After 30 years, hydraulic canal getting a makeover

Just stand outside Jim and Barbara Gilbert’s home, at 518 Willow Ave., in Herkimer, for five minutes and the Hydraulic Canal’s impact becomes clear.
In between swats at insects swarming around her head, Barbara describes what it’s like to live next to the canal, which has been a blight in the village for decades.
“The kids can’t even be out in the yard,” she said, referring to visits by family. “They came out here the other night, but they couldn’t stay out. The mosquitos are wicked.”
Numerous residents living along the canal have for years informed village officials of similar difficulties, dealing with bugs, rodents and occasional dumping that contribute to the canal’s presence as a health hazard and eyesore.
But after over 30 years of serving no industrial or water supply purpose, as well as numerous mayors and village boards failing in their pursuit of government funds, sections of the stagnant waterway are finally scheduled to be filled.
The village’s application for state Community Development Block Grant funds was approved in the 2009 competitive round. Part of nearly $35 million in grants announced by Governor David Paterson last week, Herkimer will receive $599,000 to fill in village-owned portions of the canal.
With grant applications rejected in 2007 and 2008, village Trustee Katie Nichols attributed 2009’s success to a build up of data that outlined the blight.
“There are letters we found in the old files that went back to previous mayors and boards,” Nichols said, commenting on the process beginning before her becoming a trustee 12 years ago.
A communication from the county Highway Department in 1998 to village Department of Public Works officials detailed what could be done to address the problem back then, she added.
The approved proposal calls for installing culvert piping, filling in the canal with dirt and landscaping a green bed. Previous cost estimates put the village contribution at upwards of $100,000 to fully fund the project.
Details on actual cost and scope are yet to be determined.
The work will likely begin in 2010, according to Nichols. And the state typically allows two years for completion of a project, she added.
“It’s been a long time already,” Barbara said, “but it’ll be great when something’s finally done.”
What sections get done?
The original project proposal only called for German to Suiter streets and Folts to Green streets.
The section of Willow Avenue, which includes the Gilberts’ property and several other parcels, wasn’t added to the project until earlier this year, however.
For 35 years the Gilberts have lived on the canal’s bank, and Jim says he has struggled to get action for pretty much the duration.
Jim said he even ran a failed campaign for a village trustee seat in the 1980s in an attempt to address the problem.
So upon learning of the most recent proposal, which excluded his street, Jim approached the Telegram with his argument.
He believed the section of canal that extended past German Street along Willow Avenue was village owned.
County tax officials in interviews confirmed past documentation that showed village ownership. And following a survey that clearly defined the relationship between the property’s deed and tax maps, the village decided to add the roughly 300 feet.
After hearing the canal project gained funding, and it included his street, Jim looked at his home and yard and then glared at the canal, a mere five feet past his driveway. “This all will be so much better when they get this filled in,” he said.
Nichols said funding for the additional section was made possible in part as a result of removing a Steuben Road Bridge repair — whose completion had been sped up by state mandate.
Village officials also said portions of canal that pass through the south side of East State Street aren’t eligible for government funds, as most are privately owned.
Some sections of canal do belong to the county, which already installed a parking lot over the canal off of North Washington Street. The county office’s parking lot project — previously reported at a cost of $200,000 — was similar to the village proposal, including a culvert to allow water to flow through and filling the land.
http://www.herkimertelegram.com/news/x1566722619/After-30-years-hydraulic-canan-getting-a-makeover

Heavy duty hydraulic seal with increased flexibility

More flexible than the existing Oz Super Red Polymer, Oz Seal says the Oz Ultra Performance Polymer is designed for use in heavy duty hydraulic applications requiring high levels of precision positioning.The material is made using Oz Seals’ proprietary Poly4-component processing plant. Oz Seals says the new seal is ideal for applications that require high levels of precision, such as simulators, earthmoving, food manufacture processing, building and motor vehicle equipment. The material offers outstanding durability when compared with rubber, plastics and even metals.

