What's The Deal With Gas?

       Has anybody wondered what the heck is going on with natural gas drilling? Here's what I think, and it has the advantage of being true. But first a little history. Here in Pennsylvania, when they first started signing up leases, the offers were for around $27.50 per acre and folks were told they better sign up quick or there'd be no offers at all. Then things dried up for a while.
       Then came the offers of $2,700 per acre signing bonuses and if they dried up, they were never coming back. Then they dried up for a while and then offers came for up to $5,750 per acre. Then they dried up again for a while. Now I don't think they'll come back a whole lot higher than that $5,750 per acre, but anything is possible, I guess.
       The reason things keep drying up is for several important developments. One is that companies run out of funding temporarily and have to get additional investors. Another reason is that they wind up with much more land than they can develop quickly or add pipelines to get the gas out. But the biggest reason is that gas prices fluctuate.
       See, if the price of gas drops, it becomes less inviting to invest in gas exploration. On the other hand, if the price goes up, there's more interest in investing in leasing. Same is true for drilling. But once the well is drilled and the gas is being piped out, then it flows no matter what the price. Then the trick is to find new customers to buy it.
       That's when coal fired generation plants will find it a better alternative than trying to make clean coal. That's because clean coal is an oxymoron. Coal is dirty, is dirty, is dirty. Gas is a pollutant too, but nothing like coal. So natural gas is a real blessing and for many, a real boon.
       But for many others, natural gas is a real big headache. That's because it brings problems. Problems like polluted water wells, roads and highways ruined because of rough hard traffic and too much of that. And drillers who are none too careful with their workmanship. Not all, mind you, but a few bad apples, oh you know.