the environment, probably hurts the area long term and overall ...

Lannis

[Lannis]

Last fall we rode US250 from Fairmont to Moundsville, WV. What use to be a fun sport bike road is now better traveled on dual sports with lots of suspension travel. Fortunately West Virginia still has plenty of fine roads to enjoy.

Pete

US250 from Waynesboro, VA to Moundsville OH is sort of my traditional "go to" road when I ride one of the BSAs up to Toronto, OH every year for the summer Ohio Valley BSA OC rally in August, coming up next week.

Anyone been on 250 from Fairmont to Moundsville this year?    If it's been surfaced, should be nice, but if it's still a mess, I'll do WV 92 and 7 up through Morgantown and Washington PA instead .... ?

Lannis

[lorazepam]

I was on it in April, and it was in rough shape. Glad I was not on a bike, it would have sucked.

[Peter from Sch'dy]

Anyone been on 250 from Fairmont to Moundsville this year?    If it's been surfaced, should be nice, but if it's still a mess, I'll do WV 92 and 7 up through Morgantown and Washington PA instead .... ?

Lannis
[/quote]

Been considering WV7 instead of 50. Good shape?

Best,
Peter

[Mark Dasher]

Anyone been on 250 from Fairmont to Moundsville this year?    If it's been surfaced, should be nice, but if it's still a mess, I'll do WV 92 and 7 up through Morgantown and Washington PA instead .... ?

Lannis


Been considering WV7 instead of 50. Good shape?

Best,
Peter

WV Rte 7 is pretty bad these days as is Rte 20.  WV has always struggled with keeping the roads smooth due to the nature of the terrain and the amount of water and frost damage - now the added heavy truck traffic is just making matters worse.  There are still a few good ones such as Rte 16 from Grantsville, through Harrisville up to Ellenboro.  There are some awesome switchbacks  on that road! Rte 16 crosses US50 there and continues on to St Marys on the Ohio River, but the short stretch between Ellenboro and St Marys is heavily travelled.  There is also US 33 in WV,  Rte 47, and Rte 5 - all pretty decent.  I tend to opt to ride in Ohio as the roads are wider and have better sight lines around the twisties - just a little smoother and safer in my opinion.

One thing to remember around here is that we have the highest deer population in the country!  They roam around like cattle any time of the day and they're not frightened of traffic or humans.  My insurance agent told me that the deer problem is the one big reason why our insurance rates are so high,

Right now I'm in the middle of performing some long deferred maintenance and repairs on my trusty old T.  When I get 'er back on the road, you'll have to get with me and I'll give a guided tour!

--Mark