Oz Seals says the Oz Ultra Performance Polymer can lower maintenance costs and increase productivity by reducing the frequency of seal changes. The material works in temperatures from -20 to 120°C, remains flexible at low temperatures and has a shelf life of around 30 years. The material also exhibits high pressure resistance of up to 500 bar. Hardness is 95+ to -2 Shore A. Other properties include high extrusion resistance, high chemical and abrasion resistance and excellent hot water resistance. The non-absorbent material will also resist ozone, hydrolysis and ultraviolet exposure.
http://www.hydraulicspneumatics.com.au/article/heavy-duty-hydraulic-seal-with-increased-flexibility/496846.aspx

Shoigu confirms hydraulic impact causes HPP accident

SAYANO-SHUSHENSKAYA HPP, August 18 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu has again confirmed that a hydraulic impact caused the Monday morning accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower plant. “The main version of the emergency is a hydraulic impact, but it is necessary to find out what caused the hydraulic impact,” he said.

RF Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko agreed with him. “It is so far early to speak about the causes,” he said.

Shoigu also said that no emergency situations took place at the aluminium smelters in Khakassia, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, in the Kemerovo and Novosibirsk regions. “Owing to the modern equipment installed at them serious breakdowns were prevented,” Shoigu stated.

The RF emergencies minister heads efforts aimed at the elimination of the aftermath of the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower plant’s accident. He personally controls the progress of all operations in site. A large group of the ministry’s specialists is also working at the emergency site together with experts from the Energy Ministry, RF Federal Service of Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor) and other services.

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14243815&PageNum=0

Bobcat launch new precision hydraulic excavators

Bobcat has launched a completely new generation of 3 tonne mini-excavators, the 3.2 tonne E32 conventional tail swing and the 3.5 tonne E35 zero tail swing models.

Both excavators feature smooth and precise workgroup control, exceptional hydraulic performance, enhanced convenience and comfort for the operator, as well as increased reliability.

Designed to achieve the highest performance with exceptionally smooth movements, the E32 and E35 mini-excavators combine maximum productivity with the ability to carry out jobs with precision and fingertip control.

The load sense piston pump and the closed centre valve enable exceptionally fine metering of hydraulic flow for smooth, precise control of machine functions, while reducing hydraulic noise.

The boom and dipper arm cylinders are cushioned to provide a smooth, end-of stroke operation.

Operator comfort has always been an important feature of Bobcat mini-excavators.

In the E32 and E35, the operator area offers the latest comfort, visibility and space standards.

The canopy and cab are designed so the operator has plenty of space for their feet and legs as well as a very comfortable work environment.

The cab version is equipped standard with heating and ventilation.

Air conditioning is available as an option.

Bobcat excavators are known for their reliability, an important factor contributing to the low overall lifetime operating cost of a Bobcat excavator.

CAD techniques, endurance testing of components and assemblies under extreme conditions, and highly durable materials are used to ensure reliability.

These processes underpin the design of the E32 and E35, which have the same upper-structure, cab/canopy and workgroup.

http://www.buildingtalk.com/news/bow/bow170.html

Ritter wants study instead of regulation of hydraulic fracturing

Gov. Bill Ritter is calling for a study of hydraulic fracturing in lieu of immediate federal legislation that he says could result in a potentially intrusive regulatory program for the oil and gas industry.

However, despite comments suggesting otherwise by Ritter, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, says she is not backing off trying to get the legislation passed.

The legislation would subject hydraulic fracturing to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and require disclosure of chemicals used in the practice.

Fracturing involves sending pressurized fluids down wells to crack open rock formations and increase natural gas flow. It is essential to gas development in places such as western Colorado.

Advocates of the legislation say fracturing could be harming drinking water. The industry says the practice is well regulated by states, and that there have been no documented cases of it contaminating drinking water.

In comments delivered at a Colorado Oil & Gas Association convention in Denver on Thursday, Ritter indicated he thought that bill was premature and possibly unwarranted.

