By Greg Kozera
For Thoughts to Ponder
Fourth grade became a rough year for me when “Tex”, a big 6th grader moved in. I was a scrawny 4th grader. Tex was a bully who made me and my friends’ lives miserable. None of us told our teachers or parents. We were afraid of what Tex would do to us. One day walking home from school, Tex started his bullying. He got in my face. Said he was going to beat my butt. Tex pushed me to the limit. I reacted by making a fist with my left hand and suddenly without warning punched him right in the nose. Tex stumbled backwards and fell on his butt, blood pouring out of his nose. I was still scared he would beat me up. My friends were stunned at what had happened. They too were scared, yelling, “Let’s go.” We all took off running. Tex didn’t follow.
The next day, afraid of what might happen after school, I was shocked when Tex ignored us. Neither of us spoke about the incident. Tex may have been embarrassed getting knocked down by a 4th grader. We were happy. He left us alone for the rest of the school year. Tex went to Junior High the following year. I never saw him again. A bully is a person who consistently uses strength, status or power to intentionally frighten, hurt or intimidate those they perceive as weak or vulnerable. Tex taught me a valuable lesson. Bullies will remain bullies until someone has the courage to stand up to them. We are seeing that happen today in the Middle East.
The courage to fight back can take many forms. One way the USA is fighting back is with energy independence. A $33 billion natural gas power plant that will produce up to nine gigawatts of electricity was announced last week for southern Ohio. It is part of a deal with Japan described as part of a broader effort to boost electricity production and meet the rising demand of artificial intelligence and data centers. Why build it here? The Shale Crescent USA (SCUSA) has the natural gas to fuel it! The Shale Crescent USA produces over 1/3 of the USA’s natural gas. The only countries producing more natural gas are the rest of the USA without the Shale Crescent USA and Russia.
SCUSA research shows high energy users gain a permanent cost and profitability advantage by building close to their energy source. Proximity to energy also creates a reliability advantage. Countries in Europe and Asia dependent on Middle East oil are not only facing price increases as global oil prices increase but potential supply disruptions.
Natural gas is priced regionally not globally because of the difficulty and costs involved with shipping it globally. The proposed Southern Ohio natural gas power plant and other proposed natural gas power plants in the region will have the cheapest gas in the industrialized world because of the Shale Crescent region’s enormous natural gas production. Natural gas is independent of increasing world oil prices. World oil prices are reflected at our local service stations even though our gasoline comes from domestic production (Including the Utica and Marcellus) refined in Ohio and Kentucky.
World oil prices have increased since the Iran war started to over $80 per barrel. Henry Hub price for natural gas was stable at around $3 per MCF. Natural gas in our region sells at a discount to Henry Hub. One way to compare energy costs between different fuels is to compare everything in Barrel of Oil Equivalent (BOE). The amount of energy in a barrel of oil. The barrel of oil equivalent price of Shale Crescent USA natural gas is $15.70. To get the same amount of energy from crude costs over $80. Natural gas is a bargain. It isn’t impacted by world oil prices that can change overnight with a war in the Middle East or a hurricane on the Gulf Coast. Shale Crescent USA’s natural gas is over 25% cheaper than coal. It is cheaper than wind and solar whose cost must include back-up power or battery costs. The southern Ohio natural gas plant will be powered by the cheapest, most dependable, most stable and one of the cleanest fuels in the world.
Companies are beginning to build data centers where natural gas is located and power is generated. Homer City, PA has a former coal power plant being converted to natural gas to power a data center campus. It is literally on top of its fuel. There is space on the campus for manufacturers needing dependable power to bring additional high wage jobs. Many manufacturing companies we met in Turkiye need only 10-20 acres, dependable, economical electricity and 50 or more employees to start.
Bullying doesn’t stop after high school. The USA was close to giving up energy independence like Europe did. Early in the development of the Marcellus Shale the “antis” vilified the 60+ year old process of hydraulic fracturing used over one million times without incident, calling it “Fracking”. They used falsehoods, half-truths and emotion. Industry people didn’t fight back thinking, “No one is that stupid.” They didn’t understand people make decisions based on emotion and try to justify them with logic.
The USA was in an energy crisis impacting my family’s safety. The “antis” packed early public meetings on Marcellus regulations heckling and bullying industry speakers having the courage to attend. Some engineers left without speaking. I attended and spoke presenting truths and facts government panels needed to hear. Individuals could say anything. In a large meeting with the EPA attending, one woman said, “If a pregnant woman comes in contact with fracking fluid her son will be gay.” One of many emotional stories we heard void of facts.
Industry attendance and supporters grew in numbers. In Clarksburg, WV they couldn’t fit in the gymnasium. The antis left. We now have energy independence, the cleanest air and water of my life.
Bullies can be overcome with courage, truth, strength, leadership and unity.
Greg Kozera, is the Director of Marketing for Shale Crescent USA. He is a professional engineer with a Masters in Environmental Engineering and over 40 years of experience in the energy industry. Greg is a leadership expert, high school soccer coach, professional speaker, author of four books and many published articles.