“I don’t for a moment discount the concerns of those who worry about protection of drinking water supplies. But I also believe that we have to understand the problems and the risks before we act,” he said.

Colorado’s new oil and gas rules, which were sought by Ritter, include a requirement for companies to maintain an inventory of fracturing substances and make it available upon request by the state. He said he talked to DeGette about Colorado’s effort “and what her amendment was likely to do in terms of trying to have a one-size-fits-all approach.”

“We believe we addressed it,” Ritter said. “The states should address this issue one state at a time and she agreed at that time to go instead to something that would be more in the way of a study instead of an amendment that would prescribe a certain way of every state having to put in place these rules. I thank the congresswoman for having done that.”

But DeGette spokesman Kristofer Eisenla said that although she agreed with Ritter that more data is needed about hydraulic fracturing, she’s moving forward with her bill.

“I do know they had a very good conversation. She understands his concerns, but this is how she’s proceeding,” he said.

Asked to clarify things, Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said in a statement: “This legislation won’t be heard for months and months, so undertaking a study now is the right thing to do because a study will likely be done before the legislation would even come up for hearing. (DeGette) just wants to keep all options available, and that’s in keeping with what she and the governor talked about and agreed upon.”

Ritter drew heavy industry criticism for seeking new oil and gas rules designed to produce more balance between energy development and protection of the public, wildlife and the environment. Although drilling activity has fallen sharply nationally because of dropping natural gas prices, energy companies say the new rules helped exacerbate the problem in Colorado.

However, Ritter has undertaken numerous recent efforts to help boost the industry, and he outlined them in his speech Thursday. They include helping promote expansion of pipeline capacity to out-of-state markets, seeking funding for use of compressed natural gas in vehicles, encouraging use of natural gas by utilities and opposing a proposal to repeal an industry federal tax deduction.

Ritter said natural gas isn’t just a transition fuel to what he calls his New Energy Economy, but a permanent part of it. He said the fuel is important to addressing climate change, reducing energy dependence and increasing national security.

He told industry representatives Thursday, “Natural gas is a vital part of our strategy to build a strong economic future for Colorado, and I want to work as a close-knit team to get us there.”

Nate Strauch of the Colorado Oil & Gas Association said that despite the industry’s differences with Ritter over the new rules, it’s looking forward now.

“Certainly we were very pleased to hear what the governor had to say about Colorado’s clean-burning natural gas,” he said.

As for the fracturing legislation, “We’d certainly hope that Congresswoman DeGette heeds the governor’s advice. … Certainly we believe it’s an unnecessary bill and feel very happy to hear that the governor feels the same.”

http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2009/07/09/071009_1a_Ritter_fracing.html

New Rubber and Hydraulic Seals Marketplace Launched by Worldwide Industrial

Worldwide Industrial, a division of the Industrial Leaders Group announced today the debut of its new and improved mechanical and hydraulic seals online marketplace at http://industrialsaver.com/classifieds/index.php/cat/160 The company said the site was created to connect domestic and overseas engineers, MRO professionals and other industrial buyers with international manufacturers of metal, plastic and rubber seals.

According to Frank Wallace, spokesman for Worldwide Industrial, the company also publishes a specialized directory of mechanical seals and allied products for industrial applications at http://www.foreigntradeexchange.com/suppliers/seals_gaskets.html Wallace said the publication focuses primarily on markets throughout Europe with emphasis on Germany, France, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Russia, Poland and several other European markets.

"Mechanical engineers, plant maintenance personnel and other professionals sourcing for sealing solutions for their machines, equipment and industrial process systems use the marketplace to locate suitable suppliers able to meet their needs," said Wallace. He added, "The site enables companies to post offers to buy and sell all kinds of seals, gaskets and related products for industrial and commercial applications."

Worldwide Industrial also recently launched a rubber seals directory in partnership with IndustrialCOOP, a co-op search engine filtered for engineers and technical buyers at
http://www.dir.industrialcoop.com/index.php?c=776 Suitable international manufacturers and distributors of sealing products are able to include their website in the directory along with detailed information about their products and corporate capabilities.

About Worldwide Industrial Marketplace

Worldwide Industrial Marketplace is a US-Asia and Middle East Industrial Directory and Marketplace dedicated in developing trading partnerships among manufacturers, exporters and importers of industrial products throughout the United States, Asia and the Middle East at http://www.worldwideindustrialmarketplace.com.

This press release was issued through IndustrialPR. For more manufacturing and engineering news go to http://www.industrialpr.net.
http://www.pr.com/press-release/159509

States already regulate hydraulic fracturing well, officials testify

States already regulate hydraulic fracturing aggressively and effectively, and a federal law would be redundant, two officials told a US House subcommittee on June 4.

"As the head regulator of oil and natural gas development in North Dakota and an office of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, I can assure you that we have no higher priority than the protection of our states' water resources," said Lynn D. Helms, director of North Dakota's Department of Mineral Resources.

"Within our respective states, we are responsible for implementing the state regulations governing the exploration and development of oil and gas resources. First and foremost, we are resource protection professionals committed to stewardship of water resources in the exercise of our authority," said Scott Kell, president of the Ground Water Protection Council and deputy chief of the Minerals Resources Division in Ohio's Department of Natural Resources.

But a former director of New York City's Water and Sewer System told the House Natural Resources Committee's Energy and Minerals Resources Subcommittee that current state regulations are inadequate.

"All the improvements they've talked about are welcome. What we're dealing with is good housekeeping. All that has to happen is to have 2% of the wells that are planned go south and we'll have thousands of incidents," said Albert F. Appleton, who is now an infrastructure and environmental consultant.

'Take the initiative'

"The industry could help by developing biodegradable fracking fluids. I don't understand, for the life of me, why it hasn't taken the initiative," he added.

They testified, with Douglas Duncan, associate coordinator of the US Geological Survey's Energy Resources Program, and Mike John, eastern division vice president of corporate development and corporate resources at Chesapeake Energy Corp., at a hearing called by the subcommittee's chairman, Jim Costa (D-Calif.), to examine issues associated with shale gas production.

"Shale gas actually is not new. It's been developed for almost 50 years and could play a sizable part in the US energy portfolio. A single play, the Barnett shale, produces 6% of all gas consumed in the US today," he said in his opening statement.

"While this is a great opportunity for the country to have access to a significant reserve of clean burning fuel well into the future, for some unfamiliar with the oil and gas industry, it has raised concern over the potential impact to water quality and use from the practice of hydraulic fracturing," said Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), the committee's ranking minority member.

"Hydraulic fracturing has been used by the oil and gas industry since the late 1940s," he continued. "More than 1 million frac jobs have been completed in the US since the technique was first developed. And there have been no demonstrated adverse impacts to drinking water wells from the fracking process or the fluids used in the process."

Another subcommittee member disagreed. "This is not an issue that's newly important. It's been around for a long time," said Maurice D. Hinchey (D-NY). Congress dealt with it when it passed the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974, but a later group of federal lawmakers exempted oil and gas drilling under the 2005 Energy Policy Act, an action which needs to be reversed, he said.

Will reintroduce bill

Hinchey and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) said following the hearing that they plan to reintroduce a bill next week that they initially offered in 2008 which would bring oil and gas drilling back under the SDWA. "This bill would make drillers subject to the same reporting requirements as any other industry under the SDWA. They would have to file reports about what chemicals are in the fracking fluid," she told reporters during an afternoon teleconference.

"We are being contacted by people from around the country who report bad experiences from drilling near their property. We're not trying to do anything revolutionary. We're trying to restore a safe, solid piece of legislation that was passed back in 1974," said Hinchey, who also participated.

But Kell said that reports of problems have been exaggerated. "In recent months, the states have become aware of press reports and websites alleging that six states have documented over 1,000 incidents of groundwater contamination from the practice of hydraulic fracturing. Such reports are not accurate," he said.

Officials from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Alabama, and Texas wrote letters to GWPC Executive Director Mike Paque disproving the reports, Kell continued. A sixth official, from Colorado, did not respond because he had not been on the job long enough, he added.

In his May 29 letter to Paque, Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Victor G. Carillo said that a majority of 354 active groundwater cases associated with the oil and gas which were reported in the state in 2007 involved "previous practices that are no longer allowed or result from activity now prohibited by our existing regulations. A few cases were due to blowouts that primarily occur during drilling activity. Not one of these cases was caused by hydraulic fracturing activity."

Safely used since '40s

Mike John of Chesapeake Energy acknowledged that hydraulic fracturing has become somewhat controversial, but added that it has been safely used since the 1940s. "It is very important to reiterate that these deep shale formations exist thousands of feet below the land surface and are separated from freshwater supplies by layers of steel casing, protected by concrete barriers as well as millions of tons of hard, dense solid rock geologic formations," he said in his written statement.

He also submitted a fact sheet which listed fracturing fluid additives, main compounds, and purposes, including hydrochloric or muriatic acid, borate salts (which maintain fluid viscosity as temperatures rise), petroleum distillate (to "slick" the water to minimize friction), and ethylene glycol (to prevent scale deposits in the pipe). "Additives used in hydraulic fracturing fluids include a number of compounds found in common consumer products," the fact sheet said.

But Appleton characterized fracturing fluid ingredients as "a witch's brew of toxic chemicals, nearly all of which are intrinsically hazardous to the environment." They are dangerous, he maintained, because they don't biodegrade: "Once in the environment, they stay there. Most of them bioaccumulate. The remainder volatize, removing them from water and land, but adding them to the atmosphere where they become contributors to global warming."

Hydraulic fracturing introduces these chemicals into the environment by leaving a significant portion of the fluid underground, where it is free to migrate into groundwater, he continued. More oversight is needed to assure that wells are properly drilled so their integrity is not breached, that the fracking fluids are properly handled and not spilled, and the liquids are properly disposed, he said in his written statement.

Appleton said that shale gas drilling is inappropriate in any area that is a major drinking water source, that zoning is essential particularly in rural areas to minimize impacts of incompatible land uses, and that a system of impact payments to local rural governments will be needed to deal with community infrastructure issues.

'Inaccurate information'

That drew a strong reaction from one subcommittee member. "Mr. Appleton essentially said the oil and gas industry is making so much money it can afford to be over-regulated," said Dan Boren (D-Okla.). "Well, natural gas producers in my district are stacking rigs and companies like Frac Tech are laying off employees. I'm proud that I'm supported by the oil and gas industry because it employs a lot of people in my state, and I'm tired of people trying to shut it down with inaccurate information."

Hinchey pressed Kell for information about oil and gas industry support of the GWPC. Kell said that the group gets its main support from government agencies including the US Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and numerous industries besides oil and gas. "Our opinions are not for sale. Our emphasis is on protection of water resources," he declared.

Quite a few states already require disclosure of ingredients in hydraulic fracturing fluids, he added. "As a member of the GWPC and an Ohio official, I don't believe any federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing is necessary," he said.

When Cynthia M. Lummis (R-Wyo.) asked what impacts federal hydraulic fracturing regulations would have on state programs, Helms responded that Alabama spent two years rewriting its regulations in the 1990s after losing a lawsuit brought by an environmental organization. "We're also concerned that requiring additional regulations will divert states' resources from other higher priority programs," Kell said.

When she was asked about this during her teleconference, DeGette replied: "The reason we passed the [SDWA] to begin with is that we decided safe drinking water is a national priority. Also, water like any resources crosses state lines. I'm very proud of Colorado for passing new stringent regulations, but other states haven't followed it. Further, the SDWA is being administered by state agencies in 34 states already for other industries so this wouldn't be an additional burden."

http://www.pennenergy.com/index/articles/display/364039/s-articles/s-oil-gas-journal/s-weekly-washington-update/s-update/s-states-already-regulate-hydraulic-fracturing-well-officials-testify.html